Innovation UK > News > Innovation UK Vol4-1 > UK's National Science and Innovation Campuses

Together, the two Science and Innovation Campuses form a ?dipole? model: two pillars of excellence, building on and expanding their expertise within science, technology, innovation and business. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has Knowledge Exchange as a key objective for the Campuses in order to ensure that they make an outstanding contribution to driving and developing the knowledge economy. This contribution would not be possible without the STFC?s close collaboration with both the private and public sector including universities, Regional Development Agencies and local councils. With the involvement of key academic, political and commercial stakeholders, the Campuses will become ?knowledge beacons? for UK plc.

DARESBURY SCIENCE AND INNOVATION CAMPUS

Based at the STFC Daresbury Laboratory near Warrington, Cheshire, the Daresbury Innovation Centre is a vibrant collaboration involving the STFC, the North West Development Agency, the Universities of Manchester, Liverpool and Lancaster, and Halton Borough Council, all of whom are represented on the board of the company ? DSIC Ltd ? set up to oversee the initiative.

There are currently three major components to the DSIC. The Daresbury Innovation Centre is a state-of-the-art facility designed to attract entrepreneurial science and technology-based businesses and there are already more than 60 businesses housed in the Centre, ranging from SMEs to footholds of large corporate institutions.

Daresbury Innovation Centre

Alongside the Innovation Centre, the Cockcroft Institute for Accelerator Science and Technology is housed in its own purpose-built premises. A joint venture between the Universities of Lancaster, Liverpool and Manchester, and the STFC, the Institute provides a new critical mass of intellectual focus, educational infrastructure and the essential scientific and technological facilities for accelerator research and development. This enables UK scientists and engineers to play a major role in innovating future tools for scientific discoveries through their conception, design, construction and use across the world.

Finally, the STFC?s Daresbury Laboratory is an internationally recognised research centre which hosts major STFC research facilities as well as a number of strategically important resources including supercomputing, e-science and nuclear physics.

HARWELL SCIENCE AND INNOVATION CAMPUS

Airbus wing spar being examined on the ENGIN-X instrument at ISIS

The Harwell Science and Innovation Campus (HSIC) encompasses the STFC?s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory site and UKAEA Harwell interests near Didcot, South Oxfordshire. These public sector participants will very shortly be forming a joint venture company with a privatesector partner to provide very significant ongoing Campus investment.

The partners already enjoy close working relationships with their neighbours on the Campus who include the Diamond Light Source (one of the world?s most powerful x-ray, infrared and ultraviolet light sources which allows for exceptional material imaging), the Medical Research Council and the Health Protection Agency. Early plans and concept designs have been developed which provide incubator space for new businesses, specialist research institutes and conference facilities. This is all integrated with the STFC?s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory research facilities, which include the Central Laser Facility, ISIS (the world?s leading pulsed neutron source) and one of Europe?s largest Space Science and Technology Departments.

THE STFC CAMPUS VISION

It is the vision for both Campuses to become world-leading locations for science and innovation. They will provide opportunities for businesses, universities and other public-sector bodies to:

• Work in an amenity-rich, collaborative environment that promotes exciting new open innovation techniques;
• Access the STFC?s advanced facilities and scientific and technical expertise;
• Access a unique training ground with a highly qualified mix of professionals, ranging from experienced technicians through to dynamic researchers and academics; and
• Collaborate with the STFC and other Campus partners in an exciting and innovative environment with new partnership models.

Contact details
Professor Colin Whitehouse
Director of Campus Strategy
Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus
Daresbury
Cheshire WA4 4AD
Tel: +44 (0)1925 603000
E-mail:
Fax: +44 (0)1925 603100
Website: www.scitech.ac.uk