DFID Science and Innovation Strategy 

Introduction 

1. Over the past year the profile of science and innovation for development has been raised in DFID, for example by the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee inquiry into the use of science in UK international development policy, by the prominence given to science in the recent report of the Commission for Africa and by the Millennium Task Force on Science, Technology and Innovation. 
    
2. DFID recognises that science, engineering, technology and innovation (SETI) have a crucial role to play in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and in supporting sustainable development beyond 2015. In a recent speech DFID’s Secretary of State, Rt. Hon. Hilary Benn MP, stated that “Science and technology are vital for development, and vital for our fight against world poverty”. DFID has been taking steps to strengthen its support for science and research, both inside DFID and in partnership with developing countries. For example, DFID is increasing its research budget by 58% over the next three years to £136 million by 2007—08, and has appointed Professor Sir Gordon Conway as Chief Scientific Adviser: a new senior position in DFID. 
    
3. DFID published a Research Funding Framework in 2004, which set out its proposed investment in research from 2005 to 2007. The next stage is for DFID to develop a wider science and innovation strategy, to provide a scientific lens for DFID thinking and future policy development, and to help guide DFID’s continued engagement in areas relating to SETI with its partners in developing countries and the international community, in the UK and across Government. In addition, the Strategy will outline DFID’s approach to horizon scanning in relation to SETI and development. The Strategy will be a high-level document and it will inform and influence resource allocation processes. However, this consultation is not an opportunity to bid directly for DFID funds.

The consultation 

4. We are especially keen to canvass the views of our partners in developing countries during this consultation. That said, we are also very interested to hear comments from those people who have worked with us and been our partners in development in the past, or who simply have an interest in our work. 
5. We are aware that many of you will have contributed to our consultation on the Research Funding Framework and will endeavour to take the views expressed there into account. However, there are a number of important issues that were not considered in any detail in developing the Research Funding Framework that we are seeking your views on here. Accepting that not all the views expressed in the consultation will be able to be directly represented in the Science and Innovation Strategy, we will ensure that the feedback we receive during this consultation is used to inform future thinking and policy development in DFID in the longer-term.
6. For the purposes of this Strategy, science, engineering and technology refer to the full spectrum of natural and social sciences and engineering and we will also be considering science- and technology-intensive sectors such as agriculture, health, water and sanitation. Innovation is defined as the successful application of new ideas, involving processes such as research, technology transfer, product development and knowledge dissemination. 
7. We are particularly interested in hearing your views on: the role of the natural sciences, engineering, technology and innovation in meeting the Millennium Development Goals; how the insights of the natural and social sciences can be better combined to support development; and what DFID’s role should be, both in supporting these processes and influencing the international community. We would also like to hear your comments on the role that DFID should play in promoting access to scientific knowledge and technology in developing countries. In addition, we are seeking your views on how SETI and SETI-intensive sectors should be represented in Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRS) and other national planning processes, and on how best DFID can contribute to these discussions and reflect these in its Country Assistance Plans.

How to contribute 

8. Your views on the consultation questions set out below will help DFID to think about its future priorities for its work in supporting SETI for development, and to identify opportunities to increase its effectiveness in these areas. In answering the consultation questions we ask that you bear in mind the following: 
   

   • Wherever possible, please give specific examples of good practice or lessons learnt.
   • Where can DFID add the most value, based on what its comparative advantage relative to other donors is, or should be? How should DFID interact with and influence other key donors in this area? Similarly, how should DFID interact with other UK Government Departments and the Research Councils in order to maximise the UK’s contribution in this area?
   • What approaches should DFID use to support SETI to meet the differing needs of developing countries, e.g. science ‘haves’ and ‘have nots,’ fragile states and middle income countries?
   • DFID’s main objective is to contribute to the MDGs and the elimination of world poverty and its investments need to reflect this. We therefore ask that in responding to these questions you give consideration to how DFID should prioritise investment in each of the areas addressed below against its other activities and commitments.
     

9. Please do not feel obliged to answer all of the consultation questions – contributions are welcomed on any and all of the questions, and should be submitted to science-strategy@dfid.gov.uk. The closing date for receipt of contributions is 19 September 2005. You will receive acknowledgement of your email within seven days. Although we will not be able to respond to individual submissions in detail, an external moderator will provide summaries of the submissions we receive, which will be posted on the website every two weeks. We will also provide feedback on how the consultation has informed the strategy in the final document, which is due to be published by the end of 2005.

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