Recent years have seen a renewed interest in industrial policy among OECD governments. Partly a response to the economic crisis and partly a reflection of longer term concerns about balanced and equitable growth, the policy debate raises many issues. One of these is how, if at all, the new policies are differentiated from discredited industrial policies of the past. The role of education and of skills is central to the debate. Our two speakers, Lesley Giles (Deputy Director at the UK Commission for Employment & Skills) and Nicola Smith (Head of the Economic and Social Affairs Department at the TUC), and the organisations which they represent are heavily involved in these developments. The meeting will start at 16:30 with tea and coffee available from 16:00. There will be a dinner after the meeting at the Quod. If you would like to attend the meeting please contact emma.miller@education.ox.ac.uk indicating whether you will be staying for dinner and whether you will require overnight accommodation.