Science Policy Research Unit

SPRU
Established 1966 (1966)
Type Public
Founder Christopher Freeman
Location Jubilee Building, Falmer campus
Brighton
UK
Staff 50
Publication Research Policy
Focus Policy, Management
Former Name Science Policy Research Unit
Functions Research, Teaching, Consultancy
Website SPRU

Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) is a research centre based at University of Sussex in Falmer, near Brighton, UK. It focuses on long term transformative change, science policy and innovation across different sectors, societies and structures. It was one of the first interdisciplinary research centres in the field of science and technology policy and at the forefront of the development of innovation as an academic discipline. Alongside internationally renowned research, SPRU also offers a range of MSc courses, as well as PhD research degrees.

SPRU’s research today addresses pressing global policy agendas, including the future of industrial policy, inclusive economic growth; the politics of scientific expertise, energy policy, security issues, entrepreneurship, and pathways to a more sustainable future. It aims to tackle real-world questions whilst also contributing to theoretical knowledge on innovation.[1] In 2014, SPRU ranked 8th in the list of top science and technology think tanks, which was put together by the University of Pennsylvania.[2]

SPRU has 50 plus faculty members and more than 150 MSc and doctoral students. With an extensive global alumni network among senior science and technology policy makers, SPRU is committed to engagement and generating impact at all stages of research. Members of SPRU work closely with government and parliament, think tanks, media, business and the third sector, and are experienced in disseminating and applying their latest research findings.

SPRU is also home to a number of specialist research centres including:

Organization

The Science Policy Research Unit is located within the School of Business, Management and Economics at the University of Sussex in Brighton, UK. SPRU’s current Director is Professor Johan Schot, formerly Professor of History of Technology at the Eindhoven University of Technology. He took over from Professor Gordon Mackerron in January 2014, and launched a new strategy in October 2014 with a focus on long-term transformative change (see article in The Guardian from October 24, 2014)

History

SPRU was founded in 1966 by Professor Christopher Freeman, a pioneer of what is known as innovation studies today. Professor Freeman ‘embraced an ‘economics of hope’ which embodied a positive view of our potential to direct innovation, creativity and new technologies towards more sustainable and inclusive futures’.[3]

Since its foundation SPRU has had (and continues to have) a long list of highly regarded scholars among its faculty including Daniele Archibugi, Giovanni Dosi, Marie Jahoda, Carlota Perez, Keith Pavitt, Mary Kaldor, Richard R. Nelson, Giorgio Sirilli and Luc Soete, now the Rector Magnificus of Maastricht University. Current faculty members include prize-winning economist Mariana Mazzucato, author of the Entrepreneurial State and winner of the 2014 New Statesman SPERI Prize;[4] Professor Johan Schot (SPRU Director), series editor of Making Europe; James Wilsdon, Guardian writer and former Director of Science Policy at the Royal Society; Ben Martin, editor of Research Policy and Associate Fellow of Cambridge’s Centre for Science and Policy.

Current Research Priorities

SPRU Research activities are extremely diverse, and are grouped into four main research themes:

1, Science, Politics and Decision Making: Researchers at SPRU apply a deep historical understanding to how the choices made about science and technology shape our societies. They also work on the politics of expertise, and on issues of foresight, research assessment, metrics and impact in today’s research environment.

2, Energy, Sustainability and Development: Since the 1970s SPRU has been at the heart of international debates about the role of science, technology and innovation in fostering sustainability and development. SPRU’s aim is to help organisations, industries and policy makers ensure that appropriate technologies and innovations are developed and deployed to produce positive effects.

3, Economics of Innovation and Industrial Policy: Researchers at SPRU seek to understand the structure and dynamics of innovating firms and industrial systems and how to manage innovation capabilities in firms, including research and technology change in high-tech industries and managing uncertainty in complex systems.

4, Technology and Innovation Management: SPRU’s work includes analysis of technology strategy, new technology based firms, complex systems and products, high-growth new ventures, as well as looking at innovation in different business models and sectors, including infrastructure, healthcare, biopharmaceuticals and services.

Studying at SPRU/Teaching

From technology policy and managing innovation, to fostering sustainability, international development and understanding complex energy systems, students at SPRU benefit from working at the frontier of new knowledge on some of today’s most pressing global policy agendas. SPRU offers problem-led, rather than discipline-based teaching.

Harvard Sussex Program

The Harvard Sussex Program (HSP) is a collaborative effort on chemical biological weapons disarmament between Harvard University and Science and Technology Policy Research (SPRU) at Sussex University. It was formed by its two directors, Matthew Meselson and Julian Perry Robinson to provide research, training, seminars, and information work on chemical biological warfare and its disarmament.

The program publishes a quarterly newsletter The CBW Conventions Bulletin.

The program is well known for its unique large archival collection of CBW related documents at Sussex (SHIB - Sussex Harvard Information Bank).

HSP is an academic Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that has influenced policy creation from within the United States and Great Britain on the formation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and reviews of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).

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