Practitioner’s Corner

The powerful forces of globalisation which are shaping our economy, society and culture present us with huge opportunities as a nation. Over the past eleven years, this Government has made global change our ally, predicting its opportunities, and ensuring that our people have the skills to meet the challenges.

The focus of this essay is the science–based innovation economy of the UK. The UK has experienced some two decades of slow but near uninterrupted growth which has transformed the economy in ways readily recognised in the corporate board room, on the shop-floor, in the high-street and in the living room. Innovation has been one of the main drivers of productivity gains that have underpinned this uninterrupted growth and relative economic success.

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Private University? - There could be a very good opportunity in Cambridge for something along those lines. According to the Sunday Times University Guide rankings Cambridge is now unique in hosting the best and worst HE Institutions in the UK.

This Review of the Government’s science and innovation policies was commissioned by Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, as part of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review (see Terms of Reference in Annex A). He asked us to look in particular at the role that science and innovation can play in enabling the country to compete against low-wage, emerging economies such as China and India.

A RESPONSE TO HIS ARTICLE: ‘Keep the goose fat to feed the regions’ Financial Times, 02.03.2007

Dear Sir

I write as the Director of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc (O2C Arc), charged with the remit of
assisting the innovation community of the area that stretches between and includes Oxford
and Cambridge create one of Europe’s premier knowledge based economies.
Invest in Success!

I refer to your article (Keep the goose fat to feed the regions – FT, 02.03.2007) which is an
important contribution to the ‘invest in success debate’ which colours discussions concerning

By Martin Wolf - Published: March 1 2007 18:31 in FN - It is the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. In the United Kingdom, Scotland squeaks most and, as I have argued (“Why Scotland cannot be Ireland”, January 18 2007), gets the most grease. But who is supplying the fat? The answer is: London, the south-east and the east of England, which are financing a huge transfer of resources to the rest of the country.