Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Innovation: the emergence of a number of leading edge technologies from com-
panies that have established on the site, such as satellite engineering, media
technology, clean technologies, ICT including bio-informatics, and health care all
of which have developed intellectual property have been able to be developed
because of the incubation programme offered on site.
Strong business community: Guildfords has a strong business community that has
been supportive of the companies on the Park as they have developed.
Good communications: the Park is well located to gain easy access to international
market because of the close proximity to international modes of communication.
Active management of University links: the University of Surrey has developed an
active programme of support for business through its Office of Research and
Enterprise Services that have helped companies connect with the intellectual
and technology base in the University. The image and reputation created by the
Park as a good place to carry out business. Added to this the management of the
Park has had a progressive approach to dealing with emerging technology com-
panies. The University of Surrey has helped to share some of the risk for devel-
oping companies by adopting a light touch in relation to its activities as a landlord.
5 Conclusions
The Surrey Research Park was first promoted in 1981 in the tradition of the
University of Surrey and pre-cursor institutions which had historically worked
closely with industry and business since 1896.
Careful definition of the objectives for the Surrey Research Park project pro-
vided a valuable framework for developing the master plan, funding, governance
and then operational model.
Critical to the Park's success from the University of Surrey's perspective was
the successful raising of the initial capital through a land transaction. This enabled
the University to control the development of the site and letting policy.
The objectives defined for the three stakeholders which respectively relate to
economic development, competitive advantage of tenant companies, knowledge
transfer, profile for the University and the capacity to generate income have been
critically important in guiding the development; however, their value is diminished
without defining success indicators that drive performance and understanding and
trying
to
develop
the
success
factors
that
assist
with
achieving
a
good
performance.
The Surrey Research Park defined these parameters in the 1990s as a way of
measuring performance of the Park.
The lesson to be learnt from the project is that it has always had a clear set of
objectives, supportive management throughout the University and the University
of Surrey has undertaken the development of the project from a commercial
perspective with a very business like response to the market. It is important to
ensure that the academic priorities of a host university are taken into account in a
Search WWH ::
Custom Search