Research and development facility in line for innovation award

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The University of Nottingham Innovation Park (UNIP) has been shortlisted for a prestigious innovation award.

Built on the site of the former Raleigh factory and adjacent to the University of Nottingham’s Jubilee Campus, UNIP opened its first phase in 2008 and has continued to grow ever since with a further three buildings currently under construction.

UNIP has been shortlisted in the ‘Open Collaboration’ category of the Lord Stafford Awards for innovation. The awards recognise, showcase and celebrate the best in collaboration between business and academia.

In addition to providing high quality business and conference space, the Innovation Park features a host of different centres aimed at encouraging closer working between business and the University.

These include the Ingenuity Programme, a collaborative partnership between Nottingham, Derby and Nottingham Trent Universities designed to encourage greater interaction and knowledge transfer into SMEs.

And the Technology Demonstrator facility is aimed at showcasing technology and academic research to an external audience.

Three new buildings are currently under construction – the Energy Technology Centre, the Institute for Mental Health Building and the Aerospace Centre – all due for completion in 2012.

Bob Scott, UNIP Operations Director, said: “Although the concept of UNIP originated from the University, it addresses the need for the East Midlands to create a nationally recognised centre for research and collaboration in key economic sectors.

“This has been vital in ensuring, as UNIP has grown, partners including the East Midlands Development Agency, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, British Geological Survey and private sector businesses have come on board with the universities.

“Of course, the key is the involvement of business interacting and innovating – and UNIP was designed with this in mind from the outset.”

Lord Stafford, Patron of the Awards, said: “In a relatively short period of time, UNIP has become a major research and development centre and has made excellent strides to build links with businesses.

“It truly is a fantastic facility and clearly there is still more to come. I wish UNIP and everybody involved all the best for the awards final.”

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony being held at the University of Birmingham Great Hall on Thursday November 17.