The Research Councils' response to the recommendations of the Technology Foresight Initiative

50 Pages·1995·2 MB·English

by  Great Britain. Office of Public Service and Science

CABINET OFFICE
OFFICE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND SCIENCE
THE RESEARCH COUNCILS’ RESPONSE
TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
THE TECHNOLOGY FORESIGHT INITIATIVE
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The Research Councils’ Response to the Recommendations of the Technology Foresight Initiative
INTRODUCTION
Le The report of the Technology Foresight Steering Group, Progress Through
Partnership, was published in May 1995. The 15 Technology Foresight Panels
published their individual reports during April and May 1995. In anticipation of the
publication of the reports the Research Councils began preparing their responses
during 1994.
ya The following is a summary of each Council’s proposed plan of action to take
forward the Foresight findings now that all the reports have been published.
3. Annex A shows how these programmes map onto the eleven key topics described in
Progress Through Partnership for each of the seven Research Councils.
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
(BBSRC)
4. Following its establishment in April 1994, BBSRC adopted a working structure which
reflected the call in the Government’s White Paper, Realising Our Potential [Cm
2250], for the Council to be responsive to the needs of its users. The Council
established three Directorates with the specific aim of developing and implementing
policy to meet the needs of its three principal user communities: chemicals and
pharmaceuticals; food; and agriculture.
=y For each of these Directorates the BBSRC established an Advisory Committee,
chaired by an industrialist, with at least 50% user representation on the Committee.
Over the past year, these Directorate Advisory Committees have set out to identify
those areas where research is required to underpin the needs of the user community
by conducting an extensive consultation with the user base, and through
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The Research Councils’ Response to the Recommendations of the Technology Foresight Initiative
correspondence and workshops. Throughout this period there has been a good
interaction with the Technology Foresight Initiative, assisted by the extensive cross-
membership between the Directorate Advisory Committees and Technology Foresight
Sector Panels. For example, four members of the Food Directorate Advisory
Committee are also members of the Food and Drink Sector Panel.
6. The emerging findings of Technology Foresight have, therefore, extensively shaped
the strategic thinking of the Directorates. With the publication of the outcome of the
Technology Foresight Initiative,the BBSRC intends to reorient its programme so that
resources for strategic research underpin the following fourteen programme areas:
Strategic Programme Directorate
Biomolecular Design
Applied Biocatalysis
Environmental Biotechnology Chemicals and
Bioprocess Engineering Pharmaceuticals
Cell Technology
Analytical Technology
Wealth Creating Products of Plants aa
Biological Responses to Stress
Technologies for Improvement Agriculture
of Crops and Livestock
Agricultural in the Environment
Raw Material Quality |
Diet and Health
Microbiological Aspects of Food
Food Safety and Preservation
Food Manufacturing Sr
Te These programmes take forward many of the priorities of the four Panels most
relevant to BBSRC, as well as generic science and technology priorities identified by
the Steering Group. The programme will be pursued through a variety of delivery
mechanisms, including LINK, where BBSRC is already active in 13 programmes and
is actively pursuing others. Not all research areas are at a stage appropriate for 50:50
funding with industry; nevertheless, some form of user involvement will be
29 June 1995 Page 2
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The Research Councils’ Response to the Recommendations of the Technology Foresight Initiative
encouraged in all the proposals considered within strategic programme areas and
applicants will be invited to address at the outset possible exploitation routes. The
Directorates will encourage team-working by specialists in different fields and this
process will be promoted by programme managers seconded from industry wherever
appropriate.
8. Both the Council’s new Directorate strategic programmes and BBSRC’s existing
portfolio of basic research and training address the generic science and technology
priorities and the generic infrastructural priorities identified by the Technology
Foresight Initiative.
Jf In relation to the science and technology priorities, BBSRC:
has introduced a new bioinformatics research initiative jointly with EPSRC,
with funding of £10 million over 4 years
has existing initiatives in plant and animal genome analysis (funding for
which has been increased by £3.6 million in 1995/96), and in plant
molecular biology and which underpins genetics and biomolecular
engineering
has a new LINK programme which is contributing to sensors and sensory
information process research
will develop new applications on environmentally sustainable technology
which will depend on greater understanding of molecular, cellular and
physical processes and will be supported in BBSRC Institutes and by
responsive mode grants
has diet and health as a strategic priority of its Food Directorate and will
continue to underpin this area through basic animal nutrition research in its
Institutes and in universities
10. _In relation to generic infrastructural priorities, BBSRC:
is maintaining the skills base through strong studentship and fellowship
schemes aimed at identifying the best supervisors, departments and research
programmes
29 June 1995 Page 3
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The Research Councils’ Response to the Recommendations of the Technology Foresight Initiative
® is maintaining support for truly excellent research, whether or not in a
Technology Foresight priority area, through the peer review process
e is providing incentives for multi-disciplinary research through workshops,
coordinated programmes, Interdisciplinary Research Centres, research
groups, Institutes, LINK programmes and joint programmes between
Institutes and universities _
e is providing incentives for universities to work with industry through
LINK, ROPA, CASE, Teaching Company Scheme, equipment-with-
industry initiatives and workshops between academics and industrialists
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (ESRC)
11. | ESRC considers its response to the Technology Foresight Initiative to be one of its
principal objectives. Planning began in late 1994 when the Council arranged a
meeting with the Chairs of Foresight Sector Panels to gain an insight into the issues
emerging from the Panels’ discussions which would impinge upon the social sciences.
In the Spring of 1995 ESRC organised a successful one-day seminar of all social
scientists on Foresight Panels. On the basis of these discussions with the Panels, and
an analysis of the Panel Reports, ESRC has carried out an internal review of the
issues raised which are relevant to the Council’s mission. The Council is now well
advanced with an extensive and unique national consultation exercise aimed at
specifying future priority themes that will not only meet the requirement of Realising
Our Potential but also have a high level of scientific interest and legitimacy within
the Council’s academic community.
12. This consultation involves the following elements:
e eight detailed consultant reviews of the Council’s existing portfolio
e in-depth interviews with key researchers and specialists
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