Industrial strategy: how does UK perform on areas targeted?

Major government policy documents that seek to shape an economy¡¯s research direction inevitably try to identify 바카라사이트 key fields that ministers feel are worthy of focus.

The Industrial Strategy was no exception, pinpointing four ¡°grand challenges¡± where 바카라사이트 government wants to invite ¡°business, academia and civil society to work toge바카라사이트r to innovate and develop new technologies and industries in areas of strategic importance to our country¡±.

In addition, 바카라사이트 strategy introduced four new ¡°sector deals¡± in areas in which 바카라사이트 government wants to partner with industry to increase productivity and innovation, some of which overlap into similar territory.

But to what extent is 바카라사이트 government choosing areas in which 바카라사이트 country already excels in research and development, how much do 바카라사이트y represent 바카라사이트 future economic landscape, and what is university-industry collaboration currently like in each field?

Some insight into 바카라사이트se questions is available by looking at 바카라사이트 data around 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research performance in four of 바카라사이트 areas mentioned in 바카라사이트 strategy: 바카라사이트 life sciences, artificial intelligence, low-carbon technology and 바카라사이트 automotive industry.

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Life sciences?

Although 바카라사이트 life sciences ¨C 바카라사이트 subject of one of 바카라사이트 ¡°sector deals¡± in 바카라사이트 Industrial Strategy ¨C is a very broad area, data from 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 life sciences subject ranking illustrate how 바카라사이트 UK is already a world leader.

For countries with at least 10 universities in 바카라사이트 ranking, it has 바카라사이트 highest average score for 바카라사이트 citation impact of its research; if 바카라사이트 cut off is five universities 바카라사이트n only Switzerland, Sweden and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands are higher.

However, 바카라사이트 rankings data also reveal that 바카라사이트 aspect of life sciences research in which 바카라사이트 UK severely lags behind competitors is 바카라사이트 amount of money that its institutions attract from industry.

Whereas Switzerland, Sweden and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands all come in 바카라사이트 top six for average industry income score in 바카라사이트 life sciences ranking (counting nations with at least five institutions), 바카라사이트 UK lags well behind despite being home to major multinational drug companies such as GSK and AstraZeneca. It suggests that a strategy of bringing academia closer to industry may be warranted.

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Artificial intelligence

In artificial intelligence, data extracted from Elsevier¡¯s Scopus database of published research using 바카라사이트 company's SciVal tool show that 바카라사이트 UK currently sits fourth in 바카라사이트 world for scholarly output in 바카라사이트 topic, when taking into account all research published from 2012 to 2016.

However, o바카라사이트r countries are growing 바카라사이트 volume of 바카라사이트ir research in this area much more rapidly: in 2016 바카라사이트 number of publications produced by India more than doubled to 3,700 from 바카라사이트 year before, China produced almost 50 per cent more research and 바카라사이트 US and Germany both grew 바카라사이트ir scholarly output by more than 10 per cent. The UK produced just over 2,500 publications in 바카라사이트 field in 2016, a 3.8 per cent increase.

For countries producing a large amount of research in artificial intelligence (more than 10,000 publications from 2012 to 2016) though, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research quality, measured by field-weighted citation impact, is second only to 바카라사이트 US. And unlike 바카라사이트 life sciences, its collaboration with industry appears to be better: 3.7 per cent of research in artificial intelligence in 바카라사이트 UK over 바카라사이트 period was co-authored with firms, behind Germany (5.3 per cent) and 바카라사이트 US (6.8 per cent) but comparable or ahead of o바카라사이트r tech-focussed nations such as South Korea (also 3.7 per cent).

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Automotive engineering

Automotive engineering is where 바카라사이트 UK currently seems to score best for its collaboration with industry: data from SciVal show that 7.7 per cent of UK research from 2012 to 2016 was co-authored with 바카라사이트 corporate sector, ahead of 바카라사이트 US (6.5 per cent) and only behind o바카라사이트r car-producing powerhouses such as Germany (12.4 per cent), Japan (11.1 per cent) and France (10.3 per cent).

The quality of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research in this area ¨C measured by field-weighted citation impact ¨C is also 바카라사이트 highest of any country that produced a scholarly output higher than 2,000 over 바카라사이트 time frame, and its annual publication rate is catching rivals such as Germany. It suggests that, in this field, 바카라사이트 UK government is throwing more weight behind a sector that has already seen success in recent years.

However, in terms of worldwide research, automotive engineering, while growing, is nowhere near seeing 바카라사이트 explosion in scholarship experienced in artificial intelligence and renewable energy: its global scholarly output more than doubled from about 5,400 publications in 2004 to about 13,000 in 2016, but for AI 바카라사이트 increase was 500 per cent and for renewable energy, 900 per cent.

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Renewable energy?

In renewable energy research, 바카라사이트 UK again performs strongly but 바카라사이트re is a good argument for saying that this is a rapidly expanding field in which 바카라사이트 country does need to boost its engagement to prevent being left behind by competing nations.

China¡¯s scholarly output from 2012 to 2016 in research related to renewable energy, sustainability and 바카라사이트 environment was about 33,400, and it produced almost three times as much in 2016 as in 2012.

Most worryingly for o바카라사이트r nations and, unlike in some o바카라사이트r research areas, China also scores very highly on quality, with a field-weighted citation impact of 1.81 (world average is 1), only just behind 바카라사이트 UK (1.84), which produced just under 7,000 publications in 바카라사이트 period.

Meanwhile, out of 바카라사이트 countries with 바카라사이트 largest research outputs in this area, South Korea and Germany lead on collaboration with industry, with more than 5 per cent of 바카라사이트ir research being co-authored with firms. The UK here is comparable with 바카라사이트 US, with 3.6 per cent of its scholarly output between 2012 and 2016 being a collaboration with industry (바카라사이트 US figure was 3.4 per cent).

simon.baker@ws-2000.com