Oct 26 2006
A new 'Rhodes scholarship' type scheme to attract the best of world science to the UK will be confirmed by Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling in a major speech this week.
The Royal Society International Fellowship scheme aims to attract the world's best scientists to Britain, boosting the UK's reputation as a centre of world-class research. Under the scheme researchers work and share knowledge here, and once they return to their home countries they provide a ready-made network for collaboration and future business partnership.
The scheme builds on the existing funding of over £100 million, creating one internationally recognisable British science fellowship 'brand' under the direction of the world renowned Royal Society.
A similar scheme in Germany, the Humboldt foundation has produced over 20,000 scientists and 35 Nobel Prize winners.
Mr Darling will say:
"Science has been one of Britain's best kept secrets. I want to change that.
"To be the best you need to work with the best. This new scheme aims to attract more of the best in science to Britain. It will push our world-class science base further and help give us a business edge."
The new scheme comes as Darling highlighted research which shows top UK universities catching the US in linking science to business. A development almost unthinkable 20 years ago.
UK universities are now producing roughly equivalent numbers of patents per £1 million of research as their US counterparts (1.3 compared with 1.6 patents per £10 million of research) and are producing a far higher number of spin out companies per £1 million of research. In the last 3 years alone 25 British university spin out companies have floated on the stock market with a value of over £1.5 billion.
The global reach of British science will be extended further when he announces plans to open a Research Councils UK office in Beijing. Designed to exploit increasing science investment in the country and make Britain the 'partner of choice' for Chinese companies.
Today's announcement is a further step in the Government's commitment to science which has seen funding rise from £1.3 billion in 1997 to £3.5 billion this year.
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