Neutral platform for debate of policy issues, Discussions and workshops on relevant issues, Support service to Learned and Professional Societies, Foundation Future Leaders Programme for mid-career professionals, Podcast exploring links between science & technology and policy
Welcome
To The Foundation for Science and Technology website
The Foundation for Science and Technology is a UK charity, providing an impartial platform for debate of policy issues that have a science, research, technology or innovation element. Established in 1977, the Foundation brings together Parliamentarians, civil servants, industrialists, researchers, learned societies, charities and others. It convenes discussion events and round tables, publishes a journal three times per year and regular blogs, and hosts a weekly podcast. It also organises the Foundation Future Leaders Programme, supporting the next generation of professionals from universities, industry and the civil service. In addition, the Foundation provides guidance on governance issues to Professional and Learned Societies.
Future Leaders
The Foundation Future Leaders Programme brings together a cohort of mid-career professionals drawn from universities, industry and the civil service to develop links and further their understanding of how science and research are conducted, and how they feed into the policy process.
DiscoverEvents
The Foundation organises events on key topics in science, research, technology or innovation, bringing together Parliamentarians, civil servants, industrialists, researchers, learned societies, charities and others.
Events ListFST Journal
The FST Journal is published three times per year, with articles based on the main evening events held by the Foundation. The Journal is distributed to over 1500 senior influencers in Government, Parliament, industry and the research community, as well as being published online.
View FST JournalLearned & Professional Societies
The Foundation for Science and Technology provides guidance to Learned and Professional Societies in the area of administration and governance, with technical guidance notes and a regular newsletter.
Read MoreLatest Events
January 29, 2025
There have been a number of developments at both an international and UK level exploring how best we can govern and regulate AI, which is developing rapidly with exciting new opportunities but also potential threats emerging. In September 2024, the United Nations High Level Advisory Body on AI published its final report, Governing AI for Humanity. This notes the urgent need for global governance, and the current inequity in representation in such governance. It has a number of recommendations including policy dialogue, capacity development, a global AI data framework and a global fund for AI. Delivering any of these recommendations requires global co-operation. This is always a challenge and perhaps more so now due to current global events. In the UK, the government published its AI Opportunities Action Plan on 13 January 2025, and an AI Regulation Bill was promised in the 2024 Labour Party manifesto. What needs to happen at global level? What is the UK’s approach, domestically and internationally? How can we maximise the benefits whilst minimising the risks? To what extent do we push to ensure that societal benefit, rather than just profitability, is core to the development of AI?
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February 24, 2025
Modern developments in electronics, batteries, electric vehicles and other technologies depend on certain critical minerals. There is a global race for these minerals as demand across the world rises, and the UK Government’s Critical Minerals strategy sets out this country will ensure sufficient supply to meet UK needs going forward. Science and technology can make a major contribution to delivering the strategy, from more efficient extraction, effective and commercially viable recycling and new materials. This in turn is leading to new commercial opportunities. In this event, we will discuss the UK strategy, and explore how science, technology and innovation can help deliver it.
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December 2, 2024
On 14th October, the UK Government published a Green Paper entitled Invest 2035: the UK’s modern industrial strategy. The Green Paper outlines the initial proposals from the new UK government on developing an industrial strategy to help deliver economic growth. It sets out eight growth-driving sectors, discusses skills, and notes the importance of research, development and innovation, amongst many other aspects. In this event, we will explore how science and technology can contribute to the industrial strategy, and hopefully provide a useful input to the government as it develops its thinking.
View DetailsMore about our events
You can view a full listing of our events and search the archive on our events page.