NERC's external reporting requirements
In 2004, the UK's Department of Trade & Industry (now the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS)) introduced a performance system for the research councils. The system ensures that research council priorities contribute towards government goals as well as delivering our own strategy. The government's ten-year strategy for the UK science base can be found in the Science & Innovation Investment Framework 2004 - 2014, accessed via the BIS website.
The performance management system consists of a number of different elements, including the Delivery Plan and Scorecard, in-year progress reports, and the Impact Report.
The Delivery Plan and Scorecard
The Delivery Plan is a medium-term (four-year) planning document that sets out key priorities that will contribute to delivery of the NERC strategy. A new Delivery Plan is produced for the start of each new Spending Review period. Activities from the Delivery Plan are described in more detail in the accompanying NERC/BIS Scorecard. The latest Delivery Plan was produced in 2010 for the spending review period 2011 - 2015 and is updated annually if required.
Internal and external reporting
In-year progress reports provides BIS and NERC's decision-making bodies with regular updates on progress against the Scorecard activities. At the end of every year, we produce an Impact Report and provide, through our Annual Report, a summary of progress against the Delivery Plan and Scorecard.
The Impact Report includes case studies and quantitative measures demonstrating how NERC's world leading science is translated into knowledge, expertise and skills that stimulate economic growth and improve societal wellbeing. The report monitors NERC's performance in driving economic growth by targeting impacts at: UK competitive advantage, UK policy leadership, improving UK business performance, transforming public services, delivering highly skilled people to the labour market.
For more information please contact:
Deborah Cosgrove
Tel: 01793 411911