For certain areas of research you may need special training or licences, for example if you plan to work with animals. Find out more about UK regulations governing animal experimentation, the use of human subjects or tissue in research, and laboratory safety.

If you perform research in the UK you may need to know about intellectual property rights – read more about this here.

Industry plays a large role in Research and Development in the UK. Find out more about this sector and about the top companies performing R&D in the UK.

The European Commission has adopted a European Charter for Researchers and a Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

England is the largest and most populated country in the United Kingdom and most issues, including those relating to science and technology policy, are ruled directly from the UK Government in London.

The best known scientific centres in England are Oxford, Cambridge and the capital, London, and between them these three cities host some of the best research institutes in the world. However, excellent science is not confined to these regions, and to foster other hubs of science and technology, in 2005 the UK Government designated six cities around England as ‘Science Cities’. These are Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and York, and each has its own strategy and areas of expertise.

Although Scotland is a relatively small country, its output in terms of scientific research is outstanding. It has just 0.1% of the world’s population but produces 1% of the world’s published research, ranking very highly in terms of research citations per capita. 55% of this comes from international collaboration, the highest of any country in the world.

Wales has had a National Assembly since 1999, and in November 2006 the Welsh Assembly Government unveiled the first Science Policy for Wales. This focuses on the three main strands of health, low carbon energy systems and enabling sustained economic and social renewal. In 2011 a new science policy for Wales is being developed which will cover the current range of research and development being carried out in Wales, along with skills provision, HE excellence and technology transfer.

The Welsh Assembly Government actively supports innovation through its Technology and Innovation team, and initiatives such as Grants for Innovation which is designed to support businesses in their research and development strategies.

The Northern Ireland Assembly was established in 1998. There is no separate science policy for Northern Ireland, but science and innovation remain of key importance for the economic growth of the country. Research is strong in the areas of biomedical sciences, nanotechnology, sensors, forensic science, astronomy, electronics and engineering.

Find out about UK expertise in Science & Technology policy and how advice is given to Government. You can also find out more about certain governmental bodies.

International cooperation in science and innovation, including details about key players. International collaborators can range from individual scientist-to scientist interactions to large team based projects and programmes between countries.