News Digest: December 2020

 
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Welcome

Welcome to the UK Innovation Districts Group Monthly Digest. Join us as we explore trends, lessons and new insights into innovation, regeneration, inclusive growth, placemaking and the sustainable and accessible creation of Innovation Districts and Knowledge Quarters.

The UKIDG is a network of eight self-defined innovation districts from across the UK including: Glasgow Riverside Innovation District, Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, Leeds Innovation District, Knowledge Quarter London, Belfast Harbour, Bristol Temple Quarter, Newcastle Helix and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. As a group, we aim to make the case for our urban centres and their potential to advance research in areas such as AI, medical sciences and the humanities, while growing the UK’s wider economy. 

Each of our Monthly Digests is dedicated to ensuring that you are kept up to date with the latest thought leadership and research in this area.

Top News

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Innovation and Crisis: Is our fight against COVID-19 a critical juncture? 
There are high expectations for systemic change when we emerge from the pandemic, but Nesta asks, is the crisis really a turning point or will our old systems prevail?

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Learning from Nine Months of Crisis Response
Local Trust share learning from their rapid research project into how communities respond to and recover from COVID-19.

READ MORE

Other News

Brookings have published report Democratizing innovation: Putting technology to work for inclusive growth.

Centre for Cities podcast City Talks speaks with Pat Ritchie, Chief Executive of Newcastle City Council to explore how the future for Newcastle might look in the context of city devolution, levelling up, and building back better.

BEIS Science Minister, Amanda Solloway spoke about the government’s ambition for research and innovation, and progress on developing the R&D Places Strategy at the Universities UK Research and Innovation Conference.

The Global Institute of Innovation Districts write Innovation Zones: How the Federal Government Can Create Thriving, Place-Based Innovation Ecosystems.

OECD Forum have published article, A New Societal Contract for a New Era: Why it’s time to rethink health systems.

Mastercard have posted article, Why inclusive cities aren’t just smart ones: Centering equity in technological innovation

DCMS have published Scoping and Evaluation reports for the 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme

UCL’s Inclusive Innovators podcast, part of the East London Inclusive Enterprise Zone (ELIEZ), speaks to Victoria Austin, Chief Executive, Global Disability Innovation Hub

GIID have published article Choreographing “Creative Collisions” and Collaborative Innovation During COVID-19

Nesta Event beyond the pandemic: visions of the future explores the lessons and possible futures thrown up by the pandemic

Partner News

Knowledge Quarter Liverpool has launched a new programme to encourage inward investment. KQ Base is a new soft-landing programme which aims to de-risk inward investment for those companies looking to expand their business presence to the UK market for the first time.

Leeds City Council have launched the Leeds Economic Recovery Framework which sets out Leeds City Council’s continued approach to aid recovery from the coronavirus crisis. It outlines how they are looking to build resilience into the economy, support existing sectors and harness new opportunities, including creating new green jobs as they work towards becoming a Net Zero City by 2030.

Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus discussion series, Bristol 24/7 Presents, explores Building back fairer, greener, stronger. The panel discussion focuses on how we can build back better and ensure nobody gets left behind, covering issues such as the gender pay gap, living wage, sustainable construction practices and ethical development.

Knowledge Quarter London has launched a new downloadable magazine of educational content, games and creative activities from the Knowledge Quarter called KQ Playground. It features colourful activities from 12 Knowledge Quarter partner organisations, including the British Library, the Royal Veterinary College and the Wellcome Collection

In this end of year Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Podcast, Lyn Garner, the Chief Executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, not only talks about the achievements of the past year but more importantly looks ahead and focuses on the future, and one that plays a vital role in London's economic and social recovery from coronavirus and lockdown.

A symbol of light has been unveiled on Newcastle Helix. The recently opened Lumen building has had a ‘Halo’ installed across the top of the building. Despite a challenging year, Newcastle Helix has continued to position the region as a test bed for new innovations. It is helping to build the economy around world-leading academic research in fields such as healthy ageing, sustainability, data, and life science and this will play an instrumental role in post Covid-19 recovery, creating jobs for local people.

Glasgow is emerging as a force in advanced manufacturing, technology and culture. A champion of innovation, Glasgow Riverside Innovation District will focus on life sciences, but also nanotech and precision medicine, including medical lasers.

Innovations welcome!

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