First Minister announces funding for Innovation Centres

Published: 24 April 2013

First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond MSP has unveiled a major investment to support two new Innovation Centres led by the University.

Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP, has unveiled a major investment to support two new Innovation Centres led by the University. Group photo including First Minister at Innovation Centres launch

At a media event held at the new South Glasgow Hospitals Campus on Tuesday 23 April, the First Minister announced the Scottish Funding Council has provided £10m to back the creation of the new Innovation Centre – Sensor and Imaging Systems (IC-SIS) and £8m for the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre (SMS-IC)

The College of Science and Engineering’s IC-SIS will engage in industrially collaborative projects to develop new technologies and form links with industry to bring innovative products to market. It will aim to deliver 150 collaborative research and development projects and could add between £374m and £596m to the Scottish economy.  IC-SIS will employ 12 staff by the end of year one of its operation, reaching 27 after five years, excluding academic staff.

The College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Science-led SMS-IC will focus primarily on developing new forms of treatment for chronic diseases, including cancer, stroke, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The Centre could generate up to 334 jobs and up to £68m to the Scottish economy over its inital five-year funding period.

Both Innovation Centres will involve close collaboration with other Scottish universities and industry partners. Their initial funding covers the first five years of their work.

During the event the First Minister also announced funding for a new Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre to be based at University of Edinburgh.

Professor Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, said: “We’re enormously proud that the University of Glasgow will be home to two world-leading Innovation Centres focusing on stratified medicine and sensor systems.

“Both of our Innovation Centres will be perfectly positioned to advance understanding of cutting-edge science and make a lasting contribution to the country’s economy. Equally importantly, the breakthroughs which they make will provide real benefits to the quality of life of people all around the world.”

The First Minister said: “Scotland has always been a world leader in innovation and this new funding of £30 million, made through the Scottish Funding Council, for the innovation centres reinforces the Scottish Government’s commitment to Science and technology and secures Scotland’s place as a world leader in life sciences, innovative technology, ideas and development. “

First published: 24 April 2013

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