Inverness – life sciences hub in heart of scottish highlands

March 10, 2017


Inverness – Life Sciences hub in heart of Scottish Highlands

Inverness, capital city of the Highlands of Scotland, is a major centre for the life sciences sector, leading the way in pioneering health research and development.

Inverness Campus is the centre of this work, comprising a 215-acre site established to capitalise on the success of the life science industry in the region. The Campus comprises a range of facilities and services to support business and academic organisations, including Inverness College UHI, one of the largest academic partners of the University of the Highlands and Islands.

The campus is part of a wider ‘life science district’, which hosts global research, development and manufacturing activity in blood glucose testing products and is home to Raigmore Hospital, LifeScan Scotland and the Centre for Health Science.

The mix of, researchers, workers and students promotes the cross-fertilisation of collaboration within an “open innovation” context.

Six of the seventeen fully-serviced plots have been designated with Life Science Enterprise Area status, which ensures additional incentives will be available for businesses in that sector to locate here – this is ideal for companies operating in the knowledge economy.

Inverness Campus has benefitted from more than £100million of investment to date which includes:

  • a multi-occupier collaborative building, An Lòchran, home to:
    • Scotland’s Rural College – epidemiology research and consultancy services
    • research and teaching departments of University of Highlands and Islands – including Rivers and Lochs Institute, Life Sciences, Pedagogy, Offshore Drilling and Marine Surveying.
    • #hellodigital – a digital demonstration hub focussing on next generation digital technologies
    • STEM hub – purpose-built facility to spark interest of young people in science, technology, engineering, maths and digital technology (STEM-D)
  • Aurora House – a life science building providing laboratory and office space for small to medium life science commercial enterprises. The first occupier is Aqua Pharma – a company that supplies the aquaculture industry with innovative treatment systems for freshwater and seawater fish

City-Region Deal funding has been agreed to support a number of future developments at Inverness Campus, including the University of the Highlands and Islands School of Health, Social Care and Life Sciences.

Dr Stuart Black, Director of Development and Infrastructure at Highlands and Islands Council, said: “The recent signing of the £315m Inverness and Highland City-Region deal by the Highland Council, Scottish and UK Governments shows that this is a part of the UK with ambition to develop its key sectors including life sciences. Major infrastructure upgrades like the dualling of the A9 and A96, improvements to air connectivity to Heathrow and Schipol, and investment in superfast broadband show that this region is very much open for business.”