Science policy UK: consultation on research integrity
A consultation on a draft concordat on research integrity has been launched by Universities UK (UUK), HEFCE, the Wellcome Trust and the UK government - comments by May 11 2012.
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Sustainable development policy: UK parliament
UK House of Commons debated Rio +20 on 28 February - a follow up to the earlier Environmental Audit Committee report and government response
Science Policy UK: role of Chief Scientific Advisers
The UK Parliament's House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has produced a report on the role of UK government departments' Chief Scientific Advisers.
Science Policy UK: Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth
The UK government Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has issued a new Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth. Emphasis on strengthening the science base, links with business, and the environment for commercialisation. Specific research measures include encouraging universities to develop more multi-partner consortia; and more open access to publicly-funded data and publications. Commentary from Nature.
Science Policy UK: report on the peer review system
An earlier post referred to the report and written evidence of the inquiry by the UK Parliament's Commons Science and Technology Committee into the peer review system. This has now been joined by a response from the UK government and research councils. Interesting points of discussion: reference to various ongoing initiatives and responsibilities, and to the Research Integrity Concordat mentioned in the earlier post.
Science Policy UK: performance of the UK science base
Launched on 19 October, the UK government report on the International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base: 2011. The summary reads: "The UK is a world leader in research, and is the world leader in terms of research efficiency per researcher and per unit of spending on research. However, the global landscape of research is fluid, dynamic and intensively competitive. Other countries are outpacing the UK in terms of growth in number of researchers and spending on research. The UK is well positioned, but its ability to sustain its leadership position is far from inevitable." Mixed success in knowledge transfer and vulnerabilities in terms of competitive growth of science.
Science Policy UK: report on strategically important metals
UK Government response to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee report on Strategically Important Metals.
Biodiversity Policy UK: England Biodiversity Strategy published
Published today, the long-awaited Biodiversity 2020: a strategy for England's wildlife and ecosystem services. This complements the earlier publication in 2011 of the UK government's policy white paper on the natural environment Nature's Choice and the UK National Ecosystem Assessment.
Science policy UK: peer review and research integrity
The UK parliament's House of Commons Committee on Science and Technology has published a report of its inquiry on Peer Review in Scientific Publications, with conclusions and recommendations. /... more
.../The Committee examines the current approach, reminding publishers, funders and scientists of the principles involved and urging caution on use of impact factors. Recommendations on better coordination and innovation, training for peer review, open access to data and other issues. The report looks at developments in virtual pre- and post-publication commentary and review.
A key conclusion is that there is insufficient oversight of research integrity in the UK: the recommendation is for a government body for regulation and key responsible individuals for each research employer (it is emphasised that the responsibility for ensuring integrity lies significantly with the employer).
This recommendation picks up on the late 2010 report from the UK Research Integrity Futures Group, formed by Research Councils UK (RCUK), Universities UK (UUK) and the UK Department of Health (DH), in association with the UK Higher Education Funding Councils (HEFCs), the Wellcome Trust, the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) and the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries (ABPI). Some concern that the UK Research Integrity Office is not being funded beyond its current term.
Climate change policy: Foresight report from the UK government
UK government Foresight report (so horizon scanning/assessment) published in July 2011 on the International Dimensions of Climate Change, together with a wide range of supporting evidence reports.