The Centre  part of a £5m investment by EPSRC in nine new centres, follows the launch of the £89m Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC) at Strathclyde, transforming the way universities, business and industry collaborate to bring global competitive advantage to Scotland.

The Herald reports , that the loan is intended to transform business-academic collaboration in Scotland, and will link 850 academics, researchers and project managers from the university with industrial partners.

TIC, part of Scottish Enterprise’s new International Technology and Renewable Energy Zone (ITREZ) – is a business hub planned alongside Strathclyde. The EIB loan will also progress the upgrade of the 50-year-old James Weir Building (right)

Professor Jim McDonald, Strathclyde University’s principal, said: “Receiving this level of support from the EIB provides us with the opportunity to take a substantial step forward and further demonstrate our commitment to accelerating the pace of research and development, the generation of high-quality graduates, and delivery of benefit to companies, the economy and Scotland.”

Over the last five years the European Investment Bank (EIB)  has provided £1.3bn for UK education investment.
Projects financed by the EIB cover investments and development of education at all levels across the EU.

Between 1997, when the EIB started financing investment in education, and the end of 2010, loans worth €20.4bn went to more than 175 projects in the European Union.