CMS Welcomes Bond Review

Below you will see the CMS* response to the Bond review. Readers of Mathematics Today will of course have their own views, but I and all of the other Presidents were clear that we were very happy to put our names to this statement. We encourage everybody to consider both the CMS response, and Alan Champneys’ further discussion (see page 130) of the matters that the Bond Review raised. Above all, we want to hear from IMA members (david.youdan@ima.org.uk) so that we can do as much as possible to take advantage of the opportunities that the review raises.

Alistair Fitt CMath CSci FIMA
IMA President

*The Council for the Mathematical Sciences (CMS) comprises the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, the Royal Statistical Society, the London Mathematical Society, the Edinburgh Mathematical Society and the Operational Research Society.

CMS statement in response to the Bond Review

The Mathematical Sciences community welcomes the Bond Review Report which clearly demonstrates the importance of mathematics and its impact across an exceptionally wide range of disciplines, technologies and industries. The review has recognised the need to develop a sustainable people pipeline of top-level Mathematical Sciences talent within academia, nurturing individuals keen to engage with government, industry and wider research challenges.

The report highlights the current shortage of such individuals and makes a strong case for increased investment in the discipline. It also recognises the need to establish infrastructure to facilitate effective and timely communication and interaction between mathematicians and potential users.

The CMS has met with individuals from the Mathematical Sciences community for a high level discussion of the report
and its recommendations and with regard to the various areas covered in the report it was agreed as follows:

Governance

There is strong support for the establishment of an Academy for the Mathematical Sciences with careful consideration being given to the most appropriate governance model for, and remit of, such an institution and its relationship to existing learned societies.

Skills

Knowledge Exchange in the Mathematical Sciences community should be encouraged and additional funding for academic Mathematical Sciences would be very welcome.

A performance based incentive model for the Mathematical Sciences, similar to the Higher Education Innovation Funding as previously administered by HEFCE would facilitate innovative engagement with the user community.

National Resources and Infrastructure

These recommendations would be beneficial, and could largely be included under the framework of the proposed Academy for the Mathematical Sciences. The Heilbronn Institute is an excellent model on which to base at least one national centre but further consideration as to how to effectively replicate this would be needed.

Regional Support

The establishment of regional Knowledge Exchange centres links strongly with the ‘place’ agenda stemming from the industrial strategy and there is strong support to explore this further.