December 2016
Director's Update - Innovation and International Collaboration
Welcome to the December issue of the N8 Research Partnership Newsletter.
In this issue, we have focussed on important progress in understanding current innovation assets in the North, and on strategies for advancing innovation for economic growth. Also, it includes several examples of N8 universities working together to increase international partnership opportunities.
Science & Innovation Audit reports, from Greater Manchester & East Cheshire, and Lancashire and Sheffield City Region, have provided strong evidence for strengths in advanced materials and manufacturing, and health innovation.
A second wave of eight more audits for the UK was announced at autumn statement. It is fantastic to see that four of these have core leadership from N8 universities and Northern LEPs. The audits will strengthen the evidence for our capabilities in four key economic capabilities:
• Health & Life Sciences, focussing on Bio-economy, MedTech, and Infectious Disease;
• Energy, focussing on Offshore Technologies and Bio-economy;
• Advanced Manufacturing & Materials through analysis of Materials Chemistry strengths;
• and Digital, through analysing capabilities in High Performance and Cognitive Computing.
I am very pleased to see announced in the government’s new Northern Powerhouse Strategy, a stated desire to work closely with N8 in advancing innovation, enterprise, and urban transformation. The N8’s report The Power of 8: Knowledge, Innovation and Growth for the North provides the first comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of the N8 universities on the Northern economy.
The evidence within the report is impressive: N8 universities are responsible for 119,000 Northern jobs, £12.2 billion generated in revenue, £6.6 billion GVA, and more than 17000 small and medium sized businesses assisted. In a recent meeting with Andrew Percy, the Northern Powerhouse minister, I was delighted to be able to describe the great work of Northern universities to underpin the Northern Powerhouse strategy.
N8’s interest in collaborating beyond the North is exemplified in recent strategic visits to China and France. The North presenting itself as a region easy to collaborate with, and to invest in, is a core component for future economic success.
As members of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership programme with government, the N8 universities will play a key role in Northern economic reimagining. I welcome those who want to work with us to build a successful future for the economy of the Northern region, to contact me for more information, or to get involved in our programmes.
Dr Peter Simpson
Director, N8 Research Partnership
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