The Centre for Technology Management joined 'Towards 2020 Science', an international expert group of distinguished scientists, to facilitate a workshop that was held to debate and consider the role and future of science over the next 14 years.

The expert group met for an intense three day workshop, held in Venice during the summer of 2005, to support the development of a new vision and roadmap outlining the evolution, challenges and potential of computational science in the next decade and beyond. The aim behind the workshop was to stimulate debate across and within disciplines; focus the research agenda for computational science, and encourage collaboration between academia, industry and government.

The findings and conclusions from this workshop and a further four months of analysis, discussion and debate within the group has been published in and the form of a roadmap that shows a vision of science towards 2020 and the role that computer science can and will play in achieving this vision.

Download full roadmap report here.

The roadmapping process and workshop was facilitated by the IfM's Centre for Technology Management who has an international reputation and proven track record in supporting the development of technology roadmaps across a range of different disciplines . The roadmap is expected to have a significant impact, with a special edition of Nature published in parallel to the roadmap, including contributions from the 2020 Science group.

Microsoft Research Cambridge, who sponsored the initiative, is also providing and additional €2.5m to support research that addresses policy areas outlined by the report, which include a reform of the education system and the creation of new kinds of research institutes.