InImpact: The Journal of Innovation Impact

Publisher Future Technology Press
Vol. 5 No. 1 Innovation through Knowledge Transfer 2013
Volume Editors KES International
Journal ISSN 2051-6002
 
Article TitleSupporting regional growth from the higher education community: the Energy Coast Campus Programme in West Cumbria
Primary AuthorAlison Marshall, University of Cumbria
Other Author(s) Patrick Quinlan; John Berry
Pages 104 - 115
Article ID inkt13-011
Publication Date 21-Oct-13
Abstract

West Cumbria is a predominantly rural, but post-industrial region undergoing a transition from one that has been dominated by heavy industry over a 200 year period. The regional economy has latterly been dominated by one of the world?s largest nuclear technology hubs, which continues to influence the structure of the economy. The region has aspirations to evolve a high technology manufacturing base, with a continued strong role for nuclear, but with a more diversified economy, including an expanded focus on low carbon and renewable energy generation. The region has aspirations to evolve a high technology manufacturing base, with a continued strong role for nuclear, but with a more diversified economy. As part of this strategy, a large investment has been made to build a higher education community in this largely rural area, to support its strategic objectives to promote innovation through applied research, research demonstration, enterprise, business support, skills and training and other transformational actions. Three case studies are described in detail: the Cumbrian Centre for Health Technologies (CaCHeT), the Sustainable Energy Technology Group and the Knowledge Action Network (KAN). The lessons learned are evaluated and presented, with details of future plans.

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