Evaluation of Stirling University Innovation Park Operations 1996 – 2005 Final Report for Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley

Stirling University Innovation Park (SUIP) aimed to provide accommodation for high tech businesses or research & development (R & D) activities, offer tenant companies a wide range of business support services, and foster a close working relationship between these companies and the University’s research staff. The evaluation aimed to: establish the economic benefits that have been achieved at SUIP between 2000 and 2005; identify the level of financial investment and value for money since 1986; review occupancy levels and past/current SUIP tenant companies since 1986; assess the quality of relationship between SUIP tenant companies and University research staff between 2000 and 2005; and benchmark the performance of SUIP against other UKSPA Scottish Science Parks between 2000 and 2005.

The methodology consisted of an inception period, consultations, company surveys, analysis, a learning workshop, and reporting.

The net additional GVA impact for SUIP is likely to be between £5.2 and £7.5 million at the local level (£5.9 - £8.8 million at the national level). SUIP has lower employment impacts than expected. Finds there is a lack of linkages between tenant businesses, and between tenant businesses and the University. Concludes that SUIP is performing well below its potential and that its performance is significantly worse than shown in previous 1995 evaluation.

Recommends that SUIP should: provide a more integrated approach to business development services; improve the take-up of business support services; develop relationships between the SUIP management team and tenants, the University and tenants, and the tenant businesses themselves; instigate better record keeping methods; base future activity on a formalised Business Plan; secure commitment from the Board to the adoption of the Development Plan; and increase the level of occupancy. SE Forth Valley should also consider the disposal of the SE interest in Scion House to an appropriate investor.