Developing simulation models with policy relevance: The implications of recent UK reforms for emergent scientific disciplines

Abstract

Recent changes in the science and technology policies of a number of European countries are driven by the belief that a shift of academic activities towards more market-orientated research will increase national economic performance and prosperity. In the UK this has led to a move away from a predominantly peer review based funding system to one that explicitly incorporates industrial and political objectives. The central plank of the new policy regime is the UK Foresight Programme (previously Technology Foresight Programme). Its aims are two-fold. One objective is to identify opportunities where government involvement in R&D, and the science underpinning this, can enhance wealth creation. Another objective is to establish better communications and networks between science and industry — to affect the national innovation system — and thereby influence the behaviour of academic scientists through closer links. Other aspects of the reforms include the reorganisation of academic funding councils to include greater industrial representation, and the introduction of a ‘Research Assessment Exercise’ (RAE) employing various performance indicators to rank the research capabilities of different academic departments and institutions.