Science Superpower

A practical policy programme to transform science and innovation in the UK

The Science Superpower Programme explores how ministers can realise their ambitions for the UK to be a “science superpower”. It fills a major gap in the current policy debate by bringing together some of the finest scientific minds with leading policymakers to explore the strategic challenges, opportunities and trade-offs that the government and scientific community face.

Supported by Wellcome Trust, the Perivoli Foundation and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

REPORTS

August 1, 2023

Wired for Success

Wired for Success: Reforming Whitehall to support science and technology

by Allan Nixon, Anna Dickinson, Anastasia Bektimirova

May 3, 2023

The Generative AI Revolution: opportunities, shocks, and risks

by Shabbir Merali

February 18, 2023

New Horizons: The UK’s Global Science Strategy Beyond Horizon Europe

Onward’s case for what the UK’s global science strategy might look like beyond Horizon Europe.

November 14, 2022

Incentivising Innovation: Reforming R&D Tax Credits

How to reform R&D Tax Credits to incentivise innovation when public finances are stretched.

by Matt Burnett

August 4, 2022

Rocket Science: How can the UK become a science superpower?

If the UK is to be a “science superpower”, we need to rethink our strategy for science.

by Matt Burnett, Maria Priestley

October 13, 2021

Green Shoots: Driving innovation for net zero

How to drive innovation to meet net zero

by Alex Luke, Ted Christie-Miller

See More Reports

RECENT

Troubled Waters: Tackling the crisis on England’s coast

Troubled Waters: Tackling the crisis on England’s coast

Troubled Waters, exposes the divide between England’s coast and inland areas, arguing...

Great British National Service

Great British National Service

The Social Mobility Penalty

The Social Mobility Penalty

Wired for Success

Wired for Success

Power to the People: How to unlock energy infrastructure by securing community support

Power to the People: How to unlock energy infrastructure by securing community support

Beyond Holyrood

Beyond Holyrood

EVENTS

Oct 3

17:15-

18:15

Reforming Tax for Today’s Britain

with:

Victoria Atkins MP

Oct 3

12:15-

13:15

Can I speak to the Manager please: How can we bolster public service delivery?

with:

Oct 3

11:00-

12:00

Rebuilding Growth: How unlocking housing supply can boost the economy

Oct 3

18:00-

19:00

The Great Grid Upgrade: a reception with the Energy Secretary

Oct 3

14:45-

15:45

Revive and Thrive: Reforming Planning Laws to Unleash an Urban Renaissance

Oct 3

8:30-

9:30

Future thinking: What role can prevention and new technologies play for a more productive NHS?

Oct 3

16:00-

17:00

Securing Great Britain’s Energy System

with:

Andrew Bowie MP

Oct 3

9:45-

10:45

Growing Together: Unlocking productivity through business collaboration

with:

Oct 3

13:30-

14:30

Scientific Synergy: Unlocking the UK’s potential to become a scientific industrial powerhouse

with:

Andrew Griffith MP

Oct 3

16:00-

17:00

Securing Great Britain’s Energy System

with:

Andrew Bowie MP

Oct 3

9:45-

10:45

Growing Together: Unlocking productivity through business collaboration

with:

Oct 3

13:30-

14:30

Scientific Synergy: Unlocking the UK’s potential to become a scientific industrial powerhouse

with:

Andrew Griffith MP

Oct 3

17:15-

18:15

Reforming Tax for Today’s Britain

with:

Victoria Atkins MP

Oct 3

12:15-

13:15

Can I speak to the Manager please: How can we bolster public service delivery?

with:

Oct 3

11:00-

12:00

Rebuilding Growth: How unlocking housing supply can boost the economy

Press Coverage

Remainers will take any opportunity to bash Brexit – rejoining Horizon isn’t one of them

Director Sebastian Payne discusses the benefits of rejoining Horizon as the UK steps closer to its Science Superpower ambitions.

Conservative Home

Allan Nixon: Sunak must make Whitehall fit for purpose if Britain is to compete on AI

Head of Science and Technology, Allan Nixon, writes for Conservative Home regarding reforms needed in Whitehall to make the UK a science superpower.

Dominic Cummings, remember him? Turns out he was right after all

Director Sebastian Payne writes for the i about Dominic Cummings and his approach to science and technology in government.

In search of a plug for the blackhole, Hunt must not cull investment in our future

Matt Burnett, Head of Onward's Science Superpower research programme writes for CityAM on why the governmen't R&D policies are vital to economic revival.

R&D funding must be protected from cuts

Head of Onward's Science Superpower research programme writes for Politics Home, setting out why R&D funding must be protected from cuts.

London Influence

Onward and upwards

The London Influence reports on the growing Onward team and our new research programme in an exclusive interview with Director Will Tanner

Press Coverage

Remainers will take any opportunity to bash Brexit – rejoining Horizon isn’t one of them

Director Sebastian Payne discusses the benefits of rejoining Horizon as the UK steps closer to its Science Superpower ambitions.

Conservative Home

Allan Nixon: Sunak must make Whitehall fit for purpose if Britain is to compete on AI

Head of Science and Technology, Allan Nixon, writes for Conservative Home regarding reforms needed in Whitehall to make the UK a science superpower.

Dominic Cummings, remember him? Turns out he was right after all

Director Sebastian Payne writes for the i about Dominic Cummings and his approach to science and technology in government.

In search of a plug for the blackhole, Hunt must not cull investment in our future

Matt Burnett, Head of Onward's Science Superpower research programme writes for CityAM on why the governmen't R&D policies are vital to economic revival.

R&D funding must be protected from cuts

Head of Onward's Science Superpower research programme writes for Politics Home, setting out why R&D funding must be protected from cuts.

London Influence

Onward and upwards

The London Influence reports on the growing Onward team and our new research programme in an exclusive interview with Director Will Tanner

The New Statesman

The Research Brief: why the science department should be exempt from Treasury rules

The New Statesman discusses our report, Wired for Success: Reforming Whitehall to Support Science and Technology.

Air Street Capital

The AI Fairy, the Unicorn Kingdom, and the need for real talk

Onward's report 'Wired for Success' is linked to by Air Street Capital.

The Telegraph

Treasury red tape holding back tech revolution, warn ex-ministers

Onward's report 'Wired for Success' is mentioned in The Telegraph digital edition.

Research Professional News

‘Unleash’ science department from Treasury, says think tank

Onward's new report 'Wired for Success' is reported in Research Professional News.

Times Higher Education

Commit to spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on research, UK urged

Times Higher Education reports on Onward's new report 'Wired for Success' and its recommendations to increase spending on research.

Research Professional News

Delays to UK Horizon association spark fears of Treasury clawback

Research Professional News mentions Onward regarding delays to the Horizon programme.

The Independent

Minister hails moves to deliver ‘better, fairer, more predictable pensions’

Onward's keynote speech event with the Rt Hon Laura Trott MP is mentioned in The Independent.

https://twitter.com/skynews/status/1677399488640458755?s=21&t=M1mcWrIHJ14Y8HTT1a76oA

AI Future

Onward Policy Fellow Shabbir Merali appears on Sky News to discuss Artificial Intelligence.

Politico

Playbook: SW1 Events

Onward's Science & Tech event with Transport Minister Jesse Norman MP was mentioned by Politico.

Research Professional News

Create state-owned ‘Great British GPT’, government urged

Onward's new report on Artificial Intelligence and how the UK should respond to it is reported on by Research Professional News.

Information Age

Think tank calls for ‘Great British GPT’ to keep UK ahead in AI race

Information Age reports on Onward's new work on 'Generative AI' and it's recommendation to create a new 'Great British GPT'.

Politico

New Gigs

Politico mentions Onward's two new members of the Science & Tech team, Allan Nixon and Anastasia Bektimirova.

The Guardian

If bosses fail to check AI’s onward march, their own jobs will soon be written out of the script

Onward's report 'The Generative AI Revolution' is mentioned in the Guardian in an Op-Ed by Gaby Hinsliff.

Politico

Britain’s think tanks are getting into tech

Politico mentions Onward in an article about how the UK's think tanks are moving towards tech and science, it mentions Onward's former director Will Tanner moving into Number 10 as an advisor.

Politico

Last Ditch Attempt to Stop R&D tax cut

Onward is mentioned by Politico about it's report on R&D and the need to reform and update it.

Politico

New Horizons: Onwards and Upwards

Politico announces Onward's 'New Horizons' pamphlet on the future of the UK's science and technology base.

Research Professional News

UK-EU deadlock ‘cannot let academia simmer in uncertainty’

Research Professional News announces Onward's 'New Horizons' pamphlet on the future of the UK's science and technology base.

Politico

Politico: Coming attractions

Politico mentions Onward's pamphlet on how the U.K. could compensate for the potential loss of its membership of the EU’s Horizon Europe R&D program, with contributions from George Freeman MP and James Phillips.

Research Professional News

George Freeman: The UK must do five things to become a science superpower

George Freeman outlines the five things the UK need to do to become a science power at an Onward event. Attracting talent and industrial research and development to UK clusters are key.

Politics Home

This New Year, government should resolve to do more to enable the use and development of animal-free research and testing

Politics Home quotes Matt Birkett, head of Onward's 'Science Superpower' programme.

The Express

UK finally ditches EU shackles and opens for global business with new 3-point masterplan

The Express reports on the UK's ambitious three-point plan to become a science superpower, delivered by Science Minister George Freeman at the Onward-hosted event.

Science Business Net

UK science minister seeks wave of investment for R&D using horizon alternatives

Science Business Net comments on Onward's Keynote Speech event with George Freeman's MP.

The Times

Science minister at odds with Braverman’s student migrant cap

The Times reports on Science Minister George Freeman's speech on Britain's ambition to become a science superpower, delivered at Onward's event in Westminster on Wednesday.

Financial Times

Minister sets out ‘science superpower’ ambitions for UK

The Financial Times follows Onward's event 'Science Superpower' as Science Minister George Freeman delivers his speech on the UK's science ambitions.

Times Higher Education

UK Horizon alternative ‘aims to make Brussels pick up the phone’

Times Higher Education reports on Science Minister George Freeman's speech, delivered at Onward event 'Science Superpower', on the future of UK science after Brexit.

Research Professional News

UK’s Horizon plan B is on PM’s desk for sign-off, says Freeman

Research Professional reports the details from Science Minister George Freeman's speech on the future of UK science after Brexit, delivered at Onward event 'Science Superpower'.

Politico

UK science will need ‘realistic’ focus if blocked from EU schemes, says Minister

Politico writes up Science Minister George Freeman's speech on the future for UK science after Brexit, delivered at Onward event 'Science Superpower'

Politico

Politico – Mad for Scientists

Politico flags Onward's Science Superpower event hosting Science Minister George Freeman MP, setting out Britain's science vision beyond Brexit.

Wonkhe

Freeman sets out his agenda

Wonkhe comments on Onward's Keynote Speech event with George Freeman's MP.

The New Statesman

Can the Autumn Statement cushion the Tories’ fall?

In an article on what policies the Tories must pursue in the upcoming Autumn Statement, Freddie Hayward cites research from our R&D tax incentives report 'Incentivising Innovation.'

The Financial Times

Jeremy Hunt set to overhaul Britain’s R&D tax credits scheme for SMEs

Our research on R&D tax credits is referenced ahead of the upcoming autumn statement

TEAM

No data was found

No data was found

Steering Group

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Understanding our changing political settlement

The Politics of Belonging

Making it big: The future of UK manufacturing

Getting to Zero

Practical and popular ways to decarbonise the economy

Getting to Zero: The practical and political implications of net zero

Private capital for public good

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Age of Alienation: Young people are facing a loneliness epidemic

Giving young people a chance to serve

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Reducing economic disparities between places

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