Campaign for Science and Engineering

Campaign for Science and Engineering
Campaign for Science and Engineering · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Campaign for Science and Engineering
Type	Advocacy group
Founded	1986
Headquarters	London
Area served	United Kingdom
Key people	Sir Paul Nurse; Sir Venki Ramakrishnan; Dame Ottoline Leyser
Focus	Science policy, research funding, STEM advocacy

Campaign for Science and Engineering

The Campaign for Science and Engineering is a UK-based advocacy organization advocating for research funding, higher education, and innovation policy. It engages with members of Parliament of the United Kingdom, interacts with stakeholders such as the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and consults learned societies including the Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering, and British Academy. The organization works alongside funders like UK Research and Innovation, interacts with ministers from the Department for Business and Trade, and responds to reports by bodies such as the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee.

History

Founded in 1986, the organization emerged amid debates involving the Thatcher ministry, the Science and Technology Select Committee, and shifts in funding models influenced by the 1980s recession (United Kingdom), the Poll Tax, and broader European contexts like the European Union research programmes. Early patrons and supporters included figures linked to the Wellcome Trust, Leverhulme Trust, and academics from institutions such as the London School of Economics and the University of Edinburgh. Over successive decades it engaged with policy episodes including the establishment of Research Councils UK, the creation of HEFCE, the reconfiguration into UK Research and Innovation, and responses to major inquiries such as the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property and the Wheatley Review.

Mission and Objectives

The organization's stated mission emphasizes sustaining long-term investment in people and infrastructure at institutions including University College London, King's College London, and the University of Manchester. Its objectives align with recommendations from entities like the Council for Science and Technology, the Science and Technology Facilities Council, and international models from the National Academy of Sciences (United States), Max Planck Society, and Fraunhofer Society. It seeks to influence spending allocations tied to the Comprehensive Spending Review and to shape frameworks such as the Research Excellence Framework and regulatory instruments influenced by the European Research Area.

Structure and Governance

The organization is governed by a board drawing members from academia and industry including leaders with connections to Medical Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and corporate partners like GlaxoSmithKline, Rolls-Royce Holdings, and BP. Its advisory network includes fellows and trustees associated with Royal Holloway, University of London, University of Bristol, University of Glasgow, and policy experts who have appeared before the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee. Governance follows standard charity models observed at organizations such as the Wellcome Trust and Nesta.

Activities and Campaigns

Activities encompass briefing papers, parliamentary hustings, stakeholder workshops, and coalition-building with groups like Society of Chemical Industry, Institute of Physics, and the British Neuroscience Association. Campaigns have addressed issues highlighted by reports from the Council of the European Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and domestic reviews including the Lambert Review of Business–University Collaboration. Events have featured speakers from CERN, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, and representatives from industry consortia like Innovate UK.

Policy Influence and Advocacy

The organization lobbies MPs, peers, and civil servants, submitting evidence to committees such as the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee and the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology. It coordinates with learned bodies like the Royal Society of Chemistry, The Physiological Society, and the Institute of Engineering and Technology to influence policy instruments including the Research Excellence Framework, visa rules affected by the UK Border Agency era, and immigration reforms relevant to academic mobility highlighted in debates around the Brexit referendum and subsequent negotiations with the European Commission. It also engages in consultations with UK Research and Innovation and the Department for Education.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources have included charitable grants, subscriptions from member institutions such as University of Leeds and University of Sheffield, and partnership projects with organizations like the Royal Society, Wellcome Trust, and industry partners including AstraZeneca and Siemens. The group has participated in collaborative initiatives co-sponsored by entities such as Nesta and the Confederation of British Industry, and has leveraged networks spanning the British Academy and professional bodies like the Royal Institution.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have questioned the group's proximity to funders and corporate partners, drawing parallels to controversies involving Wellcome Trust funding arrangements and debates over influence seen in cases like the Thatcher ministry era policy shifts. Commentators from outlets associated with think tanks such as the Adam Smith Institute and the Institute for Fiscal Studies have scrutinized its advocacy on funding levels and tax incentives influenced by policies like the R&D Tax Credits regime. Academic voices at institutions including University of Birmingham and University of Southampton have raised concerns about representativeness and balance when engaging with parliamentary processes such as the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Category:Science advocacy organizations