Deputy First Minister backs Internet Initiative by Scottish Universities

Published: 29 March 2004

Pioneering technology transfer initiative bridges the gap between academia and industry

Jim Wallace MSP, Deputy First Minister and Minister for Lifelong Learning and Enterprise, will today (29 March) officially launch a major Internet initiative promoting new technology from all 13 of Scotland's Universities. This is a UK first bringing together all higher education establishments from one country to work in unity in this way.

Funded by the Scottish Institute for Enterprise, university-technology.com will enable companies around the world to easily access new technologies developed at Scotland's universities.

Through a searchable database of leading edge technology opportunities, customers will be able to access new technology by market sector and register to be first to hear of new opportunities as they become available. This web portal will operate as a 'shop window' for the crown jewels of technologies from all Scotland's universities available for licensing or collaborative development.

Sir Alan Langlands, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Dundee, and Chairman of the Scottish Institute for Enterprise states:

"This is a UK first of which we can be justifiably proud. Bringing together leading inventions and innovations from every Scottish university onto one web portal re-affirms Scotland's standing as a world-renowned centre for technical excellence.

Collectively, we now have an unparalleled means of taking our indigenous technological developments, and our research and development skills, to the global market.

What is launched today is just a starting point. university-technology.com will evolve to meet the needs of both Scotland's academic community and the global business audience interested in our latest achievements. It is a unique window for Scottish skill."

The 'one-stop-shop gateway' web portal is launched with a 'virtual ribbon cutting' by Jim Wallace at The Barony Hall, University of Strathclyde in Glasgow who praises "this unique collaboration."

Jim Wallace commented: "This is a hugely important achievement in forging better global connections for our world-renowned research base.

Our education institutions have a wealth of expertise and inventiveness. But we need to get other sectors of the economy - and companies abroad - to take full advantage.

Boosting business research and development is essential in making Scotland competitive and productive. I want businesses to work with universities more closely to bring out knowledge into the marketplace."

Featured new technologies on the website will include a joint collaboration between the Universities of Glasgow and Dundee who are developing a breath monitoring device which uses laser spectroscopy to screen for lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.

The project aims to prove that ultra-sensitive gas detection can be applied to the development and implementation of a wide-scale screening programme for diseases such as lung cancer and cardiovascular problems.