NCUB - National Centre for Universities and Business

Read the full final report, The Second Report, About the Task Force, Meet the Task Force Co-Chairs, The Executive Group, The Steering Group, Contact the GVS Team.

The Growing Value Scotland (GVS) Legacy Programme: Growing Potential: Scotland’s Innovation Step-Change is co-chaired by David Brown, (Partner, PwC) and Prof Sir Pete Downes (Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Dundee). The three working groups are exploring:

Disruptive innovation and the role of fundamental research.

How do universities, business and government partner to enable a step-change in business R&D and innovation? 

How do we ensure social sciences and humanities are sources of entrepreneurial, innovative graduates?

More information on Growing Potential is available here.

The Growing Value Scotland Task force summary report below highlights recommendations from the Task Force's research, which highlighted Scotland’s strong university sector and the need for universities and businesses to work closely together, to exploit the research base and translate this inventiveness into business innovation in Scotland.  

Capability, Culture and Change - Growing the Value of R&D in Scotland

A key finding of the GVS Task Force is that whilst university-based research spend in Scotland is above the UK average as a percentage of GDP, spending by business in this area lags considerably behind the majority of the UK. In fact only 3.1% of the total investment in research and development across the UK derived from businesses in Scotland (compared to over 9% of GVA and population). 

This report cites structural reasons for the disparity between Scotland and other areas of the UK, as well as differences within Scotland. It identifies areas to be focused on to enable Scotland’s research and development and innovation capability to be enhanced. 

pdf Growing Value Scotland Report (4.14 MB)

About the Task Force

The Growing Value Scotland Task Force is considering the challenges and opportunities for the future of Scottish innovation.

Co-chaired by Rob Woodward (Chief Executive, STV Group plc) and Professor Sir Ian Diamond (Principal & Vice Chancellor, University of Aberdeen), the Task Force convenes an Executive and a Steering Group, bringing together leading experts and leaders from across industry and academia to identify and prioritise actions specific to Scotland that will enhance the value of publicly-funded research and increase university-business collaboration.

The Growing Value Scotland Task Force builds on the foundations laid by NCUB's UK-wide Growing Value project, and the Enhancing Value Task Force.

The Task Force aims to publish its final findings and recommendations in May 2016. The following positions were held at the time of the task force:

Task Force Co-Chairs: