The Glasgow School of Art has joined with five other universities to launch a pioneering initiative that will strengthen commercialisation and innovation across Scotland’s modern and smaller universities and the college sector. The move will make it easier for Scotland’s universities to commercialise research, which has the potential to improve people’s lives, strengthen key economic sectors in Scotland, and reform public services. Supported by the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council, the move will better support the sector in achieving real-world impact.
Led by Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, the Shared Academic Knowledge Exchange Services (ShaKEs) initiative brings together a consortium of universities, including Abertay University, the University of the Highlands and Islands, Robert Gordon University, The Glasgow School of Art, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – alongside Edinburgh College. Together, these institutions will share specialist expertise and professional services to unlock new pathways for research impact, skills development, and economic growth.” says Prof. Penny Macbeth, Director and Principal of the Glasgow School of Art.
“The Glasgow School of Art is delighted to confirm its strong support and participation in the ShaKEs consortium alongside Queen Margaret University and our other specialist HEI partners in Scotland, and is grateful for the support provided by the Scottish Funding Council’s R&I Shared Services Collaboration Fund.” says Prof. Penny Macbeth, Director and Principal of The Glasgow School of Art.
“We strongly support this pioneering initiative, which aligns perfectly with our institutional commitment to becoming an entrepreneurial campus and contributing to national ambitions for a more innovative, fair, sustainable, and creative economy. For small, specialist institutions like the GSA, the potential for more rapid progress lies in tackling common commercialisation challenges together. We require specific approaches that support our specialist creative disciplines, innovation and technology, and the economic contribution they can make.
“ShaKEs will provide the essential shared professional expertise and services, such as contracts and intellectual property support, required to build our collective capacity to translate valuable research and expertise into real-world impact. This collaborative approach ensures we can create sustainable pathways to commercialisation and ensure innovation reaches communities across Scotland.”
Kim Stuart, Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange at QMU, explained: “Academic teams are brilliant at developing pioneering research which has the ability to improve lives, processes, and services, but often they lack the expertise in key areas, such as contracts, legal frameworks, and intellectual property, required to commercialise their projects.
“Despite the fact that many of Scotland’s smaller universities and the college sector are working at the forefront of priority Scottish Government sectors – areas which boost employment and job creation – the limitations of essential basic infrastructure have meant that some valuable research never gets fully developed or used commercially, even though it could have a significant impact on Scotland’s economy and communities. ShaKEs will help provide the “nuts and bolts” services that academics require to translate research into real-world impact, particularly in sectors such as hospitality, food and drink, tourism, social care, creative industries, public and third sectors, and health.”
Sir Paul Grice, QMU’s Principal, confirmed: “Areas like food & drink and social care aren’t usually seen as innovative, but universities and colleges can help change that by turning research into practical solutions. With support from the Scottish Government, ShaKEs will support the development of a shared service model that helps academics and researchers tackle real challenges. The funding will let us test ideas, learn from different perspectives, and develop solutions that are flexible and better suited to Scotland’s diverse needs. Essentially, it will allow us to better support all of the Scottish Government’s priority economic sectors, particularly where skills and research combine to unlock new innovation pathways.”
The new shared ShaKEs service model will develop, test, and evaluate a sustainable shared model for commercialisation and Knowledge Exchange (KE) by:
• Connecting skills with innovation to strengthen Scotland’s innovation ecosystem.
• Creating sustainable pathways to commercialisation through shared professional services.
• Embedding Community Wealth Building principles, ensuring social and environmental outcomes alongside economic benefits.
• Ensuring innovation reaches communities across Scotland.
If the pilot is successful, the service could be rolled out more widely across Scotland’s university and college sector, helping to boost economic growth, strengthen innovation, and ensure that research delivers tangible benefits for society and the economy.
Audrey Cumberford, Principal of Edinburgh College, said: “I am delighted Edinburgh College will play a key role in this consortium with our university partners. Edinburgh College is the college sector’s host college for the National Care Skills Partnership which will take a national and coordinated approach to the provision of skills and qualifications for the health and social care workforce in Scotland and, importantly, support applied innovation across the health and social care landscape. I am particularly pleased therefore that our contributions to this consortium, further developing our alliance with QMU and the Digital Health & Care Institute, will focus on the innovation potential and value in this sector.”
Sir Paul Grice concluded: “This project aligns with many of the Scottish Government’s economic, entrepreneurial, innovation and community wealth building strategies, and will see the university and college teams work collectively to fill the service provision gap. We look forward to using our shared expertise to boost innovation and create new opportunities for Scotland’s people, businesses and communities.”
Minister for Higher and Further Education Ben Macpherson MSP, said: “It is excellent to see this new initiative commencing, which is a very welcome development and should help strengthen the commercialisation and innovation processes involved, by sharing best practice, expertise and professional services. I commend all of those involved in this partnership and look forward to seeing the positive difference working together will make.
“The extraordinary performance of research and innovation in Scotland is one of the great strengths of our university sector. Research undertaken here in Scotland is genuinely world-leading – especially when it comes to collaboration – addressing key global challenges and making positive and meaningful social, economic, and environmental impact, both locally and internationally.”
Access further information about the ShaKEs initiative HERE. For any additional information please contact press@gsa.ac.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Although these universities are smaller in size, together they represent a third of Scotland’s higher education institutions and employ 1,500 academic staff. They already make a significant contribution, generating:
• 4% of the sector’s total Knowledge Exchange income
• 1.5% of consultancy income
• 5% of new spin-outs and staff start-ups in 2023–24
Aligning with national priorities
• ShaKEs builds on lessons from the Scottish Funding Council pilot study and aligns with Scottish Government priorities including the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, new Community Wealth Building legislation, the National Innovation Strategy, and the Entrepreneurial Campus Blueprint.
• ShaKEs aims to support excellence in knowledge exchange and innovation wherever is occurs in Scotland’s universities and colleges. It offers a novel approach to better understand the culture of knowledge exchange across the tertiary education sector in Scotland and the specific needs of all Scottish Government priority economic sectors, particularly where skills and research combine to unlock new innovation pathways.
New posts and funding
• The funding will see the creation of new posts with the option to be located at any of
the partner universities across Scotland.
• The Scottish Government is investing £750k over a 15 month period in the ShaKEs initiative.
About The Glasgow School of Art (GSA).
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is internationally recognised as one of Europe’s leading independent university-level institutions for education and research in the visual creative disciplines. Our studio-based, specialist, practice-led teaching, learning and research draw talented individuals with a shared passion for visual culture and creative production from all over the world.
Originally founded in 1845 as one of the first Government Schools of Design, the School’s history can be traced back to 1753 and the establishment of the Foulis Academy delivering a European-style art education. Today, the GSA is an international community of over 3500 students and staff across architecture, design, fine art, innovation and technology in our campuses in Glasgow and Altyre (in the Scottish Highlands) and a thriving Open Studio programme delivering non-degree provision to over 1500 students annually.
