Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) is a British government department created on 28 June 2007 to take over some of the functions of the disbanded departments of Education and Skills and Trade and Industry. It is responsible for adult learning, further and higher education, skills, science and innovation. It is led by the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills currently Rt Hon John Denham MP.

Its first Permanent Secretary is Ian Watmore, who was previously UK head of the e-Government Unit.

The Department's role is to:

• Sustain and develop a world-class research base
• Maximise the exploitation of the research base to support innovation across all sectors of the economy
• Raise and widen participation in Higher Education
• Raise participation and attainment by young people and adults in post-16 education and learning
• Tackle the skills gap amongst adults, particularly equipping people with basic literacy and numeracy
• Increase the supply of people in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

Other education functions of the former DfES were taken over by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Current Ministers

• Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills - The Rt Hon. John Denham MP
• Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property - The Rt. Hon. David Lammy MP
• Minister of State for Science and Innovation - The Rt Hon The Lord Drayson (also attends the cabinet)
• Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Further Education - Sion Simon MP
• Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills and Apprenticeships - Lord Young of Norwood Green

References

External links

• Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills: official website