Cardiff University Innovation Network Mission
The Innovation Network was founded in 1996, with the Mission to “develop a stronger network of links between industry and academia in order to enhance innovation – the successful commercial implementation of ideas.”
The key objectives were :
- To provide opportunities for Business to Business and Business to University links across technical and business disciplines.
- To provide means by which Cardiff University skills and Know-How can be applied to problems in industry.
- To raise awareness of innovation support and good practice for industry.
The Right Environment
The
Lambert Review of Business-University Collaboration of 2003 endorsed the principle of universities and businesses working together, advising that “increased collaboration between business and university research departments will bring significant economic benefits to the UK”.
According to Lambert, universities are potentially very attractive partners for business. “Good academic researchers operate in international networks: they know what cutting-edge work is going on in their field around the world. Unlike corporate or government-owned research facilities, university laboratories are constantly being refreshed by the arrival of clever new brains”.
Interestingly, the biggest single challenge was perceived to lie in "boosting the demand for research from business, rather (than) in increasing the supply of ideas and services from universities". One of the key recommendations of the Review was therefore to encourage “new forms of formal and informal networks between business people and academics.”
Register to become a member of the Innovation Network by filling in the
online membership registration form.