How do we get to a 2045 where R&D features in an open innovation system with strong public and private collaboration

Introduction

The future of UK R&D is at a pivotal moment. It faces a complex interplay of global and domestic uncertainties including from a changing geopolitical context, domestic political fragmentation, declining public trust in institutions and rapid technological development. Now is the time for the R&D sector to take deliberate steps to ensure R&D remains resilient and relevant in the decades ahead.

CaSE has developed a long-term vision for UK R&D in 2045 that sets out desirable outcomes that the sector would like to see, as well as the challenges and trade-offs that need to be addressed for this to become reality. The vision is based on views gathered through an extensive consultation process with CaSE’s membership – including businesses, universities, charities and learned and professional societies – as well as a diverse array of stakeholders across the R&D sector.

This vision is intended to guide both the R&D community and the UK Government in shaping the future of the R&D system. CaSE is exploring the themes from the vision in greater depth through a series of roundtables. The discussions aim to further explore the challenges, opportunities and trade-offs identified.

About this briefing

This briefing provides recommendations to unlock progress towards the fourth theme from the vision, which sets out that in 2045:

Participants were asked to assess the feasibility of the fourth theme of the vision within the current policy landscape, explore trade-offs and identify policy interventions needed to deliver it. This briefing identifies what is currently working well, some of the barriers to delivering this vision and what could be improved. It also sets out recommendations in the short term towards making this vision a reality, which are aimed at Government, the research community, businesses and funders.

From our discussions, there are long-standing issues that need to be addressed if the vision we have set out is to become reality. Many of the challenges outlined in this briefing have been recognised by the sector for several years and have featured in previous policy debates. Although there have been efforts to address them and progress has often been made, they remain unresolved and continue to require attention.

Tackling these challenges will be important if the sector is to demonstrate the economic and societal value of R&D and strengthen the UK’s global competitiveness. A consistent theme was the need for greater stability across policy, strategy, funding and resources. Frequent changes in government priorities have made this difficult, making long-term planning near-impossible and limiting the sector’s ability to develop the partnerships, capabilities and confidence needed to deliver sustained impact. A new Government, led by Andy Burnham, along with the publication of the new UKRI strategy, makes this a timely moment to re-establish the needs of the sector and look again at some of these long-standing challenges.