Cardiff Innovation System: Update

Professor Hywel ThomasPro Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement

Yr Athro Hywel Thomas, Dirprwy Is-Ganghellor, Ymchwil, Arloesi a Menter

Outline

• Ambition and benefits of the Cardiff Innovation System

• Innovation System Team and Steering Group

• Update on the Capital Developments (site configuration, phase 1 of the innovation buildings, timetable)

• Wider updates on the Innovation System• Business Engagement Review• Compound Semiconductor Foundation• Clinical Innovation• Economic and Social Impact Analysis

• Communication and Engagement

• Questions and Answers

Our Ambitions and Targets

Cardiff University’s ambition is to be known as an innovation University, recognised as a powerful engine for growth and for tackling the scientific, economic and policy challenges of the future.

We will attract inward investments, drive prosperity, health and sustainable growth in Wales and give the nation a competitive advantage in national and international markets.

Targets (2017):

• Active engagement and involvement of strategic partners, with 3-5 co-locating elements of their R&D on University premises;

• 10% increase in industry funding per annum;

• 50% of UG students to have employment related experience;

• 10% increase in research income.

Principles and Values

• Research excellence and outstanding professional performance

• Enhancing student experience & achievement

• Partnership and interdisciplinary co-operation

• Embedding innovation and enterprise

• Social responsibility and engagement with wider society

What are the expected benefits?

• Creation of additional state-of-the-art facilities

• High-quality collaborations with other HEIs worldwide

• Support for research excellence with impact

• Responses to the critical global issues of our time

• Enhancement of academic profile and international reputation

• Additional funding to support research and innovation endeavour

• Better opportunities for student engagement with industry

• Support for student entrepreneurship and enterprise education

• Generation of an enterprising and innovation-focused culture

What are the wider economic benefits?

• Contribution to the city-region and national economic development

• Translation of research excellence into economic and social benefits

• Facilities to foster high-quality collaborations with business, industry and government organisations

• Encouragement of the co-location of RD&I activities of our strategic partners

• Demonstration of our commitment to stimulating the Welsh economy

Innovation System Steering Group (reporting to University Executive Board)

Professor Hywel ThomasPVC Research, Innovation & Engagement

Dr Dave BemboDeputy Director of RIS and Head of Research Development

Dev BiddlecombeDirector of Estates

Professor Rick DelbridgeDean of Research, Innovation & Enterprise

Professor Keith HardingDean of Clinical Innovation

Professor Kevin MorganDean of Engagement, AHSS

TJ RawlinsonDirector of Development & Alumni Relations

Claire SandersDirector of Communications & Marketing

Professor Carole TuckerDirector of Learning & Teaching, PHYSX

Professor Roger WhitakerDean of Research, PSE

Innovation System Team

Sarah WoodsProject Officer

Sally O’ConnorProject Manager (SPARK)

Joy MarsdenProject Manager (TRF)

Elin Lloyd JonesProject Manager (Innovation Centre)

Rhys ThomasHead of Innovation System and Engagement

Richard DuffyAdmin Assistant

Heath JeffriesInnovation Communications Manager

Capital Developments

University Council considered the two building business cases at the July 6 meeting.

FUNDINGAPPROVED

Proposed Site Configuration (Phase 1 and 2)

Parking

C&D: Phase 2 Buildings

B: Innovation Building

A: Translational Research Facility

A

B

C&D

Proposed Site Configuration (Phase 1 and 2)

Timetable for Phase 1

Milestone Date

Internal Cardiff University approval of business cases

6 July 2015 (APPROVED)

Planning application submitted and PQQ issued to contractor

4 December 2015

Stage 1 & 2 sign-off and scheme design

15 January 2016

Stage 3 sign-off – tender award 19 August 2016

Stage 4 sign-off – completion 14 September 2018

Stage 5 sign-off – closure 4 October 2019

Building A: Translational Research Facility

Translational Research Facility for Catalysis and Semiconductors

(Building A on the map)

c.12,000m2

£76.9M

The TRF will house laboratory space to support excellent research alongside facilities with a specific focus on industrial

engagement and collaboration.

Cardiff Catalysis Institute

• Leading UK catalysis facility

• Partnership with Max Planck Society – MAXNET Energy Programme

• Growing industrial collaboration through dedicated facilities

• Catalysis testing• Specialist high-pressure labs• Wet labs• Dry labs• Furnace room• Industrial collaboration lab• Advanced kinetics lab

• Enabling new collaborations and funding opportunities to address key environmental challenges, eg energy supply, water purification, food-manufacturing

Institute for Compound Semiconductors

• Establishment of Compound Semiconductor Foundation – approved by Council May 2015 – Joint Venture with IQE Plc

• £17.3M UKRPIF funding secured from UK Government

• £12M funding secured from Welsh Government

• Appointment of Sêr Cymru academic – Professor Diana Huffaker

• Strong industry pull and responding to growing markets

• Wide-ranging technology applications

• Promoting excellent research and access to Horizon 2020

• Seeding Europe’s 5th semiconductor cluster

Building B: Innovation Building

Innovation Building(Building B on the map)

c.12,000m2

£49.8M

The Innovation Building will create a stimulating setting for creative interaction and collaboration, allowing for the space and support necessary both to accelerate start-up growth and achieve a step-change in promoting impactful inter-disciplinary research, translational and innovation activity.

Innovation Centre

• Heart of the Innovation System and the University’s front door to business

• Increasing the successful translation of research and innovation processes into new and improved commercial products, processes and services

• Co-location of strategic partners

• Supporting the commercialisation of existing research

• Fostering a culture of innovation and enterprise

• Focal point for the University’s business engagement, and student enterprise and entrepreneurship

• Incubation, grow-on and commercial letting space

Social Science Research Park

• Concept developed with strategic partners including Nesta, Cardiff Council, Welsh Government, ONS, IBM and the ESRC

• Generating economic, environmental and social value through co-developing innovative and effective solutions to societal challenges

• Co-locating researchers and key stakeholders

• Developing a more innovation-oriented and entrepreneurial culture

• Supporting and developing innovative knowledge-based clusters, eg in big data, logistics and public service innovation

• Attracting high-calibre global talent and retaining skilled graduates within the Welsh economy

• Creating a global leader of translational social science research

Public Realm and Shared Space

Public Realm c.£8M:• Car parking• Footbridge between Cardiff Innovation Campus and the

Business School, with disability and cycle access• Upgrades and increased capacity to the existing

services on the site (electricity, drainage, waste management);

Innovation Building will provide:• Welcoming entrance and reception area • Exhibition, meeting and conference space• Eating, drinking, networking – providing main catering

facilities, café, restaurant and bar areas• Games room with exercise and shower facilities for

campus tenants• Meeting rooms for use by tenants, staff and other• TV/audio recording studio

Twyford Station, Berkshire – c.£6M (2009)

Winchester Station Footbridge – c.£2M (2009)

Business Engagement Review

• Convened at the request of the Chief Operating Officer and chaired by Rhys Thomas

• Task & finish group consisting of Colleges and Professional Services

• Tasks undertaken:• External literature review of business-university engagement• Consultations with staff regarding the benefits of collaboration, existing support structures, and

motivations and barriers to working with industry• Review of policies which support and facilitate business engagement activities• Consultations with external organisations regarding experiences of working with Cardiff

University and HEIs in general, what they require from the University and what the barriers are

• Report with initial recommendations in development – aiming to be discussed at UEB in September

Economic and Social Impact Analysis

• Report developed to assess economic and social impact of Cardiff University.

• To be considered at UEB in Autumn 2015.

Next Steps

• Monthly steering groups for the development of building projects now set up:• TRF chaired by Professor Karen Holford, PVC PSE• Innovation Building chaired by Professor George Boyne, PVC AHSS

• Next two innovation buildings on Cardiff Innovation Campus

• Consider the outcomes of the Business Engagement Review and discuss at UEB level

• Work more closely with the Creative Economy Project

• Medicentre?

• Take forward actions of the Innovation Away Day regarding an ethos of innovation

Communication and Engagement

• New innovation webpages: www.cardiff.ac.uk/innovation

• New e-newsletter ‘Innovation Matters’: sign-up via http://eepurl.com/br9GVb or use the email below

• For queries, please contact Innovationsystem@cardiff.ac.uk

Cardiff Innovation: A Summary

• A great opportunity to generate collective impact, enhancing our academic profile and international reputation

• A systematic and sustained approach to developing and enhancing the University’s physical infrastructure, contributing to the breadth of the science and innovation ecosystem

• A set of exciting and interconnected proposals delivering benefits which spill over into the wider society and economy

• Distinctive facilities to foster high-quality collaborations and partnerships with business, industry and government organisations

• A significant contributor to the city-region and national economic development effort

Questions?

Thank you

For further queries, please email innovationsystem@cardiff.ac.uk