Roadmap plans route out of pandemic purgatory for UK research
Ambition applauded by science community but researchers yet to be sold on its substance
Science organisations have welcomed a government roadmap that seeks to ‘revitalise’ research and innovation in the UK, and underlines its role in recovery from the pandemic. But they want to see its ambition translated into substance.
The document sets out the strengths and weaknesses of the current system and asks a series of questions about how to tackle them – including the perennial challenge of translating R&D excellence into commercial applications – as well as how the planned doubling of R&D investment to £22 billion a year by 2025, should best be spent.