University of Leicester to participate at the GREAT Festival of Innovation in Hong Kong from 21 – 24 March 2018

Event in Hong Kong from 21-24 March will explore the opportunities of space science

LEICESTER, 31-Jan-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of Leicester will bring the wonders of the Universe to Hong Kong as part of the UK government’s GREAT Festival of Innovation, which launches its fifty-day countdown from today (30 January).

Internationally renowned for its world-leading research in space science, technology, engineering and Earth observation, Leicester will join other UK universities in showcasing how leading sectors are collaborating with these unique engines of innovation to gain a competitive edge, strategically linking higher education, research and business to help create tomorrow.

The UK government is hosting a GREAT Festival of Innovation in Hong Kong to showcase the power of UK innovation and technology to the world. The festival from 21 – 24 March 2018 will show how new technology could change the way we work, learn and play in the future. It will also provide a fantastic opportunity for the very best British and Asian innovators to create new trade links and strengthen existing relationships with hundreds of international business leaders and investors.

The University of Leicester has a 50-year-plus record of delivering the science and engineering which has enabled exploration of space to Jupiter and beyond. In 2017, the University received funding to kick start the development of Space Park Leicester to drive innovation in its world-class strengths in space and Earth observation science and provide a new anchor for a vital British industry.  The University of Leicester’s vision is that Space Park Leicester will be recognised internationally as the world-leading hub for space and space-enabled data industries.

The East Midlands Centre of Excellence in Satellite Applications is located at the University’s new Leicester Innovation Hub, a £5.1m dedicated creative incubation and innovation space in the heart of the city, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to provide an easy to find ‘front door’ to the University’s innovation support, expertise and facilities, especially in Earth Observation and Geographical Information Systems.

Space technology is not simply a thing of the future – it’s the here and now and will be at the heart of the successful economies of the future. Every time we go to work, turn on the television, make a mobile phone call or engage satnav systems, space technology is behind it. It connects our armed forces and our humanitarian agencies and delivers the essential intelligence needed to keep peace in an increasingly fragmented world.

Leicester’s leading role in space research and technologies will be represented at the GREAT Festival of Innovation by space science researcher and aspiring astronaut Dr Suzie Imber, who was the winner of 2017’s Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes? TV series on the UK’s BBC2 and who will be on-hand to inspire others to reach for the stars with their ambitions.

Senior representatives of the University will be travelling to Hong Kong to talk about some of the latest exciting developments to come from space science and space-enabled technologies.

President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, Professor Paul Boyle, said: “We are proud to be supporting the GREAT Festival of Innovation and joining the leading universities and businesses that are showcasing the very best that UK business and industry can offer.

“There is a whole universe of opportunity to be found in space and we’re eager to help businesses explore it. Whether you are observing a distant supernova or the traffic jams on Earth, processing data from a space probe or from a weather satellite on your mobile phone, space-enabled technology is affecting your everyday life and we are still at the tip of the iceberg of what it can achieve.”

Marking the countdown, International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, highlighted that the Festival would give new and existing exporters the opportunity to further strengthen the UK’s reputation as a trading nation that is one of the best places to do business.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox said: “In 50 days the Great Festival of Innovation will bring together the best entrepreneurs and the most advanced technology from across the UK and Asia to explore how we will work, live, play and learn in the future.

“Led by my international economic department, this festival will be a major showcase for our talent, creativity and design on the world stage. From smart robots and cities to autonomous vehicles, the UK is already a global technology hub and the festival will help secure that position for generations to come.”

For more information please visit http://great.gov.uk/innovation or follow the hashtag #GREATinnovation.

SOURCE: University of Leicester

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