SUMMARY

  1.1.  The Government's UK Science and Innovation Investment Framework (2004-14) sets the objective of enhancing the UK as a prime location for research and development, while strengthening the internationally-competitive nature of the UK's science base.

  1.2.  The British Council and the UK Research Councils are both members of the Global Science and Innovation Forum (GSIF), a cross-Whitehall group coordinated by the Office of Science and Innovation (OSI).

  1.3.  The strategy for international engagement in research and development published by GSIF establishes an overarching strategic framework through which international collaborative science and innovation should be co-ordinated and prioritised.

  1.4.  The British Council, in building long-term relationships overseas for the UK, supports the recommendations contained in this strategy; recognising that international cooperation in science and innovation helps achieve our own corporate outcomes by:

—  strengthening the interest of young people in science and technology both as a study and a career choice;

—  improving international research co-operation through collaborative awards schemes such as the new Researcher Exchange Programme and the established International Networking for Young Scientists programme, especially in prime emerging economies such as China and India;

—  helping to promote the UK Research Councils overseas and the development of alumni relationships in targeted markets;

—  supporting UKTI in marketing UK excellence in science and innovation by seeking opportunities to work in partnership with multinational organisations;

—  contributing to a strategic, coordinated approach by UK governmental agencies to achieve the optimum deployment of the scientific evidence base in support of policy-making and wider opinion forming on the international stage;

—  supporting the development of communication tools that portray the UK's strengths and its approach to international collaboration in science and innovation.

  1.5.  We build long-term sustainable partnerships through scientific links that promote innovation and economic development. Prime emerging economies (principally China, India, Brazil and Russia) are a priority for supporting mutual scientific, technological and economic interests. Science also assists in building long-term partnerships in difficult operating environments such as the Middle East and Iran, and this is a high priority.

  1.6.  The British Council uses a number of delivery mechanisms to increase awareness of the UK's achievements in science and creative thinking, We would welcome more interaction with the Research Councils, who have a wealth of experts, resources and materials, to ensure greater impact is achieved through greater co-ordination and more effective use of these assets.

COLLABORATION WITH UK RESEARCH COUNCILS

  2.1.  Research Council staff and contacts have been involved in a number of British Council awareness-raising projects and initiatives concerning, for example, UK innovation, women in science, the 50th anniversary of the discovery of DNA's structure, and climate change. They have always been supportive of British Council initiatives, but there been no major joint activities. This may reflect an earlier "wealth creation in UK" stance, or the different audience segments that the Research Councils and British Council individually seek to reach.

  2.2.  The Research Councils support British Council activity in a range of other ways, by providing advice on British Council programmes, participating in meetings in UK and overseas to represent and explain UK research programmes and priorities. They support much of the research work that takes place at the UK end of the research links we deliver.

  2.3.  At any given time, the British Council supports a number of bilateral exchange visits and workshops (see Annexe) that provide opportunities for research teams in other countries to initiate new partnerships with counterparts in the UK. The UK Research Councils co-operate with the British Council in the focus and quality of these links and this, with the input from overseas partners, helps ensure that our programmes meet current research priorities, including those of the UK and EU. We look to the Research Councils continuing to offer in-kind support to these schemes in the future.

PROPOSALS

  3.1.  Scientific endeavour is international in nature and UK research sponsors and institutions have good international relationships, especially with their counterparts and around major international research projects and facilities. For good reasons these relationships concentrate on the countries with major scientific research programmes of their own, for example, OECD countries and, increasingly, emerging economies. There is a case for developing stronger relationships with other countries, to help develop capacity and maintain links with returned researchers. Activities that promote the UK's science base and that complement the British Council's activities and programmes overseas would help secure the UK's standing and in some cases meet specific UK interests, such as climate security.

  3.2.  The British Council's global science policy would be greatly assisted by the UK Research Councils formulating and publishing a consistent and coherent international policy that would be sustainable in the longer term. The arguments that the Research Councils are "concerned only with wealth creation in the UK" and "seeking excellence wherever it might be" do not facilitate a joined-up approach to international collaboration, and make it difficult for the British Council to see where it can best add value to the efforts of others.

  3.3.  The British Council, with OSI and EC funding under a Framework Six Specific Support Action, has developed a mobility portal for researchers at the national level called Network UK (www.britishcouncil.org/eumobility). Network UK acts as a gateway to the many, varied sources of practical advice and information about living and working in the UK. In providing a comprehensive one stop shop for foreign researchers, it reduces the barriers to inward mobility and gives the UK a competitive advantage over other countries in attracting talented people into the UK research base. The Research Councils have chosen not to undertake active promotion, or to utilise the mobility portal; actions that have been left to the HE sector. While it is true that the UK is the preferred destination for the majority of mobile researchers in Europe, this position may change and the UK needs to ensure the barriers are minimal.

May 2007

BRITISH COUNCIL SCIENCE

  The British Council runs science programmes in 70 countries around the world, with an annual expenditure of £8 million, divided approximately into £5 million for operational costs and £3 million for staff costs.

  There are two programme areas within the British Council's global science strategy. The first programme area, "Excellence in international science", which aims to link scientific communities, has four main instruments:

INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS (INYS)

  The mobility of, and direct contact between early stage researchers in the UK and other countries is encouraged and facilitated through the funding of N+N workshops, for the exchange of knowledge and ideas, and the building of international connections.

RESEARCHER EXCHANGE PROGRAMME (RXP)

  Early stage researchers are provided with the opportunity to travel and build important international contacts for their future careers, through individual mobility awards. For the UK, the resulting exchange of information, knowledge and ideas helps to enhance our position as a hub of the global knowledge economy.

RESEARCH NETWORKS AND BILATERAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMMES

  Overseas scientific professionals are encouraged to view UK as a scientific partner of choice, awareness of UK scientific excellence is raised, and the potential for co-operation through joint research is enhanced through the funding of research links.

NETWORK UK (WWW.BRITISHCOUNCIL.ORG/EUMOBILITY)

  The obstacles to mobility encountered by researchers and their families are reduced through the provision of comprehensive information and advice, in order to better assist research professionals planning a move to the UK; and thereby promote trans-national mobility and an improved research system across the European Research Area.

  The second programme area, "Understanding science in society" seeks to raise awareness and appreciation of the UK's scientific achievements and strengths with wider international audiences. The British Council uses a number of delivery mechanisms in support of this, including:

—  Visits by scientists and science communicators (inward & outward), including evening speaker events and mini lecture series.

—  Meetings, seminars and workshops.

—  Conferences (both physical & electronic).

—  Publications (both physical & electronic), including web news bulletin services, posters, videos and photo libraries.

—  Web sites, portals and e-networks.

—  Festivals & exhibitions (both physical & electronic).

—  Competitions and prizes (such as summer placements in UK laboratories).

—  Video-linked public discussions.

—  PR and media communications.

—  Other events, such as popular articles in the press and on radio and TV; public lectures and debates; talks linked to exhibitions.

OTHER BRITISH COUNCIL INITIATIVES:

—  The Prime Minister launched the UK-India Education and Research Initiative in India in September 2005. This major initiative to strengthen bilateral links between India and the UK is sponsored in part by the FCO, DfES, OSI (DTI), the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Executive, the Department for Employment and Learning—Northern Ireland and British Council, with financial support from BAE Systems, BP, GSL and Shell. The initiative supports a range of bilateral research and education activities including institution to institution links in the sciences, and social science. UKIERI currently supports 30 research links, of which all but four are in the sciences. The research projects are funded for up to four years and new links are considered each year. UKIERI also sponsors Indian research students to study in the UK and enables some graduates to have corporate attachments in the UK.

—  The British Council administers the England Africa Programme (EAP) on behalf of the DfES. This series of higher education links was launched last year between African countries and the UK and is intended to strengthen links between HE institutions in Africa and the UK and contribute to capacity development. The programmes include the possibility for joint university research. These programmes run for a maximum of two years.

—  On behalf of DFID, the Council manages the Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DELPHE), also launched last year, to succeed from the successful former HE Links programme. The new programme links universities in the developing world with UK institutions around development themes, and favours multi-centre links involving two or more institutions overseas. There is some scope for the funding of consumables and equipment, but like all the other programmes the main support is for the mobility of the participants.