UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the Government organisation that helps UK-based companies. It is an agency of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR).

It enhances the competitiveness of UK companies through overseas trade and investments, and by attracting a high level of foreign investment. UKTI operates in British embassies overseas, as well as in London, Glasgow, the 9 English regions, and through regional development agencies.

Role of the FCO

The FCO Science and Innovation Network (SIN) and UKTI work in close collaboration around the world, presenting the UK as the partner of choice in research and development and, hence, the best destination for inward investment.

The UK Government has successfully attracted hundreds of millions of pounds in foreign direct investment and helped UK high technology companies secure overseas contracts. SIN also works with the Technology Strategy Board and the Knowledge Transfer Networks.

Other links

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) - a new public body - operates across all important sectors of the UK economy, to stimulate innovation and new and improved products and services. It is supported and funded by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), and other government departments, the devolved administrations, regional development agencies and research councils.

The TSB coordinates the 22 Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTNs) set up by government, industry and academia to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and experience between industry and the science base. They want to speed up the rate of technology transfer in the UK.

Funding for science

The British Council is the UK's international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. It provides a comprehensive list of research and collaboration contacts.

Among these are the:

• Guide to the Organisation of Science, Engineering and Technology (GOST) - which shows how science and technology is organised in the UK, how research is funded and how advice is given to government on scientific issues
• Support for International Science, Technology and Engineering Research (SISTER) -  which helps researchers find sources of funding for international collaborations
• Environment UK website - a comprehensive picture of environmental research, policy and practice in the UK. It has links to current UK research, environmental agencies, non-government agencies (NGOs) and charities.