Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation

Jo Johnson MP

Jo Johnson MP

Contents

Biography

Jo Johnson was appointed Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation in July 2016. He was elected the Member of Parliament for Orpington in May 2010 and re-elected in May 2015.

Education

Jo began his schooling in Brussels, at the European School in Uccle, before attending Ashdown House School in East Sussex, and then Eton College. In 1991, he went to Balliol College, Oxford to study Modern History.

A French speaker, Jo did his postgraduate studies in Europe and has degrees from 2 further European universities.

Political career

He was head of the Downing Street Policy Unit and served as Minister of State at the Cabinet Office from July 2014 until May 2015. He served as an Assistant Government Whip from September 2012 until July 2014. He also served as Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office from April 2013 until July 2014.

Career outside politics

Jo joined the Financial Times in 1997, after working as an investment banker at Deutsche Bank. He had 2 foreign postings with them: firstly as Paris correspondent (2001 to 2005), and then as South Asia Bureau Chief based in New Delhi (2005 to 2008). In 2008 he became an Associate Editor of the Financial Times and Head of the Lex Column.

Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation

The minister is responsible for:

  • universities and higher education reform (including the Higher Education Bill and teaching excellence framework and quality)
  • higher education student finance (including the Student Loans Company)
  • widening participation and social mobility
  • all education exports (including international students, international research)
  • science and research
    • life sciences
    • agri-tech industrial strategy
    • space
  • innovation
More about this role

Department for Education and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Previous roles in government

  1. Minister of State for Universities and Science

    • 2015 to 2016

  2. Minister of State for Cabinet Office

    • 2014 to 2015

  3. Parliamentary Secretary (Minister for Constitutional Reform)

    • 2013 to 2014

Announcements

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  1. UK-India science and innovation partnerships

    • Speech

  2. Science Minister announces £80 million UK-India research investments

    • Press release

  3. More support planned for part-time and doctoral degree students

    • Press release

  4. Dr Brian Bowsher appointed Chief Executive of the Science and Technology Facilities Council

    • News story

  5. Applications open for chair of new Office for Students

    • Press release

  6. RRS Sir David Attenborough keel-laying ceremony

    • Speech

  7. Full steam ahead for construction of UK’s £200 million new polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough

    • Press release

  8. Funding support for EU students

    • Press release

  9. Reappointment of Medical Research Council Chairman

    • News story

  10. Teaching Excellence Framework moves forward

    • Press release
View all announcements