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The University of Nottingham is leading the way in bringing science and business together, according to the Chairman of the UK Science Park Association (UKSPA).
Dr Malcolm Parry OBE, speaking after a national meeting hosted at The University of Nottingham Innovation Park, underlined the importance of engagement between high-tech companies and academic researchers.
More than 70 delegates — science park practitioners from across the UK — attended the two-day UKSPA event which included seminars, workshops and visits to projects and facilities across the Innovation Park, which is based on an 18-acre brownfield site next to The University of Nottingham’s Jubilee Campus.
Dr Parry said: “The University of Nottingham Innovation Park is leading the way in establishing an environment that sparks innovation by locating businesses and researchers in the same space, it is a model for collaboration and engagement. The consensus is that we’ve had an excellent conference here in Nottingham.”
Delegates were interested to hear about the Park’s exciting development programme with three new themed buildings currently under construction:
• The Energy Technology Centre — which will house researchers working together with external partners both in the UK and internationally. Their aim is to find innovative solutions to the increasing needs of governments, industry and society to establish sustainable and secure energy supplies at affordable prices, while providing technologies to alleviate global warming.
• The Institute for Mental Health Building — a partnership between Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and The University of Nottingham. One of the leading mental health institutes in the UK, offering leadership and innovation backed by world class expertise. The IMH was created to help transform our understanding and treatment of mental illness.
• The Aerospace Technology Centre — will provide a new, dedicated research and knowledge transfer centre with facilities for application-focused and integrated research at a size and complexity not possible within any other UK institution, and space for large-scale demonstrators.
Within the Innovation Park’s facilities, UKSPA delegates visited the Technology Demonstrator, a unique new facility that is home to working prototypes of some of the latest University inventions, all of which are available for commercial development.
Delegates also toured the Nottingham Geospatial Building to visit the world-class centre of excellence in Global Navigation Satellite Systems. The centre focuses on assisting organisations, businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs to take advantage of satellite navigation, positioning, timing and location-based technologies. The centre provides business support, consultancy services, training and testing for the exploitation of new ideas and the creation of new business opportunities.
Based on a site formerly occupied by the Raleigh Bicycle factory, The University of Nottingham Innovation Park (UNIP) opened in 2008. UNIP was established to provide first-class business accommodation and encourage interaction and innovation by providing the bridge between the corporate and academic worlds.
UNIP seeks to attract high-tech and innovative companies which have synergy with the University’s research, teaching and knowledge transfer activities, focusing on the key strengths of the University’s research base. UNIP offers spin-out and spin-in space in close proximity to leading edge research departments and technical facilities and support.
Local sponsors of the conference, which took place May 18-19 2011, included PKF and BrowneJacobson.
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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.
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