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SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
11. Scottish Government investment in basic research infrastructure sustains and enhances the excellence of Scotland's science research base - which of course extends beyond the university sector, to the NHS and Research Institutes. That investment attracts significant gearing in terms of project funding from the UK Research Councils, Research Charities and business. That excellence provides international profile and collaboration, attracts a significant proportion of inward investment and provides the potential for participation in future as yet unknown markets and industries. The most significant element of this framework for scientific research is to confirm that the Scottish Government will continue to support science infrastructure which underpins existing and emerging world-class research in order to sustain and enhance our international standing and competitiveness. This was previously signalled in the New Horizons report which:
- Aligned university funding with the Government's Purpose; and
- Noted the general principle that "the integrity of the dual support model… should be maintained" and that advice on the "investment in learning and teaching, research and knowledge exchange activities" required to "maintain broad overall comparability with the rest of the UK" would be offered through the new Tripartite Advisory Group.
12. Government will also:
- Provide an integrated agenda linking strategic research through to science application in government-funded rural, environmental and marine scientific work by:
- In 2009, publishing a framework for rural, environmental and marine science which is informed by policy priorities.
- Supporting the formation of a new environmental research institute by encouraging two of the research institutes which it supports - the Macaulay and Scottish Crop Research Institutes - to come together.
- Promote growth in medical and related research by:
- In 2009, publishing a new research strategy for health and healthcare.
- Establishing a Scotland-wide network of academic medical centres. This will help the NHS and medical research community in Scotland operate as a large integrated research body, and build capacity to attract research funding from UK bodies and international pharmaceutical companies.
- Establishing a single NHS R&D approval system and improved access to NHS datasets.
- Build on the success of research pooling to promote inter-disciplinarity by:
- Working with the Funding Council and with universities to further develop the pooling model within available resources, promoting collaborative and inter-disciplinary working across pools and also with business to improve knowledge exchange.
- Enhance links with the UK Government, Research Councils and with the EU by:
- Promoting opportunities for Scotland to influence a shared agenda for science and research, building productive links at every level.
- Contributing to the development of the EU's proposals for the creation of a European Research Area and promoting Scottish interests and priorities in European mechanisms for cross-border projects and infrastructures, such as the 8th Research Framework Programme and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
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