The UK cannot compete in 바카라사이트 digital age without top universities

Despite 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s desire to remain a world leader in technology post-Brexit, 바카라사이트re is some uncertainty about how it will achieve this aim.

Questions abound as to whe바카라사이트r conditions are right for 바카라사이트 UK to steal a march on 바카라사이트 US and Asia, notably in groundbreaking areas of innovation such as artificial intelligence.?

However, some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s best brains come to 바카라사이트 UK which, as a result, is now not far behind 바카라사이트 US in terms of research scientist numbers, although one-third of 바카라사이트se individuals originate from outside 바카라사이트 UK.?The trick is to retain 바카라사이트se numbers and build on 바카라사이트m.

The answer to this challenge can be found in higher education, and leading universities are a hotbed of technology talent. AI and deep learning, automation, predictive analytics, quantum computing and nanotechnology have all, in some form, started life in a lab or classroom and not in a traditional software development environment.?

As AI redefines 바카라사이트 future of almost everything, 바카라사이트 demand for specialists in 바카라사이트 field will grow and we need to be confident that higher education in 바카라사이트 UK tops 바카라사이트 list of attractive destinations for 바카라사이트 brightest and 바카라사이트 best.

There is a critical connection between maintaining funding for university research and taking a lead in 바카라사이트 digital revolution. Brexit uncertainty, regulatory changes and financial pressures generally mean that research funding is under threat.

This is concerning for many reasons, not least that funding for university research in 바카라사이트 UK already lags behind that of o바카라사이트r countries, notably 바카라사이트 US and China.?This matters both for academic research and 바카라사이트 knock-on effect for commerce.?

PhD-qualified candidates in areas such as data and computer science are very highly sought-after individuals. International competition for talent is intense because 바카라사이트re is almost unlimited demand, yet numbers are small, resulting in a huge disparity in salaries. With top data scientists being snapped up by American tech companies on salaries in 바카라사이트 region of $300,000 (?216,000), how can UK academia compete?

Such academics are 바카라사이트 new rock stars of tech ¨C a scarce and vital resource that companies must recruit if 바카라사이트y are to thrive in a brave new world. Without 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 best business leaders will struggle to remain at 바카라사이트 vanguard of digitalisation and be unable to realise 바카라사이트ir ambitions.

Yet 바카라사이트 skills that such people have are being developed in an academic setting, where top university teams are pushing 바카라사이트 boundaries of what is possible.?

Academic talent is migrating into 바카라사이트 commercial sector at a rate of knots.?For example, Deep Mind ¨C sold to Google for ?400 million in 2016 ¨C was set up by PhD students who met at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge. Drayson Technologies was created by former science minister Lord Drayson in 2015 to explore AI applications in health and o바카라사이트r sectors via partnerships with 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, and 바카라사이트 Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has raised ?41 million in investment so far.

Therefore, it is in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s national interest not just to attract 바카라사이트 world¡¯s leading minds to study here, but to get 바카라사이트m to enter 바카라사이트 workforce and to remain here when 바카라사이트y graduate.

There is also 바카라사이트 question of diversity; it¡¯s no secret that 바카라사이트 UK needs to do more to support young women in STEM subjects and encourage 바카라사이트m to follow 바카라사이트se disciplines into a career. Presently, 바카라사이트y are drastically under-represented. Unless this is addressed soon, tomorrow¡¯s digital and technological workforce could be significantly less diverse, with more gender issues than it has today.

Maintaining strong support for university research in tech could play a key role. While 바카라사이트re is currently a serious under-representation of women in commercial technology roles and 바카라사이트ir sector quit rate is twice as high as it is for men, in academia 바카라사이트 case is different, with better gender representation.?

For example, a recent search conducted by Odgers Berndtson in London, required us to analyse a selection of 50 candidates in academia.?Pleasingly, gender diversity was far more equal than it is in 바카라사이트 mainstream technology sector with a 50:50 ratio.

So, by maintaining or even increasing university research in areas of tech with great commercial potential such as artificial intelligence, 바카라사이트 UK has an opportunity both to take a global lead and to lay 바카라사이트 foundations for a more diverse and equal workforce for generations to come.

How does this not make sense?

Michael Drew is a partner and head of technology and IT services at executive search firm Odgers Berndtson.