Skip to content

ForeSight

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Foresight?

Foresight produces challenging visions of the future, to ensure effective strategies now. It does this by providing a core of skills in science-based futures projects and unequalled access to leaders in government, business and science. Futures thinking is part of strategy development: therefore, carrying out science-based futures work is part of the process of embedding quality science in strategic development more generally

Foresight projects aim to either:

  • Identify potential opportunities for the economy or society from new science and technology; or
  • Consider how future science and technology could address key future challenges for society.

How does the programme work?

In order to allow new issues to be targeted and picked up quickly a rolling programme was launched in April 2002, looking at 3 or 4 projects at any one time. The starting point for a project area is:

  • 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

Each project has a sponsor Minister and lasts between 12 and18 months. Projects will only be started when there is a demonstrable added value and the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, or another senior official will direct them. The in-house team works closely with networks of experts and stakeholders.

Foresight Projects

What are the Foresight projects?

The following projects have completed their research and are now in "Action phase":

  1. Cognitive Systems directed by John Taylor, Director General of the Research Councils. This was the first project completed under the new Foresight programme. The aim of the project was to provide a vision for the future development of cognitive systems (artificial or biological systems, which respond to their environment, learn, reason and make their own decisions) through an exploration of recent advances in neuroscience and computer science. It was based on the premise that parallel developments in the physical and life sciences showed trends that might benefit from greater collaborative working and that might deliver major scientific and economic prizes in the long term.

    Participants in the Cognitive Systems project spent 18 months exploring the science and developing a shared vision of where it might go in the future. This project created a community with common interests and a vision of the future direction of the science; an understanding of what needs to be in place to achieve that vision; and a growing body of people committed to enabling it to be raised. The sponsor Minister for this project was Lord Sainsbury.
  2. Flood and Coastal Defence directed by Sir David King, Chief Scientific Adviser. This project began in October 2002 and the outputs were published on 22nd April 2004 . The aim of this project was to produce a challenging long-term vision of the future of flood and coastal defence that takes account of the many uncertainties, is robust, and can be used as a basis to inform policy and its delivery. As the future is uncertain, the project looked at several different future scenarios in order to explore the potential impact of the problem. The sponsor Minister for this project was Elliot Morley, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
  3. Exploiting the Electromagnetic Spectrum directed by David Hughes, Director General Innovation Group. This Project began in April 2003 and the outputs were published on 29th April 2004 . It has looked at the way in which individual developments in the use of parts of the electromagnetic spectrum have tended to derive from very different areas of science and at different times, searching for key topics where a focused cross-disciplinary effort would be expected to lead to new applications.

    Four key topics were found and investigated: "Switching to light: all optical data handling", "Manufacturing with light: photonics at the molecular level", "Inside the wavelength: electromagnetics in the near field" and "Picturing people: non-intrusive imaging". For each topic, the project produced plans for action detailing options and responsibilities to secure UK exploitation of identified opportunities in the future. The sponsor Minister for this project was Stephen Timms.
  4. Cybertrust and Crime Prevention directed by Sir David King, Chief Scientific Advisor. The aim was to look 15 - 20 years ahead at the impact of advances in next generation information technologies. In particular it considered issues of identity and authenticity; trust in Information technologies; surveillance; and how products and systems may be developed that minimise crime opportunities. The sponsor Minister for this project was The Rt. Hon. John Denham (Home Office)
  5. brain Science, Addiction and Drugs directed by Sir David King, Chief Scientific Advisor. The aim of the project was to explore the implications of future science, including social sciences, on addiction, drug use and treatments in order to provide a challenging vision as to how scientific and technological advancement may impact on our rapidly changing understanding of addiction and drugs use over the next twenty years. The sponsor Minister for this project was The Rt. Hon. Jane Kennedy, Minister of State for Quality and Patient Safety at the Department of Health.
  6. Intelligent Infrastructure Systems directed by Sir David King, Chief Scientific Advisor. The aim was to explore the implications of Science & Technology for future patterns of movements of people, information, goods and utilities. The sponsor Minister for this project was Dr. Stephen Ladyman, Minister of State for Transport in the Department for Transport.
  7. The Detection and Identification of Infectious Diseases directed by Sir David King, Chief Scientific Advisor. The aim of the project was to produce a challenging and long-term vision for the detection and identification of infectious diseases in plants, animals and humans. This vision took account of: the evolving risk of diseases; changing user requirements for detection and identification; and cutting edge science. The project aimed to inform policy at a national and international level. The sponsor Minister for this project was Lord Bach of Lutterworth, Minister for Sustainable Farming and Food at Defra.

    The current Foresight projects are:
  8. Tackling Obesities: Future Choices The eighth Foresight project, on Obesity, The Project's Director is Sir David King, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Government Office for Science. The project will be overseen by a high level Stakeholder Group chaired by Dawn Primarolo. The aim of the project is to gather scientific evidence from across a wide range of disciplines, drawing from areas of research including e.g. anthropology, psychology and social sciences, to inform a strategic view of this issue.
  9. Mental Capital and Wellbeing. Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education at the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills is the sponsor Minister for the Foresight project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing. Sir David King, the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government is the project Director. The aim of the project is To produce a challenging and long-term vision for maximising Mental Capital and Wellbeing in the UK in the twenty-first century - both for the benefit of society, and for the individual.
  10. Sustainable Energy Management and the Built Environment. The project was announced in the energy Challenge in July 2006, as one of the activities resulting from the Government's Energy Review. Yvette Cooper MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Communities and Local Government ; Ian Pearson MP, Minister of State for Climate Change and the Environment, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and; Lord Truscott, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy, Department of Trade and Industry, have agreed to sponsor this project. The Project's Director is Sir David King, Chief Scientific Adviser for Government and Head of the Government Office for Science..

How are the projects run?

Within the Foresight directorate each project has a dedicated team, assisted by scientific experts. These teams have access to the latest research information and are skilled in futures techniques in order to best capture and explore future environments. Each project draws on inputs and insights from a network of external experts and scientists and leaders in their fields.

What are the project outputs?

These include:

  • State of the art reviews of the science in an accessible form;
  • Visions of the future, underpinned by an understanding of the key drivers;
  • Consequential actions owned by those capable of implementing them; and
  • Enduring networks to continue dialogue as the issues evolve.

Previous Rounds of Foresight

What happened to the Foresight panels?

The majority of the panels and task forces established under the previous round (1999-2002) have completed their work. Information and publications continue to be available on the Foresight Website (www.foresight.gov.uk) and, with the help of the Foresight Directorate, many panels have seen their work taken forward by other bodies both within Government and outside.

Foresight And The Horizon Scanning Centre

How does the Horizon Scanning Centre fit in to the programme?

The Horizon Scanning Centre, whilst not a project within the Foresight programme, forms an integral part of the Foresight directorate in response to a committal by the Government in its Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014 to establish such a centre of excellence. Its outputs can then more easily feed directly into cross-government priority setting and strategy formation, and be more strongly informed by the science base and by the best of the existing work in government, the private sector and elsewhere.

What is the purpose of the Horizon Scanning Centre?

The centre aims to inform departmental and cross-departmental decision making, support horizon scanning carried out by others, to spot the implications of emerging science & technology and enable others to act on them. It achieves this through regular cross-government horizon scans, project work with stakeholders and the provision of tools and support to spread good practice.

Foresight and the development of a time machine

How can Foresight make a time machine?

Foresight are very clever - that's why.