The ‘golden triangle’ of business, government and universities must work together better to drive economic growth across the West of England, a major conference at the University of Bath will be told this week.
The event on Wednesday will explore how the three-way collaboration could contribute to the ‘powerhouse’ agenda and support the government’s Industrial Strategy to create an economy that boosts productivity and earning power.
Keynote speakers will be Ken Owen, supply chain director for EDF Energy’s Hinkley Point C, and Prof Per Holten-Andersen, president of Copenhagen Business School. They will illustrate how the approach can turbocharge regional economies and upskill the national workforce to equip them for high-quality jobs of the future.
The event will be opened by Prof Jens Roehrich, director of the Hinkley Point C Supply Chain Innovation Lab at the university and chaired by Prof Veronica Hope Hailey, Dean of the School of Management and vice-president corporate engagement.
They will be joined by an expert panel including:
- George McFarlane, sector development director at the CBI
- West of England Mayor Tim Bowles
- Derek Allen, innovation lead, energy clean growth and infrastructure at Innovate UK
- Matthew Kirk, international affairs adviser at global law firm Squire Patton Boggs
- Prof Beverly Tyler from North Carolina State University
Prof Hope Hailey said collaboration between universities, business and policymakers was a force for social and economic good and essential to support the goals of the Industrial Strategy.
“The government points to ‘ideas’ and ‘places’ as foundations of productivity, and universities are a natural source of research, innovation and expertise throughout our regions,” she said.
“The University of Bath’s School of Management is the leading business school in the South West and we are proudly forging effective collaboration through our work with the NHS, our Productivity through People leadership development programme, and partnerships with companies such as EDF Energy.”
Keynote speaker Ken Owen added: “A project the scale of Hinkley Point C has the potential to be a game-changer for the regional economy, but this can only be realised by us all coming together to identify innovative ways of working.
“It is important to me that the benefits of the project outlive the construction process and provide a lasting economic and skills legacy in the South West and beyond that can help power the UK’s industrial future.”
Mayor Tim Bowles said the West of England’s world-class universities were at the heart of its success, with innovation arising from business and university collaboration driving productivity and pioneering new thinking.
“Building on these powerful collaborations to develop shared purpose and ambition across government, business and universities will be crucial in developing a Local Industrial Strategy for the West of England,” he said.
University of Bath is starting a number of existing collaborations aimed at boosting the economy, including:
- The HPC Supply Chain Innovation Lab – a partnership between the university’s School of Management and EDF Energy which connects business leaders, policymakers and academics in the field of complex supply chains and megaprojects. It will provide insight into how to integrate local small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), driving employment opportunities and contributing to the prosperity of the region.
- A £40m national Institute of Coding (IoC), led by the university, to help fill the UK’s digital skills shortage, as well as attracting more people from underrepresented groups into the sector. The Institute’s vision is to enhance the education and employability of every IoC learner and ensure that employers and individuals across the UK can access the skills they need to compete in the global digital economy.
- A Productivity through People leadership development programme for small and medium-sized businesses in the South West devised by the School of Management in partnership with four world-class companies – Babcock International, BAE Systems, EDF Energy and Rolls-Royce. The programme is designed to support and invest in business leaders of the future.
- The £60M Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems, to be built at the Bristol & Bath Science Park, will lead the development of future generations of ultra-low emission vehicles and attract sector-related businesses to the region, generating economic growth.
The event starts at 5.30pm with a small display of some of these research collaboration projects. Tea and coffee available. The keynote presentations, panel discussion and Q&A take place between 6pm and 7.30pm and will be followed by a networking drinks reception until 8pm with further opportunity to view the research display and talk to academic staff.
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