UHI Shortlisted For Two Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2024

16th February 2024

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) has been shortlisted in two categories at the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2024, celebrating the people and partnerships behind ground-breaking innovations.

The Flow Country Partnership , working with the Environmental Research Institute in Thurso, part of UHI North, West and Hebrides , nominated for the ‘Making an Environmental Difference' award. It has the collective aims of re-evaluating the blanket bog peatlands of the Flow Country and ensuring through individual and collective action that outcomes related to climate change mitigation, natural capital, sustainability and biodiversity conservation are optimised.

It also seeks to ensure that the social and economic benefits arising from appropriate and effective management of this globally significant natural are optimised.

Professor Stuart Gibb, Director of the Environmental Research Institute, said: "This is the third year in a row that UHI and the work of the Environmental Research Institute has been recognised in these prestigious awards.

It is testament to the high quality of research and expertise we have within UHI and our ongoing commitment to research and knowledge exchange which has a positive impact on our local, regional, national, and international communities, and supports understanding of the key challenges and opportunities facing people in the Highlands and Islands."

Sustainable Aviation Test Environment (SATE), a collaboration between the UHI and multiple partners in the public and private sector, nominated for the ‘Multiparty Collaboration' award has created, through the rigorous and technology-agnostic evaluation of low-carbon technologies (including aircraft, fuel and operations), a blueprint for the commercialisation of green regional aircraft operations, providing increased resilience for communities and businesses in remote and rural locations.

Professor Andrew Rae, UHI Professor of Engineering based at UHI Perth, said: "As co-creators of the project with Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd we are extremely proud to see this recognition of work that is both reducing the impact of aviation on the environment and improving connectivity for the communities in our region. The project is a perfect example of how universities can work with industry and government agencies to create a programme involving partners for whom research is not usual business and create a local solution to a global problem".

The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards are organised by business-academic matchmaking organisation Interface. They celebrate successful partnerships at the cutting-edge of research and development, from local micro-businesses to globally significant discoveries, partnering with universities, colleges, and research institutes to change lives in Scotland and beyond.

Now in its 9th year, the awards ceremony will take place at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow on 14 March, when the winners will be presented with awards in seven categories.

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Researchers Louise Thomas and Robert McHenry from the Environmental Research Institute water sampling at Braemore Estate, Caithness