Foresight - A Brief History

In May 1993, William Waldegrave, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, launched the Government's White Paper, Realising our Potential - A Strategy for Science, Engineering and Technology'.

In the White Paper, the Government emphasised the importance of science, engineering and technology to wealth creation and the quality of life while sustaining a strong science and engineering base in the country.

The White Paper indicated that the Government would launch a Technology Foresight Programme, led by the Chief Scientific Advisor. The aim would be to ensure closer interaction between scientists, industry and government through a programme, which sought to identify future opportunities and threats for science engineering and technology.

Current Phase of Foresight (2002 - )

In 2000, Lord Sainsbury, the Science Minister, announced a review of the Foresight Programme aimed at building on the successes of the first two rounds, and ensuring that the programme was fully able to exploit the challenges of the future.
The key findings of the review were that the programme needed to refocus on science and technology; be more flexible to take account of emerging developments; and to focus resources more clearly on where they would best add value. The programme has moved away from a structure of standing panels. In order to allow issues to be targeted and picked up quickly, a new fluid, rolling programme of projects was established in April 2002.
The starting point for a project is either: a key issue where science holds the promise of solutions; or, an area of cutting edge science where the potential applications and technologies have yet to be considered and articulated. Projects run for 18 months to two years, and result in a series of actions, the implementation of which are the responsibility of key stakeholders.

Second Round of Foresight (1999 - 2002)

The second round of Foresight began in April 1999. Work was taken forward through a combination of 3 thematic and 10 sector panels, each looking at the future for a particular area of the economy. This round moved beyond the technology focus of the first round to examine the opportunities that arose from the interaction of innovations in science and technology with wider social and market trends. All panels were asked to consider the implications of their findings for education, skills and training and sustainable development.
Each Foresight panel looked at the future for a particular area, identifying the challenges and opportunities that the country was likely face over the next 10-20 years and beyond. These panels and their task forces, published reports in December 2000.

First Round of Foresight (1994 - 1999)

The first round of Foresight was launched in 1994 and brought together experts from industry, government and academia into 15 sector-facing Panels to explore opportunities in different sectors of the economy. During the main analysis phase, these panels considered emerging market and technological opportunities over a 20-year timescale, consequent priorities for research, and other actions needed to exploit them.

Following widespread consultation involving some 10,000 people the panels published their first findings in 1995, identifying 360+ recommendations for action. The reports aimed to identify the likely social, economic and market trends in each sector over the next 10-20 years and the developments in science, engineering, technology and infrastructure required to best address future needs.

After the publication of the reports, an extensive programme of dissemination took place involving the panels and many other organisations