July 2020
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will focus on the future for international research partnerships.
Areas for discussion include:
- future frameworks for international collaboration on research and innovation - and conclusions from the Smith-Reid Review and UKRI review into international research
- partnerships with EU higher education institutions and the UK’s future role in global research
- retaining research talent within the UK
Keynote speakers include: Professor Graeme Reid, co-author of the Smith-Reid Review; Professor Andrew Thompson, UKRI Champion, Global Challenges Research Fund and the Newton Fund; and a senior speaker confirmed from HM Government.
There will also be discussion reflecting the experience of the COVID-19 epidemic - including in the areas of:
- fast-tracked research and implementing innovations resulting from collaboration
- international relationships
- joint working between universities and organisations in the private sector
There will be a keynote panel on international research partnerships and COVID-19 with Professor Tao Dong, Professor of Immunology, University of Oxford and Oxford Director, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Oxford Institute; and Dr Rolf Apweiler, Director, European Bioinformatics Institute.
The discussion in detail:
- The International Research Strategy published by BEIS - examining progress and implementation issues, including in the areas of:
- partnerships internationally and between the HE sector and businesses
- the provision of incentives and financial support for innovative start-ups and scale-ups
- legal and regulatory structures for innovation and the protection of intellectual property
- The Smith-Reid Review, commissioned by the Government into international partnership opportunities for UK research, and its recommendations on:
- improving the agility of research funding to better respond to unexpected opportunities, with the creation of two major new funding schemes
- development of a Global Talent Strategy for attracting a wider range of research and scientific talent into the UK, as well as issues around:
- developing new frameworks to support UK research partnerships with international partners globally
- how to reduce barriers to collaboration between universities and businesses in the UK and their overseas counterparts
- Professor Graeme Reid, co-author of the Smith-Reid Review, is a keynote speaker at this conference
- The Global Talent fast-track visa route and other suggested initiatives to increase the attractiveness of the UK as a place to conduct research, such as:
- increasing the number of scholarships available to international researchers
- introducing flexible visas that allow researchers to travel outside of the UK to engage in research partnerships
- Funding and the UK relationship with EU research institutions, looking at:
- Horizon Europe and potential lack of access to European Research Council funding
- the options through domestic funding and securing alternative international partnerships
- Preparing for any changes to current partnerships and steps that universities and businesses will need to take, looking at:
- future policy options and models of engagement
- strategies for safeguarding and expanding their positioning in international research
- Implications of the government target of investment in R&D by government and business equating to 2.4% of GDP by 2027, including:
- what will be needed to achieve it, and the contribution from the Higher Education sector, as well as
- the challenges to be addressed, particularly in the area of research infrastructure
- Findings of the UKRI report into UK research infrastructure, which centred on opportunities for the UK to improve its research capacity and focussed on six areas, identified in the report as: ideas, people, infrastructure, the business environment, place, and the Grand Challenges
The agenda:
- Future frameworks for international collaboration on research and innovation in the UK - outcomes from the Smith-Reid Review
- Retaining research talent within the UK - developing a global talent strategy, improving accessibility to the UK for researchers, and diversifying funding streams
- Conclusions from the UKRI review into international research
- The future for UK partnerships with EU higher education institutions
- Case study: international research partnerships and COVID-19
- The future for the UK’s role in global research - building on current funding streams and new partnerships, developing a unique offer, and ensuring compliance with international standards
Policy officials attending:
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders.
It’s certainly the case with this one. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons, and officials from BEIS; UKRI; Defra; DFID; DHSC; the Government Office for Science; the Intellectual Property Office; the Office for Artificial Intelligence; HM Revenue & Customs; the British High Commission; the Department for International Trade; the Department for Transport; The Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.
This is a full-scale conference taking place online***
- full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
- information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
- conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
- speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
- opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
- a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
- delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
- networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!
Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference
