Structures providing policy-relevant advice on infrastructures

Policy development on future research infrastructure requirements are discussed in a high level advisory committee, RCUK, which is chaired by the Director General Research Councils in the Office of Science and Technology and whose members are the Chief Executives of the individual Research Councils: BBSRC, CCLRC, EPSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC, and PPARC.

RCUK considers the scientific capabilities required and the different mechanisms for fulfilling them including international/European collaboration. It develops the 'Large Scale Experimental facilities Roadmap', a 10 year rolling plan for future large scale facilities, taking into account developments in Europe and elsewhere. The types of facility that fall into this class are typically those that are:

• large and very expensive;
• have long useful lifetimes ie10-20 years;
• have multiple users both nationally and internationally; are interdisciplinary;
• offer unique capabilities within the UK, or more widely;
• and are potentially jointly funded or suitable subjects for international collaboration.

These features of such large facilities, often found in combination, require the UK to take a strategic position as to the best way to maintain access for researchers and also to prioritise, manage and fund these investments.

Policy development with respect to Life Watch

National Life Watch network

Contacts

NERC, Mrs. Dr. P. Kempton