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The additional funds will support the sustainability of a network of leading research and entrepreneurial universities in the UK and the USA. Additional funds on both sides of the Atlantic, over and above the basic budget, will provide for seed funding of collaborative projects generating a history of collaboration and preliminary data thereby enhancing the potential for successful outcomes from future research proposals and, also, fund ‘proof of concept studies'. Calls for proposals and funding opportunities for international collaborations are increasing - there are very significant opportunities ahead, buildings achievements of Phase I.
A recent indicator of the commitment in Texas to interdisciplinary collaborations is that Rice University has commenced construction of a Collaborative Research Center, of more the 500,000 sq. feet, strategically located between the Rice campus and the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest medical center. In addition the State of Texas has committed to the provision of US$3 billion for cancer research over the coming decade.
In 2007 Swansea University became a member of the Texas/UK Collaborative, an elite network of world leading research organisations. This partnership has been developed, and is managed by the author, with the member shown in [link] .
| UK | Texas |
|---|---|
| Imperial College London, Kings College London, Oxford University, Cambridge University, University College London, Strathclyde University, Southampton University, Swansea University, and Queens University | Rice University, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, University of Texas Health Science Center, University of Texas Medical Branch, Baylor College of Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Research Center, and Methodist Hospital Research Institute |
The strategy undertaken by Swansea Universities was to have strategic key researchers of decision-making level from Swansea’s Medical School to accompany the director of the Collaborative in Swansea to Houston to engage in a pre-Collaborative Scoping and Mapping Exercise to lay firm ground work for future collaboration. A network of researchers was established within Swansea University drawing in expertise from across the Schools of Medicine and Engineering. Wherever possible, members of this network participated in visit, workshops and other joint activities to develop awareness of their respective research interests and strengths, and to identify/scope potential collaborations.
The previous section has described how the Texas/United Kingdom Collaborative combines the strategic expansion of academic research with the involvement of the private sector, bringing economic development through enterprise and job creation.
The aspiration of participation of Swansea in the Texas/UK Collaborative is not solely to support growth of its research agenda but also to assist in creating a sustainable innovation system. Earlier sections have outlined the economic development challenges faced by Southwest Wales and the global context of innovation and knowledge economies. Phase I of the Texas/United Kingdom Collaborative demonstrated the potential for academic industrial collaboration across global networks to support economic development. Therefore it can be suggested that Swansea, as a new member of the initiative, has an opportunity to derive benefit in a similar manner leading to the question:
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