Advisory / Counseling Services News

Faster Broadband Speeds Coming To Highland

Highlands and Islands superfast broadband rollout on course to begin in 2013.   A planned rollout of superfast broadband across the whole of the Highlands and Islands is progressing according to plan, says the region's development agency.  

Regeneration Partnership - News and Updates

Week commencing 12th December: Energy: I met this week with Trudy Morris (Caithness Chamber), Ian Couper (Energy North), Jacquie Black (ERI) and Keith Muir (HIE) to discuss a possible follow-up event to the supply chain event these two membership organisations held in North Highland College last spring.  As previously reported UHI is staging an international conference in Orkney next May, and following discussion with the event organiser for that Conference it was agreed that an event could be run on the final day of the Conference offering local/ regional companies the chance to talk directly to a broadly academic audience which is involved in key research and development activities in the marine renewables sector.  

Arts Project To Boost John O'Groats

Two Scottish artists, with an impressive award winning portfolio of projects from across the UK, are to consult with the John O'Groats community to deliver a long term artistic plan for the village's redevelopment.   Working on projects like Great Glen House which is the SNH headquarters in Inverness, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum Glasgow and the Science Museum in London, Dalziel + Scullion have established an international reputation as environmental artists.  

£50million for New Inverness Campus

Inverness College UHI has been given the green light to invest 50 million pounds in state-of-the-art educational facilities for the city.  Support from the Scottish Funding Council will bring together students and staff currently at the college's Longman and Midmills campuses to a new site at Beechwood, significantly modernising the institution's estate.  

Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration P'Ship - Update

Week commencing 21st November 2011 Energy: Along with a number of other stakeholders, I attended two events this week related to the development of renewable energy.  The first was the public consultation on the proposed Orkney-Caithness subsea cable link.  

Marine science opportunities drive £7.5m investment

Construction of the ambitious European Marine Science Park is underway at Oban in Argyll, where a turf-cutting ceremony was held to mark the occasion Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is investing £7.5m to create the first phase - which will take advantage of significant opportunities in marine science, including in marine biotechnology and renewable energy.   The 20,000 sq ft of office and laboratory space will support businesses in Scotland's growing Life Science and Energy sectors and has the potential to support up to 125 jobs.  

Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration P'Ship - Update

Week commencing 24th October: Energy: Following last week's announcement of a consultation on revised ROC bandings for renewable energy sources, further positive news for the wave and tidal industry in the form of a Scottish Government announcement that £18M is to be made available to "improve capability and infrastructure, as well as helping fund technology solutions and the roll out of marine arrays".  The Scottish Government is to consult with the industry about the nature of projects to be supported by the fund.  

Nigg Yard Finally Sold To Global Energy Group

Global Energy Group completes historic purchase of Nigg yard.   Leading energy industry service company the Global Energy Group today (20th October, 2011) announced it had succeeded in its bid to buy Nigg yard.  

Introductory International Preparedness Programme

Highlands and Islands Enterprise, in partnership with Scottish Development International (SDI), is holding an Introductory Preparedness Programme in Inverness.   Next course: 3rd and 4th of Nov 2011 This programme is fully funded by Smart Exporter, an ambitious new trade skills programme, and is targeted at Highlands and Islands companies that are thinking about exporting for the first time or businesses that are new to exporting.  

Fusion Conference - Motivation For Business People In Caithness

FUSION'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE ADDRESSES ISSUES RISING FROM THE RECESSION THURSDAY 17th November 11am - Friday 18th November 2011 Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness "The economy will only recover if we all work together," says Mark Sutherland-Fisher, chief executive of Fusion, the organisation set up to link rural entrepreneurs in Scotland.  "Fusion was built on the triumvirate of the private sector, the public sector and the academic/social enterprise sector.