A Science Strategy for Scotland
A Science Strategy for Scotland
The Scottish Executive published its first Science Strategy - A Science Strategy for Scotland - in August 2001. The strategy provides a framework of policies to guide the detailed development of policy for the support and use of science to achieve the Scottish Executive's objectives. A progress report was produced in February 2006. A consultation on a Science and Innovation Strategy for Scotland was completed in January and a report on this was published in September 2007.
The Science Strategy was the result of a wide consultation process based on the report of the Science Strategy Review Group, commissioned by the Scottish Executive in 2000, to identify the questions to be addressed by a science strategy. (A copy of the consultation documents is available on request.)
The 5 main objectives of the 2001 strategy are:
- to maintain a strong science base fully connected to UK and international activity and funding sources
- to increase the effective exploitation of scientific research to grow strong Scottish businesses and provide cutting edge science to meet the needs of the people of Scotland
- to ensure that enough people study science to a standard which will enable the future needs of the country to be met
- to promote the awareness, appreciation and understanding of science across society
- to ensure the effective use of scientific evidence in policy formulation and resource allocation by Government
A Science Strategy for Scotland 2001: Progress Report
The Scottish Executive published this progress report on Scotland's science strategy on 28 February 2006. The report sets out our record on meeting the goals and commitments contained in the Science Strategy - both strategic and more short-term.
The science base in Scotland has continued to compare very competitively with the rest of the UK. The Scottish Executive has helped achieve this by making a number of highly significant long-term investments in science, technology transfer and science education, the benefits of which should continue for many years. We have, with our partner bodies:
- greatly boosted funding for science and research in the last two budgets, to help maintain the competitiveness of our science base
- established three Intermediary Technology Institutes in the three key areas of Energy, Techmedia and Life Sciences, to help develop new commercial activity based on cutting-edge research
- provided extra funding and initiatives in school science education to help bring on the next generation of scientists
- established long-term funding and a strategy for coordinating activity in our four Science Centres to help stimulate interest in science to all areas of society
- developed plans to further professionalise science leadership within the Executive, including the appointment of an overall Chief Scientific Adviser.
The many case studies in this report also illustrate how science is being used to create not only a more competitive economy, but also a healthier, safer Scotland. Science has a key contribution to make, ranging from providing the evidence base for the introduction of a ban on smoking in public places to providing better forensic technology to help the police to tackle crime.
The progress report is divided into five chapters or "Objectives", corresponding to the original five headings within the Science Strategy. A summary list of activity is noted against each of the 55 commitments at Annex A of the progress report, and a detailed analysis of progress is provided within each of the Objectives. Additional information providing a comprehensive list of all the activities identified under each of the 55 commitments during the compilation of the report is attached in the documents below.
The report on the Science Strategy was an interim rationalisation, in preparation for a refreshed version of the science strategy to be developed. The consultation on this: "A Science and Innovation Strategy for Scotland: Consultation Paper" ran from October 2006 - January 2007.
Additional background information gathered in 2004-05 which helped to inform the report on the Science Strategy in 2006 is attached below. As much information as possible has been included although it is impossible to guarantee that the entire scope of activity in the science base is reflected here:
Charts and graphs
Objective 1 commitments - Maintaining and connecting the science base
Objective 2 commitments - Commercialisation of science
Objective 3 commitments - Science education
Objective 4 commitments - Public understanding
Objective 5 commitments - Science in Government
Supply of and Demand for Science Graduates in Scotland
A report was compiled by the Scottish Executive together with the Scottish Funding Council and FutureSkills Scotland in order to help meet a commitment in the science strategy to examine the supply of scientists into the Scottish economy. Click on this link for a copy of the report.
Enquiries
For further information please contact -
Science-Strategy@scotland.gsi.gov.uk