New Awards to Help Scientists Move to Academia (UK)
Summary
New Skills Gap Awards have been announced by the government to
recruit highly qualified people into research and technology
transfer posts across the UK. The Awards are aimed at
talented individuals currently working in the private sector who
want to switch to a career in academia. The Awards will be
run by the Research Councils involved in science, including the
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. The
scheme is designed to address the possibility of science experts
who may face employment uncertainty in the current economic
situation. These individuals will be able to use the scheme
to return to academia, and take up posts and studentships in
research and specialist areas of shortage. Further movement
of people between academia and business will be encouraged in 2009
through people exchange programmes.
Semta View
Semta supports the concept of the scheme, and welcomes the
government’s commitment to encouraging more and better links
between business and academia. Improving the flow of talented
individuals between business and education is key to this
aspiration.
16 November 2008
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