Research Councils UK (RCUK) will tomorrow (18 May) encourage academics to appreciate how collaborations with public or private partners could benefit their research and demonstrate to businesses the additional value that research findings can add.
Dr Doug Yarrow, speaking on behalf of the Research Councils at a seminar at Science and Innovation 2006, will say: "Collaborative R&D often leads to major long-term advances in the academic research as well as commercial rewards. It is one of the strands that Research Councils use to reap the rewards of public investment in research and boost the performance of the UK economy."
The RCUK seminar at the Science and Innovation 2006 conference in Central London will explore how best to nurture collaborative R&D. While all eight Research Councils are actively involved in supporting research and development with their stakeholder communities, the seminar focuses on the life science and engineering sectors.
The event will bring together Dr Ian Cotton from Manchester University and Dr Jenny Cooper from National Grid. They will give a personal perspective on their collaboration on high voltage energy research, a sector with a low R&D intensity.
Dr Cooper will explain: "National Grid works in the service sector and keeping its costs low is of paramount importance. We have no research facilities of our own and so long term academic research collaboration is essential if we are to have access to new technologies. This also provides us with access to high level skills and potential future employees."
Dr Cotton will comment: "Our collaboration has enabled us to develop a strong research programme with the best facilities and the best researchers. The relationship continues to develop to include training for National Grid's employees and collaborative work with schools."
Dr Celia Caulcott is Programme Co-ordinator, LINK Programme in Applied Genomics. She will give the seminar an insight into the features of successful collaborations in the life sciences sector, in many cases involving SMEs. "Collaborative R&D can have its ups and downs," she will say, "but the bottom line is that collaboration on excellent science will have a profound effect on both academic and industrial parties and lead to significant advances with commercial potential."
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Contact
Matt Goode, Research Councils UK
Tel: 01793 413299
Notes to Editors
The RCUK seminar, Nurturing collaborative R&D, will take place at Science & Innovation 2006: Taking up the Technology Challenge on Thursday 18 May 2006 at the QEII Conference Centre in London.
About Research Councils UK
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the partnership between the UK's eight Research Councils. Through RCUK, the Research Councils work together to champion the research, training and innovation they support. The Research Councils are independent non-departmental public bodies, funded by the Science Budget through the Office of Science and Innovation.
Together the Research Councils invest around £3 billion a year in research and training in universities, facilities and Research Councils Institutes.
For more information please visit: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/
The eight UK Research Councils are:
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC);
- Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC);
- Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC);
- Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC);
- Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC);
- Medical Research Council (MRC);
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);
- Particle Physics & Astronomy Research Council (PPARC).