Applied Knowledge Exchange

Glasgow Caledonian University profiled its High Voltage Engineering Research Group at this year’s Scottish Technology Showcase.

Scottish Technology Showcase 2011

New technology is currently being developed by the group as part of a pioneering partnership with FMC Technologies.  The University’s High Voltage Research Group brings together engineers from a range of disciplines to tackle fundamental and applied research in high-voltage engineering systems and high-voltage insulation diagnostics.

GCU’s groundbreaking research in engineering has generated multiple patent applications and funding from industry including Doble and National Grid as well as EPSRC and Scottish Enterprise Proof of Concept funding.

Find out more about our engineering expertise

Glasgow Caledonian University’s Applied Knowledge Exchange is involved in a Scotland-wide innovation network for universities to support the Scottish food and drink industry.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is to invest £2.64 million in The Scottish Universities Industry Innovation Network for Food and Drink, which will work to meet the research and innovation needs of Scottish food and drink companies. Working in partnership with businesses and their supporting trade sectors, academics from multiple disciplines will work to deliver a range of knowledge exchange projects in areas including food science, supply chain development, waste management, packaging design and marketing for the benefit of industry.

Led by the University of Aberdeen, the University of Abertay Dundee and Heriot-Watt University together with Interface, the Network is specifically designed to meet the needs of the Scottish food and drink industry expressed by its members during a consultation process. 

GCU’s expertise in Food and Drink includes marketing, food sciences, packaging design, sustainability and nutrition.

A collective showcase of creative work from Glasgow Caledonian University will be available to view from 1st to 5th June 2011 on campus.

There will be private viewing of the Caledonian Creates 2011 exhibition on Wednesday 1st June 6pm-8.30pm in the Saltire Centre in the heart of Glasgow city centre.

Caledonian Creates is the new face of creativity at Glasgow Caledonian University. It brings together the collective talents of staff and students from a breadth of academic and business backgrounds, offering a holistic approach to research, consultancy and teaching in creative industries’ subject areas.

We are inspirational in addressing design, multimedia, technology, marketing, communication, fashion and interior architecture needs. Innovative thinking combined with an entrepreneurial approach gives clients the confidence to connect with Caledonian Creates.

Need a product researched? Come to the marketing team. Got an idea but want to bounce it off someone else first? Get multimedia technology to manipulate your suggestions into the most appropriate medium. Got an object ready to roll but haven’t got the time to devote to it? Why not consult with product design and put together prototypes. Caledonian Creates can do these things for you.

An interesting tour around Shanks’ Anaerobic Digestion plant in Cumbernauld and its state-of-the-art recycling facility in Blochairn today, accompanied by CeeD members. The AD plant processes food waste to produce renewable energy.

We were informed about the drivers of change in waste policy by Zero Waste Scotland’s Simon Morris, who emphasised 2025 targets of a minimum of 70% of waste to be recycled. We heard that businesses must really improve their segregation of materials to help us reach these targets.

Scotlands’ councils and companies are already working with GCU’s School of the Built and Natural Environment to try to improve their environmental activities.

Scottish universities have produced more spin-out companies over the past decade than any other part of the UK, a survey has suggested.

New internet database Spinouts UK said Scottish institutions had created 172 firms, followed by London (115) and the south east (85).

GCU spin outs include Biopta.  More on the BBC

The Moffat Centre’s influential survey of Scotland’s tourist industry has revealed that more than 43 million people visited Scotland’s attractions last year.

Visits were down just 0.3% from 2009, with heavy snow fall and the continuing popularity of the staycation helping keep the country’s attractions busy.

The Moffat Centre Visitor Attraction Monitor 2010, which heard from more than 600 tourist sites, reports that Glenshee Ski Centre attracted 171% more skiers (125,831, up from 46,355 in 2009), while the Nevis Range hosted 16% more, and the Cairngorm Mountain Railway attracted 15% more passengers than in 2009).

More information

A partnership between GCU, Applegreen Homes and Spacesix Architects has created the affordable, energy efficient house of the future.

The new house will feature a solar-energy package that will help to reduce electricity and heating bills, aiming to eradicate fuel poverty. Prices start at only £49,999 for a three-bedroom home. The unique Applegreen Homes concept was designed by Glasgow firm Spacesix Architects with assistance from GCU, who researched and developed all aspects of the build, ensuring it is highly energy efficient yet affordable.

The showhouse is now on display in the prestigious BRE Innovation Park, based at the former Ravenscraig steelworks site in Motherwell.

For more information, contact Audrey Meikle, School of the Built and Natural Environment, on 0141 331 8458

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.

IT management software company CA and Foviance, a customer experience consultancy, worked with Glasgow Caledonian University on the first ever neurological study of consumer reactions to a poor online experience.

The research proves that many consumers experience ‘web stress’ when trying to make an online purchase. The stress levels of volunteers who took part in the study rose significantly when they were confronted with a poor online shopping experience.

The project was carried out by Anita Simmers and Uma Shahani in Glasgow Caledonian University’s Department of Vision Sciences.

More information at http://www.foviance.com/what-we-think/its-official-web-stress-is-bad-for-business-2/#more-8570

VisitScotland has launched a new growth fund to help tourism businesses attract more visitors. Up to £1 million of funding is being made available over the next three years. The fund will support up to half of marketing costs between £5,000 and £65,000 for destination organisations and industry groups. More on Business7

Glasgow Caledonian University has tourism expertise within its Moffat Centre, which specialises in marketing, visitor attractions, restaurant menu analysis and advice, and tourism consultancy and research.

For more information about the Moffat Centre, call the Applied Knowledge Exchange on 0141 331 3189 or visit www.gcu.ac.uk/business