Volume 1

The funding of science and discovery centres : eleventh report of session 2006-07 / House of Commons, Science and Technology Committee.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Science and Technology.
Date:
2007
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: The funding of science and discovery centres : eleventh report of session 2006-07 / House of Commons, Science and Technology Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    eliciting a sceptical response from some quarters due to the obvious competing interests which exist.** We recommend that Ecsite-uk work with independent researchers to develop methodologies that ensure that performance indices for science centres are measured and collected uniformly and rigorously across the UK, to reduce the risk of bias. 26. Reticence in commissioning research in this area is understandable. Science centres are just one of a range of factors that may influence young people to pursue careers in science and technology. To assess properly the role that science centres play will require multivariable longitudinal studies, which take a long time and can be costly. However, difficulty should not be an excuse for inaction. Both the British Association for the Advancement of Science and the Royal Society of Edinburgh have argued that independent research is needed.* We urge the Government to take a lead and commission independent research to assess what role science centres and other factors play in encouraging young people to pursue STEM careers and how effectively science centres influence public discussion and perception of scientific issues. A number of institutions with interests in the promotion of STEM subjects and public engagement might be willing to co-fund such a project and we recommend that the Government identify and approach likely parties to initiate joint commissioning of research into science centres. 33. Qq 13-14, 92-93 34 Ev 72 and 182-182 respectively