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

Safeguarding trust in science – the role of research integrity
July 9, 2024

Excellent research is carried out in the UK across higher education, government, private and third sector, national research laboratories. Research integrity underpins trust in the excellence of our national and global science base. Research that has integrity is carried out in a way that is trustworthy, rigorous, ethical and responsible, which includes rigour and openness. Research that is carried out with poor integrity is not high quality and impacts can be harmful rather than beneficial. High-profile challenges in research integrity include intentional misconduct and concern about credibility of scientific publications, including concerns related to new technologies and organised fraudulent practice. But these global debates don’t necessarily reflect the robust health of UK research. What is the situation in UK research? How can the credibility of UK research in all sectors be bolstered? What are the next steps that the research ecosystem needs to take to safeguard trust in its work?

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Science, Innovation and Technology - General Election Hustings
June 19, 2024

Representatives for the major political parties answered questions about science, technology and innovation. The event was jointly organised by the Campaign for Science and Engineering, the Foundation for Science and Technology and the four National Academies – the Academy for Medical Sciences, the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society. The event was streamed live from the Royal Society on Wednesday 19 June from 6.30pm-8pm and was chaired by a leading science journalist. Representatives from the major political parties were invited to outline the policies that their party will be putting forward to support science, innovation and technology at the forthcoming General Election. There was also a Q&A, including questions from the chair and the audience.

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The Role of UK National Laboratories
June 12, 2024

The UK has a range of national laboratories, which have a number of different roles within the national science and technology ecosystem. These include the provision of large scale research facilities and related scientific expertise, supporting regulation and standards, curation of key scientific assets, protection of national infrastructure and the natural environment, and the provision of advice to government and regulators. These different national research laboratories have different governance models, often driven by history rather than design, and are funded from a mixture of public and private funding, with public funding from both within and outside of the science budget. Recent reviews by both Sir Paul Nurse and Sir Patrick Vallance have considered the role of these facilities, and whether the UK is making the best use of them. In this event, we will explore the breadth of national laboratories within the UK, and how any incoming government can make the best uses of them in the years ahead.

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