Scotland's 'Interface' links businesses, researchers

Siobhán Jordan, Interface’s director

Nicol Stephen, Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, launched the programme, called Interface, earlier this month, saying it would give a much-needed boost to Scotland's business R&D rate, create new business opportunities and increase revenue.  

The aim is to increase knowledge transfer from universities and at the same time increase corporate investment in R&D. "In Scotland, we have an internationally competitive university knowledge base. We produce 1 per cent of the world's published research with only 0.1 per cent of the population.”

But business spending on R&D, especially among small companies, is low. "It is vitally important that we find ways to improve this position," said Stephen.     

Interface is being run by a small team of experts based at the University of Edinburgh, led by director Siobhán Jordan. They act as a single access point for industry to tap Scotland's university research resources, including specialist expertise, consultancy, industrial placements and access to equipment and facilities.

A web site, http://www.interface-online.org.uk/, providing information on all the university resources, is free and open to anyone.  

Examples of successful partnerships featured on the site include a short-term consultancy with academic experts, development of a pharmaceutical analysis service for clients, a collaboration with a pharmaceutical company, and specific solutions such as the development of safe waste disposal and remediation methodologies.      

The Interface team can point users at potential funding sources to support company-academic projects, as well as providing other services.      

The Scottish Funding Council will provide £290,000 per year for Interface, with another £217,500 coming from the Scottish Innovation Action Programme, part of the European Regional Development Fund).