1. Developing Skills for Innovation
Ali Mobasheri, DPhil (Oxon.)
Professor of Musculoskeletal Physiology
Former Associate Dean for Research & Enterprise
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

2. Overview This presentation will explore:
How UK universities are developing business and entrepreneurial skills in mindsets and teams
How British institutions are responding to industry-specific needs for specialized human capital for innovation

3. Definition of Innovation

4. The Academic Perspective
Innovation in teaching theory and practice
Innovation in research - making Research Systems more integrated, strategic and agile
Stressing the centrality of research and innovation to the public and politicians by highlighting its contribution to the GDP
Promoting multi-disciplinarity and team-working
Increasing innovation-related outputs (IPR)

5. EU Definition
Innovation is vital to European competitiveness in the global economy. The EU is implementing policies and programmes that support the development of innovation to increase investment in research and development, and to better convert research into improved goods, services, or processes for the market.

6. EU Approach to Innovation
Balanced approach to research and innovation
not limited to the development of new products and services on the basis of scientific and technological breakthroughs
Incorporating use of existing technologies in novel applications, and making continuous improvements
Activities close to market emphasise the widest possible use of knowledge generated by supported activities, up to the commercial exploitation
Emphasis on activities operating close to end-users and the market, e.g. demonstration, piloting or proof-of-concept
include support to social innovation, and support to demand side approaches (standardisation, innovation procurement, user-centred measures…) to help accelerate the deployment and diffusion of innovative products and services into market
The definitions of the terms used are available in the Horizon 2020 Glossary on the Participant Portal

7. Cross-cutting issues are fully integrated in EU work programmes
Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) are integrated across all Horizon 2020 activities
Gender dimension in the content of R&I – the question on the relevance of sex/gender analysis is included in the proposal template and where relevant, applicants need to describe how sex and/or gender analysis is taken into account.
Other cross-cutting issues may also be included in the WP Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) including science education, open access to scientific publications, ethics, standardisation, climate change and sustainable development…

8. ‘Excellent research with impact’
RCUK’s Perspective
RCUK is the strategic partnership of the UK’s seven research councils. Government funded (Public tax – Public good) BIS. Jointly invest £3billion each year in research. RCUK supports excellent research, as judged by peer review, that has an impact on the growth, prosperity and wellbeing of the UK. To maintain the UK’s global research position we offer a diverse range of funding opportunities, foster international collaborations and provide access to the best facilities and infrastructure around the world. We also support the training and career development of researchers and work with them to inspire young people and engage the wider public with research. Applications across research council remits. Peer review - The Research Councils fund research on a competitive basis employing independent expert peer review. This system is regarded as an international benchmark of excellence in research funding, and this provides a guarantee of the quality of UK research. The peer review processes employed are designed to be sensitive to the different needs and cultures that exist within the academic community and also reflect the variety of mechanisms employed to support different types of research e.g. basic or strategic research, or the need to encourage adventurous or multidisciplinary research.
Each Research Council publishes information about its peer review process and these can be found using the links below
Currently RCUK, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) from 1 April 2018
‘Excellent research with impact’

9. Mechanisms for Enabling Innovation
Maximising the impact of our science and skilled people in boosting the UK economy, informing policy and improving quality of life
Expanding skills and capabilities
Enhancing knowledge exchange and translation
Promoting innovation - academia/industry engagement; UK innovation ecosystem
Capturing, celebrating and rewarding impact in the broadest context
This enabling theme recognises that BBSRC has a responsibility to ensure that the research and training it funds has the widest possible [societal and economic] benefit. To achieve this, BBSRC has funding mechanisms in place for Doctoral training as well as Fellowships for postdoctoral researchers to embark on independent career path. BBSRC also has competitions like Fostering innovation: a suite of competitions that aim to promote excellence amongst researchers. In order to develop diverse skills amongst its funded researchers specially the PhD students, BBSRC has developed media training courses and policy internships
The enabling innovation theme seeks to:
maximise the social and economic benefit of the research it funds
support high-quality PhD training
create opportunities for engagement between academia and industry.
increase the range and depth of our interactions with business
develop innovative ways to capture, reward and celebrate impact.
BBSRC also aims at celebrating innovation by recognising and awarding innovation.
[Talk about current competitions in the fostering innovation suite, winners of the past competition]

10. Societal Challenges

11. Value of the UK Bioeconomy

12. Developing and supporting highly-skilled people for a more productive UK bioeconomy
PhD Students
Postdoctoral Researchers and Technicians
Research Fellows
Principal Investigators
Sustaining the UK’s capability to deliver academic, economic and social impact
Supplying excellent scientists into the academic, private and public sectors
Attracting co-investment from the private and third sectors
Ensuring under- and postgraduate students receive excellent research training
BBSRC supports skills training through PhD students, postdoctoral and new group leader fellowships, and supporting postdoctoral researchers, technicians and group leaders on research awards.

13. BBSRC Vision For Postdoctoral Researchers
Statement
Delivering
Integrated into their research environment
Highly-skilled and adaptable
Empowered through independence
Connected to the BBSRC community
An ethos of Continuing Professional Development
Vision for Postdocs
Properly treated as employees
Build the postdoc & technician network  engage & understand
Build the evidence base of the BBSRC supported community
Raise the profile of postdoc & technician contributions
Support postdoc independence & informed career decisions
Monitoring training environments & career trajectories
The BBSRC vision for postdoctoral researchers sets out how we expect grant holders and their host institutions to support the postdoctoral research staff employed on BBSRC grants, and what activities we expect the postdocs to engage with during their time employed on these grants. It serves as a term of reference for us and our grant holders in shaping activities to support the postdoctoral community.

14. Training And Mentoring Are Integral To the Success of BBSRC Fellowships
Mentoring programmes are a key mechanism through which research organisations can support the professional development of their staff, particularly postdoctoral researchers and newly appointed principal investigators.
BBSRC Expect fellows to receive mentoring within host institution
Fellows enrolled on BBSRC mentorship programme
Expected to consider both their development needs and those of their group members
BBSRC considers mentoring an essential tool to support researcher development. ROs should provide mentoring for all the fellows BBSRC support and postdoctoral researchers should have access to good quality mentoring as part of the support provided to them by their RO.
All BBSRC fellows are enrolled on the BBSRC mentoring programme.
BBSRC using Twitter to highlight 2016 National Mentoring Day

15. Supporting professional and career development
Further Education Training
Professional / Learned Societies
Doctoral degree
Continuing professional development
Bachelor’s degree
A-levels / BTEC (or equivalent)
Masters degree, PG Cert, PG Dip
HNC/D,
Apprenticeship
Higher Education Training
RESEARCH GRANTS
TRAINING GRANTS
Professional accreditation
Supporting professional and career development
BBSRC supports skills training through training grants and research grants. The Continued Professions Development of research staff is strongly encouraged and supported by professional and learned societies.

16. The innovation is in the skills
Skills gaps:
Research skills
Core skills
Professional/transferable skills

19. Opportunities and Challenges
Enabling innovation through partnership working with industry and SMEs
Exploiting new ways of working by developing continuing professional development with industry’s needs as a priority
Academic / industry exchange programmes to sustain strategic partnerships
Monitor and measure impact as an outcome of innovation – develop better quantitative methodologies for measuring impact
Challenges:
Rapidly changing landscape and constantly moving goalposts

20. Acknowledgements: Funding

21. Email: a.mobasheri@surrey.ac.uk