Aims & Objectives

1. To promote the growth of the Glasgow economy
2. To promote investment in Glasgow and its infrastructure.
3. To promote growth, investment and jobs in Glasgow’s key sectors:
   1. Low Carbon Industries;
   2. Engineering;
   3. Life Sciences;
   4. Finance & Business Services;
   5. Tourism; and,
   6. Higher & Further Education.

By

1. Bringing focus and alignment to Glasgow’s economic development efforts.
2. Aligning partner resources behind identified priorities (incl. Glasgow City Council, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Skills Development, the private & academic sectors).
3. Supporting industry-led, key sector work streams to identify priorities for growth and investment and ensure their delivery against agreed Action Plans.

Key Sector Priorities (as Oct. 2013)

Low Carbon Industries

1. Attract private and public investment in the city’s low carbon economy: with  Sustainable Glasgow (weblink) leading on the development of large scale, investment- grade project proposal.
2. Communicate Glasgow’s status as a Low Carbon Industries ‘hub’: via joint working between the city’s low carbon businesses, universities and public agencies, especially round the new Glasgow brand: People Make Glasgow.
3. Market ITREZ as Scotland’s International Technology Renewable Energy Zone: and link to the development of the Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) and Innov.

Engineering

1. Lead on the creation an industry voice to the Scottish Engineering SIP (Skills Investment Plan).
2. Promote Glasgow as a major international Engineering hub: via the excellence of its companies, universities, colleges, innovation and skills base.
3. Support innovation in Engineering: building on the work of the AFRC (Advanced Forming Research Centre), TIC, PNDC (Power Networks Demonstration Centre), Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, Sensors & Sensor Imaging Systems Innovation centre

Life Sciences

1. Promote and attract investment in the Glasgow Bio-Corridor: especially business innovation space within the new South Glasgow Hospitals campus, at the West of Scotland Science Park and in the city’s universities.
2. Attract investment in key areas of strength – Stratified Medicine, MedTech (Medical Technologies) and industrial biotechnology
3. Grow BioCorrdior income by £200m, over 2012-17, ahead of Scottish target.

Finance & Business Services

1. Target new and growing opportunities in the F&BS market – including in regulatory compliance, client & data security, country risk, legal outsourcing and re-shoring.
2. To build on the success of Glasgow’s ISFD (International Financial Services District) – and create Phase II with £1bn investment and 15,000 jobs targets by 2023.
3. Develop Glasgow as the UK’s most work-ready financial services work force – by developing a workforce plan involving companies, school, colleges and universities.

Tourism

1. Drive investment in the city’s tourism economy: especially in business tourism (eg SECC / Hydro Arena) and in large-scale sporting and cultural events.
2. Exploit Mackintosh internationally: and drive investment by IP owners to take Mackintosh into Glasgow’s key in-bound destinations (Europe, N. America  Far East)
3. Develop and deploy the city’s new branding in support of all key sectors – People Make Glasgow
4. Expand Glasgow city centre’s “offer”: from daytime, into evening into the night economy and make it’s a destination of choice for business, people and investment.

Higher & Further Education (HFE)

1. Internationalise Glasgow’s HFE ‘offer’: and attract additional international investment, talent and students to Glasgow’s HFE institutions and economy.
2. Maximise progression & inclusion across HFE: develop and expand progression, especially in key sectors (eg College- University delivered ‘Engineering Academy’)
3. Promote enterprise & innovation in HFE: incl. increased student entrepreneurship, company-based apprenticeships and better links and support to existing businesses.