Royal Holloway is inspiring industries to expand through the Science and Innovation Audit, Innovation for Sustainable Airports, a new study to map business potential fuelled by nearby Heathrow airport.
The Sustainable Airports study is among a fresh wave of Science and Innovation Audits announced in October by Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson, MP. It will scope out West London’s strengths in research, innovation and transport and infrastructure and how to use them to propel economic growth.
Royal Holloway, University of London joins Brunel University London in driving the audit with the involvement of Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd, Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd, TRL, the Heathrow Strategic Planning Group, The Buckinghamshire Thames Valley LEP, The Smart Specialisation Hub, West London Business and BRE (Building Research Establishment Ltd). There will also be links with Manchester Airport.
Urging universities to widen ties with local business and economy, Jo Johnson named Sustainable Airports among 12 new Science and Innovation Audits. Precision medicine, nuclear power and the northern powerhouse are among the others audits and are part of the Government’s industrial strategy.
“Universities have a vital role to play in their local communities and in the national economy,” he told university leaders at the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s annual conference.
“Given record levels of public investment in R&D, it is essential universities engage with businesses and communities to make the most of their knowledge and research.”
Sustainable Airports comes after the Government cleared Heathrow to build a third runway. The work to expand the world’s second busiest international airport behind Dubai is set to start next summer.
“Royal Holloway is delighted to contribute to making the West London economy and also the UK’s economy more successful through this important initiative,” said Professor Paul Hogg, Vice Principal and Dean of Science and Enterprise at Royal Holloway.
The West London area is home to more than 200 of the UK’s 300 business HQs, all in a 12 mile radius of Heathrow, and by 2050, the airport’s expansion will have generated some 179,800 jobs and bring £211bn to the region, The Airports Commission forecasts.
Heathrow is about seven miles from Royal Holloway's main campus at Egham, Surrey. Find out more about business collaborations here
