UHI joins national collaboration to commercialise research for Scotland’s future

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) has joined a pioneering initiative that will strengthen commercialisation and innovation across Scotland’s modern and specialist universities and the college sector. The collaboration will make it easier for institutions to translate research into practical solutions that can improve people’s lives, strengthen key economic sectors, and support public service innovation

Led by Queen Margaret University (QMU) and supported by the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council, the Shared Academic Knowledge Exchange Services (ShaKEs) initiative brings together a consortium of universities including Abertay University, Robert Gordon University, The Glasgow School of Art, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and UHI, alongside Edinburgh College.

Together, the partners will share specialist expertise and professional services to unlock new pathways for research impact, skills development, and economic growth.

The new shared ShaKEs service model will develop, test, and evaluate a sustainable shared model for commercialisation and knowledge exchange (KE) by: 

• Connecting skills with innovation to support Scotland’s growth sectors
• Creating sustainable pathways to commercialisation
• Embedding community wealth building principles
• Increasing access to specialist expertise and shared professional services
• Ensuring innovation reaches communities across Scotland

Darlene Russell, Knowledge Exchange, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer at UHI said:

“This collaboration strengthens UHI’s contribution to Scotland’s knowledge-exchange landscape by bringing the distinctive strengths of the Highlands and Islands into a national setting. By working collectively, we can translate shared expertise into real benefits for communities across Scotland and help shape a more connected, forward-looking future. ShaKEs will allow us to put our research and expertise firmly on the map.”

Professor Nicholas Owens, Vice-Principal for Research and Innovation at UHI, and Director of the Scottish Association for Marine Science, a partner of UHI, said:

“Research and innovation sit at the heart of what a university does and are key to UHI’s future economic growth. Smaller, newer universities often lack the commercial expertise to fully realise the value of their research. This funding will allow us to build a vibrant commercialisation ecosystem across Scotland’s smaller universities and unlock the full potential of UHI’s outstanding research talent.”

If the pilot is successful, the model could be rolled out more widely across the university and college sector, helping boost economic growth, strengthen innovation, and ensure research achieves tangible benefits for society and the economy.

➕ Find out more about ShaKEs on the QMU website