National academies seek to identify evidence on research and investment

The British Academy, the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society are seeking to identify evidence to support future investment in research and innovation (R&I).

The Government has committed to increasing research and development (R&D) spending to 2.4% of GDP within the next 10 years, with a long-term goal of 3%. Along with the creation of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), these commitments mean that there is an important opportunity to provide fresh evidence to inform decisions on investment in R&I.

The National Academies have recognised the need to better understand the benefits that R&I bring to the UK, the distribution of those benefits across the country and its population, how those benefits are achieved and how best to measure them. Rather than simply refining the case for more investment, we want to understand the benefits of this investment in order to spend smarter. To that end, the Academies have assembled a Steering Group of experts, chaired by Lord Willetts, to oversee research commissions to identify evidence to support future investment. Two evidence syntheses will be commissioned in winter 2017, one on measuring the benefits of R&I and one on the conditions needed to translate research and drive innovation.

If you are interested in bidding for these commissions (closing date 15 January 2018), please contact [email protected].