What next for British science?

Central London

Following a rollercoaster of a year for the British science and research sector, this event will be an opportunity for policymakers and delegates alike to discuss the impact of Brexit as well as forthcoming changes to the architecture of research funding and regulation.

Sessions will assess how the UK’s withdrawal from Europe may affect the availability of funding for research projects, how free movement of academics can be protected or whether there may be a potential brain drain to the continent as well as how the future for the UK’s regulatory framework for R&D will look like outside the EU. Delegates will help identify key priorities for Government and the sector to highlight during the forthcoming withdrawal negotiations, building on the recommendations from the Lords Science and Technology Committee’s Relationship between EU membership and UK science inquiry published in April, how to ensure international collaboration continues as well as how the UK will make up for EU and Horizon 2020 funding going forward.

Sessions will also look at the proposed changes to the architecture of research funding in the UK, in particular the creation of UKRI, as announced in the Higher Education White Paper and following the recommendations of the Nurse Review, and the impact this will have on access to funds as well as the future for HEFCE, RCUK and Innovate UK in the run up to their merger. Delegates will also have the opportunity to discuss the shake-up of Higher Education in the Government’s departmental structure, with the Minister’s remit falling across DfE and BEIS and how this might affect the sectors ability to lobby, as well as what it means for funding and time available for the departments to spend on policy.

For more information, and to register,click here.