Applied Knowledge Exchange

GCU is hosting an Open Evening Lecture featuring keynote speaker Danny McStay, FMC Technologies, to launch the FMC Technologies Subsea Optoelectronics Laboratory at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU).

The growing global demand for oil and gas is driving producers to increase the overall efficiency of the production process and to operate in more extreme conditions with minimal environmental impact. Optoelectronic technologies are seen as one of the key technologies in enabling the industry to meet these challenges. In this lecture, optoelectronic technologies developed over the last decade for applications ranging from heritage to pharmaceuticals will be described, along with examples of how they have been adapted to meet oil and gas industry requirements.

Tuesday 27^th March
6pm – 7pm

Followed by cheese and wine evening, sponsored by FMC

Click here to register for the FREE event

Global oil and gas solutions provider FMC Technologies is working with Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) to deliver a pioneering five-year research and development collaboration within the subsea oil and gas industry. The collaboration combines expertise in electronics, optoelectronics, electrical power and instrumentation at GCU with that of subsea engineering and optoelectronics within FMC to deliver a portfolio of research and development projects to identify new opportunities for safe and efficient oil recovery and to enhance reliability and integrity in the monitoring of subsea installations. The venture includes Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) projects and PhD research studentships. More information…

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) client If Only Holidays has been awarded a Scottish Business Insider award for highest climber in the SME300.

The awards celebrate the success of Scotland’s best performing small and medium sized companies.

GCU is working with If Only Holidays on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) to develop and deploy novel computing solutions to automate the generation of tailor-made holiday packages and to improve visibility on the web.

Find out more about how we can help your business by calling 0141 331 3189 or visit www.gcu.ac.uk/business

Four enterprise areas are to be created in Scotland with an emphasis on some of our most dynamic industries with the greatest potential to create new employment opportunities, stimulate private investment and boost economic growth.

The Government is aiming to support Scotland’s life sciences industries, low carbon and renewables and manufacturing.

More information…

84% of SMEs in Scotland are engaging with higher education institutions, according to Universities UK.

View the full report – Driving Economic Growth

Universities play an important role in providing support to businesses through research and training. This is demonstrated by the breadth and range of industries with links to universities and the variety of activities with which they are involved, including extensive support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Hundreds of people with dementia have spend the day at Hampden Park as part of the football reminiscence project. 

The project is part of ongoing research by Glasgow Caledonian University.

Click on the link to view the short video http://news.stv.tv/scotland/280005-dementia-patients-benefit-from-football-memories/ (please note that the video will start after the short advert is played).

An interesting article in the FT on the difficulties in measuring academic impact

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/0ef2fb1e-e400-11e0-bc4e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1Zp40mrvt

Glasgow Caledonian University’s Applied Knowledge Exchange attended this week’s Offshore Europe conference in Aberdeen, meeting with partners including FMC Technologies and networking with the industry.

During a first day session analysing the Operating Models for the Future, panelists including Oil and Gas UK Chief Executive Malcolm Webb said there were potentially large untapped ‘unconventional’ oil and gas reserves which required investment from the industry and a skilled, international supply chain.

Bob Keiller, CEO of Wood Group PSN, detailed the pros and cons of contracting out operations. He insisted it was important to be an ‘informed buyer’, keeping a close eye on contractor relationships through effective project management.

Global oil and gas solutions provider FMC Technologies is working with GCU to deliver a pioneering five-year research and development collaboration within the subsea oil and gas industry which includes KTPs, PhD studentships and research and development projects to identify new opportunities for safe and efficient oil recovery and to enhance reliability and integrity in the monitoring of subsea installations.

ScottishPower has recently submitted proposals to the energy regulator Ofgem outlining £3bn of planned investments on its high voltage transmission electricity network in Scotland over the next 10 years.  Projects will include the connection of up to 5GW of renewable energy, helping Scotland to achieve its 2020 carbon reduction targets, and extensive upgrades to the electricity grid links between England and Scotland.

GCU has a number of energy experts working with power suppliers. For more information, click here.

The full announcement.

The Scottish Academy of Fashion, a joint venture between GCU, Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh College of Art and Robert Gordon University, has announced new research projects aimed at supporting Scotland’s textile industry.

The Academy, an ambitious project developing Scotland as a global centre of excellence in fashion-related learning and commercially relevant research, has backing from Creative Scotland, Textiles Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council.

Linda Shearer from GCU’s Caledonian Business School is working on projects with the Academy. Linda has a background in Fashion Design, predominantly for high street markets, involving design, pattern cutting, fabric sourcing, range building, garment development to production. She has recently organised consultancy projects with SMEs in design and development of fashion and textile- related products including the design, development & production of a baby seat concept to improve infant development, development and production of patented textile component for cycling/commuter luggage, CAD garment simulation for a transactional website for a textile design business, garment pattern development and grading for a small fashion design retail enterprise, creation of CAD fashion illustrations for promotion of a new fashion range in a retail outlet, and the creation of garment production patterns, consumer testing & reporting on production samples for an online retail organic lingerie enterprise.

Linda’s research projects include the interrelationship of dress, identity and the workplace, the positioning of vintage fashion retailers, vintage consumers – mainstream and subculture, the role of designers in fashion retailing, and the consumer perception of retail environments.

For more information about the Academy go to http://scottishacademyoffashion.com/

Rising unemployment and dramatically increasing fuel prices could lead to significant fuel poverty in the UK unless more is done to invest in energy efficiency. Gas and electricity bills for millions of homes are expected to rocket in the coming years, as suppliers attempt to offset rising wholesale prices, energy analysts have warned.

Households are considered by the UK Government to be in fuel poverty if they have to spend more than 10% of household income on fuel to keep their home to an adequate standard of warmth. One of the most effective ways of combating fuel poverty is to target energy efficiency measures on homes typically occupied by those on low incomes.

AppleGreen Homes is working with Glasgow Caledonian University and Glasgow-based Spacesix Architects to research and develop an affordable, energy efficient home for the future at the new BRE Innovation Park at Ravenscraig in Motherwell. It will feature a solar energy package that will not only help significantly reduce electricity bills but will also drastically reduce heating bills, helping to eradicate fuel poverty. In addition, a guaranteed feed-in tariff from the solar electricity package will be paid to the owner, developer, housing association or council.