Member Article

Science City calls on business community to inform region’s growth strategy

Can key industry sectors deliver more and better jobs in the North East, help to support and promote innovation, and stimulate business and economic growth?

Newcastle Science City, a partnership between Newcastle University and Newcastle City Council, is working together with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP) on a vital piece of research to find out. Known as a ‘Smart Specialisation’ study, the research project is aimed at the region’s business community.

Smart Specialisation is the term used when specific areas of expertise in key industries, sectors, infrastructure or skills lead to new areas of economic activity and growth in jobs.

Newcastle Science City is calling on the region’s business community to complete the survey to help inform the region’s overarching growth plan and the creation of an EU Structural and Investment Fund Strategy for 2014-2020.

Ben Fisher, Life Sciences Business Development Manager at Newcastle Science City, explains: “Working together with the North East LEP, we hope to achieve a better understanding of the sub-sectors that are most likely to deliver economic, business and jobs growth in the region, so that we can best support innovation and growth in these areas.

“By completing the survey, our business community can highlight the strengths, challenges and opportunities in their sectors, which ultimately will help inform which sub-sectors are viewed as strategically significant in the North East LEP area.”

The survey can completed until 15 November and can be accessed online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/smartspecialisation

For more information about the study, please contact the research team at: smartspecialisation@newcastlesciencecity.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Newcastle Science City .