1.  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  1.1  The East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is pleased to respond to the Science and Technology Committee's call for comments on the future provision of Science and Discovery Centres. This provides an opportunity for emda to illustrate the many activities and initiatives already taking place in our region to help increase the take-up of those skills necessary to underpin a knowledge-based economy, in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Our aim is to ensure we have a continuing stream of young people wishing to take up education and ultimately careers associated with STEM. It is important that we develop the mechanisms and interventions to excite the young, recognising and rewarding their involvement in these skills as a vital step to ensuring we have appropriately qualified and skilled people for the jobs of tomorrow. Gaining public appreciation is also of immense importance so that peer pressure can have a positive effect on the minds of younger people. Better public appreciation of science and technology will also help to illustrate the impact such skills have on everyday life, providing us all with better quality products and services delivered by businesses competing in a global market.

  1.2  The future prosperity of the UK regions is dependent on the development of a knowledge-based economy. The East Midlands Innovation Strategy and Action Plan 2007-2010 clearly articulates this in its vision for the region to become a dynamic economy founded upon innovative and knowledge-focused businesses competing in a global economy. The global context in which the nation needs to compete reinforces the case for ensuring that public access facilities, such as Science and Discovery Centres, encourage take up of STEM skills. The challenge is clearly demonstrated in the statistics which show that India and China are producing in excess of 2 million graduates per year, compared to 25,000 for the UK as a whole.

  1.3  It is important that any future funding for Science and Discovery Centres allows for a much greater coordination and alignment of the many initiatives that exist across the UK regions, as illustrated in the examples we have described for the East Midlands. Future funding should incentivise people to take a greater interest in science and technology. Equally important, by working closely with business, we need to ensure there are vacancies to provide career opportunities in a knowledge based economy.

2.  BACKGROUND

  2.1  Regions with good innovation performance have within them communities of people who thrive on innovation. This is well illustrated by the growth that has taken place over the last 20-30 years in places such as Silicon Valley (USA), Singapore and, within the UK, the Cambridge area, leading to a concentration of innovators and innovative behaviour. In comparison this passion for innovation does not appear to exist to the same extent in most of the UK regions, including the East Midlands. We are therefore, pleased to respond to the Science and Technology Committee's call for comments related to the future provision of science and discovery centres as an important initiative which could help to address this deficit over the longer-term.

  2.2  To encourage and foster more innovative behaviour amongst young people and to engage the public in science, it will be essential to develop clear messages and communicate the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) to all individuals. Also, of equal importance would be the illustration of potentially lucrative and rewarding careers that STEM related employment can provide. We must ensure that access to STEM subjects is inclusive and seen as a vital combination of skills that are essential to drive increased future prosperity in a knowledge-based economy. We need to support activities that address young people and embed the merits of entrepreneurship and innovation within, for example, the curricula of education institutions. Within this, young people need to be seen as tomorrow's innovators and are therefore an important audience for such messages.

3.  REGIONAL RESPONSE TO NATIONAL STEM POLICY, INCLUDING SCIENCE CENTRES

  3.1  The DTI's STEM programme has been developed to rationalise and improve the provision of science, technology, engineering and maths support to UK students. Building upon the Government's "Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014" the programme outlines a number of actions to address the UK's challenges in building a strong supply of scientists, engineers, technologists, and mathematicians. Another major recognised challenge is to secure a flow of younger people as tomorrow's innovators who are able to apply their STEM skills to exploit knowledge, leading to increased prosperity in the long term.

  3.2  The programme outlines the rationale for increasing our science base in the UK, which is about addressing the development of emerging overseas economies and their growing successes in research and technologies. This challenge is illustrated by the statistic that the UK produces around 25,000 graduates per year, in comparison to over 2 million produced between China and India. The need to engage and encourage younger people into STEM education and careers could not be greater.

  3.3  A STEM mapping review in 2004, found that many of the programmes operating in the UK were not running efficiently or providing wide coverage across all schools. As a result of this exercise a number of recommendations were made:

—  Coherence and co-ordination brought to STEM programmes and initiatives.

—  Identified gaps in provision should be addressed.

—  Cross cutting STEM programme to be developed to take this forward.

—  Government to take a national lead in STEM policy to provide a holistic approach to strategy development.

—  Government to encourage more effective joined up planning in relation to the delivery of future STEM programmes and initiatives.

—  High level strategy group to be established chaired by Alan Johnson (minister of state for lifelong learning and higher education) to review and agree priorities.

—  Strategy group to include members from government, umbrella organisations and industry.

—  Three further working groups to be established to address gaps in provision and better programme co ordination.

—  Government in most cases should engage by encouraging co operation and rationalisation; heavy involvement in all initiatives will not be possible.

  3.4  There are a number of existing activities and initiatives in the East Midlands that address the UK STEM agenda. It is important that we recognise and find ways in which activities addressing regional priorities and variations can be aligned with national drivers for mutual benefit. The regional activities are driven and delivered by a range of different stakeholders and summarised as follows:

Regional STEM Networks/Support Centres (schools and FE)

  We are currently in discussion with regional partners to consider the establishment of a regional STEM support centre in the East Midlands. Such centres can be regarded as "hubs" that provide up-to-date information, support and advice to schools about quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities that enhance and enrich the curriculum. The objective of the Centre is to enable schools to match their specific STEM needs with the opportunities and activities in their region to support the development of key skills for the young people. These Centres will also be a key focus for engaging the public, highlighting the importance and impact of STEM activities on everyday life.

Aim Higher Steering Group (schools and FE)

  Working in partnership with a number of organisations, Aim Higher provides a range of activities to raise aspirations, broaden horizons and encourage learners from schools, colleges and communities where traditionally progression to higher education is relatively low. This will help raise the skills profile and thereby provide a better equipped and adaptive workforce to meet the challenges of a knowledge-based economy.

  One of the main activities of Aim Higher is the "East Midlands Science and Technology Awards" (EMSTAs), which are supported by emda with funding of £600,000 over three years. The main objective of these Awards is to encourage groups currently under-represented in STEM subjects to apply for and complete courses at the region's higher education institutions. This will improve the skills profile of the region's labour market and support learners to remain in STEM-related employment in the East Midlands after graduation. EMSTA Awards are financial support for selected students from the region, accepted on STEM full-time undergraduate degree courses in the East Midlands. Two hundred scholarships of £3,000 (£1,000 per year for three years of undergraduate study) have been made available for 2007 and 2008 entry.

National Space Centre (Schools)

  This Leicester based facility brings together many strands of the National Curriculum at each of the Key Stages including science, ICT, maths, literacy, history, geography and citizenship. The centre offers a wide range of educational programmes and resources. One of the main advantages of this activity is that it provides a link between the academic institutes (schools, colleges and universities) and businesses. This provides a tremendous opportunity to showcase how STEM, using Space as an attractive subject, can be applied in businesses leading to the development of innovative products and solutions. It also illustrates potential careers opportunities for STEM-based qualifications.

Science City Nottingham (Schools, FE, HE)—Kit in a Kase project

  This project created a suite of interactive exhibits, activities and display materials on themes central to Science City and the region. These materials (KITs) formed the basis of activities that were used both in schools—with young people from 5-19 years old: and with the general public as part of a regional road show. The KITs were designed and materials purchased during January and March 2007 with the initial version made available to support Science and Engineering Week in March 2007. Since then the KITs have been further developed and used in regional schools with a range of age groups at primary and secondary schools. The KITs were advertised by the Nottingham Trent University based Centre for Effective Learning in Science (CELS) and their partners across the East Midlands.

Regional innovation Festival, (iFestival)

  Over a period of 10 weeks, from March to May 2007, our first regional innovation Festival (iFestival) drew together an inspiring and dynamic range of activities, engaging with thousands of young people, businesses and members of the public. Children from across the region were invited to take part in a unique programme of events providing opportunities for them to get excited about working with science and technology. During National Science and Engineering week in March, the nine metre high Skybolt rocket and accompanying team of rocket scientists from Starchaser Industries visited Nottingham and Derby city centres. The event gave young people the opportunity to find out more about the UK's contribution to space exploration and will also showcase the work of the young filmmakers.

  Some of the region's most promising young talent in engineering came together on 2 May at Loughborough University's Henry Ford College and inspired judges and guests with their knowledge and application of engineering and technology. This was the culmination of an Engineering Education Scheme (EES) programme where young people work with companies to develop engineering solutions to real problems encountered by our regional businesses.

4.  CONCLUSIONS

  4.1  In parallel with the national objective to improve co ordination and align the STEM programmes and initiatives already in progress, we believe the region will benefit from the development of a STEM project or initiative that provides links both to and from all other existing activity. This may be something that offers opportunities for all projects to enhance their offering by extending learning opportunities to a wider audience of younger people and greater public engagement. Ideally any such programme would connect and benefit all stakeholders, from schools through FE, HE and right across industry; providing a flexible and inclusive tool for developing the STEM agenda in the East Midlands.

  4.2  Although we support concept of Science and Discovery Centres, they can only be part of any STEM initiative and a much wider more joined up activity/policy position from the Government is required. It is important that any funding support should be directed towards maximising appropriate use of resources, including Science and Discovery Centres. We must be wary of Centres being predominantly used by people who are already fascinated by science (eg teachers, academics researchers etc), who may well take up careers in science anyway. We need to ensure future funding will incentivise people (eg parents, teachers, media personalities) who will motivate children to take an interest in science. Once they have caught the bug they are likely to self-motivate from then on. Not only do we need icons to make the STEM agenda an attractive proposition, we need the jobs/vacancies to provide career opportunities too.

June 2007