That information is no longer classified

The number of university academics collaborating with 바카라사이트 Ministry of Defence on research is increasing and is set to rise fur바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 MoD's outgoing chief scientific adviser has said.

In an interview with 온라인 바카라, Sir Mark Welland, also head of 바카라사이트 Nanoscale Science Laboratory at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, said 바카라사이트 rise was being enabled by a shift in 바카라사이트 MoD's culture of secrecy.

"It's important to us because academics largely don't want to go through 바카라사이트 process of doing classified work because it's restrictive," he said.

Sir Mark has instigated a policy that will be taken forward as part of 바카라사이트 National Security through Technology White Paper, published in February.

It calls for 바카라사이트 "obstacle" of security classification to be reduced by extracting 바카라사이트 core science from projects and passing it to academia as well as small businesses.

"In 바카라사이트 past, if you were designing a car and part of 바카라사이트 steering wheel was classified, we probably would classify 바카라사이트 whole car as top secret. But you need to be clear about what is fundamentally secret and what is not," he said.

In 2010, just 10 to 15 per cent of applications to 바카라사이트 Centre for Defence Enterprise - a part of 바카라사이트 MoD's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory that specialises in launching rapid-response calls for research - came from academia.

But interest is rising, and across social science and healthcare as well as in 바카라사이트 more traditional defence fields, Sir Mark said.

Last year, 바카라사이트 Defence Science and Technology Laboratory also launched an open PhD scheme for up to 100 students, while applications to 바카라사이트 centre increased from 300 in 2008-09 to more than 1,000 in 2010-11.

"It's hugely oversubscribed, as is 바카라사이트 PhD programme," Sir Mark said.

A specialist team has also been set up at 바카라사이트 MoD to develop a more structured approach to relationships with academia.

The policy of collaboration has been driven in part by significant cuts to 바카라사이트 MoD's budget, Sir Mark explained. Science and technology spending has fallen from about ?800 million to ?430 million over 바카라사이트 past 10 years.

"We carried out a review to ensure we had an efficient, well-managed and organised system and also looked for much more collaboration to get more leverage from 바카라사이트 reduced money that we did have," he said.

The nanoscientist added that he hoped such budgetary issues would be resolved by a provision in 바카라사이트 White Paper that sets 바카라사이트 MoD a minimum spend on science and technology of 1.2 per cent of its total budget. Regardless, 바카라사이트 process of opening up defence research will continue, he said.

The ministry has appointed Vernon Gibson, chief scientist at 바카라사이트 petrochemical giant BP and visiting professor of chemistry at Imperial College London, as Sir Mark's replacement as chief scientific adviser.

Professor Gibson will take over on 2 July while Professor Welland will return to working full time at Cambridge.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com.