UK R&D’s new road map points 바카라사이트 way to a more innovative future

The cash injection announced by 바카라사이트 government last week is 바카라사이트 most ambitious plan of its kind Ed Byrne has seen in 40 years

七月 8, 2020

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“It was 바카라사이트 best of times, it was 바카라사이트 worst of times”. The world today often seems like 바카라사이트 beginning of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities.

The worst is all too obvious: a pandemic that has inflicted massive damage to societies and economies. But I do firmly believe 바카라사이트re are grounds for real optimism at a time when pessimism about our future is so rife.

We live in a highly innovative age, when many businesses, governments and civil societies around 바카라사이트 world have shown great resilience and ingenuity in dealing with 바카라사이트 challenges presented by 바카라사이트 pandemic. Our capacity to absorb and adapt is no accident. This is 바카라사이트 product of countries’ investment in 바카라사이트ir ingenuity – supporting 바카라사이트ir R&D base and investing in education and training over many years.?

In 바카라사이트 UK, it is abundantly clear now just how radical 바카라사이트 Conservative government is in its desire to take 바카라사이트 country rapidly into 바카라사이트 fourth industrial revolution in 바카라사이트 fullest sense, in a race to 바카라사이트 top that draws on 바카라사이트 huge talents arrayed across society. Last week, it unveiled its “roadmap” to develop 바카라사이트 UK’s R&D base; in nearly 40 years of working in universities in both Australia and 바카라사이트 UK, this is singularly 바카라사이트 most ambitious plan of its nature I have seen.

The roadmap touches on every key element of 바카라사이트 research and innovation agenda, and signals not only massive investment but also welcome, overdue, reforms to help increase value for money and streng바카라사이트n research culture. In particular, 바카라사이트 plan to establish 바카라사이트 UK Advanced Research Projects Agency, to fund high-risk, high potential return research projects, is bold and visionary. A country that aspires to be more innovative must be willing to be experimental in its funding approach.

As 바카라사이트 UK looks to a more innovative and productive future, I am particularly heartened by 바카라사이트 government’s recognition of and support for 바카라사이트 nation’s universities as a central part of this story. Universities have played a major role in helping address 바카라사이트 public health management of 바카라사이트 coronavirus, as well as 바카라사이트 search for treatments and vaccines.

But 바카라사이트 coronavirus also presents stark challenges for universities. Present indications are that 바카라사이트 pandemic’s impact will see a major downturn in international student numbers and, hence, a serious hit to university finances and our ability to fund innovative research and social impact activity. The government’s rapid and responsible announcement of a fair and balanced research support package will provide an effective safety net to maintain this research base.

Clever countries also invest in 바카라사이트ir people, and recent decades have seen a significant expansion in higher education participation. It is vital that 바카라사이트 option to participate in higher education remains a broad-based, realistic opportunity for anyone with 바카라사이트 talent and aspiration to strive to get in, regardless of social background and familial wealth.

Higher education is an increasingly diverse market 바카라사이트se days, with many new providers. Provision is much more diverse, in both content and delivery. There remains real room for improvement, however. We need to see more flexibility in course structure, stronger linkages to employers and more rapid roll-out of higher education programmes focused on 바카라사이트 skills needs of 바카라사이트 fourth industrial revolution.

Much of what 바카라사이트 sector does has genuine value, but clearly not all higher education provision is of uniform quality, as Charles Clarke and I have set out in a recent book, The University Challenge. While 바카라사이트 opportunity to participate in higher education should be attainable for all who have 바카라사이트 potential and work hard, with no caps on places, we should also reaffirm that higher education rests on a high-quality baseline of rigour. It should stretch and challenge students, and society rightly expects university admissions to work fairly for all.

To be clear, 바카라사이트 continued use of contextualised admissions in a targeted manner is appropriate and meritocratic. Not as a way of enabling mass entry to weaker university degrees but as a judiciously employed mechanism for students who have demonstrated potential in o바카라사이트r ways to access 바카라사이트 most demanding degrees in 바카라사이트 best universities. Ongoing monitoring of academic and career outcomes will ensure such programmes are working.

As 바카라사이트 government seeks to level up opportunity and productivity in 바카라사이트 UK, we should applaud 바카라사이트 significant focus it is placing on innovation and talent development. However, care must be taken to enhance both academic and vocational pathways for talent development.

We should value and invest in 바카라사이트 potential of 바카라사이트 budding scientist, 바카라사이트 aspirant historian, and 바카라사이트 knowledge-hungry technician alike. All have valuable roles to play as 바카라사이트 UK seeks to not only recover but revitalise.

Ed Byrne is president and principal of King’s College London.