Our Role

Britain can only succeed in a rapidly changing world if we develop the skills of our people to the fullest possible extent, carry out world class research and scholarship, and apply both knowledge and skills to create an innovative and competitive economy.

The work of DIUS - on further and higher education, innovation, science and technology, intellectual property, and supporting evidence-based policy making across government - is therefore essential to national prosperity.

It is just as important to our national wellbeing. Skills offer us all the means to better wages and more secure lives. Learning raises aspirations and helps to create a society where no-one is left behind and where we make best use of everyone's talents.

With responsibility for all post-19 learning - from basic literacy to postdoctoral biochemistry - DIUS will improve the nation's skills at every level, with provision for people at every stage of their adult lives.

The same ambitions inform our drive to create a leading knowledge economy. By supporting an excellent science and research base, and by encouraging innovation in all sectors, we will improve quality of life in this country through new technologies and improved public services. The Government's aim is to make the UK the leading place in the world in which to be an innovative business, public service or third sector organisation. We aim to build an Innovation Nation in which innovation thrives at all levels - individuals, communities and regions.

We serve learners and businesses (including the public sector).

For learners, we must create an excellent, accessible education system to give people the skills they need to prosper, especially those making the difficult transition from welfare into work or from an unskilled job towards a more rewarding career. We must open up second chances for working age adults to unlock their talents.

For businesses, the same system must provide people with the skills they need today, and for the future.

And we aim to create the environment in which researchers and businesses can work together to turn their ideas into high-value products and services.

We support the Government's agenda in many areas - from climate change to national security - through our work. And we support better Government by building skills for those working in Government, and supporting excellent use of science and research policy making.

The DIUS budget reflects the importance of this broad agenda, rising to £20.8 billion by 2010-11. With this investment, DIUS and its partners have the opportunity to transform lives and communities and boost economic output.