1. INTERNATIONAL PERCEPTIONS OF THE UK RESEARCH BASE IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES
April 2007
Mike Rodd

2. THE TERMS OF REFERENCE
Assess and compare the quality of the UK research base in ICT against the rest of the world and prepare relevant recommendations;
Assess the international impact of the UK’s ICT research base, and its impact nationally on other disciplines, on wealth creation, and on quality of life, and prepare recommendations.

3. NEW STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
7 ‘success features’ used:
Stimulating creativity and adventure in research and research processes;
Attracting, nurturing and supporting the most talented people at every stage of their career for the benefit of the UK;
Building collaborations that achieve a two-way flow of knowledge between the research base and industry;
Encouraging and supporting research that crosses the borders between disciplines, research councils and universities;
Developing a shared vision of tomorrow’s major challenges and opportunities with stakeholders, society, industry, universities and other partners;
Building a better understanding of where we should focus our effort in order to benefit both UK society and the UK economy and increase its global competitiveness;
Creating and sustaining research scientists and engineers in the UK so that they are recognised world-wide as leaders in their field.

4. OVERALL CONCLUSIONS
Impressed with the breadth and quality of ICT research.
Significant improvements in ICT research and attitudes since the last review in 2001.
The morale is perceived to be high in the ICT community.
Doing exciting, high quality, world class research, and the UK is in the premier league in many research areas.
Made great strides in interdisciplinary research and in some areas this is attracting new talent into the ICT community.
Substantial and pervasive knowledge transfer from universities to industry, with substantial IPR creation and numerous spin-outs.
EPSRC has been an agent for change over the past five years.

5. CONCERNS - LONG-TERM
Eroding Pipeline of UK Students
Retention of Overseas PhDs
Career Development
Infrastructure
Balance –Multidisciplinary vs fundamental research
Collaboration with the World
Continuity of funding
University/Industry Knowledge Transfer

6. CONCERNS -SHORT-TERM
Lengths of Grants
Peer Review

7. PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
Some serious difficulty in pulling Panel together
A much broader review with less concentration on details of what research
Visits (indeed whole review?) concentrated solely on the “top research” departments
Most universities presented very good pictures of joined up ICT research
Review supported a joint ICT programme –unlike previous review
Overall Conclusion – Review is good news for the research community.