EPSRC Annual Report and Accounts 2008€“2009 HC
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PIONEERING RESEARCH AND SKILLS Annual report and accounts 2008–2009 EPSRC ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2008–2009 Presented to Parliament pursuant to s. 2 (2) of Schedule 1 of the Science and Technology Act 1965 (c.4) Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 20th July 2009 HC 801 London: The Stationery Office £19.15 CONTENTS 03 Chairman’s foreword 60 Annual accounts: 04 Chief Executive’s introduction 61 Remuneration report 64 Statement of account Management commentary: 73 Notes to the accounts 06 Healthy research base 08 Delivering high-quality research 16 Next generation skills 24 Access to the best 26 Economic and social impact 28 Impact from excellence 31 Skills for the economy 33 Exploitation of research 37 Challenges for society and the economy 44 Facts and figures 54 Corporate activities © Crown Copyright 2009 The text in this document (excluding the Royal Arms and other departmental or agency logos) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium providing it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title of the document specified. Where we have identified any third party copyright material you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. For any other use of this material please write to: Office of Public Sector Information Information Policy Team, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU or e-mail: [email protected] ISBN: 9780102961119 ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL 02 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2008 – 2009 PIONEERING RESEARCH AND SKILLS JOHN ARMITT CHAIRMAN In accordance with Schedule 1 to the This year we have chosen a new phrase conclusions were positive in identifying excellence Science and Technology Act 1965, the ‘Pioneering research and skills’ as part of our in all EPSRC-related areas, adding further Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council submits the following logo. It encapsulates EPSRC’s role as the UK evidence of the success of our measures to report on its activities for the period Government agency for funding world-class enhance the health of the research base. 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009. research, innovation and skills development in As the Chairman in the next three years of engineering and the physical sciences. The global both EPSRC and the Olympic Delivery Authority – economic challenges facing the UK highlight the between them spending about £10 billion of public importance of our investment this year of over £700 money – I am very conscious of the need to ensure million in contributing to our economic prosperity. that our investments are made efficiently and This was given added emphasis by The Prime effectively. This year we are investing a higher Minister, the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, in his proportion of our budget on research and skills Romanes Lecture in early 2009 when he referred programmes through continuing to reduce the to science as ‘a key element of our path to recovery’. already low proportion of our spend on It is therefore vitally important that EPSRC administration. Our focus on increasing the co- continues to invest in a broad science and funding of our programmes will ensure that we engineering research base which will provide a make the most of our investment in delivering major stimulus for rejuvenating the economy. As the impact so vitally important to the UK. this report demonstrates, our investment supports the provision of a strong, healthy research base delivering both excellence and high potential for economic and social impact. Our major programmes working with companies and other partners to encourage fast take-up of research breakthroughs by industry and commerce are ever more important in the current climate. The breadth and depth of this programme – set out in the John Armitt Chairman EPSRC Delivery Plan for 2008-11 – spans research and skills development to tackle global challenges such as the need for secure and sustainable energy and the medical advances required for the healthcare of an ageing population. The health of the EPSRC research portfolio is vital to maximising its impact, and an important indicator – the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) – reported its findings in 2008. Its EPSRC portfolio Financial values quoted are for funds 2008-2009 committed in 2008-2009. Cross-Disciplinary Digital Energy Information and Interfaces Economy Communications Technology £36.8m £46.2m £57.9m £75.6m Materials, Mechanical and Mathematical Sciences Nanoscience Physical Medical Engineering through Engineering Sciences to Application £60.7m £15.3m £21.1m £100.4m Process, Environment Research infrastructure Towards Next- User-Led Research and Sustainability and international Generation Healthcare £27.0m £21.3m £3.7m £82.5m ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL 03 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2008 – 2009 INVESTING FOR PROSPERITY DAVID DELPY CHIEF EXECUTIVE The tough economic conditions being experienced a wide variety of issues including climate change, across the world this year emphasise the vital energy, our ageing population and hi-tech crime. role science and engineering has to play in They will also improve UK strengths in core sectors contributing to the UK’s long-term prosperity and of the economy such as automotive and aerospace the wellbeing of society. Our major event this year manufacturing. ‘Pioneers09’ showcased highlights from our I was very impressed by the excellent response programme demonstrating clearly the richness from the research community to the £45 million of innovative research and talent in the UK and its collaborative fund announced by EPSRC and the economic and social impact. In my presentation Wellcome Trust in 2008 to boost innovation in to over 700 delegates from businesses and medical engineering in the UK. This invitation to set academia I emphasised how our support for up world-class centres of excellence to develop research and skills can have a significant impact innovative solutions to future healthcare needs on the country’s economic recovery. Key factors attracted proposals worth £500 million. The best of are our investment in 6000 cutting edge research these proposals will be funded in 2009 to establish projects worth £3.3 billion, the high-value skills medical engineering ‘hubs’ bringing together we develop every year through our 8000 PhD clinicians, biomedical researchers and engineers students and the collaboration of over 2000 to solve today’s big medical challenges. EPSRC companies in our programmes. has also developed fruitful partnerships with other Our achievements this year represent a major organisations in this field such as that with Cancer step forward to meeting the ambitious goals of our Research UK, the Medical Research Council and Delivery Plan 2008-11 which I presented to research the Department of Health for England in a £50 communities across the UK during the year. They million bid to transform cancer imaging in the UK. cover our progress in delivering an impressive body of high quality research involving the 23,400 Thinking big researchers and students that we support. This Positive encouragement for ‘big thinking’ that ensures a strong research base for the UK providing will have the impact needed to enhance the global the resources to face major challenges such as our competitiveness of UK research is an important future energy supply, the needs of next generation feature of our Delivery Plan. Our response in 2009 healthcare and the developing digital economy. included a first tranche of awards worth £20 million for new ‘Programme Grants’ focused on mould Big impact for skills breaking research projects in areas with huge The research breakthroughs that emerge from potential such as the harvesting and production our funding, allowing companies to improve their of hydrogen from water, and step changes in competitiveness, depend on highly talented people the performance of semi conductor devices. with a diverse range of skills. Our drive to meet the Our Delivery Plan target of driving the need for current and future skills requirements, commercialisation of research by building on the launched in 2008 by Lord Drayson, Minister of strong science base established by our investments State for Science and Innovation, features the bold depends on effective links with influential partners. new approach of investing £280 million in 45 new By 2009 we had made major progress in realising Centres for Doctoral Training. These Centres the huge potential of our partnership with the across the UK will boost doctoral skills to tackle Technology Strategy Board set up by Government Key highlights of the year Lord Drayson launches new First tranche of new EPSRC invests £10 million in £500 million worth of proposals for EPSRC-supported centres for EPSRC Programme Grants for Technology Strategy Board project, EPSRC support to boost innovation doctoral training across the UK. ‘mould-breaking’ projects. the flagship ‘low carbon’ vehicles in medical engineering. initiative. ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL 04 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2008 – 2009 to stimulate innovation in areas with the greatest EPSRC-supported research worth £6.7 million scope for boosting UK growth and productivity. linked to this fast developing economy. EPSRC funding of over £90 million is being An iconic outreach project called Bloodhound contributed to collaborative projects with the Board seeks to inspire the next generation of engineers including their ‘flagship’ programme to boost the through a bid to push the land speed record up to proportion of low carbon vehicles on our roads. 1000mph by 2011 – 30% faster than any car has Big thinking also characterises our work with gone before. Led by Richard Noble, the project other ‘Strategic Partner’ organisations in the involves an education programme which has private and public sectors, ranging from aerospace already attracted over 1000 schools and related to pharmaceuticals. These research intensive organisations, and cutting-edge, EPSRC- bodies work with us to provide platforms for our supported research in aerodynamics.