Strategic Research for SEERAD 2005-2010: Environment, Biology and Agriculture
Foreword
It gives me great pleasure to publish this new research strategy.
Scotland has great strengths in agricultural and biological research and has made a major contribution to the development of these scientific areas. A significant part of that research capability has been funded by the Scottish Executive.
The impact on the development of policy and to the improvement of agricultural and environmental management through the application of knowledge gained through high quality scientific investigation is a major achievement. The Scottish Executive welcomes the international standing of the science and the organisations that it supports.
At this time of major changes within rural Scotland we need to have a clear vision of the research needed to guide us over the next 5 years. It is vital that the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department continues to fund and to have access to robust research which is of high quality and strategically relevant to our key policies.
Devolution has brought a greater focus on key policy challenges facing Scotland, in particular, the promotion of sustainable development. At the same time there has been a major increase in the importance of evidence based policy and the key role of science in that process. Scientific practice itself is also changing rapidly.
This research strategy is an ambitious programme of change to ensure a more strategic approach to research, closer collaboration, greater critical mass, a greater proportion of policy led research, a move from grant-in-aid funding of research to grants for rolling programmes and a greater focus on the provision and promotion of knowledge and understanding.
I would like to thank all those who took the time to provide us with their thoughts and comments during the consultations and the many discussions which have taken place over the past year.
Ross Finnie