Applied Knowledge Exchange

Over 60 companies and other organisations attended Glasgow Caledonian University’s first ‘Food for Thought’ event this week.

Our keynote speakers, Marks and Spencer’s Head of Sustainable Business Mike Barry, and Scotland Food & Drink Chief Executive Paul McLaughlin, gave a great introduction to the day. Delegates spent an afternoon networking with GCU experts in food sciences, sustainability, tourism, design and consumer behaviour and marketing.

For more on our food expertise, go to http://www.gcu.ac.uk/business/problemsolving/foodforthought/

Looking forward to planning our next event!!

The Technology Strategy Board, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) are to invest up to £6.25m to stimulate innovation in the food and drink sector.

Applications to the Nutrition for Life funding competition should propose to conceive and develop innovative and challenging technologies and processes that seek to underpin advances in two key areas – novel, healthier foods & processes and safety, authenticity & traceability.

The initiative is open to all UK-based companies and research organisations, through business-to-business or business-to-science collaborations, or in the case of feasibility projects led by a single business.

Glasgow Caledonian University is working with food and drink companies in the areas of food science, nutrition, sustainability, tourism, consumer behaviour and branding. For more information, go to www.gcu.ac.uk/business/problemsolving/foodforthought or call the Applied Knowledge Exchange on 0141 331 3189.

GCU colleagues from CBS, the School of Engineering and Computing and the Department of Research, Innovation and Enterprise attended the KTP Scotland Awards at the Doubletree Dunblane Hydro last week.

KTP Scotland Awards

The University was nominated for two Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Scotland Awards. Professor Bruce Wood’s work with Rawlplug Ltd, one of the leading manufacturers of specialist anchoring and fixing systems used in construction, industry and retail markets, was formally rated as outstanding by independent assessors as part of the KTP programme.

In CBS, the first KTP in Scotland on human resource management, led by Dr Gill Maxwell and Morag McLean of the Department of Management, was also nominated for a KTP Scotland Award. The KTP with Integrated Environmental Solutions Ltd (IES) was formally rated as very good.

For more information on either project or working with GCU on a KTP project, please contact Knowledge Transfer Manager Janette McAlpine on j.mcalpine@gcu.ac.uk or call the Applied Knowledge Exchange on 0141 331 3189.

GCU was the biggest base in Europe for the world’s largest computer game developing marathon Game Jam. The 48-hour global event took place in more than 170 locations in 44 different countries at the weekend.

Dr Jon Sykes, senior lecturer in Computing and Creative Technologies at GCU, said: “I’m thrilled this year we are the biggest Game Jam venue in Europe.”

 Check out some of GCU’s Design, Engineering and Computing expertise!

Glasgow Caledonian University’s Professor Ailsa McKay is presenting a keynote speech and workshops at the Liesel Beckmann Symposium 2010.

This year’s symposium is devoted to the theme “Gender in the Business Sciences” and is especially relevant in the light of current debates.  In cooperation with the Gender Center of the Technische Universität München, and within the framework of the Excellence Initiative of the Federal and State Governments, the Institute for Advanced Study has organised its fourth symposium on themes of gender and diversity.

The focus of this year’s lectures and workshops includes “leadership” in addition to “gender marketing” and “gender budgeting”, discussed by Prof Ailsa McKay.

Professor McKay is Professor of Economics in the Department of Economic Studies and International Business and Vice Dean of the Caledonian Business School at Glasgow Caledonian University. Her research interests include the economics of gender inequalities in modern welfare states. She is a founding member of the Scottish Women’s Budget Group and a member of the Scottish Governments Equality and Budgets Advisory Group.

For more information, www.gcu.ac.uk/cbs

Glasgow Caledonian University is hosting a CIC Start Online event tomorrow, called Improving Energy and Carbon Performance of Housing – A Glasgow Case Study.

All CIC Start Online members will be invited to attend the online webinar and will receive an email with the meeting link. You can also attend the seminar in person by registering at www.cicstart.org. A buffet lunch will be provided before the event, providing opportunities for networking with fellow delegates and the seminar speakers. If you wish to attend the seminar in person, please complete the registration form at www.cicstart.org. The price is £70 per delegate (£50 for CIC Start Online members).

Further Information: CIC Start Online

Glasgow based Sistemic won the Nexxus Most Promising Young Life Science Company of the Year (West) Award in front of an audience of around 130 life scientists gathered to celebrate local life science achievements.

The innovative Scottish SME has set up a sales facility in the United States, won its first major pharmaceutical contract, secured its first EU and US customers, been awarded a SMART Research & Development Grant, filed three new patents and launched three new products in less than a year.

Professor Chris Hillier, CEO, is former CEO of Biopta which he and Dr David Bunton spun out of Glasgow Caledonian University.  

The company has a core focus on microRNA profiling and the biological interpretation of those profiles in context, allowing a greater understanding of the biology and therapeutic landscape.

Mark Anderson, head of European Programmes, represented Glasgow Caledonian University at the Triple Helix VIII International Conference on University, Industry and Government Linkages in Madrid, Spain.

Mr Anderson presented two workshops: the first gave an overview on knowledge transfer offices need to streamline and focus their activities not only formally but also structurally in order to create synergies for efficient and effective innovation at a national and international level in line with the Lisbon Strategy and 2020 Vision. The second workshop focused particularly on the GCU-led project KickStart which is developing and establishing Innovation Centres in Latin America.

As part of his presentation, Mr Anderson reminded participants that “We must learn to contextualise our activities and look beyond a narrow approach to innovation that focuses solely on patent activity, spin-off creation and pure commercialisation. University knowledge transfer has a great deal more to offer”.

Triple Helix is a field of international research that centres around the triangular relationship between University, Business and Government to aid prosperity. The main theme of this year’s conference was Triple Helix in the Development of Cities of Knowledge, Expanding Communities and Connecting Regions. This year’s conference was organised by the International Institute of Triple Helix – IITH and hosted by La Salle Innovation Park.

Glasgow Caledonian University’s Applied Knowledge Exchange will be showcasing its expertise in environmental issues at the Sustainable Scotland Network Conference 2010. The SSN conference will take place on 4th November at Dynamic Earth and will include speakers such as John Swinney MSP and Lady Susan Rice of Lloyds Banking Group Scotland.

The Applied Knowledge Exchange will exhibit with colleagues from the Caledonian Environment Centre, CIC Start Online and Sustainable Food & Drink.

The Committee on Climate Change – the Governments’ official advisors – have called for a “step change in pace” if we are to meet the UK carbon emissions reduction targets; a message that was reinforced in the Committee’s advice to Scottish Ministers in February 2010. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act, as well as committing the country to delivering a 42% reduction in emissions by 2020, also places duties on public bodies relating to climate change that come into force on 1 January 2011.

Supported by the Scottish Government, COSLA, SOLACE-Scotland and SEPA, the SSN Conference is the sustainable development and climate change conference for local government officials and elected members, and all those who engage with local authorities in the process of making Scotland more sustainable.

For more information about our sustainability programmes in Scotland, please contact the Applied Knowledge Exchange on 0141 331 3189 or appliedknowledgeexchange@gcu.ac.uk.

Here are the winners of the Scottish Leadership Awards 2010.

Glasgow Caledonian University’s Applied Knowledge Exchange sponsored the Female Business Leader of the Year Award.

For more information about how GCU works with business on education programmes, consultancy and research, and social innovation, give the Applied Knowledge Exchange a ring on 0141 331 3189.