Mission, strategy and priorities

The Science Council was established by Royal Charter in 2003 with the objects of advancing science and its applications for public benefit.  It is a membership organisation for learned and professional bodies across science and its applications and works with them to represent this sector to government and others. The Science Council promotes the profession of scientist through the Chartered Scientist designation and the development of codes of practice; it promotes awareness of the contribution of professional scientists to science and society and advances science education and increased understanding of the benefits of science. The Science Council provides a forum for discussion and exchange of views and works to foster collaboration between member organisations and the wider science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical communities to enable inter-disciplinary contributions to science policy and the application of science.

The Science Council will:

1.  Foster co-operation and collaboration amongst member bodies

2.  Influence science policy and strategy by:

2.1  being a point of contact for government and others to reach the wider science community

2.2  developing inter-disciplinary approaches to policy by working across science with the technology, engineering, mathematics and medical communities as appropriate

2.3  enabling and championing the input of individual member organisations

2.4  raising awareness amongst policy-makers of the inter-disciplinary nature of science and the role of the professional scientist

2.5  providing a forum for the exchange of views between disciplines and with other communities

3. Advance professionalism in science by:

3.1  promoting and developing the Chartered Scientist designation

3.2  supporting the role of learned and professional bodies in sharing best practice and in the development of standards of professional practice

3.3  facilitating the role of learned and professional bodies in advancing scientific knowledge

3.4  increasing engagement of scientists with society and raising public awareness of the role of scientists and their contribution to society

4. Promote enhancement in the level and quality of scientific education, knowledge and skills in the UK by:

4.1  advocating greater investment in improved science and mathematics education to ensure that all pre-16 students are better educated in science and scientific method

4.2  working towards post-16 (higher and vocational) education that enables individuals to develop the deeper knowledge and skills necessary to become professional scientists and to contribute science skills in other sectors of the economy

4.3  increasing the number of students choosing to study science post-16 by communicating the benefits to society of there being more people in the workforce with a background of science, and communicating the benefits to individuals of developing a career in science or from science through the Future Morph website.  

4.4  communicating the public benefit arising from science and its applications

5. Encourage and stimulate knowledge transfer and the exchange of expertise by developing collective approaches to the needs of the economy and of society