Consultation display

The Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee would welcome your views on:

• Welsh Government says that there needs to be a “major increase” in research intended to help solve specific challenges facing Wales (challenge-led research). It also says this type of research needs to be balanced with the more traditional type of long-term research undertaken by universities which pushes the boundaries of knowledge
• To what extent do you agree with this view and how can Welsh Government ensure that an increase in one type of research activity doesn’t mean the other type loses out?
• Welsh Government has said it wants to bring all research funding together and that this funding should then be available to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large private businesses, and other organisations as well as universities and colleges. 
• To what extent should businesses and other organisations be able to receive Government research funding that might have otherwise gone to universities and colleges? How could this be done without under-funding some organisations – might there be unintended consequences?
• In a recent review into research funding, it was argued that there was a strong risk of university research and innovation interests overshadowing the research and innovation interests of private businesses. But it didn’t then go on to suggest a way of stopping this happening.
• What needs to be done to ensure businesses and their interests are not over-shadowed by universities when it comes to research and innovation funding and activity?
• In the academic year 2016/17 there were 241 graduate start-ups reported by Welsh universities with an estimated turnover of £56 million, this was almost double the turnover of university staff start-ups in the same year.
• What is currently in place from universities and Welsh Government to help and support student and graduate entrepreneurs turn their ideas into successful ventures?
• Is this support systematic and consistent across Wales and is there more Welsh Government and others could do?
• The recent review of research made recommendations to help incentivise businesses and universities to work closely together on research and innovation to take their collaborations to “greater heights”.
• What are businesses and universities able to offer each other when they work in collaboration on research and innovation projects?
• Should Welsh Government and others be doing anything differently to bring smaller businesses together with universities to collaborate on research and innovation projects? What is working well and what isn’t?
• What should Welsh Government and others be doing to help businesses use the knowledge gained from research activity and turn it into marketable products or improved services?

The deadline for submissions to this inquiry is 12 October 2018.

If you have any questions or would like further information please do not hesitate to contact us. For clarity, there is no designated form for submissions. For those who would like to submit their response electronically, please send your submission in the body of an e-mail or as an attachment to SeneddEIS@assembly.wales

For those who would like to submit their views in hard copy, letters can be addressed as follows:

Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee, National Assembly for Wales, Ty Hywel, Cardiff Bay, CF99 1NA.

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