Press release

Government unveils 拢6 billion package for UK science and innovation

皇冠体育app government unveils its ambitious new plan to keep British science and innovation at the forefront of global excellence.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

皇冠体育app government has today (17 December 2014) unveiled its ambitious new plan to keep British science and innovation at the forefront of global excellence.

皇冠体育app Science and Innovation Strategy 鈥� to be formally announced by Universities, Science and Cities Minister Greg Clark at the Royal Society later today 鈥� builds on the great strengths of British science and enterprise, and sets out the government鈥檚 priorities for investment and support to 2020 to 2021, as well as the key principles that will underpin science and innovation policy during the years ahead.

Highlights of the strategy include:

  • 拢3 billion to support individual capital projects and institutional capital to maintain the excellence of laboratories at universities and research institutes
  • 拢2.9 billion towards large capital projects to support scientific 鈥楪rand Challenges鈥�, including a 拢30 million UK commitment to 鈥榅FEL鈥� 鈥� an international free electron laser project 鈥� and 拢20 million to create an 鈥業nspiring Science Capital Fund鈥� to get the public more engaged in science. Pre-committed projects such as Polar Ship and Square Kilometre Array will also benefit from additional investment
  • up to 拢235 million for a 鈥楽ir Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials鈥� based in Manchester
  • 拢95 million for European Space Agency programmes, including taking the lead in the next European Rover mission to Mars
  • 拢61 million will be invested in the government-backed High Value Manufacturing Catapult and an additional 拢28 million will create a new National Formulation Centre within the Catapult to drive innovation and develop the next generation of technology products
  • a new offer of up to 拢10,000 of income contingent loans for postgraduate taught masters degrees

皇冠体育app Science and Innovation Strategy is underpinned by 5 key principles for all scientific research and development in the future:

  • excellence
  • agility
  • collaboration
  • place
  • openness

From these principles the strategy focuses on the government鈥檚 priority areas, how to nurture scientific and innovative talent, where it will invest in their infrastructure, how it will support research and catalyse innovation, and in which international projects and priorities it will invest.

Also included in the strategy is the government鈥檚 commitment to continue investment in the Catapult Network.

Vince Cable, Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said:

From cars to computers, ideas and ingenuity underpin British productivity and the UK is world-renowned for pushing boundaries in innovation. We need to maintain our competitive edge so this strategy sets out a long-term plan for expanding our innovation infrastructure, creating high value jobs and putting science and innovation at the heart of economic growth.

Greg Clark, Universities, Science and Cities Minister said:

Science and innovation will play an important part in defining the UK鈥檚 place in the world in the 21st century. This strategy builds on the great strengths of British science and enterprise and will make sure the UK is the best place in the world to do science and grow an innovative business.

We are committing 拢5.9 billion capital to support UK scientific excellence out to 2021, including investing 拢3 billion to support world-class researchers and labs in universities and research institutes. This support to our scientific infrastructure means we will equal the best in the world.

皇冠体育app UK鈥檚 long and brilliant history of scientific discovery and breakthrough has continued to be deployed in recent weeks with British scientists having been central to the Rosetta Mission and helping to tackle Ebola in West Africa.

Notes to editors:

  1. To learn more about download your copy of the government鈥檚 Science and Innovation Strategy
  2. 皇冠体育app investment for the Sir Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials鈥� has been made in principle, subject to a satisfactory business case being received.

Updates to this page

Published 17 December 2014