PolicyNet

Events

December 2003

December’s PolicyNet meeting was hosted by Dr Angela Wilson, Director of the Science Reviews at the Office of Science and Technology.

The Science Review is a new initiative and Dr Wilson covered the aims and objectives, what the reviews entail and how they are carried out. She also gave some indication of how their first review – of the quality and use of science in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport was going. The DCMS Review was begun in Sept 03, and with Fieldwork now drawing to a close, emerging findings will be reported in early 2004.

Dr Angela Wilson was appointed Director of the Science Reviews in the Office of Science and Technology in June 2003.

The new Science Review Directorate is responsible for taking forward a rolling programme of external scrutiny and benchmarking of the ways in which government departments use science and manage research, and was created earlier this year by the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Sir David King, in response to a recommendation in the recent Government publication – ‘Investing in Innovation: A Strategy for Science, Engineering and Technology’ (July 2002).

She was keen to dispel the myths that the Science Review would duplicate the work of other reviews or require additional documentary evidence. The Review would not be disproportionate to the OST’s science activities or tell other departments what should be in a science strategy or programme.

Part of the remit of the OST’s Science Review is to establish formal dissemination of good practice across government, and to stimulate informal dissemination between departments and involving the CSAs.

The 10 areas of focus for the Science Review are as follows:

  1. To develop a clear, overall science strategy

  2. To horizon scan – to identify future science-related issues

  3. Review and harness existing research with a view to identifying gaps and opportunities for future research

  4. Commission and manage new research

  5. Ensure the quality and relevance of department sponsored work

  6. Use research and scientific advice in formulating policy

  7. Publish results and debate the findings openly

  8. Share, transfer and manage knowledge

  9. Have implemented Guidelines 2000 and Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees

  10. Use, maintain and develop scientific expertise (capacity and capacity building)

Each Science Review takes 10 months, and is overseen by a Steering Panel, composed of cross-departmental senior officials, representatives from the department under review and external scientists.

Dr Wilson highlighted the point that the Science Review was not intended to be seen as an isolated process, but that the Review’s ‘newness’ meant that it would take time to build up connections and to identify areas of overlapping interest and shared goals within government.

Further information on the Science Review can be found on the Office of Science and Technology website at www.ost.gov.uk/policy/sciencereview/aim.htm

Or you can raise issues or comments by sending an e-mail to:

Science Review team at DTI
[E-mail Science Review team]

 

 

Updated July 2012

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