Learned Societies meet the Science Minister

Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Society of Biology and Institute of Physics CEOs recently met Science Minister George Freeman, to discuss the role of the Learned Societies in shaping and driving forward the UK’s science agenda.

A wide-ranging conversation included consideration of the evolving skills needs of the scientific workforce, as well as the UK’s position as a global leader in science and technology. The CEOs thanked the Minister for his efforts in securing the UK’s association to Horizon Europe, for which the Learned Societies have been strongly advocating on behalf of our members.

The CEOs highlighted the impact of the transition to Open Access on Learned Society publishing, and the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in publishing and more broadly were also discussed.

Royal Society of Chemistry CEO Helen Pain said: “Our conversation with the Minister was very welcome and constructive – he recognised the key role our communities will play in taking forward the UK’s new Science and Technology Framework, as well as our global reach.

"We welcome the opportunities identified for further engagement, and look forward to working closely with Minister Freeman and the DSIT team on issues such as ensuring that the UK’s STEM skills pipeline meets our future needs."