Wealth, health and culture

How can Scottish university research improve the nation’s wealth, health, environment and culture?

Key questions relating to the impact of research on society will be addressed during a major event in St Andrews today (Friday 3 April 2009).

Policy makers and practitioners from academia, industry, Government and funding bodies will gather at the University of St Andrews to take part in a major debate on how best to transfer knowledge from universities to the benefit of Scottish society.

Entitled `KT Scotland: Policy & Practice’, the event will look at how knowledge transfer can lead to improved healthcare and environmental policies; and how commercialisation from across the disciplines can create wealth for the nation.  Delegates will also look at creativity and innovation from the arts and humanities

The conference will spotlight “Research Pooling” – the pooling agenda developed by the Scottish Funding Council in collaboration with Scottish Higher Education Institutions to  make Scotland’s research more internationally competitive through alliances in key disciplines.  A key area of discussion will be the importance of research pooling to the knowledge transfer agenda by bringing together key players in already successful collaborations between universities such as SUPA (Scottish Universities Physics Alliance). 

The one-day event will be chaired by the BBC’s Quentin Cooper and University Vice Principal for Research, Professor Alan Miller.  Professor Miller said, “In a period of economic downturn governments and universities see an opportunity to combine their efforts to provide stimulus to the economy through new initiatives for innovation and the creation of new knowledge based industries.”

Speakers will include Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the UK Technology Strategy Board,  Professor David Gani, Director of Research Policy & Strategy for the Scottish Funding Council and Professor Anne Glover, the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser.

Today’s event follows the success of the inaugural event for Scottish KT practitioners, held in St Andrews last year.

ENDS

Issued by the Press Office, University of St Andrews
Contact Gayle Cook, Senior Press Officer on 01334 467227 / 462529, mobile 07900 050 103, or email [email protected]

Ref:  KT 2009 030409
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