SFC news published since 2018. See SFC archived content for earlier news articles.
Earlier this year the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) announced a long term investment plan focused on innovation, jobs and growth in key areas of Scotland’s future economy.
The announcement followed an assessment of the national innovation centre programme which was established by SFC in 2013. Based on the assessment panel’s recommendations, four of the centres will be supported by up to £2m of SFC funds annually for up to a decade to cement their place at the heart of Scottish innovation and knowledge exchange.
SFC is working with the remaining innovation centres on shorter-term transitional funding as they move to new models of support, including from the private sector.
Scottish Innovation Centres, which have been described as world leading hi-tech organisations, are partnerships between SFC, the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and they have backing from industry.
Innovation Centres add value through collaborative projects, consortia building, secondments and industrial studentships as well as providing spaces for collaborative work and shared access to equipment. Innovation centres also support skills and training to develop the next generation of researchers and knowledge exchange practitioners through masters and post-doctoral level provision .
Commenting on the announcement, Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“The move to long term investment builds on a decade of astute funding that has produced significant dividends in terms of new products, new processes and new jobs. It has also created valuable relationships between universities, colleges and industry. Each of the current innovation centres will benefit from this unique legacy.
“Data; Digital Health & Care; biotech; and innovation for a zero carbon built environment will benefit from long-term public investment focussed on opportunities for creating future prosperity.”