Sir Mark Walport shares vision for UK Research and Innovation
Chief Executive Designate of UK Research and Innovation outlines the vision for the organisation.
Professor Sir Mark Walport, Chief Executive Designate of UK Research and Innovation
Professor Sir Mark Walport, Chief Executive Designate of UK Research and Innovation, has given a speech outlining the vision, objectives and next steps in development for the organisation.
Be the best research and innovation agency
UK Research and Innovation will be formed in April 2018, bringing together the Research Councils, Innovate UK and a new body, Research England. The organisation’s ambition is to be the best research and innovation agency in the world.
New approaches needed to deal with disruptive change
Speaking in Westminster to a broad audience of research and innovation stakeholders, Sir Mark highlighted the strengths of the UK’s current research and innovation system and bodies. He also detailed the challenges and opportunities arising from disruptive change in society, technology, research and business that mean the UK needs to develop new approaches and structures.
Sir Mark commented:
We are building on component parts of the funding landscape which, individually, are very strong, but there is considerable untapped potential for the whole to be much more than the sum of the parts.
We need to stimulate and reward audacity, ambition and agility, where imagination and innovation are actively encouraged and important proposals do not fall foul of artificial divides.
Measured by the impact it delivers
Sir Mark explained that the success of UK Research and Innovation will ultimately be measured through the impact it delivers: through pushing the frontiers of human knowledge, delivering economic impact and creating better jobs and by supporting society to become stronger, healthier and more resilient.