It is no secret that, for a country of 69 million people, the UK benefits from a larger-than-average share of leading universities which support a broad research and innovation (R&I) system.
UK R&I currently enjoys high levels of support across the political spectrum, as illustrated by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak championing a vision for the UK as a “science and technology superpower.” In response, recent UK government announcements and initiatives have placed a clear priority on STEM-related R&I.
Yet scratch beneath the surface and it is social science that lies at the heart of many of the UK government’s research priorities.
A new report by the Academy of Social Sciences unpacks this by examining the vitally important – yet often poorly understood – role that social sciences play in the UK’s R&I system. We argue that social science research acts as a “secret sauce” which transforms STEM research into something which society can adopt and use.
