Strategic Advisory Network

The Strategic Advisory Network (SAN) provides the EPSRC Executive with advice and guidance on EPSRC policy development at a cross-cutting level and makes appropriate recommendations to EPSRC Council. The role of the network is to:

• Provide advice in helping EPSRC to develop new cross-cutting strategies
• Provide an appropriate environment for testing new ideas
• Provide a means of two-way dialogue with the research and user communities on topical issues, including EPSRC strategy.

The SAN is a flexible resource, enabling the Executive to obtain the advice it needs in a timely manner, drawing on a range of perspectives from across our key stakeholder groups including academia, business, third sector and Government.

The SAN was established in June 2011, replacing the previous advisory bodies of the Technical Opportunities Panel, User Panel and Societal Issues Panel.

It is made up of around 30 individuals from EPSRC's stakeholder groupings. The SAN will most often be deployed in sub-sets called work streams, brought together to address specific questions on which the Executive requires advice, or to explore and test new strategies and policies as they are developed. All members are brought together for an annual meeting.

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