The summit, to be held on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 November, will focus on Quality of Life and how Science Cities can promote economic development and engage businesses across their regions. Representatives from each of the six Science Cities (Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and York) will attend the two day conference alongside key figures from the public and private sectors. This event is seen as a major opportunity to shape the future of the six Science Cities as key delivery partners for the Government’s science and innovation agenda.
Held at three of Birmingham’s flagship venues: the ICC, the NEC and ThinkTank at Millennium Point, the event will be hosted by Birmingham Science City who will assume the Chair of the Science Cities group at the conference.
Dr Norman Price OBE, Head of Birmingham Science City said: “This summit is a real opportunity to demonstrate technical innovation, driven by buyers, suppliers and providers of knowledge working together. Science Cities have already begun to create real improvements in the Quality of Life and prosperity of their cities and regions through a range of partnerships between the Universities and the public and private sector. We are proud to host the summit and to take up the chair for the Science Cities Group, I’m sure this conference will prove an exceptional opportunity to really showcase the remarkable work already underway. Science and technology can improve all our lives further"
Science and Innovation Minister Ian Pearson said: “This Summit is an ideal opportunity for us to focus on the success of the six Science Cities. The UK is world class at science with an envied record in research. Science offers us the opportunity to find solutions to some of the most important and difficult challenges that face societies today. I am encouraged by the progress of the Science Cities and in particular by their ability to pull together key actors in driving city and regional growth, with science and innovation at the heart of the economic agenda."
Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby said “Birmingham is the proud host city for the 4th National Science Cities Summit and we are looking forward to both delivering and listening to key speeches on innovations in the field of science, under the theme of ‘Quality of Life’.
“This will be an ideal opportunity to showcase the inward investment achieved in science based projects, celebrate the academic excellence at our universities and the forward thinking work of all our partners to highlight Birmingham as a Science City.”