UWS is celebrating after the University played a part in securing £3.8 million of UK Government funding for Ayrshire.

Working in tandem with the three Ayrshire Councils as well as Ayrshire College, The Scotland 5G Centre and National Manufacturing Institute Scotland secured a winning bid from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

UWS Principal and Vice-Chancellor, James Miller said:

“As a placemaking university with a firm commitment to our communities, the University of the West of Scotland welcomes the 5G Innovation Regions announcement, and  we are looking forward to continuing our role in aligning regional economic partnerships with innovation, resulting in a big win for Ayrshire.

We are proud to be part of the Ayrshire Economic Partnership Board and are fully committed to its aims to create a wellbeing economy. We recognise the need to evaluate economic policy as more than pounds and pence. Today’s announcement is a sign that we can develop a wellbeing economy through digital technologies and help deliver the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Professor James Miller, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of UWS

“At UWS we pride ourselves on being a university that works in partnership with industry, we are excited about the opportunities that today’s investment in Ayrshire will bring about.”

The funding will be used to build on technologies at strategic Ayrshire Growth Deal sites in Irvine, Prestwick and Moorfield with The Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC) Innovation hub located in HALO (Kilmarnock) serving as the catalyst for 5G innovation where testing can happen in a 5G private network environment.

The enhanced 5G and wireless coverage will make these key strategic sites even more productive and desirable to investment, helping provide significant economic benefits for the local area.

The pan-Ayrshire bid is just one of two projects in Scotland and ten across the UK to win Department for Science, Innovation and Technology funds to transform regions with new cutting-edge 5G and advanced wireless technologies.

For more information, please see the Ayrshire Growth Deal website.