Heriot-Watt University Research Park
Location Riccarton Edinburgh EH14 4AP
Contact Details Contact : Jim Coyle Tel : 0131 451 4392 Fax : 0131 451 3007 Email : j . w . coyle @ hw . ac . uk Website : www . herriot-watt-researchpark . co . uk
History and Objectives
Heriot-Watt University is a science and engineering-based institution which , throughout its history , has been committed to recognising the needs of industry whilst maintaining high academic standards . Its particular strengths lie in the fields of electronic and computer technology , biotechnology , offshore and petroleum engineering , electro-optics , photonics , mathematics and distance learning .
During the 1960s the expanding University decided to move all of its departments ’ facilities from the original position in the centre of the City of Edinburgh to a new greenbelt location on the western edge of the city just to the south of the airport . The Park was established in 1971 as an integral part of the new Riccarton campus of the University . The presently developed area of the Park consists of some 120 acres . A further net area of 35 acres is available for development .
The objective of the Park is to provide a location in which the interaction and collaboration between tenant companies ’ staff and the academic members of staff of the University may take place with ease , and thus provide the most favourable conditions in which new industrial developments can be located , encouraged and enabled to grow .
The University seeks to maintain a balance of sources of tenants of the Park comprising external companies , ‘ spin-off ’ companies ( ie . companies established and owned either in total or in part by academic members of staff ), and University-based technology transfer groups and Institutes . The University seeks to encourage informal as well as formal links between its staff and the tenant companies , and a free interchange of non-confidential information in order that the shared experience may be of benefit to both parties .
Progress to Date Land
The Park consists of a gross area of 166 acres , which is being developed in a number of stages . At the present time , 90 of the presently serviced 120 acres have been developed , with a further 25 acres available .
Premises
A mixture of owner-occupied , custom-designed laboratories and advance laboratory accommodation in units varying in size from 100 to 2,230 square metres . The former buildings are designed to provide the maximum degree of flexibility in internal arrangement . The emphasis is upon providing a pleasing but functional structure allowing the maximum flexibility , control and security for each company , as well as allowing each organisation to establish its own identity .
The general criteria for tenant selection are that there should be a significant proportion of research and development in the activities to be carried out at the Park , that there should be some equivalence between the disciplines employed by the tenant and at least one department of the University , and that there should be a willingness in principle to collaborate with the University where such co-operation is possible . Serviced sites may be leased for the construction of custom laboratories or space rented , by negotiation , on terms suited to the particular requirements of each tenant .
Site Management Arrangements The Research Park is an integral part of the campus of Heriot-Watt University . The philosophy behind the development of the Park emphasises that the staff of tenant companies are treated as part of the campus community and have access to all the facilities such as restaurants , banks , shops , staff club and societies . In addition , at the corporate level , access may be made to the common services of the campus ranging from libraries , to computer , printing , central mail services , etc .
The maintenance of the Park is dealt with by the Estate Office of the University as part of the whole campus and maintained to the same standard throughout . Care and maintenance of individual buildings is the responsibility of the owners within the terms of their agreements with the University .
The University is in the fortunate position of being located in Edinburgh , which is a major financial centre and especially noted for its numerous and successful venture capital sources . Close links with these various sources of risk funding is maintained by the Park management and can assist in both the arranging of funds and the provision of sound independent advice on corporate financing matters .
University Facilities
The University is heavily biased towards science and engineering . As a consequence of its location in Europe ’ s largest concentration of electronics industry , it has developed a particularly strong reputation in the fields of microelectronics , optoelectronics and precision engineering . Medical instrumentation and biotechnology exemplify a second key strength associated with the long-standing reputation of Edinburgh in the field of medicine and health care . The third key strength is that of offshore engineering and related disciplines such as marine science , petroleum and reservoir engineering . A fourth and increasingly important strength is to be found in the accounting and business application field .
Companies on the Park
Abelon Systems Quantum Court , Heriot-Watt University Research Park EDINBURGH EH14 4AP Ian Smith Tel 0131 449 9173 Email either Adrian @ abelon . com or Ian @ abelon . com
Aptiv Solutions Heriot-Watt University Research Park , Research Avenue North EDINBURGH EH14 4AP Tel 0131 449 8888 Fax 0131 449 8889 Contact Ian Chapman Email : Ian . chapman @ aptivsolutions . com
Babcock LGE Heriot-Watt University , Research Avenue North , EDINBURGH EH14 4AP Tel 0131 452 3311 Fax : 0131 452 3361 Ralph Davis Email : mrt @ lgeprocess . com
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