The Royal Society of Biology, Royal Society of Chemistry and Institute of Physics CEOs met Science Minister George Freeman last week, to discuss the role of the Learned Societies in shaping and driving forward the UK’s science agenda.

A wide-ranging conversation included consideration of the evolving skills needs of the scientific workforce, as well as the UK’s position as a global leader in science and technology. The CEOs thanked the Minister for his efforts in securing the UK’s association to Horizon Europe, for which the Learned Societies have been strongly advocating on behalf of our members.

The CEOs highlighted the impact of the transition to Open Access on Learned Society publishing, and the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in publishing and more broadly were also discussed.

RSB CEO Dr Mark Downs FRSB CBiol said: “This was an extremely constructive conversation with the Minister, who recognised the key role of our broad Learned Society communities in taking forward the UK’s new Science and Technology Framework and shaping the UK’s position on the global stage. We welcome the opportunities identified for further engagement, and look forward to working closely with Mr Freeman and the DSIT team on issues such as ensuring that the UK’s skills pipeline meets our future needs.”