UKSPA Members Providing For The Future of Innovation

Closing off a busy month of events, Science Park Directors, Lucinda Lamont and Stuart Perry, visited the University of Lancaster for two inspiring days of networking, insights, and innovation at the UK Science Park Association (UKSPA) Winter Conference & AGM. They were also delighted to tour Lancaster’s Health Innovation Campus, Data Immersion Suite, LENS Building and Net Zero Energy Centre.

During the conference, delegates heard from Ruth Hall, UKSPA’s new CEO for the first time, regarding the Association’s strategic priorities for the year ahead. Keynotes from Rosalind Gill of the National Centre for Universities and Business (‘From Ambition to Advantage: Unlocking the UK’s R&D Potential’) and Tom Cheesewright, Applied Futurist (‘AI, Data, and the Future of Decision Making’) were also highlights.

Key themes arising across the event were:

• Strategic alignment: By focusing on industrial strategy and research and development potential, science parks are at the centre of national innovation policy.
• Digital transformation: A focus on AI demonstrates that science parks are looking at smart, efficient operations, beyond traditional infrastructure.
• Sustainability: Benchmarking is becoming increasingly important across the science park community to measure and improve performance towards net zero operations.
• Place-based innovation: Science parks are not just static providers of office and laboratory space but adaptive, future-ready living ecosystems combining health, data, cyber, and sustainability infrastructures.
• Talent: Innovation ecosystems are only as strong as their people; investment in skills and retention is key.

Lucinda said, “A huge thank you to UKSPA, Lancaster University, and all the speakers and delegates for an excellent, energising two days, filled with valuable insights, thoughtful discussion, and forward-looking ideas for the future of our innovation ecosystem.

“What stood out to me most was the importance of coming together to share experiences, challenge our thinking, and collectively shape the future of science and technology spaces in the UK. These conversations matter — and this event demonstrated just how valuable they can be.”