Written evidence submitted by United
Kingdom Science Park Association (UKSPA) (TIC 53)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Over the last two decades, the emergence
and growth of science parks throughout the UK has helped create
many thousands of scientific, technical knowledge-based businesses.
These companies locate in a science park (or innovation centre/
innovation-based Incubator) to take advantage of a variety of
services ranging from financial advice through to marketing support.
1.2 Science parks nurture, support and provide
their tenant companies with access to the very best information,
knowledge and expert advice that helps to deliver their tenants
future growth and expansion. UKSPA is keen to stress that the
Association, Science Park Managers and Developers are therefore
ideally placed to contribute to Government ambitions to continue
to exploit science and technology through commercialisation.
2. ABOUT UKSPA
AND SCIENCE
PARKS
2.1 The United Kingdom Science Park Association
is the UK's authoritative body on the planning, development and
creation of Science, Technology and Innovation Parks that support
and develop innovative, high-growth, knowledge-based companies.
2.2 Members of UKSPA have been in the business
of creating the right environment to support both the creation
and growth of technology-based businesses for over 25 years. The
origins of UKSPA date back to the early 1980s when a number of
universities in the UK recognised that the era of the knowledge-based
business had arrived, and pooled their experience so that they
could guide others pursuing similar interests.
2.3 Science parks nurture, support and provide
their tenant companies with access to the very best information,
knowledge and expert advice that helps to deliver their tenants
future growth and expansion.
3. EXISTING UK
SCIENCE AND
INNOVATION PARKS
3.1 UKSPA member parks are actively engaged in
innovation-led incubation, providing space for specialist groups
of companies that want to work with the UK's research base and
so helping technology companies develop using the UK's immense
skills in science and technology. Our members are helping to build
the UK's corporate tax base by supporting the formation and growth
of new generations of technology based firms.
3.2 We would like to stress that existing Science
and Technology Parks are uniquely placed to help the Coalition
Government meet the need to continue to exploit science and technology
through commercialisation.
3.3 Our member parks provide the environment
for specialist groups of companies that want to work with the
UK's research base and helping technology companies develop using
the UK's immense skills in science and technology. Our members
are helping to build the UK's corporate tax base by supporting
the formation and growth of new generations of technology based
firms.
3.4 Science and Technology Parks perform a key
function acting as an interface between business and centres of
knowledge such as universities, government funded laboratories,
hospitals, and in some instances corporate laboratories, with
the purpose of helping to commercialise ideas that arise from
the UK's research base.
4. THE FRAUENHOFER
MODEL
4.1 As Herman Hauser stressed in his initial
Report to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills "The
remit of this review does not therefore include the important
role played by University Technology Transfer Offices, Science
Parks, centres and labs that support public policy …. or
clusters, each of which have a key role in the innovation ecosystem."
4.2 The Frauenhofer model may be applicable to
the UK, but care has to be taken not to simply introduce another
"initiative", no matter how well it might be working
in other countries. We strongly advise that Interested Parties
work with the United Kingdom Science Park Association to audit
the capacity of the existing science parks, technology parks and
research parks to deliver the innovation agenda before investing
in any future models of delivery.
4.3 We believe there are existing science and
research parks delivering customer-led innovations, but they are
not referred to as Frauenhofer centres. We do not believe it is
necessary, nor valuable to try to identify other models focussed
on applications and results. The current market-led science parks
in the UK have a wealth of tenants undertaking research that by
its nature is focussed on commercial imperative.
4.4 The United Kingdom Science Park Association
met with all Science Park Associations from all over the world
in Madrid two weeks ago, and it was interesting to note that all
but Germany and the UK were supported either directly or indirectly
by their respective governments, and that all recognised and readily
welcomed the value of their national Association activities in
supporting the delivery of the innovation agenda.
4.5 As the UK makes the transition from one innovation
landscape to another, we are concerned that the government use
the tools, knowledge and twenty five years' experience that are
resident within the current UKSPA Membership. We have developed
"ASPECT" - a structured quality assurance mechanism
that enables our Members to work toward a standard that should
be applied to any future investment that is made by the private
sector or the government. We strongly advise that this standard
is applied to any future investment made by the government in
supporting capital projects.
4.6 The current network of science, technology
and research parks in the UK although professionally managed,
urgently requires a professional and recognised management qualification
to drive the sector to the next level of development. UKSPA strongly
urges the government to support the development of a qualification
in this sector, and we offer our technical support and experience
in the development of these new industry-wide qualifications.
4.7 To fully understand whether the Frauenhofer
model would be relevant in the context of the United Kingdom innovation
landscape there is the requirement to fully understand the research
currently being undertaken by all 3000+ tenants in our science
parks and research centres. The United Kingdom Science Park Association
holds a live database of tenants on our Member Parks that includes
technology and application areas, and we strongly urge the government
to maximise the use of pre-existing knowledge to inform their
decision making process. The UKSPA Board would be delighted to
work with the Government on extending the use of this data with
a view to stimulating further joint venture and collaborative
activities.
Paul Wright
Chief Executive
United Kingdom Science Park Association
2 December 2010
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