Latest news with #PatrickVallance
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Dismay as north of England universities miss out on share of £54m talent fund
Ministers have been accused of undermining innovation in the north of England after five universities from the south-east were awarded £10m to hire overseas talent – with none selected between Birmingham and the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Twelve universities across Britain have been handed a share of the government's £54m global talent fund, which Labour said would 'put rocket boosters' under its innovation plans. The money is intended to attract top international academics and was awarded to three 'golden triangle' universities – Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London – and two others from the south-east of England. MPs and researchers said it was 'deeply disappointing' that no universities in the north of England were chosen, given their strong research record and the government's stated aim to rebalance the UK economy. Chi Onwurah, the Labour chair of the Commons science, innovation and technology committee, said she was demanding an explanation from the science minister, Patrick Vallance. She said: 'I'm writing to Lord Vallance for further details on how the government selected the 12 institutions that will receive funding, and why no region north of Birmingham was prioritised. 'The process he set out in his response to me is neither evidence-based policy nor place-based policy, nor even policy-based evidence, but some kind of mishmash which does not stand up to scientific scrutiny. 'This funding decision seems to be at odds with the government's stated mission to boost opportunities in every part of the country, and I hope the minister will be able to provide clarity.' The global talent fund was administered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), an arms-length government body. The Northern Powerhouse Partnership, a thinktank, said the criteria for selecting the universities was 'arbitrary and inconsistently applied' and unfairly overlooked large institutions such as Manchester, Durham, and York. It obtained UKRI's selection criteria under the Freedom of Information Act and found that seven northern universities met a key threshold of spending at least £5m on international research funding. These were Manchester, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Lancaster, Sheffield and Durham. It said many of these institutions were unfairly disadvantaged by two further criteria related to their proportion of overseas staff. Larger universities are less likely to meet the 35% quota of international staff given their size, it said, although the University of Manchester missed out by just 0.3%. Henri Murison, the chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said it welcomed the principle behind the fund but it 'undermines innovation in the north'. 'The north isn't pleading, it's simply asking not to be overlooked in favour of special treatment for nations like Wales, which, while important, are far smaller in scale,' he said. 'The north remains the UK's only credible economic counterweight to London and the greater south-east. If the government is serious about delivering growth across every part of the country, it cannot allow UKRI, the intermediary between government and our world-class research councils, to stand in the way of that ambition.' A government spokesperson said: 'The £54m global talent fund will help some of our leading universities and research institutions to attract top researchers and their teams to the UK. Institutions across all four nations of the UK were selected based on measurable criteria. 'We are determined to maximise the opportunities in every part of the country, including the north of England, through our regional growth strategy, by building more cross-national research partnerships, and by investing our record £22.6bn funding for R&D through schemes like the local innovation partnerships fund.'
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Oxbridge corridor will 'create jobs for everyone', says government
The government has said its plan to create a "European Silicon Valley" between Oxford and Cambridge will generate jobs across all sectors - not just for those at the top of the science and technology Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor proposal was unveiled by Chancellor Rachel Reeves earlier this Patrick Vallance, the minister responsible for leading the plan, said it was about creating jobs and opportunities to have "a thriving community right the way across the corridor".His comments came during a visit to Oxford Science Park and Oxford University alongside a delegation of Saudi Arabian government officials and industry leaders. The plans are "definitely not just about the few people at the very high end of academia," Lord Vallance said."Because this is such a powerhouse of invention, it will also fuel the economic growth of the county, so this is definitely about making sure we get the benefits of all these opportunities felt by everybody," he said."Everything begins to benefit as a result of the growth that comes from these science and technology companies." The plans for East-West Rail, which would connect the two cities, are a major part of the growth Vallance said: "The ability to link between Oxford and Cambridge is one that people have known is important for a very long time."The rail is the very backbone of allowing this to work effectively."The government hope their growth corridor will add up to £78 billion to the UK economy."If we don't do that at speed then we're going to lose out to other countries, and ultimately that's going to do a disservice to all of us," Lord Vallance added. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
UK eyes more high skilled Indian professionals through Global Talent visa
The United Kingdom is looking to deepen its scientific and academic relationship with India by inviting more high-skilled professionals through its Global Talent visa scheme, British Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance said on June 20, while speaking at the 'Unlocking UK-India Collaboration for a New Era of Innovation' session at the India Global Forum in London, Vallance said India's growing strength in science and technology offers strong potential for bilateral cooperation. 'There is already a strong relationship between India and the UK, and I think it's growing,' Vallance said. 'But government-to-government relationships on science aren't actually what drives everything. It has to be a scientist and a scientist as well.' The UK government plans to announce a new Industrial Strategy in the coming weeks, which will outline key international partnerships, including India, with a focus on science, innovation, and skilled mobility. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Companies Are Overcharging You For Florida Auto Insurance Smart Lifestyle Trends Learn More Undo Global talent visa in focus (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) The UK's Global Talent visa aims to attract top-tier individuals from around the world who have demonstrated leadership—or the potential for it—in academia, research, arts, culture, or technology. Available to professionals aged 18 and above, it targets both established figures and emerging leaders in these fields. Live Events MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ UK's Farage promises non-doms protection from tax on overseas assets UK's Britannia Card: All about Nigel Farage's plans to charge rich expats £250,000 to give to the poor « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT Applicants typically need to secure an endorsement from a relevant UK body—such as the Royal Society for Science or Arts Council England for culture—unless they've already won a qualifying international award. Candidates can apply for the visa through the UK Home Office . The endorsement stage generally takes 4 to 8 weeks for a decision. After receiving endorsement, applicants must submit a visa application to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). The standard visa processing time is around 3 weeks when applying from outside the UK. Applicants are required to pay an endorsement fee of £524 and a visa application fee of £192. Additionally, the immigration health surcharge is £624 per year. The visa is typically granted for up to 5 years and is extendable, with eligibility for permanent settlement after 3 to 5 years depending on the endorsement type. To bring flexibility and international expertise into the UK, the visa supports long-term settlement: individuals recognised as established leaders may qualify for indefinite leave after three years, while those with emerging promise have a five-year path to settlement. Family members can also be included in this program.
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Business Standard
23-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
UK seeks more high-skilled Indian professionals via Global Talent visa
The UK must strengthen its scientific and academic ties with India as the country emerges as a global force in science and technology, said Lord Patrick Vallance, Britain's minister for science, research and innovation. Speaking at the 'Unlocking UK-India Collaboration for a New Era of Innovation' session at India Global Forum's Future Frontiers Forum in London on June 20, 2025, Vallance said there is room to expand the already strong relationship through greater mobility of high-skilled professionals. 'There is already a strong relationship between India and the UK, and I think it's growing,' said Vallance. 'But government-to-government relationships on science aren't actually what drives everything. It has to be a scientist and a scientist as well. There are important academic links. I'd like to see more of that as India becomes an increasingly powerful player in the science and tech space.' He added that the UK government would unveil its new Industrial Strategy 'in a few weeks', which would set out areas of focus for international partnerships, including with India. Push for skilled migration through the Global Talent visa Vallance flagged the Global Talent visa as a key tool to facilitate movement of experts across sectors. This visa route was one of the areas touched upon in the UK government's Immigration White Paper, released in May, which proposed making the application process easier for top scientists and designers. The Global Talent visa is open to individuals working in sectors such as: Science, engineering, and medicine Humanities and social sciences Arts and culture Digital technology Unlike most UK work visas, it does not require a job offer or sponsorship. How the Global Talent visa works • Applicants must be endorsed by a recognised UK body, such as the British Academy, Royal Society, or Arts Council England • They can be classified under 'Exceptional Talent' (established leaders) or 'Exceptional Promise' (emerging leaders) • The visa offers flexibility to work for any employer, switch jobs, or be self-employed • Settlement in the UK is possible after 3 to 5 years, depending on the endorsement type • Partners and children can be included in the application • Visa duration is up to 5 years, with options to extend Special visa for top university graduates in AI In a related move, the UK government in February expanded the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa, making it easier for foreign experts in artificial intelligence to stay in the UK. Graduates from top institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Carnegie Mellon University are now eligible. The HPI visa allows foreign graduates to stay in the UK for at least two years. Applicants must have completed a degree within the last five years from a university that features in at least two global rankings: Times Higher Education, QS, or the Academic Ranking of World Universities. The visa is part of the UK's broader effort to attract international talent in key areas of innovation.
NDTV
20-06-2025
- Business
- NDTV
India Becoming Powerful Player In Science And Tech: UK Minister
London: The UK must harness scientific and academic relationships with India as it becomes an increasingly powerful player in the science and technology space, Britain's minister for science, research and innovation has said. During a session on 'Unlocking UK-India Collaboration for a New Era of Innovation' at India Global Forum's Future Frontiers Forum at the Science Museum in London on Thursday, Lord Patrick Vallance called for greater mobility of high-skilled professionals through the Global Talent Visa and the need to tap into complementary skills across all sectors. The minister revealed the UK government's much-anticipated Industrial Strategy would be released in a few weeks, forming the blueprint for focus areas for such a partnership with India. "There is already a strong relationship between India and the UK, and I think it's growing," said Vallance. "But government-to-government relationships on science aren't actually what drives everything. It has to be a scientist and a scientist as well. There are important academic links. I'd like to see more of that as India becomes an increasingly powerful player in the science and tech space," he said. The forum was addressed by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal earlier on the sector-wide benefits of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) struck between the two countries, as it "adds value to science and technology and innovation". "A Free Trade Agreement demonstrates to the world that the two countries are friends, allies, and plan to work together closely; they trust each other," said Goyal. Vallance concurred and highlighted: "India has its focus areas, we have ours, now we need to create opportunities across those sectors." Lord Ara Darzi, the British surgeon behind a seminal review of the National Health Service (NHS) and much-needed areas of reform, hailed India's "transformative health solutions" as the "intellectual and production power" the UK must collaborate with. The forum also included a 'Pitchers and Punters' curated showcase of Indian start-ups pitching to a jury of international investors. Among the standout companies were Zypp Electric, Lina Energy, Steamology Motion Ltd and Electric Miles - with Zypp Electric winning this year's Clean Tech Award presented by British renewable energy group Octopus Energy.
