The University of Strathclyde is set to benefit from a UK-wide £1 billion funding boost to help create the technologies of tomorrow.
The UK Government funding will expand successful ‘Catapult Centres’ which act as drivers for innovation across the country, including three in which Strathclyde is a partner: the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and the Satellite Applications Catapult.
The funding includes £96 million for Scotland, which will go to the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) – Strathclyde’s lead in the High Value Manufacturing Innovation Centre.
The announcement comes the same day the AFRC secured a further £16.5 million to establish FutureForge, a major new advanced engineering facility that will revolutionise the global hot forging sector.
The Catapult funding round was announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond. He said: “Today’s investment will support innovators across the country to create the technologies of the future, and the better, highly-paid jobs we urgently need.”
Strathclyde Principal Professor Jim McDonald said: “We are proud of our work with business and industry; work which accelerates the development of new technologies, creates jobs, and provides education and training for future leaders. The strategic collaborations we have established with industry and our public sector partners are helping to establish Scotland as an international leader in key manufacturing technologies.
“The Catapult Centres offer world-class facilities and expertise to help businesses become more innovative and grow. I’m delighted that today’s funding will enable us to further this work, supporting more businesses to compete on the world stage.”
AFRC Executive Chair Professor Keith Ridgway CBE added: “We warmly welcome this morning’s news. For a number of years the Advanced Forming Research Centre has been at the heart of manufacturing research and development in Scotland, turning innovative technologies into commercial reality and making manufacturing businesses, of all sizes from across the sector, more competitive in a global market. The funding announcement by the UK Government means we can continue to build on our capabilities.”
