In January 2016 the IfM’s Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (CSTI) brought together a high profile group of policymakers and practitioners from UK and German institutions to share experiences and identify best practices in implementing innovation policies.

The workshop analysed the innovation agenda in the UK and Germany, with emphasis on the ‘digitisation of manufacturing’. The event was designed and facilitated by CSTI  and speakers included senior officials from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and the UK Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS). Representatives from the Fraunhofer institutes and Innovate UK’s Catapult programme discussed the challenges that intermediate institutions face in translating innovations to industry, particularly SMEs. The agenda also looked at how Standards Development organisations can support national innovation systems, with insights from both the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) and the British Standards Institute (BSI). Industry was represented by Airbus and Siemens.

The workshop, held at the British Embassy in Berlin is part of a series of international policy forums at which senior governmental, academic and industrial representatives from the UK can build closer links with counterparts in key manufacturing countries. Previous workshops in the series have led to ongoing collaborations with partners in Japan and the US. The workshops are supported by the UK Science & Innovation Network (SIN).

Agnes Estibals, Deputy Director for Innovation at the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills commented: “The digital revolution has already changed business models in the media and retail industries. In manufacturing, how things are made and where they are made will also profoundly change. Fostering a dialogue between policymakers and businesses is very important to create the right environment for industrial innovation. This workshop was also an opportunity to share experiences between German and British Ministries”

For more information about these workshops and other related research and events, please contact Carlos Lopez or Ella Whellams, or visit CSTI’s website.