In this month’s edition of the Institute of Welsh Affairs magazine “Agenda”, the eminent scientist and industrialist, Professor Sir John Cadogan, gives a highly critical and timely view of the state of science in Wales.
In a submission supported by twelve other fellows of the Royal Society, he describes the current thinking of the Assembly Government as “disturbing and ominous for anyone who really cares about the role of Science and Technology in creating wealth”.
In particular, he points out that we still do not have the correct science base for Wales, with one university across the border – Bristol University – having a higher number of departments with the highest rating for science, medical and engineering than the whole of Welsh academia. In calling for more Assembly funding for the development of a strong science infrastructure within universities, especially as the gap in funding between Wales and England is getting wider, he may have touched a raw nerve, especially as there is little leeway for additional research funding within the Assembly Government itself, as it is not directly a devolved issue.
In this instance, perhaps our politicians at Westminster could make a case for funding to be devolved from the Research Councils – which will supply £3 billion across the UK for research in 2007 - although I am sure that this will be avoided at all costs. Nevertheless, this could generate an additional £45 million annually for Welsh universities, funding which could go a long way to start improving our infrastructure. Given that Wales has only one scientist on the boards of the seven main research councils, it may be of little surprise that science development in Wales is not taken more seriously at a UK level.
In 2002, I was asked to give a paper "Research and Development in Wales" to the Economic Development Committee of the National Assembly and pointed out the same deficiencies in our scientific system. This study also pointed out the chronic underfunding of Welsh universities – a fact denied by the civil servants at the time – and major areas of weakness within the Welsh academic structure in key scientific disciplines which form the foundation for important high technology industries such as aerospace, optoelectronics, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
These include Biological Sciences (30% below the UK average), Chemistry, (14% below the UK average) and mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering (10% below the UK average). Only earth sciences, environmental sciences, computing sciences and pharmacy in Wales are above the research average for the UK. For those who believe in supporting the base sciences, it is worrying that there are also serious weaknesses in pure mathematics, applied mathematics and physics, where we have only 3.2% of the total number of active UK researchers.
Like Sir John and his fellow scientists, I saw the solution to the problem as entirely logical, which probably reflects the excellent scientific training I received from one of his co-signatories, Professor Robin Williams, when I studied physics in Cardiff in the 1980s!
In the conclusion to my own 2002 paper, I wrote “Adopting the approach followed by the Republic of Ireland, the Welsh Assembly Government should establish a Welsh equivalent of the Science Technology Innovation Advisory Council consisting of leading science academics and technological industrialists/ entrepreneurs. Its sole remit will be to develop science and technology policy for Wales. It should report back within six months and make clear recommendations for the future of Welsh science in the public and private sectors. This policy is long overdue and could play a vital part in securing a strong future for the nation as vibrant knowledge-based high technology economy”.
Three and a half years later, we are still waiting for that policy whilst our competitors have had a head start on us in putting in the foundations for a knowledge-based economy. Certainly, the first move in this direction should be the establishment of a panel of the best scientists in Wales and beyond to advise on the best path to take.
Whether the Assembly Government will overcome their aversion to taking advice from outside their close circle of advisers and civil servants is questionable but a step in this direction would ensure that we have the brightest and the best directing what could be the most crucial policy decision that our devolved government will take in terms of economic development and the creation of a ‘world class’ knowledge economy.
In a submission supported by twelve other fellows of the Royal Society, he describes the current thinking of the Assembly Government as “disturbing and ominous for anyone who really cares about the role of Science and Technology in creating wealth”.
In particular, he points out that we still do not have the correct science base for Wales, with one university across the border – Bristol University – having a higher number of departments with the highest rating for science, medical and engineering than the whole of Welsh academia. In calling for more Assembly funding for the development of a strong science infrastructure within universities, especially as the gap in funding between Wales and England is getting wider, he may have touched a raw nerve, especially as there is little leeway for additional research funding within the Assembly Government itself, as it is not directly a devolved issue.
In this instance, perhaps our politicians at Westminster could make a case for funding to be devolved from the Research Councils – which will supply £3 billion across the UK for research in 2007 - although I am sure that this will be avoided at all costs. Nevertheless, this could generate an additional £45 million annually for Welsh universities, funding which could go a long way to start improving our infrastructure. Given that Wales has only one scientist on the boards of the seven main research councils, it may be of little surprise that science development in Wales is not taken more seriously at a UK level.
In 2002, I was asked to give a paper "Research and Development in Wales" to the Economic Development Committee of the National Assembly and pointed out the same deficiencies in our scientific system. This study also pointed out the chronic underfunding of Welsh universities – a fact denied by the civil servants at the time – and major areas of weakness within the Welsh academic structure in key scientific disciplines which form the foundation for important high technology industries such as aerospace, optoelectronics, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
These include Biological Sciences (30% below the UK average), Chemistry, (14% below the UK average) and mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering (10% below the UK average). Only earth sciences, environmental sciences, computing sciences and pharmacy in Wales are above the research average for the UK. For those who believe in supporting the base sciences, it is worrying that there are also serious weaknesses in pure mathematics, applied mathematics and physics, where we have only 3.2% of the total number of active UK researchers.
Like Sir John and his fellow scientists, I saw the solution to the problem as entirely logical, which probably reflects the excellent scientific training I received from one of his co-signatories, Professor Robin Williams, when I studied physics in Cardiff in the 1980s!
In the conclusion to my own 2002 paper, I wrote “Adopting the approach followed by the Republic of Ireland, the Welsh Assembly Government should establish a Welsh equivalent of the Science Technology Innovation Advisory Council consisting of leading science academics and technological industrialists/ entrepreneurs. Its sole remit will be to develop science and technology policy for Wales. It should report back within six months and make clear recommendations for the future of Welsh science in the public and private sectors. This policy is long overdue and could play a vital part in securing a strong future for the nation as vibrant knowledge-based high technology economy”.
Three and a half years later, we are still waiting for that policy whilst our competitors have had a head start on us in putting in the foundations for a knowledge-based economy. Certainly, the first move in this direction should be the establishment of a panel of the best scientists in Wales and beyond to advise on the best path to take.
Whether the Assembly Government will overcome their aversion to taking advice from outside their close circle of advisers and civil servants is questionable but a step in this direction would ensure that we have the brightest and the best directing what could be the most crucial policy decision that our devolved government will take in terms of economic development and the creation of a ‘world class’ knowledge economy.
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