Memorandum 4
Submission from Research Councils UK (RCUK)
1. SUMMARY
The development of high-level skills in the
UK is crucial to a knowledge-based economy which can drive the
innovation necessary to compete in a global economy.
The Research Councils are major investors and
stakeholders in the UK research base. They have a responsibility
for promoting economic impact, influencing the behaviour of universities
and institutes and working with other stakeholders. The Research
Councils regard the achievement of impact as integral to their
activities[7]
and will focus on increasing the scale, breadth, and richness
of collaborations between the research base and users. The Research
Councils recognise the need to align training with the needs of
employers[8].
The Research Councils also wish to encourage
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to embed transferable skills
in the PhD thus raising value to employers, and improve career
development for their research staff. This helps to address the
employer needs for postgraduates with project management, team
working skills, communication, and leadership capabilities[9].
2. INTRODUCTION
2.1 The Research Councils exert a specific
influence on the higher education (HE) sector through funding
a major portion of the human research capital[10].
They support over 30,000 researchers at any one time, including:
— 15,500 doctoral students;
— 10,000 research staff in universities;
— 4000 research staff in research institutes;
and
2.2 As we look forward, the natural centre
of gravity for RCUK is high economic impact from excellent research.[11]
The Government has placed a major emphasis on research as a driver
of economic growth. Councils recognise that one of the most effective
means of promoting knowledge transfer is through the flow of people[12].
2.3 RCUK investment in attracting, training
and managing the next generation of world-class researchers will
make a major contribution to improving the quantity, quality and
impact of research to the benefit of UK society and the economy[13].
3. RESPONSE
In the Leitch Review, there is emphasis on systems
meeting the needs of individuals and employers and demand-led
approaches and that skills should be portable to deliver mobility
in the labour market for individuals and employers. The Research
Councils are responding to a new agenda to enhance the economic
and social impact resulting from their investment in the UK research
base, and we are pleased to see that this approach aligns well
with the broader landscape for skills development developed in
the Leitch Review.
The Leitch Review of Skills is clear that the
UK must become world class on skills stating: "One of the
most powerful levers for improving productivity will be higher
level skills". RCUK looks forward to the development of a
high level skills strategy, as mentioned in the Science and Innovation
white paper[14].
Existing regional structures of delivery and what
sub-regional strategies may be required.
3.1 The UK's 10 year Science and Innovation
Investment Framework 2004-2014 (2004) makes clear that science,
engineering and technology (SET) skills are essential for the
future of the UK.
3.2 RCUK anticipates that a significant
increase in SME involvement with the research base will be achieved
through partnership with the TSB and Regional Development Agencies
(RDAs). RCUK has representation on the Regional Innovation Science
and Technology group, RDA/Technology Strategy Board Operational
Advisory Group and RDA/TSB Strategy Advisory Group, and meetings
are scheduled throughout 2008. RCUK will continue to run its Business
Plan Competition (£1 million), offering researchers training
and competition to develop business plans for commercially viable
ideas. RCUK will seek greater involvement from the TSB, RDAs,
and others and will review the scheme's operation and impact in
2008[15].
3.3 There are specific initiatives which
link with Sector Skills Councils, for example BBSRC has been developing
links with SEMTA to help understand the training issues facing
the biotech industries, and is represented on the SEMTA Board.
Impact on students of these initiatives, particularly
in the context of policies for lifelong learning.
3.4 RCUK monitors and reports on the stock
and flow of research staff and skills in the UK:
— RCUK Report on "Researchers:
What is the Situation?"[16]
provides an overview of the current situation regarding research
staff in the UK
— RCUK Report on "Health of
Disciplines[17]"
provides an overview of the supply of academic researchers and
the demand from both the public and private sectors
— UK GRAD Reports on "What
Do PhDs Do?", with the latest report being supported
by RDAs and providing a regional analysis of the first destinations
of PhD graduates[18].
3.5 The Research Councils recognise the
need to align training with the needs of employers[19].
3.5.1 Doctoral Training Grants, offered
by five Research Councils, provide flexibility for a university
to respond to individual and employer needs by allowing flexibility
to enter into part-funding arrangements, start students at any
time of the year, and (as for awards from all Research Councils)
fund students part-time. Alongside DTG funding, EPSRC is looking
to expand the numbers of research students in engineering and
physical sciences by establishing at least 40 centres for doctoral
training with an investment in excess of £250 million.
3.5.2 CASE schemes provide funding for doctoral
level training, in collaboration with a business, private or public
sector organisation. It provides postgraduate students with the
opportunity to gain experience in both academia and industry.
The funding commitment to such schemes in 2006-07 was approximately
£50 million[20]
across all Research Councils. For example, 30% of NERC PhD studentships
are CASE awards. STFC's CASE Plus scheme also gives students a
further year of support to work full time with the industrial
collaborator and its partnership grants with industry and enterprise
fellowships foster knowledge transfer and knowledge exchange across
industry and academia.
3.5.3 Industrial CASE allow a company to
initiate a project and select an academic partner for the research,
thereby facilitating a demand-led approach. EPSRC and BBSRC have
well-established routes for companies to receive these awards.
In 2008 and 2009, the number of MRC-funded PhD studentships will
increase to thirty and MRC will consider if further expansion
is appropriate.
3.5.4 EPSRC Collaborative Training Accounts[21]
enable individual research organisations to offer a variety of
training opportunities depending on their particular area of expertise
and track record. The key factor is the university's ability to
deliver people suitably trained in specific subject areas in response
to local and national requirements. Over £263 million was
committed on CTAs from 2004 to 2008. CTAs were created in order
to place EPSRC's collaborative training support on a more strategic
footing. However, training is but one possible contributor to
knowledge transfer. Thus, the introduction (during 2008-09) of
Knowledge Transfer Accounts (KTAs) should further enable a two
way transfer of ideas, research results, expertise and skilled
people between research organisations and user communities.
3.5.5 NERC is currently leading on behalf
of the Environmental Research Funders Forum (ERFF) and other employers
of environmental scientists on a Skills Needs Review.
3.5.6 The AHRC Professional Preparation
Master's Scheme is intended for students who are going into professional
practice eg in the museum and galleries sector, as practicing
artists or performers, journalism etc.
3.6 The Review recommended flexible provisions
to meet the high skills needs of employers and for skills to be
portable to deliver mobility in the labour market for individuals
and employers
3.6.1 As part of funding provided in response
to the Roberts' Review[22],
the Research Councils provide around £20 million a year to
research organisations for the personal and professional development
of research students and postdoctoral research staff. The Research
Councils are also investing over £15 million from 2008-2012
in a new programme to support researcher development. One of the
four key aims for this programme is to enhance the provisions
in higher education for the personal, professional and career
development of researchers through sharing practice and resource[23].
The "UK GRAD Programme" operates both at a national
level and through a series of regional Hubs.
April 2008
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/cmsweb/downloads/rcuk/researchcareers/strategyforsuccess.pdf
7 http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/cmsweb/downloads/rcuk/publications/2008deliveryplan.pdf Back
8
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/news/20061206prebudget.htm Back
9
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/cmsweb/downloads/rcuk/researchcareers/strategyforsuccess.pdf Back
10
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/rescareer/strategy.htm Back
11
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/cmsweb/downloads/rcuk/economicimpact/excellenceimpact.pdf Back
12
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/cmsweb/downloads/rcuk/publications/addingvalue.pdf Back
13
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/cmsweb/downloads/rcuk/researchcareers/rcdstrategy.pdf Back
14
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/news/080313a.htm Back
15
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/cmsweb/downloads/rcuk/publications/2008deliveryplan.pdf Back
16
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/aboutrcuk/publications/policy/researchers.htm Back
17
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/aboutrcuk/publications/policy/hod.htm Back
18
http://www.grad.ac.uk/publications Back
19
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/news/20061206prebudget.htm Back
20
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/cmsweb/downloads/rcuk/economicimpact/ktharmonisation.pdf Back
21
http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/PostgraduateTraining/CollaborativeTrainingAccounts/default.htm Back
22
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./Documents/Enterprise_and_Productivity/Research_and_Enterprise/ent_res_roberts.cfm Back
23
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/news/redevelop.htm Back
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