***This is an archive of the old ITIF website. Content on this website will not be updated. Please visit our new website to see our latest content.***

Comparing UK and U.S. Innovation Policy: A Discussion with Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham

Over the last decade in particular the UK has put in place an array of innovative policies to boost national innovation and competitiveness, including the Science and Innovation Framework, a 10-year strategy launched in 2004 aimed at increasing R&D as a percentage of GDP. The Framework laid the groundwork for a series of initiatives, programs and funding schemes to support innovation throughout the UK.

Please join ITIF, in partnership with UK Trade & Investment, for a discussion with Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham, UK Business Ambassador and former Minister, UK Trade & Investment. Established in 2008 by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the UK Business Ambassadors work with Government to promote the UK’s excellence internationally and to highlight trade and investment opportunities.

ITIF President Rob Atkinson will frame the discussion with an overview of current U.S. innovation policy. Lord Jones will then discuss the UK innovation agenda, the UK strategy and provide updates based on the Innovation Nation whitepaper published in 2008 by the Rt. Honorable John Denham, MP and Secretary of State for Communities. Subsequent white papers and programs have been announced by Secretary of State Denham and new programs are underway with the support of the Rt. Honorable Paul Drayson, Minister for Science and Innovation.
Some of the key programs to be discussed include:

• Industrial Activism and the Office of Life Science
• The £1 billion Innovation Investment Fund
• The Updated Innovation Report
• The Lambert Tool Kit for Collaborative Research
• The Small Business Research Initiative
• The Innovation Procurement plan
• The British National Space Center and the UK’s new focus on space
• The UK’s New Industry New Jobs strategy

Date: Monday, December 14, 2009
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Location: ITIF
1101 K Street, NW
Washington DC 20005 (map)

Register for the event

Moderator and Presenter

Robert Atkinson (bio)
President, The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Presenter

Digby Jones (bio)
Lord Digby Jones of Birmingham

Cynthia Bouthot (bio
Director, Innovation Programs, UK Trade & Investment

Kathleen N. Kingscott (bio)
Director, Global Strategic Partnership, IBM Research

Video and Audio

Download audio (MP3)

Video of the event will be archived here shortly.