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Innovation Centre Infrastructure Assessment Process 2023

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Our Review of Coherent Provision and Sustainability recommended we relaunch our flagship investments, including Innovation Centres (ICs), as stable long-term infrastructure. We developed a process for assessing the current ICs and their suitability for SFC Infrastructure Investment which will make recommendations to the SFC Board in summer 2023. An Assessment Panel was formed to support this process with the existing seven ICs (only) being invited to submit plans.

Guidance documents

The current seven IC’s submitted their Infrastructure Investment Plans on 31 March 2023.

The Panel

The Panel was chaired by Professor Lesley Yellowlees, Chair of SFC’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee. The Panel is made up of experts from universities, colleges, SFC, Scottish Government and Enterprise Agencies.

Assessment Panel Membership

Ben Johnson
Executive Head of Strategic Research and Innovation Development, University of Strathclyde.

Carolyn Reeve
Former Head of Policy for University Research and Knowledge Exchange at Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.

David McBeth
Director of Research and Innovation Services, University of Dundee (representing Universities Scotland’s Research and Commercialisation Directors’ Group).

Derek Shaw
Director of Innovation and Place, Scottish Enterprise.

Gillian Galloway
Head of Innovation and Technology, Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Helen Cross
Director of Research and Innovation, SFC.

Irene McAra-McWilliam
Deputy Director Research & Innovation, The Glasgow School of Art.

Jane Morrison-Ross
CEO, South of Scotland Enterprise.

Lesley Yellowlees
Chair of SFC Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee [Panel Chair].

Rhona McDonald
Strategic Lead Science, Research, International & EU Exit, Directorate for Economic Development, Scottish Government.

Sara Rae
Assistant Principal, Enterprise and Skills, West College Scotland.

Stephen O’Neill
Deputy Director, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Division, Directorate for Economic Development, Scottish Government.

Tom Brown
Vice-Principal (Research, Collections and Innovation) and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews.

Panel Terms of Reference [PDF].

The Panel convened from March 2023 until June 2023.

Further information

Please contact Gary Bannon, Assistant Director, email: gbannon@sfc.ac.uk.

SFC Strategic Plan 2022-27

Building a connected, agile, sustainable tertiary education and research system for Scotland.

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