University research critical to high value industries, says Dyson

16 March 2010

Britain urgently needs to “get serious about engineering and science” and to redress decades of de-industrialisation, the entrepreneur Sir James Dyson has said.

In a report for the Conservative Party he argues Britain could become Europe’s leading generator of new technology. Industry, science and technology, he says, create jobs and genuine wealth and growing high tech companies are more likely to be able to withstand future market fluctuations being, by their very nature, flexible and adaptable.

The report, Ingenious Britain, expresses very strong support for the UK research base, in particular research in universities and says ‘blue skies’ research should be fully supported by government.

“Blue skies research is critical if the UK is to develop high value added industries, as is improved interaction between universities and companies,” it states. The report also calls for a web portal that aggregates information on university research across the UK.

The report is in five parts corresponding to five challenges Britain must tackle if it is to harness its innate attributes of creativity, inventiveness and competitiveness to generate and export more technology and create nationwide wealth:
Culture: developing high esteem for science and engineering
Education: getting young people excited about science and engineering
Exploiting knowledge: collaboration between universities, companies and not-for-profits
Financing high tech start-ups: turning good ideas into world-beating products
Supporting high tech companies: creating the right conditions for R&D investment

Reflecting his own views and those of some of Britain’s leading industrialists, scientists, engineers and academics with whom he consulted, Dyson urges us to celebrate publicly the many excellent examples of science, engineering and invention and those who develop them and to support and champion large-scale infrastructure projects.

When it comes to engaging future generations of scientists and engineers, he says great teachers are essential. We need to ensure that teaching is attractive to our top science and engineering graduates and that those who teach these subjects have access to appropriate Continuing Professional Development (CPD). He also advocates the promotion of technical, as well as academic, qualifications, promoting a variety of routes to better jobs and securing degrees.

Acknowledging the world-class research carried out in our universities and the need to maintain its support, among other recommendations Dyson reiterates the need to improve our track record of progressing ideas into the market through adjusting or enhancing existing university systems and structures but also by unlocking external investment for innovative businesses.

Specifically, he suggests increasing the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) relief available to 30% for angel investors supporting high tech companies and encouraging more lending by banks through a government-guaranteed business loan scheme.  He also suggests that future governments should back those companies investing in R&D through the tax system, better procurement and good export advice.

Read the report, Ingenious Britain.