The Welsh Government has announced that it has launched a new innovation strategy, to support collaboration as the country looks to deliver better jobs, improved health and care services, a greener environment and more prosperity in the economy.
Setting the foundation for what is hoped to be a ‘dynamic’ future for Wales, the strategy is aiming to promote collaboration, entrepreneurship, innovation and new technology to benefit all communities. It will aim to do so through four key missions: education, economy, health and wellbeing, and climate and nature.
The mission to improve education will do so by ensuring that Wales’ education system is able to support the development of skills needed for innovation. This will make sure that the talent, enthusiasm and potential of the nation’s young people will benefit the economy whilst also having a positive impact on people’s lives.
Economy will be used to drive Wales forward as it looks to progress its mission as a leading, innovation-based nation. Innovation will be used to help the economy grow, whilst the economy will collaborate across sectors to help deliver solutions for modern challenges in society as well as adopting new technologies to ensure efficiency and productivity.
With unprecedented levels of demand being faced by the health and care system in Wales, the sector is to collaborate with industry, academia and the third sector to help deliver new ways of operating. These new ways of working are expected to provide greater value and impact for the people who really need it. Examples of this include the use of innovation to transform areas like delayed transfers of care, community-based care provision, cancer and mental health services.
The protection and strengthening of the Welsh climate and nature will be achieved through optimisation off natural resources, with innovation efforts being focused on ecosystems and simultaneously tackling the climate and nature crises.
Vaughan Gethin, Welsh Economy Minister, said:
“This Innovation Strategy is being launched at a crucial time for our country. As existing EU-funded programmes end this year and uncertainty over our participation in future EU scientific initiatives still in doubt, the research, development, and innovation landscape of Wales will change.
“The UK’s departure from the EU means Wales is losing money and control, and now has less say over less money. So, this strategy aims to guide us to a different approach to innovation. We cannot compete on all areas, but we can choose missions that maximise our strengths and create new opportunities for public good.
“Our missions span many sectors and the challenges we face. Innovation is for all of us, everyone in Wales should have the opportunity to participate in innovation, and to benefit from it.
“The Welsh Government is determined and resolute in supporting all stakeholders to deliver genuine innovation and act as a crucible, using its convening power to bring about the collaboration within the ecosystem that’s necessary to help us achieve our ambitions.”
