Public Sector (Government Departments and Agencies)
We are grateful to the Science and Society Champions Network for helping to generate this information.
Overview
There is generally a good to high level of engagement across government in all five policy areas. Relevance and consequent priority given by individual departments and agencies varies in line with their remits. Further work will be done to better establish how joined up and effective this is, including use of the existing Science and Society Champions Network (SSCN).
Education
Good to high level of engagement overall. Among central government departments, this is a notably high priority for DFT, DH and Scottish Executive.
Public engagement
This is a strong focus for most, especially interaction with media, policy-makers and opinion formers. It is also a high priority for many, e.g Defra and related agencies, BERR for bioscience issues and nuclear consultations teams, and Scottish Executive. It is clear that there is less actual interaction with the public, including schools, but still a priority for most.
Public confidence
Generally this is similar to Public Engagement, being a high priority, especially for DFT, HO and DH. Public confidence is treated as an even higher priority than public engagement where the general public is concerned. Again, this is lower where children and young people are concerned.
Science workforce
This is more relevant for some than others but a clear focus for those for whom this is an issue. Broadly, engagement on the workforce issue is with policy-makers and opinion formers - and to a slightly lesser extent the media - rather than with the public. This issue is a notably high priority for HO, DH and Scottish Executive.
Increasing diversity
Priority varies but is a focus for most, somewhat more so for agencies than for central government departments - though a notably high priority for HO, DH and Scottish Executive.
