INTRODUCTION

  1.  NESTA's mission is to transform the UK's capacity for innovation. We invest in early stage companies, encourage a culture that helps innovation to flourish and use our research agenda to build a body of evidence about how best to support, measure and improve the UK's climate for innovation.

  2.  We welcome this inquiry into science and discovery centres. They play an important role in encouraging and enabling the public to engage in "real science" and to develop the skills and enthusiasm needed for innovation and enterprise.

  3.  As such, the inquiry should look at ways in which these organisations could be helped to reach their full potential. It should also encourage the Government to develop better links to these centres and to seek to learn lessons that could inform the wider education system.

SCIENCE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE INNOVATION AGENDA

  4.  NESTA has a broad interest in innovation and its role in helping the UK meet the economic and social challenges of the 21st century. This includes how to encourage the successful exploitation of ideas in developing new products, services, markets and processes in all sectors of the UK's economy and society.[8]

  5.  Science underpins much of this activity. The UK Government has recognised the importance of this, and has doubled the science budget over the last 10 years. It has also introduced initiatives to enable and encourage businesses to undertake research and engage with universities.[9]

  6.  However, all this activity will be undermined if the UK does not have the people with the skills necessary to undertake this activity, as well as to absorb the knowledge that is being generated both in the UK, and elsewhere across the world.[10]

THE UK FACES A DEFICIT OF STEM SKILLED PEOPLE

  7.  Since 1995, the total number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates has increased by 10%.[11] However, this overall rise disguises important underlying trends—numbers of graduates in biological science, computer science and mathematical science have increased considerably, while those from engineering and technology and physical science have fallen.[12]

  8.  It is estimated that by 2014, the demand for science and technology professionals will increase by one fifth, compared to an increase for all other occupations of 4%.[13] Since the existence of a deep and skilled labour pool is a significant factor in multinational organisations deciding where to locate their high-value R&D, lack of STEM graduates could have significant knock-on effects for the UK's long-term economic performance.[14]

IMPORTANCE OF "REAL SCIENCE"

  9.  There has been an increasing recognition, shared between practitioners and policymakers across the UK of the need to address these problems by making science learning more engaging and enjoyable. This has resulted in developments in curriculum design, teacher training and professional development.[15]

  10.  However, significant problems remain. Too often teaching and learning in science fails to convey what many scientists regard as the intellectual discipline and excitement of exploring the unknown, indeed, the "wonder of science".[16]

  11.  The continuing imbalance between content and investigation in school science tends to convey that science is simply about learning a fixed body of known facts. This neglects that it is also about the processes and skills necessary to discover these facts—in the language of NESTA's 2005 report, "real science".

ABOVE AND BEYOND SCIENCE DISCOVERY, A RANGE OF SKILLS AND ATTITUDES IS NEEDED FOR INNOVATION

  12.  However, for the purposes of innovation (rather than "just" science), a range of skills and attitudes above and beyond technical scientific skills are important.[17] Crucially, the best innovators possess soft, cognitive skills that are not subject-specific. Instead, they refer to cross-disciplinary skills such as adaptability, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, interpersonal skills and leadership—the skills that are the building blocks of thinking and learning.[18]

  13.  Innovators are also often characterised by specific attitudes, including their willingness to take risk, readiness to challenge established practices, quickness to seize initiatives, and keenness to confront problems.[19] It is a combination of these skills and attitudes amongst people that lead to innovation.

BOLTON TIC ENABLES YOUNG PEOPLE TO DEVELOP THIS RANGE OF SKILLS[20]

  14.  Based on this analysis, NESTA invested £100,000 in Bolton Technical Innovation Centre (TIC). This enabled it to develop a three year programme of learning activities to work with pupils from across Bolton.

  15.  It is the UK's first "Junior Incubator" for budding entrepreneurs. Lying somewhere between a school, a university research lab, a science and discovery centre and a factory, it is a place where young people can design and make just about anything, with equipment and business expertise beyond the reach of schools.

  16.  It is purpose-designed to inspire a new generation of scientists, engineers and technologists. Young people from 9 to 19 years of age can visit during and beyond the normal school day, at weekends and during the holidays. The centre is open to all schools in the town.

  17.  Bolton TIC aims to:

—  Allow young people to enjoy science, engineering and technology (SET) and provide new opportunities for young people to apply their learning.

—  Preserve a sense of wonder about science, instil a pride in making things well and encourage students to choose SET courses and careers.

—  Encourage young people to innovate and to become entrepreneurial, develop a broad range of skills for innovation and enterprise, and guide students on taking ideas through to business.

NESTA HAS ALSO SUPPORTED CENTRE OF THE CELL

  18.  The Centre of the Cell is currently an online scientific resource with facts, pictures, games and films inspired by the ongoing work of more than 60 leading scientists and doctors at Queen Mary, University of London and its Medical School.[21] NESTA supported the Cell with a £70,000 investment, funding the appointment of an education adviser, development of designs and funding strategies at a crucial stage in the project's history.

  19.  From Spring 2008, Centre of the Cell will become a fully interactive science centre. Informed by extensive evaluation research with more than 6,000 local young people, their teachers and carers, it is working with award winning designers to create a unique exhibition.

  20.  Fully integrated with the website, the exhibition will provide a complementary experience that combines theatre, film, museum objects and interactive experiences in a way that has never been done before.

SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY CENTRES FULFIL IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS

  21.  Science and discovery centres help to correct the imbalance between content and investigation in the school curriculum. They provide young people with the opportunity to experiment and develop additional knowledge that supplements that provided through the school curriculum. They also help introduce young people to the exciting side of science and therefore seek to inspire them to better engage with science in schools, take STEM subjects at college and university, and ultimately pursue a scientific career.

  22.  Science and discovery centres also fulfil a number of other functions. They have a role in educating adults about science; they raise public awareness about science; and they enable dialogue between scientists, the public, industry and government.

SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY CENTRES SHOULD DEVELOP BETTER LINKS BETWEEN EACH OTHER AND WITH THE FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEM

  23.  In the first instance, science and discovery centres should make sure that they are learning from each other by sharing best practice. Ecsite-uk, the UK network of science centres and museums has a role to play in achieving this. They could facilitate the sharing of best practice between centres in terms of raising funding, interacting with schools and working with other local and regional organisations.

  24.  The centres also need to work more closely with schools and colleges to ensure that their offering complements the formal curriculum. In particular, centres should ensure that they show young people how the knowledge gained in schools can be applied to a variety of real-life and workplace situations.

GOVERNMENT HAS A ROLE IN ENSURING THAT THE CENTRES ARE ABLE TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL

  25.  Science and discovery centres have the potential to contribute to meeting a number of government targets. This includes increasing the number of people with STEM skills and ensuring that the public is better informed about science. However, without some public support, many of the centres will be unable to fulfil their potential, or may even be unsustainable.

  26.  The Government should continue to assess how effective these centres are, but should do so in such as sufficiently flexible and tailored way to reflect local purpose and circumstances.

  27.  Currently, science and discovery centres generate funding from a range of sources. These include grants from public sector organisations, sponsorship from businesses and money received from on-site facilities. However, this ad hoc approach limits the impact that centres have, and can constrain capital investment.

  28.  There is a risk that this approach to funding may impact negatively on staff recruitment and retention. The limited level of funding means that the recruitment package offered to potential employees is often uncompetitive. As much of the funding is tied to a specific project, it is also difficult to retain staff beyond the life of an individual project.

  29.  The Government should therefore look at ways in which it can enable the centres and programmes that are making positive contributions to fulfil their potential and plan for the future. This could be allocated by a match funding programme depending on other income received or how many schools or young people use the centres. This funding could be provided through the RDAs to ensure that the centres are linking in with wider regional priorities.

LEARNING FROM SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY CENTRES TO INFORM THE FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEM

  30.  It is apparent, however that many of these centres are engaging with young people about science in a way that schools are not—and are perhaps not best placed to do so. As such, the Government should better link in with these centres and the networks that support them in order to ensure that they best-complement the formal schooling system and learn lessons that could inform the wider education system.

June 2006

9   NESTA (2007), Science: an engine of innovation, (NESTA, London). Back

10   NESTA (2007), Science: an engine of innovation, (NESTA, London). Back

11   This compares to a rise in general graduation of 25% over the same period. Comparative statistics derived from the HESA, Students and Qualifiers Data Tables: Subject of Study, 1995-96 and 2005-06, available at http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/stud.htm Back

12   HESA (1997-2006), First destinations of students leaving higher education institutes, annual data volumes. From 2002-03 HESA re-worked data used in this report to incorporate omissions in the former First Destinations Supplement. Back

13   SSDA (January 2006), Working Futures Report 2004-2014, available at http://www.ssda.org.uk/PDF/Working%20Future%2020042014%20National%20Summary%20R%20060215.pdf Back

14   Simmie, J (2004), Innovation Clusters and Competitive Cities in the UK and Europe, taken from Parkinson, M and Boddy, M (eds) (2004), City Matters: Competitiveness, cohesion and urban governance, (Policy Press, Bristol). Back

15   Chapter 6, "Science, Engineering and Technology Skills", in HM Treasury (2004), Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014, (The Stationery Office, London). Back

16   NESTA (2005), Real Science, (NESTA, London). Back

17   NESTA (2007), Education for Innovation, (NESTA, London). Back

18   Bloom, B S (1956), Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook 1: The Cognitive Domain, (David McKay Co. Inc., New York). Back

19   Colangelo et al (2003), Young Inventors (chapter) in Shavinina, L. (ed), The International Handbook on Innovation (Elsevier Science, UK). Back

20   For further information see http://www.uktic.org/ Back

21   For further information, see http://www.centreofthecell.org/ Back