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Exhibitors demonstrated key strengths in areas such as semiconductors, agricultural technology and Net Zero.
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The event, attended by Welsh Secretary David TC Davies and Science Minister George Freeman, demonstrated the strengths of Welsh R&I and aimed to encourage continued investment in Welsh research.
Welsh universities are carrying out world-leading research that makes vital contributions to the economy and society. This is the message from a special event held in London this week showcasing the best of Welsh research and innovation.
Hosted by the Welsh Office and the Welsh Innovation Network, the event held at Lancaster House on 17 October highlighted the strength and breadth of Welsh university research and its ability to deliver tangible benefits to communities across Wales, the UK and around the world.
With projects ranging from decarbonisation and cyber innovation to virus detection and semiconductor technology, the exhibition demonstrated the diversity of Wales' research and innovation sector and the vital role it must play in boosting the UK economy and providing solutions to some of society's most important problems. pressing challenges.
Wales is already leading the way in areas as diverse as MedTech, AgriTech and Net Zero and has a world-leading compound semiconductor group driving innovation in a technology used in almost all mobile phones on the market today.
Collaboration is also a key strength of the Welsh sector, and many of the projects on display involve partnerships between a number of Welsh universities.
The UK Government has committed to investing almost ยฃ40 billion in research and development between 2022 and 2025. Welsh universities are well positioned to access more research funding with a drive to increase funding to areas of the UK out of south-east England by at least 40% by 2030.
Welsh Secretary David TC Davies and Science Minister George Freeman were among those attending the event which featured 20 exhibits, including an insight into digital imaging technology based on human vision and demonstrations on future applications. of nuclear energy.
Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said:
It was my pleasure to welcome Welsh universities to this very special event and demonstrate the UK Government's commitment to the higher education sector. It was a great opportunity for UKRI to learn about some of the incredible research and innovation already taking place in Wales across our universities.
I want Welsh universities to play a vital role in positioning the UK at the forefront of R&D, and I hope this event has helped us move towards that common goal.
Professor Paul Boyle, Chair of the Welsh Innovation Network and Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University, said:
We welcome this opportunity to showcase some of the fantastic research and innovation taking place at Welsh universities.
The purpose of the Welsh Innovation Network is to strengthen research and innovation in Wales by facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration, so it was particularly positive to see many of the projects on display demonstrating the value of collaborative working across universities in Wales.
We will continue to showcase the strengths of Welsh research and welcome greater engagement with government and stakeholders to continue to increase funding for research and innovation at Welsh universities.
With a sustainably funded R&I sector we can continue to create economic and social impact for this and future generations.
Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Chief Executive of UKRI, said:
There are notable strengths in research and innovation in Welsh universities and in the Welsh research and innovation system generally. On my visits to Wales and meetings with Welsh stakeholders, I have spoken to many brilliant people, including early-career researchers and entrepreneurs, technicians, local communities and global research leaders.
Welsh universities are very successful in securing research funding across the UK, with similar success rates to the rest of the UK. These projects powerfully demonstrate how Welsh universities are driving research across a wide range of areas and driving innovation and economic growth, benefiting the whole of the UK and beyond.
Grades
- All nine universities in Wales (Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff University, Open University of Wales, Swansea University, University of South Wales, University of Wales Trinity St David's and University of Wrexham) participated at the Lancaster House event.
- Joint teams from different universities participated in some of the 20 R&D exhibitions.
- The event brought together representatives from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the Wales Office and the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology with the aim of encouraging greater funding for Welsh research.
- In the latest UK-wide research quality assessment (REF 2021), published last summer, 89% of Welsh university research was rated as internationally excellent or world-leading in impact. You can find a selection of REF impact case studies here.
- Wales Innovation Work (WIN) is a collaborative initiative created to strengthen research and innovation in Wales. The Network has four main objectives:
- Increase the competitiveness of Welsh research and innovation by facilitating collaboration to build innovative and distinctive projects.
- Leverage strategic investment in Wales by working with the right partners to deliver impactful research and innovation.
- Champion Welsh research and innovation by communicating the strengths, scope and impact of the sector.
- Facilitate the exchange of facilities, equipment and practices between Welsh universities to strengthen the infrastructure and research environment.
- Universities Wales is a membership body representing the interests of the nine universities in Wales. We develop higher education policy, provide political and stakeholder engagement, and campaign on issues in which our members have a shared interest. www.uniswales.ac.uk
