Network Building Event – post event summary

IRC Network Building Event – 28th September 2023 – Royal College of Surgeons, Lincoln’s Inn Field, London 

Our recent members event brought together innovation and research colleagues and stakeholders from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to introduce the Innovation and Research Caucus (IRC). The aim was to inform how the IRC will work, identify potential IRC activities/projects and to provide the R&I academics to better understand how they can help support UKRI and the wider research and innovation funding space – both when working with the IRC but also in their own, independent work.   

Following an opening introduction by Tim Vorley and Stephen Roper, IRC Co-Directors, Dr Caroline Paunov, Senior Economist and Head of Secretariat for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), delivered an exciting talk discussing the opportunities and challenges of building the research and innovation system punctuated with some reflections from the work of the OECD and followed by a Q&A.  

During the afternoon our panel of UKRI representatives considered the question, ‘Where to innovate in the R&I system, a UKRI perspective’ which led into a session discussing the challenges academics and policy makers face when engaging with one another before closing with a summary from Tim and Steve.  

 The event generated lots of ideas from which we are currently developing our activities programme, including funding calls and engagement activities – keep an eye out for more information on the website or via our newsletter. 

You can gain further insight into the IRC’s endeavors by exploring the about us page, registering for our newsletter or apply to our membership

If you have any questions please use the contact us link and we will reply as soon as possible.