The Young Foundation and the associated Institute for Community Studies welcome this consultation on the UK R&D Roadmap. We fully support its ambition to maximise the economic, environmental and societal impact of research, drive innovation, to inspire the next generation, and to attract and retain talent in UK R&D.
Given our work focuses on creating demand-led, meaningful change at the heart of local places and communities across the UK, the importance of a collectively informed UK R&D Place Strategy; a new People and Culture Strategy that can alleviate existing inequalities and build inclusive capacity; and strategies for investment that can enable new models of research infrastructure that can more closely connect UK Research and Innovation to the needs of people, places and societal problems, is paramount.
We have responded to the consultation as an IRO focused on the social sciences – but also as a charitable institution committed to increasing the connections between academia and communities, raising the profile and understanding of community priorities for research, and maximising the impact of research on society today. We have also responded through our role as a Strategic Partner in the Civic University Network, and share and endorse the call in the open letter led by Professor Keri Facer that the community sector and communities themselves should be at the heart of the roadmap towards a recovery from Covid-19 and a reset towards a more equal, sustainable and secure future for people and places.
If you are interested in working with us – please contact Emily Morrison, Head of the Institute for Community Studies at emily.morrison@youngfoundation.org
Institute for Community Studies Posted on: 27 August 2020 Authors: Emily Morrison,