Building the science and innovation base: work, skills and employment issues

摘要

This Special Issue of New Technology, Work and Employment has been prompted by the increasing awareness in many countries of the need to maintain and grow their science and innovation base. The development of science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM) skills and capacity is seen as vital for economic development and prosperity through its impact on national and regional research and development (R&D), technological advancement, and innovation potential.rnThis was the case put in February 2009 by Prime Minister Gordon Brown in his Romanes Lecture at Oxford University, when he promised that 'science would not be a victim of the recession'. After expounding on the greatness of UK science his solution was in three parts: entrench investment in science as a national priority, raise the status of science in education and show that science matters to society. In essence he was restating the thrust of much of the government's science policy already in operation. Implicit in this, and clear from much other research, there is a problem with the supply of a skilled STEM workforce.