_NESTA Policy Breakfast: John Denham Chairs Policy Breakfast on The Future of Europe’s Research and Innovation System _
A new report is challenging Europe’s research base and those who govern it – to undertake a series of Grand Challenges of economic and social importance and at the same time to make research much more relevant to the policy and regulatory functions which take place at EU level. These changes need to be underpinned, the report argues, by reforms across the research and innovation system.

On Thursday 3rd July, in a meeting chaired by Rt Hon John Denham MP, Secretary of State at the Department of Innovation, Skills and Universities, Professor Luke Georghiou, Chair of the panel which produced this report (ERA Expert Group), will open a discussion on the future of European research and the UK’s position in this landscape. Ian Pearson MP, Minister of State for Science and Innovation, will respond.

To find out more and to take part in the conversation, please join us at this breakfast event for what we are sure will be a stimulating and thought-provoking discussion. Full breakfast will be provided. NESTA’s Policy Breakfasts aim to strengthen the innovation policy community and foster debate and new ideas.

Luke Georghiou: Luke Georghiou BSc, PhD is Professor of Science and Technology Policy and Management and Deputy Dean of Humanities at the University of Manchester . Luke researches in the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research (formerly PREST), a large research centre within Manchester Business School , and has been on its staff since 1977. His research interests include R&D and innovation policy and management, foresight, and international cooperation. In 2005/6 he was panellist and rapporteur for the influential “Aho group” report to European leaders on “Creating an Innovative Europe.” He has chaired several expert panels for the European Commission and foreign governments, most recently the ERA Rationales Expert Group. In the UK he is currently a member of the Glover Committee and chairs its expert group on SME Innovation, sub-contracting and the supply chain.

_NESTA’s Policy & Research Unit _
The NPRU aims to help transform the UK ’s capacity for innovation by:

• Building a relevant and coherent policy and research programme that resonates with national priorities, political realities, media interest and the research frontier

• Integrating policy goals within all NESTA programmes – using research to design programmes, and using the evidence base created by programmes to drive policy development

• Establishing a strong policy and research community around innovation