FST JOURNAL

There has been an increasing focus on interdisciplinary research in recent years, and many current key policy challenges (including climate change, post-covid recovery, economic security, migration, and healthcare) need evidence from interdisciplinary research. In the March 2022 budget, the Government confirmed previous commitments to a significant increase to the science budget. As that budget increases, what should the UK do to increase interdisciplinary research in the UK – and what is the ‘right’ amount of interdisciplinary research?

To explore these questions, the Foundation for Science and Technology held an event on 18 May 2022. The speakers were: Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Chief Executive , UKRI; Professor Rachael Gooberman-Hill, Institute Director, Elizabeth Blackwell Institute, University of Bristol; Professor Graeme Reid, Chair of Science and Research Policy , University College London; and Professor David Soskice, Professor of Political Science and Economics, London School of Economics.

A video recording, presentation slides and speaker audio from the event are available on the FST website. www.foundation.org.uk/Events/2022/Increasing-interdisciplinarity-in-UK-R-D