Edition 25
Welcome to the 25th edition of NESTA Innovation Digest (ID). NESTA ID is intended to provide fortnightly information and links on the latest news from the world of innovation policy and research and news of international issues and events.
We're sifting news and updates from dozens of websites and bulletins for each edition of ID. We're keen to know how we could improve this service, or perhaps you have suggestions for inclusion - please email digest@enews.nesta.org.uk
Regards,
Richard Halkett - Executive Director, NESTA Policy and Research Unit
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This issue
The UK Government has partnered with Google to use Google Earth to better predict changes to the temperature caused by climate change. NESTA, CSAIL and ECS are working in partnership with the inventor of the Web, Sir Tim Berners Lee to explore the impact of the Web on society. Launched at NESTA’s Innovation Edge conference, the NESTA report Total Innovation calls for the development of Total Innovation Strategies for the UK’s most important industries. A new IBM survey of 1,000 CEOs uncovers what leaders in the public and private sectors think the enterprise of the future will look like. Finally, France’s research system is currently being reformed, with plans to split the National Centre for Scientific Research into six national institutes.
Policy
DIUS – 2008 Value Added Scoreboard 09-06-08
The Scoreboard lists the value added by the top 750 European companies and the top 800 UK companies and reveals that almost 23% of all European Value Added came from UK companies, more than any other country.
ESRC, DIUS, NESTA and TSB – Innovation Research Centre: Invitation to submit full proposals 06-06-08
Will commission independent, multidisciplinary research focused on the broad role, drivers and impacts of innovation. Full Proposals costed to a maximum of £2.8m at 100% FEC over 5 years are invited from UK research organisations. Closes 22-07-08.
OGC and BERR call for evidence – Review on the role of SMEs in public procurement 10-06-08
Anne Glover's committee, as announced in the Enterprise Strategy and Budget 2008, is considering ways in which to increase opportunities for SMEs to win 30% of all public sector contracts. Closes 08-08-08.
Launch of the Manchester Independent Economic Review 02-06-08
Prominent economists and industry figures, including Sir Tom McKillop (Chair RBS) and Jonathan Kestenbaum (CEO NESTA), will lead the development of high quality evidence-based research to inform decision-makers in Manchester on growth strategies.
UK-IPO – Establishment of the Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property (SABIP) 02-06-08
SABIP is a NDPB that will provide independent input into government policy-making on IP and advise on the UK's stance in international negotiations. SABIP chairman is Joly Dixon.
Home Office report – Response to House of Lords committee on economic affairs report on the economic impacts of migration 11-06-08
Argues that immigration has made a positive contribution to UK GDP and added to output growth. Finds no significant evidence of negative employment effects from migration. Rather, immigration has helped meet labour and skills shortages.
DWP report - The impact of migration from the new European Union Member States on native workers 11-06-08
Argues that migrants coming to the UK from Eastern Europe have not caused unemployment, stopped UK workers from finding jobs nor had a significant impact on wages.
MoJ – Third Sector Strategy: Improving policies and securing better public services through effective partnerships 2008-2011 06-06-08
Sets out how the MoJ will engage with the third sector. Built around four goals: enabling voice and campaigning; strengthening communities; transforming public services; encouraging social enterprise.
HEFCE consultation – Sustainable development in higher education 10-06-08
Seeks views on HEFCE’s next three-year strategy to drive sustainable development in the HE sector. The strategy aims to support HE's contribution to the wider sustainable development agenda. Closes 05-09-08.
DoH consultation – Towards a strategy to support volunteering in health and social care 03-06-08
Seeks view on how to improve support for volunteers in the NHS, social care and third sector, and to encourage more volunteering opportunities. Will inform the publication of a final strategy and implementation plan in early 2009. Closes 30-09-08.
BCC – Launch of a Business Start-Up Pack 02-06-08
The pack includes three years free business banking from RBS Group, instant tender alerts, exclusive telecommunications and mobility offers, free software trials, discounts on products, half price Chamber membership and free legal advice.
Commission for Rural Communities report – England’s rural areas: steps to release their economic potential. Advice from the Rural Advocate to the Prime Minster 05-06-08
Recommendations for supporting enterprise in rural areas include: a Rural Finance Forum, a Rural Innovation Initiative (working with NESTA), developing clusters and networks and a new compact with government.
British Academy, RAENG, RCUK and the Royal Society – Newton International Fellowships 04-06-08
Aims to attract the world’s best post-doctoral researchers to Britain for one to two years, in natural and social sciences, engineering and the humanities. £13m will be made available, in the form of 50 annual research fellowships of up to £100,000.
RCUK – Launch of the Concordat to support the Career Development of Researchers 25-06-08
Sets out the expectations and responsibilities of researchers, their managers, employers and funders. It aims to increase the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers and to improve the quantity, quality and impact of research in the UK.
Newcastle University, One NorthEast and Newcastle City Council – Masterplan for ‘Science Central’ 05-06-08
Plans for a science quarter in Newcastle city centre, on the 19 acre former Gallowgate brewery site. It will house Newcastle University Research Institutes, the School of Applied Sciences and a specialist business support unit.
RCUK – Launch of Darwin200 04-06-08
National programme of events celebrating Charles Darwin's scientific ideas and their impact around his two hundredth birthday on 12 February 2009.
University College London – Launch of iTunes U 03-06-08
Partnership with Apple to make UCL the first UK university to offer users downloads of lectures, interviews, seminars and news, and play audio and video materials on their iPod or computer.
Cancer Research UK – Launch of ‘crack team’ research and commercialisation initiative 28-05-08
Cancer Research Technology will hand pick expert teams of five scientists from different disciplines to work with pharmaceutical companies to accelerate the translation of basic science into new cancer medical treatments and tools.
Scottish Parliament Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee – Stage 1 Report on the Creative Scotland Bill 02-06-08
Argues that the bill lacks clarity on funding, Board membership, work with other public agencies and definitions of ‘arts’, ‘culture’ and ‘creativity’. Recommends amendments at Stage 2 of the parliamentary process to sharpen its focus.
GO Group – The John Logie Baird Awards Programme 2008, Scotland 11-06-08
Innovation awards designed to encourage the commercial exploitation of Scotland’s intellectual capital. Awards are in six categories: knowledge transfer, impact, achievement, entrepreneurialism, young inventor and public and third sector. Closes 15-09-08.
Scottish Government – Launch of Climate Challenge Fund 03-06-08
£18.8m fund to support community-led action to reduce emissions.
Scottish Government – Third Scottish survey of achievement 09-06-08
This sample survey monitors how well pupils in Scotland are learning and reveals that too few pupils are achieving expected levels of science knowledge. There has been no improvement between 2003 and 2007.
WAG – Launch of research-driven supercomputer 02-06-08
The £2.9m academic supercomputer has the combined power of more than 2,000 laptops and will support a number of schools and departments across Cardiff University.
WAG – European Mobility Programme 06-06-08
Education Minister Jane Hutt signed Memoranda of Understanding with Tuscany and Catalonia in support of a planned mobility programme designed to allow students from Wales to participate in international training placements.
WAG and ESF – Modern Apprenticeship World Class Skills 12-06-08
A £70m three year project which aims to raise the skills of the workforce in Wales' most deprived areas.
WAG, EST and University of Glamorgan – Launch of tribrid bus 05-06-08
A carbon free minibus powered by three different green technologies – the first of its kind in Europe. Steps to commercialise the tribrid bus will now be undertaken and it is anticipated to be available at a cost of £90,000- £95,000.
EU – Launch Of The International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation 08-06-08
Multilateral energy initiative signed by Energy Ministers of the G8 countries, China, India, South Korea and the European Community.
BERR – Finalists of Enterprising Britain competition 09-06-08
The 12 finalists were announced, those places demonstrating local and community innovation to help address economic and social issues.
Research
Work Foundation report – Towards a global labour market? Globalisation and the knowledge economy 02-06-08
Argues that the UK will need to attract more highly skilled workers from abroad to secure the future of its knowledge intensive industries. The UK employs the third largest number of highly skilled migrants (715,000) after the US and Canada.
Deloitte and Touche LLP and the National Venture Capital Association – 2008 Global Venture Capital Survey 03-06-08
While venture capitalists continue to view the USA as the global leader in technological innovation, they also recognise pockets of technology development worldwide, such as ICT in Asian countries and life sciences and clean technology in Europe.
Ernst & Young – European Investment Monitor 05-06-08
The UK retained its position as the most attractive destination for inward investment in Europe in 2007. FDI in Europe grew 5% from 2006 to 2007, with a total of 3,712 projects.
Ernst & Young – Fifth annual European attractiveness survey: An open world 05-06-08
41% of business leaders surveyed ranked China as the most attractive investment destination, ahead of Europe. Also reveals that while the number of FDI projects across Europe was up in 2007, FDI job creation fell by 18% in 2007.
CBI and TUC report – Talent Not Tokenism, the business benefits of workforce diversity 03-06-08
Reveals that SMEs and multinationals employing a diverse workforce are more productive and have higher retention rates than those who do not. Contains twelve case studies and advice from senior executives at ten leading companies.
CM International – Services innovation: Issues, tools and practices in regional support policies 25-05-08
Survey of how regional development agencies are responding to the challenge posed by the rapid pace of innovation in the provision of services.
RIN and CEPA report – Activities, costs and funding flows in the scholarly communications system in the UK 29-05-08
Examines all stages of the scholarly communications process, from the production of research outputs to the reading of those outputs. Estimates that the worldwide 'hidden' cost of peer review is £1.9bn a year, with the UK contributing £165m each year.
Reform report – The Value of Mathematics 03-06-08
Argues that a ‘lost generation’ of mathematicians has cost the economy £9bn, while GCSE maths has become a ‘pick ‘n’ mix’ test rather than the key staging post it once was.
NESTA Invitation to tender – Measuring impact 13-06-08
We are inviting applications from researchers with expertise in impact measurement to carry out a quantitative and qualitative study of the medium-term impact of NESTA’s Fellowship Awards.
Events
The Work Foundation – Successful cities in a changing economy, Ideopolis Conference 2008, London 16-07-08
Will debate the future of British cities. Speakers include Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP; Will Hutton (CEO The Work Foundation); Andrew Lewis (The Northern Way); Geoff Mulgan (The Young Foundation) and Mike Crouch (Regional Cities East).
European Patent Office and Bocconi University – International seminar: growing business with IP - winning strategies in emerging markets, Italy 17 to 18-07-08
Technology transfer professionals, innovators and business leaders will discuss intellectual property issues faced when expanding into emerging markets in China, India and South America.
ESOF2008 – From Lab to Market: New ways to bridge the gap between industry and academia, Barcelona 18 to 22-07-08
A series of panel discussions, targeted at executives managing science and technology innovation within large corporations and medium businesses throughout Europe.
The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining workshop – Boost Your Career in Science and Engineering 30-06-08
Communication skills for those in the field of science and engineering, with advice on public and media engagement, funding applications, career development mapping and qualifications.
Community Matters and Development Trusts Association – Community Ownership of Assets: Creating Strong and Sustainable Communities, 2nd annual conference 10-07-08
Will report on progress of the Quirk Review to increase asset transfer to community groups, as well as discuss best practice for local authorities to understand the legal framework to take asset transfer forward.
OECD Ministerial Meeting – The Future of the Internet Economy, Korea 17 to 18-06-08
Will discuss social, economic and technological trends shaping the development of the Internet Economy under three main areas: convergence, creativity and confidence. 40 Ministers have confirmed they will attend.
The Confederation of Indian Industry - Fourth India innovation summit 2008, Bangalore 20 to 21-06-08
Under the theme ‘innovation in the 21st Century’, will explore opportunities and challenges in emerging markets, services innovation, competition, rural innovation and public and private sector innovation.
NESTA and GLE – London EASY summit: Financing innovation through cross-border collaboration 26-06-08
Will discuss creating a policy framework to stimulate cross border investment in early stage businesses. Speakers include Per Ove Engelbrecht, Innovation Policy EC; Anthony Clarke, MD GLEGC & President EBAN; and Prof Jorma Routti, ex President SITRA.
UK Research Office – Annual Conference 2008, Loughborough 26 to 27-06-08
Intended for European Liaison Officers, European research managers, Research Councils and policy makers. A forum for discussion on a range of EU policies and funding opportunities.
International
University College London – Launch of School of Energy & Resources in Australia 29-05-08
The first UK university to establish a campus in Australia, located in Adelaide. Under the terms of agreement with the Government of South Australia, work will start in 2009 with the centre fully operational in 2010.
Launch of Chesapeake Crecent Innovation Alliance, USA 04-06-08
Five universities in the Washington area have decided to combine their research efforts to drive science and technology innovation in the region, attract more investors and create jobs.
American Academy of Arts and Sciences report – Advancing Research In Science and Engineering 03-06-08
Argues that targeted programs and policies to support early-career investigators and high-risk, high-reward research are needed to preserve U.S. leadership in science and technology.