If you climb the Hogwarts-like stone staircase to the top of Glasgow University’s tower, a spectacular sight awaits you.  To the south, the Clyde runs like a silver thread through the city. 

The river seems to be in touching distance but in some ways, it is a world away – a de-industrialised landscape with wide open spaces, juxtaposed with densely packed housing.  A mile away as the crow flies, the vast bulk of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital looms large – a beacon of world-class medical care in a region not without its health issues. 

For the university, this area – specifically, the land south of the river, from Prince’s Dock to Shieldhall and embracing Govan – represents a fantastic opportunity.  As one of three innovation zones in the city region, the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District (GRID) has the potential to transform economic and social outcomes for its local community. 

And working with Glasgow City Region and Scottish Enterprise as well as community groups, industry, the NHS, cultural and sports institutions, we are absolutely determined to make that transformation a reality.

So, what might the riverside district of the future look like? And how will we ensure that local people really benefit?

The Herald:

Innovation districts aim to stimulate economic growth in our major cities.  They are intended to reshape and regenerate, creating high-quality jobs and economic prosperity using innovation as driver of change.  If successful, they will be magnets for inward investment. 


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They work best when public sector agencies and private businesses collaborate closely, creating the sort of infrastructure that enables high-impact innovation to take place. 

Other innovation districts have been established across the UK, including in London, Manchester, and Belfast.  It is no coincidence that all these cities boast top universities with very strong research bases and a clear commitment to convert that expertise into positive impact on the cities they are part of.

Plans for the GRID have been some time in the making.  Of course, the de-industrialised sites have been there a lot longer and despite some tremendous achievements including a world-class events complex, we have been slow to develop our waterfront. 

However, things are now beginning to move.  Recent success in the £33m Innovation Accelerator funding from the UK Government’s Department for Science, Technology and Innovation will support 11 major innovation pilots within the riverside innovation district and wider city region, bringing new jobs and opportunities for innovation and investment.

The university and its partners have also begun to re-imagine our proposition for GRID, catalysed by the announcement from Scottish Government to designate the area as a testbed infrastructure. 

In partnership with others, we will develop a clear vision and plan which will remove barriers to allow us to trial and embed innovative solutions that can be scaled up for Scotland’s benefit.  And we will work closely with our communities to ensure that we are responsive to tackling the deep-seated challenges that exist on their doorstep. 

The Herald:

At the same time, the university aims to deliver on its own ambitious innovation strategy to support commercialisation, spinouts and entrepreneurship, developing industry partnerships, local economic development and training for the high-demand skills required by industry. 

We aim to foster an eco-system of large and small firms which focus on key sectors including life sciences, medical technology, and artificial intelligence. 

Academics who see potential in their research for translation into new start-ups will be strongly encouraged and supported at every stage.  In addition, students from all over the world who wish to hone their talents for enterprise, will receive wrap-around support and dedicated facilities on campus. 

The University of Strathclyde and other city-based higher education institutions – each of which has much to offer – are doing likewise, all with the common goal of enhancing the prosperity of our city and fellow citizens.


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Our plans will be for nothing if the innovation fails to produce tangible benefits for residents.  Genuine success will be about changing the lives of local people for the better and create well-paid, high-prospect jobs, and in doing so, find solutions to deliver transformational change. 

Alongside this, we can work with community leaders on wider projects that enhance the quality of life for everyone.  Beyond this, we can work with further education to develop the skills pipeline and make job opportunities more accessible by engaging with young people to raise their aspirations and chances of going to university. 

We can address practical and policy challenges, such as advancing health outcomes.  These initiatives will have to be shaped by the local community itself, but the university and its partners will need to be willing to engage, not watch from afar.

We strongly believe that the University of Glasgow should be a force for good.  We are after all, a civic university at heart. The GRID gives us an unparalleled chance to make a meaningful difference to our locality and to make Glasgow a more prosperous and dynamic place.  And if we get this right, the view from the top of the University tower will look even better.

David Duncan is Chief Operating Officer & University Secretary, and Uzma Khan is Vice Principal for Economic Development & Innovation at the University of Glasgow.