Aston University shares plans for Birmingham’s Innovation Quarter with government minister

By Daniel Face

6 April 2023

Share

Aston University recently hosted George Freeman MP, Minister of State for Research, Science, and Innovation, to discuss plans for an innovation district in Birmingham.

Situated in what would become Birmingham’s Innovation Quarter, the University provided an ideal location to brief the minister on work currently underway to transform the region. This area of the city is home to a variety of technology businesses, universities, colleges, hotels, and two conference centres, as well as the city’s main HS2 terminal.

Also in attendance were Professor Aleks Subic, the University’s Vice-Chancellor; Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands; and senior representatives from property company Bruntwood and Birmingham City Council. The meeting was held in the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology Hub, which houses Europe’s largest Cyber Physical Manufacturing facility.

George Freeman MP said: “Science and innovation are key drivers of economic growth and prosperity, and the R&D initiatives our universities take are vital to the UK’s ambition to become a science and technology superpower by 2030.

“The key to building a genuine Innovation Nation is to grow the regional R&D clusters all around the UK, which is one of the key missions the new Department is leading on.

“Birmingham’s Innovation Quarter, put together by Aston University, Birmingham City Council, Mayor Andy Street, and Bruntwood, will create a stunning Digital Innovation District adjacent to the HS2 terminal, linking the city’s medtech, cleantech and creative clusters to drive innovation and attract investment with benefits for the whole city and region.”

This follows the recent announcement of a collaborative venture between Aston University and Bruntwood SciTech to advance Birmingham’s Innovation Quarter through joint strategic developments, focusing on science, technology and enterprise.

Professor Subic added: “I am putting science, technology, and enterprise at the heart of Aston University’s ambitious 2030 strategy and our campus development plans.

“By working with key partners across the city, we will play our part in bringing to Birmingham an innovation precinct of international significance enabled by world leading digital innovation capability.

“Momentum and support are building for our shared ambitions for the Birmingham Innovation Quarter. In particular, our plans for a major health tech innovation cluster enabled by world-leading digital capability based on genomics data, bioinformatics and artificial intelligence has resonated strongly with the minister and our stakeholders.”

By Daniel Face

Born and raised in Berkshire, Dan fell into journalism after completing his bachelor’s degree in English at UCL.

Writing for The Business Magazine and local Biz News sites has given him the opportunity to chat with all manner of small business owners and share their success stories with a wider audience.

Outside of work, Dan enjoys live music, board games and quiz shows, and is making a slow but persistent effort to learn Spanish.