Oxfordshire phenomenon

The county is home to world-leading research establishments and world-class science and technology-based businesses that are generating employment and wealth for our region and beyond.

Despite this reality, many still associate Oxford only with the enduring image of dreaming spires.

Now it is hoped that a new project focused on assessing and promoting Oxfordshire’s research assets and high technology businesses – the ‘Oxfordshire Phenomenon’ – may help to change perceptions and boost growth.

Oxford University is one of the world’s premier research institutions, ranked number two in The Times league table of the world’s best universities this year, behind the California Institute of Technology and ahead of Imperial College London and Cambridge.

Its technology transfer company, Isis Innovation, has created more than 70 spin-out companies.

Oxford Brookes University enjoys an enviable reputation for its provision of training and education based on industry needs, particularly in automotive, engineering and healthcare.

Other research assets in the county range from Begbroke Science Park in the north, where scientists work alongside industry colleagues to translate advanced engineering and materials research into commercial ventures, to a southern cluster of the Diamond Synchrotron, Harwell Oxford campus and Culham Science Centre, home to the world’s largest fusion experimental facility and the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Our hospitals’ campus includes world-leading heart and cancer centres and a children’s hospital.

Major firms such as BMW, Oxford Instruments, Sophos, Oxford BioMedica, Evotec, Prodrive, Williams F1, Nielsen Group, Unipart and Siemens Magnet Technology operate alongside hundreds of start-up and growing technology businesses.

They are supported by business and science parks such as Milton Park, the Oxford Science Park and seven innovation centres as well as investment funds and angel investment networks.

The aim of the Oxfordshire Phenomenon study that has been jointly commissioned by the university and Science Oxford, is to capture and portray the scale, diversity and value of this high technology cluster and recommend actions needed to support its future growth.

Professor Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University, said: “Our Oxfordshire Phenomenon project is intended to change perceptions which have implications for the future growth of our business cluster and for investment in the county.

“The intention is to describe and promote Oxfordshire as a centre for scientific excellence and innovative technology and to influence policy to support the growth of our technology cluster. The targets for the report from this project are those decision makers in Government and business who steer Oxfordshire’s development.”

The study will investigate the high-tech business community, skills and labour market issues, land, property and infrastructure and the wider ‘soft infrastructure’ including investment networks, funds and professional advisors.

The project is being undertaken by economic consultants SQW, who were responsible for the Cambridge Phenomenon report in 1985.

That groundbreaking report, which described Cambridge’s high-tech cluster for the first time, and subsequent updates have had a significant impact on national and local policies and investment affecting the development of the Cambridge area.

Locally, SQW has been responsible for projects ranging from creating the economic strategy submitted as part of the successful planning application for the Bicester Eco-Town to development work for Science Vale UK.

Oxford University and Science Oxford are being supported by the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, the city, county and district councils, major businesses and research establishments and a range of other partners from across Oxfordshire to guide the project and contribute to its findings.

More than 70 senior representatives from public sector, business and research organisations participated in advisory group workshops organised recently by SQW which has also been conducting consultation meetings with individuals across Oxfordshire and creating a database of the county’s high technology firms.

Professor Bell said: “We have been delighted by the wide-ranging support and very constructive and imaginative comments from everyone involved so far.”

Dr Paul Brankin, chairman of Science Oxford, sees the project as part of its support for early stage technology-based businesses in the county. The organisation whose patrons are Sir Martin and Lady Audrey Wood, Oxford Instruments co-founders, set up Europe’s first innovation centre in Oxford in 1987 and is consulting on plans for a major new science discovery and innovation centre to be constructed in the city centre.

Dr Brankin said: “At the heart of this project is the belief that Oxfordshire has many world-class businesses and others with great future potential. We see an opportunity for Oxfordshire’s high technology economy to make a significant contribution to national growth.

“However, the consultations have revealed that there are also frustrations: firms often mention the challenges of accessing finance, recruiting high calibre staff, particularly in the light of housing costs, and the issues relating to transport and infrastructure.

“These challenges are well understood. But to influence resourcing and policy decisions nationally and locally – and to raise the profile of Oxfordshire’s technology-based community internationally – they need to be evidenced robustly. And we need to provide solutions.”

A survey of high technology businesses in Oxfordshire has been launched to help with the evidence gathering process.

Chris Green, chief executive officer at SQW Group, says: “We hope technology businesses in Oxfordshire will want to lend their support to this important project.”

It is planned that the draft Oxfordshire Phenomenon report will be presented at an event next spring so that as many people as possible have an opportunity to comment before it is finalised. This page is co-ordinated by Oxford Innovation www.oxin.co.uk

Contact: Oxford Phenomenon 01865 261480
 Email: oxfordshirephenomenon@sqw.co.uk