Nottingham research and development facility in line for innovation award

Lord Stafford and Bob Scott
04 Nov 2011 14:40:00.000
PA344/11

The University of Nottingham Innovation Park (UNIP) has been shortlisted for a prestigious innovation award.

Built on the site of the former Raleigh factory and adjacent to the University of Nottingham’s Jubilee Campus, UNIP opened its first phase in 2008 and has continued to grow ever since with a further three buildings currently under construction.

UNIP has been shortlisted in the ‘Open Collaboration’ category of the Lord Stafford Awards for innovation. The awards recognise, showcase and celebrate the best in collaboration between business and academia.
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In addition to providing high quality business and conference space, the Innovation Park features a host of different centres aimed at encouraging closer working between business and the University.

These include the Ingenuity Programme, a collaborative partnership between Nottingham, Derby and Nottingham Trent Universities designed to encourage greater interaction and knowledge transfer into SMEs.

And the Technology Demonstrator facility is aimed at showcasing technology and academic research to an external audience.

Three new buildings are currently under construction – the Energy Technology Centre, the Institute for Mental Health Building and the Aerospace Centre – all due for completion in 2012.

Bob Scott, UNIP Operations Director, said: “Although the concept of UNIP originated from the University, it addresses the need for the East Midlands to create a nationally recognised centre for research and collaboration in key economic sectors.

“This has been vital in ensuring, as UNIP has grown, partners including the East Midlands Development Agency, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, British Geological Survey and private sector businesses have come on board with the universities.

“Of course, the key is the involvement of business interacting and innovating – and UNIP was designed with this in mind from the outset.”

Lord Stafford, Patron of the Awards, said: “In a relatively short period of time, UNIP has become a major research and development centre and has made excellent strides to build links with businesses.

“It truly is a fantastic facility and clearly there is still more to come. I wish UNIP and everybody involved all the best for the awards final.”

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony being held at the University of Birmingham Great Hall on Thursday November 17.

— Ends —

PICTURED: (l-r) Lord Stafford with Bob Scott, UNIP Operations Director, in the Technology Demonstrator facility, Sir Colin Campbell Building.

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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham, described by The Sunday Times University Guide 2011 as ‘the embodiment of the modern international university’, has award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings. It was named ‘Europe’s greenest university’ in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, a league table of the world’s most environmentally-friendly higher education institutions, which ranked Nottingham second in the world overall.

The University is committed to providing a truly international education for its 40,000 students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the communities around its campuses in the UK and Asia. Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest ever fund-raising campaign, will deliver the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. For more details, visit: www.nottingham.ac.uk/impactcampaign

More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranked the University 7th in the UK by research power.

The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health. More news from the University at: www.nottingham.ac.uk/news

Story credits

More information is available from Bob Scott, UNIP Operations Director, on +44 (0)115 8232261, bob.scott@nottingham.ac.uk. For further information about the Lord Stafford Awards visit www.thelordstaffordawards.co.uk, for further media information contact Mat Danks at DCPR on 07837 515790 or email mat@dc-pr.co.uk

Tim Utton

Tim Utton - Deputy Director of Communications

Email: tim.utton@nottingham.ac.uk Phone: +44 (0)115 846 8092 Location: University Park

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