NESTA POLICY BREAKFAST with Lord David Sainsbury – Thursday 22^nd May, 2008 

Historically, Further Education, skills and lifelong learning policy has focused on basic skills provision; by contrast, innovation policy has focused more on universities, technology transfer and high level STEM skills.  Considerable successes have been recorded in both areas, but until now (with the creation of DIUS) these two policy areas have not been brought together in one department.  The Government’s intent in this area has most recently been signposted in Chapter 7 of ‘Innovation Nation’. 

Lord Sainsbury will lead our May Policy Breakfast and examine how we can ensure the future supply of technicians that will draw innovative companies to the UK, keep them here and meet the needs of major infrastructure projects such as the Olympics or the building of new nuclear power plants.  Moreover, while the target of 50 per cent of school leavers experiencing higher education before they are 30 is laudable, even if it is achieved this leaves open the question of the fate of the ‘remaining’ 50 per cent. 

To find out more and to take part in the conversation, please join us for what we are sure will be a stimulating and thought-provoking debate.  Full breakfast will be provided.  

When: Thursday 22^nd May, 8.00am – 9.30am 

Where: NESTA, 1 Plough Place, London, EC4A

NESTA's monthly Policy Breakfasts aim to strengthen the innovation policy community and foster debate and new ideas.  

Lord David Sainsbury of Turville

After reading History and Psychology at King’s College, Cambridge, Lord Sainsbury joined J Sainsbury plc in 1963.  He received an M.B.A. from the Columbia Graduate School of Business in New York in 1971. 

He was Finance Director of J. Sainsbury plc from 1973 – 1990, Deputy Chairman from 1988 – 1992, and Chairman from 1992 – 1998. David Sainsbury became Lord Sainsbury of Turville in October, 1997. 

He was appointed Minister of Science and Innovation from July 1998 until November 2006, and had responsibility for the Office of Science and Technology, Innovation, Space, the Bioscience and Chemical Industries and the Patent Office.  He is an Honorary Fellow of King’s College Cambridge and in 2003 received, on behalf of the Sainsbury family, the Andrew Carnegie medal for philanthropy. 

He is the author of two Fabian pamphlets “Government and Industry: A New Partnership” and “Science and Innovation Policies in a Global Economy” and is co-author with Christopher Smallwood of “Wealth Creation and Jobs” published by the Public Policy Centre.  In 2007 he produced for the Government a review of the Government’s science and innovation policies, “The Race To The Top”.