Creating Prosperity: the role of higher education in ... - Universities UK

Creating Prosperity: the role of higher educationin driving the UK’s creative economy174.3 Higher education research is fundamentally concerned with developing new knowledge, new ideasand new practices. In the course of our work, we found numerous examples of research activity inhigher education that was contributing valuable knowledge and insight to the creative economy.Importantly, this ranged across very diverse disciplines, from practice-based research in art, designand performing arts to technology research in engineering and computing faculties, as well as thecontribution of social sciences and the humanities in understanding the ways in which the creativeeconomy operates.4.4 Some of this research is explicitly commercial in its focus, particularly in technology, while otherprojects are more likely to have a longer-term impact in areas such as the development of creativepractice, evidence-based policy making and new ways of working in the creative industries. Both wererecognised as being of enormous value by stakeholders across the UK, and many felt it important notto downgrade more ‘pure’ (and possibly less immediately commercial) research in favour of that whichmight find a shorter-term industrial application.4.5 The scope of the research activity that relates to the creative economy is expanding, and investmentis increasing through the research councils and organisations like the Technology Strategy Board.This research is high quality; the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) showed that, on average,51 per cent of research in the creative subjects conducted at UK universities was rated either 4*(world leading) or + 3* (internationally excellent) compared to the all-subjects average of 47 per cent(Universities UK, 2009), including practice-based research in the creative and performing arts.4.6 The available evidence also shows that this research has an impact. For example, recent workby AHRC on economic impacts estimated that for £1 of research invested by AHRC, the immediatereturn to the UK economy is £10, with a further £15–£20 returned over the long term (AHRC, 2009).4.7 The University of Ulster example below illustrates both the economic and cultural impacts of highereducation research through a project that developed commercially viable digital media technology,and subsequently provided audiences with a new way of interacting with cultural material. It alsodemonstrates that spin-outs, while not a frequent outcome of university research in any discipline,do still happen in the arts, a finding confirmed by wider research on the impact of third-streamfunding in English higher education institutions (HEIs) (PACEC, 2010).1. CASE STUDYEyeSpyFXThe University of Ulster is increasinglyinvolved in digital media activity, with stronglinks into industry and a growing portfolioof research collaborations with digitalmedia companies through KnowledgeTransfer Partnership (KTP) and InnovationVoucher schemes.Initial research into the remote control ofrobotic devices at the Art and Design ResearchInstitute in the School of Creative Arts led tothe creation of a spin-out company, EyeSpyFX,whose first product was a mobile phone appfor controlling pan and tilt webcams.The company created employment forfour University of Ulster graduates and hassince evolved into a specialist app developerworking with a wide range of global securityand webcam developers.More recently, the company has expanded itsservices into the design and development ofbespoke applications on multiple platformsand has recently launched a new portfolio appfor the Apple iPad. The new app is the resultof a collaboration with celebrated Irish artistJim Fitzpatrick, renowned for his iconic andcolourful Celtic artwork. The app allows theuser to explore and expand the finest detailsof Jim’s intricate work, creating a new way ofinteracting with art.4.0 Higher education’s contribution