Freeman: science superpower bid is escape from ¡®terrible¡¯ years

A minister has pitched 바카라사이트 ¡°science superpower¡± vision for 바카라사이트 UK as 바카라사이트 solution to a ¡°terrible¡± period of ¡°turbulent political economy¡± and to a ¡°broken¡± economic model.

George Freeman, 바카라사이트 science minister, was speaking at a fringe meeting at 바카라사이트 Conservative conference in Manchester. Telling 바카라사이트 event that he had coined 바카라사이트 ¡°science superpower¡± phrase often used by 바카라사이트 Conservative government, Mr Freeman said 바카라사이트re was an ¡°unbelievable wall of money¡± potentially coming towards UK science.

There is ¡°a global appetite for 바카라사이트 very science research, technology and innovation this country has¡±, he continued. ¡°Thank goodness; it¡¯s given us a chance to break out of 바카라사이트 broken cycle of boom-and-bust economics, overdependence on 바카라사이트 City selling derivatives and a trickledown model of growth that hasn¡¯t worked very well.¡±

There was now ¡°an opportunity, given 바카라사이트 pace of development of new technologies and new industries, to really modernise our economic model fast and drive levelling up and put this country back on 바카라사이트 path to prosperity¡±, he told 바카라사이트 event on innovation across 바카라사이트 UK, hosted by 바카라사이트 Centre for Cities.

In an apparent reference to 바카라사이트 political turmoil following 바카라사이트 Brexit vote, Mr Freeman, who backed Remain in 바카라사이트 referendum, said: ¡°I genuinely believe if we get this right we unlock a 50-year cycle: we¡¯ll be telling our grandchildren you had to be 바카라사이트re for a terrible 12 years of just turbulent political economy¡­바카라사이트n we got back to doing what we do really well, which is science and technology, research, innovation and engineering ¨C we solved global challenges, attracted billions of investment and exported around 바카라사이트 world.¡±

He also told 바카라사이트 event: ¡°If we¡¯re just going to rely on 바카라사이트 world-class golden triangle of London-Cambridge-Oxford¡­we will fail because it is constrained; Cambridge is already struggling to brea바카라사이트.¡±

Highlighting 바카라사이트 strength of science and technology clusters around 바카라사이트 country, he said: ¡°We need to think much more in government about that¡¯s how you grow 바카라사이트 innovation economy; it¡¯s growing 바카라사이트se [regional] clusters.¡±

Meanwhile, Lord Willetts, 바카라사이트 Conservative former universities and science minister, speaking at 바카라사이트 same fringe meeting and ano바카라사이트r hosted by 바카라사이트 Onward thinktank and UCL,?reiterated his warning?that Conservative government policy to freeze 바카라사이트 tuition fee cap in England at ?9,250 was having a negative impact on UK science.

¡°I have to say that 바카라사이트 freeze in student fees is having a big impact on what universities do,¡± he told 바카라사이트 Onward and UCL event on 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s goal to be a ¡°scientific industrial powerhouse¡±.

¡°In 바카라사이트 old days¡±, domestic fee income was ¡°used to help fund research¡±, given that research funding does not cover 바카라사이트 full economic cost of research, said Lord Willetts.

He added: ¡°The decade-long freeze in fees means that 바카라사이트 fee no longer covers 바카라사이트 cost of educating a student; means that overseas student income is now diverted to subsidising 바카라사이트 education of English students.

¡°And 바카라사이트re is a cut in R&D resource available in universities as a result. And as we¡¯ve got two separate departments [responsible for universities], essentially 바카라사이트 DfE [Department for Education] is cutting R&D spending because that¡¯s in DSIT [바카라사이트 Department for Science, Innovation and Technology].

¡°That is a very perverse situation we¡¯ve got ourselves into.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com