A unique environmental research and development programme involving leading universities and almost 300 businesses has won a prestigious national award.
Business partnerships and enterprise staff at the Universities of Liverpool and Lancaster working at the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation have won the ‘Outstanding Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation Initiative’ category in The Impact Awards 2015.
Dion Williams and Andy Pickard from Lancaster University and Lee Omar, Director of Red Ninja Studios received the award on behalf of the Centre at the RCUK and PraxisUnico Awards Ceremony at Central Hall, Westminster.
Outstanding contribution
The event recognises the outstanding contribution knowledge exchange and commercialisation professionals provide in turning excellent research into great benefits to business, the economy and society.
The Centre for Global Eco-Innovation, which unites the expertise, resources and global contacts of Liverpool, Lancaster and Inventya Ltd, aims to develop environmentally-focused products, processes and services in collaboration with ambitious North West businesses.
University of Liverpool Centre Manager, Dr Matt Fulton, said: The success of the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation demonstrates that SMEs are capable of absorbing long-term collaborative intensive research projects with HEIs, and commercialising the results.
“The demand for eco-innovations is set to expand exponentially globally and the North West should do all it can to position itself to be at the forefront of technological advances. We are planning to expand our activities over the coming years, and have already submitted a proposal for a future project working alongside LJMU and Lancaster.”
Joined-up
Professor Nigel Paul, Director of the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation said: “The award is the recognition of the way the Centre’s team is pioneering a “joined-up” approach to collaboration between universities and innovative businesses.
“The Centre provides companies with a single access point to a variety of options, from short-term undergraduate projects to three-year in-depth doctoral research. In doing so it meets the needs of businesses and universities, plus leads to positive benefits on both the economy and the environment.”
The Centre for Global Eco-Innovation is the only centre of its kind in Europe and is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund. SME-led collaborative research and development partnerships underpin the development of new products, processes and services for the global marketplace, which by virtue of their use, deliver positive environmental impacts.