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STV News
15 hours ago
- Business
- STV News
Glasgow secures £30m UK Government boost for innovation and tech
Glasgow is set to receive at least £30m in funding from the UK Government as part of a wider investment drive aimed at boosting science and technology across the UK's regions. The city is one of three regions – alongside Belfast-Derry and Cardiff – being backed by the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, a £500m pot designed to help local areas shape research priorities in collaboration with businesses, universities and local authorities. Officials say funding could support a wide range of sectors, from AI and engineering to green energy and life sciences. It could also build on Glasgow's existing strengths such as medical technology and satellite manufacture. Science minister Lord Vallance said the funding helps 'unlock new, locally led innovation that can improve lives across the country.' He said: 'The Glasgow City Region has a proud history of transformative innovation and by working with local leaders who know their city best, this fund can help capitalise on the skills and drive that have earned that global reputation as a hub of science and technology. 'That could mean bolstering Glasgow's space cluster to unlock new opportunities beyond our planet or building on its history of cutting-edge medical technology, but ultimately this can back a wide range of research which can improve everyday lives and help deliver our Plan for Change for the UK.' The funding was first announced ahead of last month's UK Government spending review and is part of a broader £86bn commitment to research and development through to 2030. Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill said: 'This £30m investment in Glasgow City Region is great news. We are backing Glasgow's world-class expertise in areas like medical technology and advanced manufacturing while supporting local jobs and skills. 'The UK Government is committed to unleashing Scotland's innovation potential and driving economic growth right across our country. Ensuring Scotland at the forefront of the technologies that will shape our future.' Susan Aitken, Chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet and Leader of Glasgow City Council said: 'This investment is very welcome and testament to Glasgow City Region's continuing track record of delivery. 'The Glasgow Economic Leadership Board, co-chaired by myself and Prof Sir Jim McDonald, made an exceptionally strong case for Glasgow being the recipient of this support. 'We have the capacity, the experience and the thriving innovation ecosystems capable of translating investment into the type of growth supported by both the UK and Scottish Government. 'Given Glasgow's reputation as a centre of ingenuity and a City Region committed to equity, this investment can help take forward our ambitions for truly inclusive growth and innovation.' Glasgow had already been part of an Innovation Accelerator pilot scheme, which aimed to supercharge regional economies through targeted funding and industry partnerships. That pilot is credited with helping bring in more than £140m in private investment and creating hundreds of jobs across Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and Glasgow. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Glasgow Times
17 hours ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow gets £30m funding boost for innovation projects
The city will get at least £30m from the UK Government Local Innovation Fund. Lord Vallance, UK science minister, announced the cash, which could be used for key growth sectors including medical technology, life sciences, and the city's space satellite sector. The money comes from the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) of up to £500m, announced ahead of last month's Spending Review to empower local leaders with skin in the game. It will help target innovation investment and make the most of their communities' expertise to unleash discoveries that benefit us all and grow the economy as part of our Plan for Change. Glasgow City Region, Belfast-Derry/Londonderry and Cardiff were the three regions chosen to benefit after talks between the UK Government and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The decision to earmark at least £30m to three high-potential areas in Glasgow, Belfast-Derry/Londonderry and Cardiff was reached following collaboration between the UK Government and the governments of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Seven regions of England were also announced as recipients last month - spanning the North-East to Greater Manchester, Liverpool to London. Lord Vallance said: 'The Glasgow City Region has a proud history of transformative innovation and by working with local leaders who know their city best, this fund can help capitalise on the skills and drive that have earned that global reputation as a hub of science and technology. 'That could mean bolstering Glasgow's space cluster to unlock new opportunities beyond our planet or building on its history of cutting-edge medical technology, but ultimately this can back a wide range of research which can improve everyday lives and help deliver our Plan for Change for the UK.' Kirsty McNeill, Scotland Office minister said: "This £30 million investment in Glasgow City Region is great news. We are backing Glasgow's world-class expertise in areas like medical technology and advanced manufacturing while supporting local jobs and skills 'The UK Government is committed to unleashing Scotland's innovation potential and driving economic growth right across our country. Ensuring Scotland at the forefront of the technologies that will shape our future.'
Business News Wales
19-07-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Cardiff University to Share in £54m Global Talent Fund to Attract Top Researchers
Cardiff University is set to share in a £54 million fund to attract top researchers to the UK. It is one of 12 leading universities and research institutions which will deliver the Global Talent Fund. It is designed to attract a total of 60-80 top researchers – both lead researchers and their teams – to the UK, working in the eight high priority sectors named in the UK Government's Industrial Strategy, such as life sciences and digital technologies. The UK Government says that each of the selected institutions has a track record of recruiting and supporting top international R&D talent, as well as securing international competitive research funding to the UK. They are empowered to develop their own approaches and plans to spend their share of the Global Talent Fund to attract research talent from the around the globe in their choice of Industrial Strategy areas, including covering visa and relocation costs for researchers and their family members. Cardiff University's Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner said: 'We are delighted to have secured this funding to help us attract the world's best minds to Cardiff and Wales. 'It is a clear endorsement of our standing and place in the UK research community and sends a clear message that we are well-positioned to attract global talent. It will enable us to support more of the world's leading academics in Wales – helping to further boost our research capacity and global reputation in key research areas.' The institutions selected to deliver the Global Talent Fund are: University of Bath Queen's University Belfast University of Birmingham University of Cambridge Cardiff University Imperial College London John Innes Centre MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology University of Oxford University of Southampton University of Strathclyde University of Warwick Science Minister Lord Vallance said: 'Genius is not bound by geography. But the UK is one of the few places blessed with the infrastructure, skills base, world-class institutions and international ties needed to incubate brilliant ideas, and turn them into new medicines that save lives, new products that make our lives easier, and even entirely new jobs and industries. Bringing these innovations to life, here in Britain, will be critical to delivering this Government's Plan for Change. 'My message to the bold and the brave who are advancing new ideas, wherever they are, is: our doors are open to you. We want to work with you, support you, and give you a home where you can make your ideas a reality we all benefit from.' The Global Talent Fund is administered by UKRI and is part of over £115 million funding dedicated to attracting scientific and research talent to the UK. In addition to this fund, two fellowships have been launched aimed at bringing groundbreaking AI research teams to UK organisations and labs: the £25 million Turing AI 'Global' Fellowships, as well as a UK-based expansion of the Encode: AI for Science Fellowship. Alongside this, two new fast-track research grant routes have been announced by the National Academies – including £30 million from the Royal Society for a Faraday Discovery Fellowship accelerated international route, part-funded by their £250 million DSIT endowment. The Royal Academy of Engineering has announced a similar fast track international route, as part of its £150 million Green Future Fellowships endowment from DSIT – this funding will ensure the UK competes for the best global talent in science and research. Researchers looking to relocate to the UK can also benefit from the Choose Europe scheme, thanks to the UK's association to Horizon Europe. All will be supported by the Global Talent Taskforce. Launched as part of the Industrial Strategy, the taskforce will report directly to the Prime Minister and Chancellor, and support researchers, scientists and engineers as well as top-tier investors, entrepreneurs and managerial talent to bring their skills to Britain. Work to cultivate top AI research talent in the UK is further bolstered through the Spärck AI scholarships, which will provide full funding for master's degrees at nine leading UK universities specialising in artificial intelligence and STEM subjects. These scholarships will open for applications in Spring 2026. Postgraduate research will also be supported broadly, with £500 million UKRI funding supporting students at 45 higher education institutions to study projects in biological, engineering and physical, and natural and environmental sciences. The IMF estimates that breakthroughs in AI alone could boost productivity by as much as 1.5 percentage points a year, which could be worth up to an average £47 billion to the UK each year over a decade. Other technologies could be gamechangers too: quantum computing could add over £11 billion to the UK's GDP by 2045, while engineering biology could drive anywhere between £1.6-£3.1 trillion in global impact by 2040. Professor Christopher Smith, International Champion at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), said: 'Global challenges from climate change to energy security, food systems to antimicrobial resistance do not respect borders, and neither should the research and innovation required to address them. Time and again, international collaboration has driven transformative breakthroughs: from the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN, to the global effort to decode the complex wheat genome, enabling the development of high-yield, climate-resilient crops that support food security worldwide. The impact of global partnerships is clear. 'The Global Talent Fund is a vital part of UKRI's mission to support an open, dynamic, and diverse research and innovation system. By supporting our brilliant research institutions to attract outstanding individuals from across the world and foster collaboration between nations, we are strengthening the UK's position at the heart of the global knowledge economy. This fund aligns with our enduring commitment to international engagement, and to working together to shape a better future for all.'
The National
18-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Geniuses wanted: UK universities share £54m fund to lure top researchers
Twelve leading universities and research organisations have been selected to deliver a £54 million government fund to recruit world-leading researchers to the UK. The Global Talent Fund, administered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), aims to attract up to 80 researchers in high-priority sectors such as life sciences and digital technologies. The 12 selected universities and research institutions across Britain have secured an equal share of the fund. They are: Bath, Queen's Belfast, Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Imperial College London, Oxford, Southampton, Strathclyde and Warwick universities, as well as the John Innes Centre and MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology. The five-year government fund, which starts in 2025/26, will cover all eligible costs with no requirement for match funding from research organisations. Visa and relocation costs for researchers and their family members will be covered by the fund. Science minister Lord Vallance said: 'Genius is not bound by geography. But the UK is one of the few places blessed with the infrastructure, skills base, world-class institutions and international ties needed to incubate brilliant ideas, and turn them into new medicines that save lives, new products that make our lives easier, and even entirely new jobs and industries. 'Bringing these innovations to life, here in Britain, will be critical to delivering this government's Plan For Change. 'My message to the bold and the brave who are advancing new ideas, wherever they are, is: our doors are open to you. 'We want to work with you, support you, and give you a home where you can make your ideas a reality we all benefit from.' Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: 'The UK is home to some of the world's best universities which are vital for attracting international top talent. 'Supported by our new Global Talent Taskforce, the Global Talent Fund will cement our position as a leading choice for the world's top researchers to make their home here, supercharging growth and delivering on our Plan For Change.'
Powys County Times
18-07-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Universities awarded funding to help recruit ‘world's top researchers' to UK
A group of leading universities and research organisations has been selected to deliver a £54 million Government fund to recruit world-leading researchers to the UK. The Global Talent Fund, administered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), aims to attract up to 80 researchers in high-priority sectors such as life sciences and digital technologies. Twelve universities and research institutions across the UK have secured an equal share of the fund to help bring some of the world's foremost researchers and their teams to the UK. The institutions selected are: University of Bath; Queen's University Belfast; University of Birmingham; University of Cambridge; Cardiff University; Imperial College London; University of Oxford; University of Southampton; University of Strathclyde; University of Warwick; John Innes Centre and MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology. The five-year Government fund, which starts in 2025/26, will cover all eligible costs with no requirement for match funding from research organisations. Visa and relocation costs for researchers and their family members will be covered by the fund. Science minister Lord Vallance said: 'Genius is not bound by geography. But the UK is one of the few places blessed with the infrastructure, skills base, world-class institutions and international ties needed to incubate brilliant ideas, and turn them into new medicines that save lives, new products that make our lives easier, and even entirely new jobs and industries. 'Bringing these innovations to life, here in Britain, will be critical to delivering this Government's Plan For Change. 'My message to the bold and the brave who are advancing new ideas, wherever they are, is: our doors are open to you. 'We want to work with you, support you, and give you a home where you can make your ideas a reality we all benefit from.' Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: 'The UK is home to some of the world's best universities which are vital for attracting international top talent. 'Supported by our new Global Talent Taskforce, the Global Talent Fund will cement our position as a leading choice for the world's top researchers to make their home here, supercharging growth and delivering on our Plan For Change.'
