Overview

Welcome to Govnet’s 7th Annual Science and Innovation Conference, the UK’s premier event for those involved with the UK’s science and innovation sector. Over 400 key decision makers from across the UK will be present at this high profile and prestigious conference, joining over 20 speakers and 20 exhibitors to discuss the latest topics affecting UK Science and Innovation.

At the start of a new decade Britain is emerging from the largest global financial crisis for almost a century with our economy facing a greatly increased competitive challenge from the emerging high-tech economies of the Far East, such as China and India. To prosper, Britain needs to ensure that the right policies and investment in skills, infrastructure, innovation and science and research is in place to ensure that the British economy achieves sustainable long-term growth. Science and Innovation 2010 will examine in close detail the policies in place to ensure economic growth through the commercialisation of our science and research base and the continued drive towards a low carbon economy that creates both business and employment opportunities.

We have worked very closely on this years programme with our conference chair, Phil Willis MP, a long term supporter of this event, and current chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee, to ensure that all the key issues affecting UK science and innovation, in particular, the ability of our science base to respond to those global challenges which are inextricably linked with the way in which we re-shape our economy are covered at this years event.

It is now 12 months since the publication of ‘New Industry, New Jobs’ the government’s investment strategy to build long term capacity in the foundations of industrial recovery, while meeting the challenges of the recession. In January 2010, the government released ’Going for Growth’ which describes how it plans to build on the foundations laid down in the ‘New Industry, New Jobs’ strategy. Science Minister Lord Drayson has been invited to address delegates at this year's event to discuss the government’s actions to ensure that UK Science and Innovation is positioned to meet the global economic challenges we face.

Investing in skills is a vital part of the government’s plan for high-tech, low-carbon driven growth. Skilled people are more innovative, more productive, and build stronger businesses, yet the UK skills base still has notable weaknesses with a need still to increase the number of people with economically valuable STEM skills. Invited speaker John Cridland CBE, Deputy General of the CBI will be on hand to discuss the necessary reforms of the funding system needed for the UK to succeed in a globalised knowledge economy. Substantial new funding to support a green economic recovery in the UK was recently announced by the Chancellor in his pre-budget report. Included amongst the many funding initiatives were £200 million to improve energy efficiency in the home for those who need it most, an additional £150 million investment in low carbon technologies and £50 million to encourage further manufacturing and testing facilities in the UK’s growing offshore wind industry, which will create sustainable and high skilled jobs while strengthening the UK’s low-carbon energy infrastructure. Overcoming climate change is one of the great challenges of this generation, but also a unique opportunity as we recover from the global economic downturn. We hope that invited speaker Lord Adair Turner, Chair of the Committee on Climate Change will discuss in more detail the work taking place to ensure that Britain remains at the forefront of world actions to reduce the dangerous effects of climate change.

Science and Innovation 2010 will act as a centre for discussion and networking, exposing delegates to key presentations directly relevant to the science and engineering agenda whilst also analysing the key issues, technologies and industry best practice to take forward the opportunities that the new low carbon economy offers the UK Science and Research base.