UK Innovation Report presented at the Future of UK Manufacturing

Carlos López-Gómez addressed colleagues from academia, industry, and government this week at the Future of UK Manufacturing Conference in Sheffield.

The event, which brings together experts from the manufacturing research and innovation community with the aim of shaping a resilient and balanced UK manufacturing sector, is organised by the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), University of Cambridge,  Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the High Manufacturing Value Catapult.

Carlos presented key highlights from this year’s UK Innovation Report, which include:

• The UK’s leadership in scientific research and innovation is not fully translating into economic value capture through industrial activity
• Within STEM disciplines, the percentage of graduates in engineering and technology in the UK was only 15%, with a significant underrepresentation of women
• The machinery and equipment sector makes a strategic contribution to the UK economy, but some sub-sectors have contracted significantly and 15% of jobs have been lost in the sector in the last ten years

The conference also included keynote speeches from the Head of the IfM, Professor Tim Minshall, who discussed emerging trends in manufacturing research and innovation, as well as Sarah Sharples from the Department for Transport, Katherine Bennett CBE from the High-Value Manufacturing Catapult, Warwick Spearing from Technical, and Benjamin Nicol from the Department for Business and Trade.

Compiled by Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy, the UK Innovation Report provides a clear and easy-to-navigate overview of key trends across UK industry. It is an essential resource for navigating the evolving landscape of innovation and technological progress in the UK.

As well as aswering questions such as: Is the government and private sector spending enough on research and development? And is the UK producing enough scientists and engineers? the 2024 edition contains information about the structure and performance of the UK machinery and equipment sector, which is crucial in supporting productivity and competitiveness across various industries.

DOWNLOAD THE UK INNOVATION REPORT