Scottish Research and Innovation Futures: Shifting to a more productive, more innovative economy
Digitalisation of Scotland’s economy and society is already bringing about profound changes in the nature and method of work. In the recovery period from the pandemic, there is a real opportunity to shift to a more productive, more innovative economy, and research and innovation are key enablers of that shift.
These enablers of the recovery will be discussed in a series of workshops being organised by KTN and the Scottish research pool-led initiative, Research Innovation Scotland (RIS). The RIS workshop series aims to influence policy makers and funders about where funding should be directed, in alignment with Scotland’s research and innovation strengths and the UK’s key challenge areas.
The first workshop on Health & Wellbeing was held last month, and continuing in the series, this second workshop themed around economic development and enterprise will focus on digitalisation and digital infrastructure, low carbon, sustainable manufacturing and skills for the future.
This workshop aims to explore how collaborative research and innovation can build on the Government’s vision of Scotland’s Digital future and Scotland’s Green Economic Recovery to create economic growth, and feed the high value skills pipeline to address the challenges and exploit the opportunities ahead.
Chairing the workshop and panel session is KTN’s CEO, Dr Alicia Greated, who will be joined by: Gillian Docherty, CEO of The Data Lab; Professor Sir Jim McDonald, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde; and Alistair Forbes, Fellow in Mathematical Modelling and Experimental Data Analysis at NPL.
Dr Greated said:
“Working together with the RIS partners we are committed to making a significant contribution to helping Scotland achieve its ambitious targets in areas such as wellbeing, climate and economic development.
“The second workshop in the series will focus on manufacturing and green economic recovery, and digital infrastructure. These topics are critical to delivering future prosperity and to supporting the societal change aligned to broader Government policies and at KTN we are excited to bring our unrivalled oversight and connectivity to help build strong alliances of organisations determined to deliver such positive change.”
Co-leaders of the workshop are Dr Caroline Cantley, Executive Director of SRPe (Scottish Research Partnership in Engineering) and Prof Stuart Anderson, Director of SICSA (Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance): “As we move towards our digital future and Net Zero 2045 a pan-Scottish approach to collaborative research and innovation is essential to address the challenges and opportunities ahead, and to support delivery of the Scottish Government’s vision of Scotland’s Digital future and post-pandemic Green Economic Recovery.”
At the end of the workshop series, RIS and KTN will publish a report with recommendations on future funding policies in Scotland, the wider UK and internationally, with the aim of promoting Scotland’s research and innovation, and forming new and enhanced connections across sectors, disciplines and nations.