Innovation UK > News > Innovation UK Vol5-2 > Glasgow Caledonian University

We recognise that we can play a central role in supporting businesses with skills, advice, knowledge and know-how, particularly in the current economic climate.

The Applied Knowledge Exchange builds on this agenda as a one-stop physical and virtual portal, providing businesses and the public sector direct access to the expertise of the university?s seven academic schools and centres, guided by its Business Development Team. We aim to stimulate a flow of ideas, practice knowledge and experience between academic specialists and business practitioners.

What we do

• We provide bespoke education programmes & courses for the corporate market.
• We solve business challenges through partnered consultancy, research and development.
• We promote and participate in activities for sustainable economic and social regeneration.

Our expertise

The university has key expertise and facilities across the themes of business and tourism, health, life sciences, the environment, engineering and computing and finally society and justice. We are available to solve business challenges, create transformational solutions or sharpen workforce skills through education, training and workbased learning.

Focus on Research

Our strategic commitment since 2001 to focus on research areas that have a particular application to current needs has been especially successful in two fields: Rehabilitative Health Sciences and the Built and Natural Environment.

Rehabilitative Health Sciences has been highlighted as the top research group in the UK, with 60% of its work judged to be internationally excellent or world-leading. Areas such as ?Understanding the Structure and Function of the Musculoskeletal System in Health and Disease? provide significant clinical insights with both practice and commercially based applications. The latter is re-enforced by our lead role in HealthQWest, an innovative research consortium for the West of Scotland comprising the NHS and five Higher Education Institutions, linking research with practice. The research of the consortium is applicable to the practice of Nursing, Midwifery and the Allied Health Professions (NMAHPs) ? 15 professional groups.

Built and Natural Environment has been placed as the top department for research in Scotland and in the top quartile in the UK, with 60% of its research internationally excellent or world-leading. In this area our partnerships with industry are invaluable. Industry input on current practice allows us to implement and apply research findings with immediate and tangible output in the real world. Building Performance, Construction Management and IT, Environmental Technology and Management are just some of our leading areas of activity. We also boast extensive measurement equipment for Building Performance evaluation and work to support a spectrum of clients in new product development and evaluation. These outstanding performances are backed by international research profiles, including world-class outputs, across a wide spectrum of subjects such as Biomedical Sciences, Vision Sciences and High Voltage Engineering.

In Vision Sciences we undertake multi-disciplinary research of internationally recognised quality in both the basic and clinical sciences. Our research is focused in particular on: Anterior Eye, Visual Development, Oculomotor Function and Visual Psychophysics. Our in-house Eye Clinic provides a state-of-the-art clinical training facility for up to 120 Optometrists and 30 Dispensing Opticians annually.

Biological and Biomedical Science efforts are focused on cell and molecular biomedicine, pharmacological and physiological bioscience plus microbial and food science. Equipped with an UKAS-accredited food science laboratory and internationally renowned experts, we provide an invaluable service to business. A strong belief in commercialisation in this area has led to two spin-out companies, Glycologic and Biopta, six knowledge transfer partnerships and two ?Proof of Concept? awards.

High Voltage Engineering Research is a significant area of growth and new product innovation for Glasgow Caledonian University with extensive industry engagement Europe wide. Work focuses on the development of innovative techniques, instrumentation, electronics and software solutions for the condition monitoring and asset management of high-voltage systems. Additional areas of focus are the fundamental study, analysis, evaluation and forensic examination of solid and liquid insulation materials deployed in high-voltage equipment. The latest product to emerge from this group is PowerTracker?, a novel condition monitoring system for high-voltage transformers. In the course of this development the group secured two Proof of Concept awards. Our work in this area is vital in combating the challenges of ageing national-grid infrastructure throughout the world.

Transformational business knowledge

We believe that business, public sector and third-sector organisations can achieve bigger and better things by working with the Applied Knowledge Exchange at Glasgow Caledonian University. By developing collaborative relationships with corporate, public and third-sector clients, we bridge the gap between the expertise, technology and skills available at Glasgow Caledonian University and your business?s need for innovative, profitable solutions.

If you are curious to know more, contact us! Let us diagnose your need and focus on how we can unlock the potential of your business with our specialist academic knowledge.

For more information contact:
Fiona Stewart-Knight or Dr Andrew McNair
The Applied Knowledge Exchange
Tel: +44 (0) 141 331 3189
E-mail:
Website: www.gcal.ac.uk/appliedknowledgeexchange