Heriot-Watt University is to be a key player in a Scotland-wide innovation network to support the Scottish food and drink industry.
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is to invest £2.64 million in the Scottish Universities Industry Innovation Network for Food and Drink, which is a partnership of 17 Scottish universities that will work to meet the research and innovation needs of Scottish food and drink companies.
Working in partnership with businesses and their supporting trade sectors, academics from multiple disciplines will work to deliver a range of knowledge exchange projects in areas including food science, supply chain development, waste management, packaging design and marketing for the benefit of industry.
Led by Heriot-Watt University, the University of Aberdeen, and the University of Abertay Dundee, together with Interface - The knowledge connection agency for business, the Network is specifically designed to meet the needs of the Scottish food and drink industry expressed by its members during a consultation process.
SFC will invest £2.64 million over five years to a total funding package of £10.58 million of cash and in-kind investment. The 17 partner universities will contribute £3.1 million of in-kind support, with trade associations such as Scotland Food and Drink and participating companies also providing £4.84 million of cash and in-kind support.
Linking research capacities
Professor David Hopkins, Head of School of Life Sciences said: "Linking the research capacity of the universities in Scotland with the Scottish food and drink industries offers huge potential to bring together the enterprise of the commercial sector with the innovation of the research community.
"At Heriot-Watt we look forward to playing our part in the leadership of the innovation network and exploiting our expertise in, for example, dairy protein chemistry and brewing and distilling science, and in other related disciplines such as logistics research."
Food & drink sector: key to Scotland's economy
Scotland's food and drink industry is a key sector of Scotland's economy, generating over £9.5 billion per year, and employing over 360,000 people. The Scottish Government identified the food and drink industry as one of six key industrial sectors drivers for future economic growth in its Economic Strategy.
Mark Batho, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: "The Funding Council is delighted to invest in this unique network, which will lead to great benefits for Scotland's food and drink industry and increased demand for the excellent research of Scotland's universities. This is the first time such a multi-disciplinary collaboration of researchers, from almost every Scottish university, have come together to focus on a key sector."
Making the announcement at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "Innovation is a fundamental part of any successful industry. The food and drink sector is worth billions of pounds to our economy and has a major contribution to play in securing Scotland's economic recovery.
"The Scottish Government wants to see the sector grow to £12.5 billion by 2017, and I am wholly committed to heralding Scotland's larder both at home and abroad through our Recipe for Success vision. This £2.64 million package will bring together the very best talent and research from academia and business, helping to strengthen and expand every aspect of this crucial industry.
"Linking up with our internationally renowned universities can only increase the sector's global competitiveness and provide a valued contribution to our aim of making Scotland a land of food and drink."
Partner institutions
The 17 partner higher education institutions are:
- University of Aberdeen
- University of Abertay Dundee
- University of Dundee
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Glasgow
- Glasgow Caledonian University
- Heriot-Watt University
- University of the Highlands and Islands
- Edinburgh Napier University
- Robert Gordon University
- University of St Andrews
- University of Strathclyde
- University of Stirling
- Queen Margaret University
- University of the West of Scotland
- Glasgow School of Art
- Scottish Agricultural College
More information
Find out more on the Scottish Funding Council website.