Welcome and Introduction

1. David Dobbin welcomed members to the 1^st meeting of the Innovation Sub-group. He explained that innovation was a key building block of the Economic Vision and that the Sub-group had been established to consider and agree a number of innovation issues where action by the Forum could make a difference.

2. Mr Dobbin noted apologies from Professor John Mann, QUB.

Terms of Reference and Working Approach

3. David Dobbin said that it was important from the outset to understand the difference between R&D and innovation. Innovation was about turning ideas and knowledge into tangible outcomes – products, services, processes which created value and which were commercially exploitable. Innovation was not just about leading edge technology or breakthrough products but also about design and rejuvenating mature products and services and applying existing technology into new areas and markets. While considering R&D issues the subgroup would be primarily focusing on innovation.

4. Members agreed that the Sub-group’s role would be to undertake a gap analysis by reviewing current activity to identify areas were insufficient progress was being made. This would, in turn, help members to identify possible new activities or areas where Forum support might add value and were additional to what was already happening. Members also agreed that the Sub-group needed to ensure that effective monitoring procedures were in place to track progress.

ACTION: Secretariat to refine Terms of Reference for the Group and issue to members.

Identification of Issues to be Progressed by Sub-group

5. Members agreed that:

– the Sub-group needed to take an overview of innovation in NI and that it would focus on a small number of issues at any given time in order to determine where Forum action might add value;

– the Sub-group’s role was not one of tracking the whole NI innovation agenda, although it was acknowledged that effective monitoring should be in place; and

– further consideration would be required, in liaison with the other Vision Sub-groups, as to how all of the Groups’ outputs would be fed back into the main EDF agenda

6. During discussion a number of issues were identified as meriting further consideration by the Sub-group as possible items for inclusion in the list of innovation priorities to be presented at the September 2005 EDF meeting. These included:

a) The innovation agenda for the FE sector which is near market / SME oriented

ACTION: Secretariat to arrange for a copy of the Invest NI / DEL report, Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Further Education Sector Report to be forwarded to Sub-group members.

ACTION: Secretariat to ask Invest NI for an update on what is happening in relation to the FE Sector Report for consideration by members at the next Sub-group meeting.

ACTION: DEL to copy to Sub-group members, details of a new funding scheme aimed at facilitating collaborative working between the universities and further education colleges.

b) Lack of a roadmap in relation to the Agri-food sector and Foresight and Nanotechnology funding.

ACTION: David Dobbin to liaise with Wilfie Hamilton about the appropriate person to inform members about agri-food issues at the next meeting of the Sub-group.

ACTION: Secretariat to include nanotechnology on the agenda for the July / August Sub-group meeting.

c) An innovation agenda for the tradeable services sector

ACTION: Secretariat to include innovation agenda for tradeable services sector on the agenda for 1^st Sub-group meeting arranged after the full EDF meeting in September 2005.

ACTION: Fabian Monds to liaise with Invest NI colleagues to determine available innovation data / activity for the tradeable services sector.

d) The Education dimension – equipping young people and the existing workforce with the skills and approach on how to innovate

ACTION: Sub-group to develop terms of reference for Skills Subgroup to address this challenge.

e) The need to assess if we are getting a payback from the Centres of Excellence.

ACTION: DETI to assess current outcomes from Centres of Excellence.

f) Innovation through supply chains and or trade/industry clusters

ACTION: Sub-group to identify exemplar supply chain/cluster.

g) The need to assess the current measures of innovation in Northern Ireland and the extent to which they could be developed.

ACTION: DETI to outline current measures on innovative activity in NI and discuss with the Centre for Competitiveness an approach to indexing innovation.

Report for June EDF Meeting

7. It was agreed that the Sub-group’s report to the June EDF meeting would be a short written report outlining the issues discussed to date and the approach to be taken by the Sub-group in moving forward.

ACTION: Secretariat to prepare initial draft of Sub-group report for Chair’s consideration.

Co-opting of Members to Sub-group

8. David Dobbin reported that Chris Conway, Nortel Networks had enquired about joining the Innovation Sub-group. Members were content for Chris to be invited to join the Group. Following further discussion it was agreed that Anne Conaty, the new Head of DETI’s Policy Innovation Unit should be asked to sit in at the next meeting of the Group. It was also agreed that, as a means of identifying key enablers, members would consider other industry figures who had experience of becoming innovative, for invitation to future Sub-group meetings.

ACTION: Secretariat to prepare letter of invitation to Chris Conway for the Chairman’s signature.

ACTION: Secretariat to invite Anne Conaty to next Sub-group meeting.

Any Other Business

9. A number of dates were put forward for the next meeting of the Sub-group which would be held at Dale Farm House at 9.30am on the chosen date.

ACTION: Secretariat to check availability and confirm date for the next meeting.