The Innovation 2012 conference will discuss the expectations and political constraints placed upon science and technology’s contribution to global prosperity. It will examine the circumstances under which curiosity-driven innovation flourishes and asses what systems and networks need to be in place to optimize its opportunities. 

• Is scientific innovation the magic bullet in addressing global challenges and generating prosperity?
• How might technological advances disrupt the current economic and social models?
• Is an 'open society' prerequisite to enabling innovation or does a ‘closed’ political regime or a government of technocrats deliver better results for today’s challenges?
• Do nations require their own scientific and research base to be innovative? What are the other enabling factors?
• What role should the public play in deciding the future directions of scientific research and technology?
• The politics of evidence: is science policy in reality driven by the public’s perception of risk?
• Should access to scientific data be made public at all stages of research? What could be the consequences of such an approach?  

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