The University was well placed to help firms foster innovation, improve productivity and enhance economic growth said Professor McDonald (right)

Among the speakers will be Lena Wilson, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, and Dr Melfort Campbell, Chairman and CEO of the Imes Group and previous Chairman of CBI Scotland. Academics from Strathclyde Business School and the Faculties of Science, Engineering, and Humanities and Social Sciences, will show how they can help businesses capitalise on opportunities for growth.

Professor McDonald said: “The current economic climate is affecting every sector of society, and will present new challenges for us all. But by working together, universities, businesses and the public sector have an opportunity to develop opportunities for growth and ultimately, have a positive impact on the wider economy

“Strathclyde academics are already working closely with a wide range of organisations, undertaking world-leading research to help address global challenges, creating the technologies of the future, and developing the highly skilled and professional graduates needed by employers.

“Expo ‘10 will provide an open door for businesses of all sizes to help them access Strathclyde services. However, this is not a short term plan. We are proud of our long and successful links with commerce and industry and are committed to working with businesses to encourage innovation, help them explore their potential and become more competitive.”

The University offers research to support product development, and  expertise to solve business problems. Visitors will be able to view Strathclyde’s ‘shop window’ of technologies available for licensing. These embrace a wide range of sectors, from new devices to improve healthcare, to engineering products for the oil industry.

Strathclyde, which was recently rated in the top 10 universities to work with by UK businesses, can support companies through a range of services:

• Strathclyde Links – a project to help small and medium sized companies find solutions to problems. The team can link businesses with expert advice in their area and provide access to funding for collaborative projects.
• Studentships within companies – from undergraduates on summer placements to postgraduates researching a specific issue relevant to the business.
• Training opportunities – Strathclyde is one of UK’s largest providers of continuing professional development.
• Commercial opportunities – the chance to look at our ‘shop window’ of new health, energy and business technologies and take out a licence to exploit them.
•  Courses designed with, and for, industry.