Good News for Innovation in Glasgow With Scottish Institute Extension

By anchoring Scottish IKE in Glasgow for the next decade, we’re embedding innovation capability into Scotland’s workforce, driving future prosperity

City of Glasgow College and the Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange has agreed a 10-year extension for the college to host the Scottish branch of the Institute, reaffirming a shared commitment to make innovation accessible, structured and professionally recognised across Scotland’s economy.

This renewed partnership marks a significant milestone in Scotland’s innovation journey — one that moves innovation away from being perceived as the preserve of a select few and firmly positions it as a core organisational capability that can be learned, embedded and measured across sectors.

A Vision Realised: Innovation for Everyone, Not the Few
Since its launch at City of Glasgow College in 2017, Scottish IKE has grown from a bold vision into Scotland’s national innovation centre of excellence — a beacon for organisations eager to embed meaningful innovation into strategy, culture and delivery.

Scottish IKE has pursued a clear and distinctive mission: to democratise innovation by ensuring that individuals, teams and organisations — regardless of size, sector or starting point — can develop the confidence, skills and frameworks needed to innovate effectively.

Hosted within Scotland's largest technical and professional skills college, Scottish IKE has embedded innovation into education, industry and public services, ensuring that innovation capability is not reliant on chance, heroics or isolated talent, but is available to all who seek to improve outcomes and create value.

From Ad Hoc Ideas to Repeatable Impact

A defining feature of Scottish IKE’s work over the past eight years has been its focus on systemising innovation — moving organisations beyond sporadic idea generation towards repeatable, evidence-based innovation processes.
Through structured frameworks, diagnostic tools and applied programmes, Scottish IKE has supported organisations to:

• Assess and improve their innovation maturity
• Embed innovation into strategy, governance and culture
• Align innovation activity with measurable outcomes, including productivity, sustainability and growth

This approach is reflected in nationally significant initiatives spanning innovation, digital transformation and STEM, including projects focused on Construction, Engineering, Health and Social Care, Creative Media & Design, Maritime, Digital Transformation, Space, Net Zero and industry-led innovation ecosystems, delivering measurable growth and future-ready skills. These programmes demonstrate how innovation, when systemised, becomes a dependable driver of transformation rather than an occasional success.

Professionalising Innovation as a Discipline

Central to the extended agreement is a shared belief that innovation should be professionalised — recognised as a discipline with standards, competencies and career pathways, comparable to finance, engineering or project management.

City of Glasgow College has led this agenda in Scotland by championing internationally recognised frameworks and certifications, including:

• Investor in Innovations (aligned with ISO 56002)
• Digital Maturity Assured
• STEM Assured
• Professional development pathways for innovation leaders and practitioners

By anchoring these standards within City of Glasgow College, the partnership has ensured that learners, educators and organisations can access formal recognition for innovation capability, elevating innovation from a buzzword to a professional practice.
Since its inception in 2017, Scottish IKE has enabled the college to solidify its own innovation capability and performance including:

• Achieving Investor in Innovations (ISO 56002) status (2018, 2021, 2024)
• Achieving STEM Assured status (2019, 2022)
• Receiving an Outstanding Achievement Award for Driving Innovation by EFQM in (2022)
• Receiving a Queen's Anniversary Prize for our lifesaving applied research into Oxygen Depletion (2023)
• Being the first UK organisation to achieve combined Digital Maturity Assured and Investor in Innovations (ISO 56002) status (2024)
• Securing a Gold Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme for our support of the armed forces community (2025)
• Providing access to international Intellectual Property (IP) and innovation networks through the IPHatch® open innovation competition, the first of its kind in the UK (2023-2025)
• Securing 36 applied innovation projects (2017-2025)
• Generating GBP 3.7M in revenue and project funding (2017-2025)
• Delivering professionally accredited and certified innovation skills programmes to over 500 industry participants (2018-2025)

A Partnership Rooted in Purpose and Place

Paul Little, Principal and CEO of City of Glasgow College said:

“This 10-year extension reflects our absolute confidence in the power of innovation when it is made practical, inclusive and professionally recognised. Since 2017, hosting Scottish IKE has enabled City of Glasgow College to take innovation out of theory and into the real economy — supporting businesses, public services and communities across Scotland to turn ideas into measurable impact.”

“As Scotland’s largest technological and professional skills college - effectively a Polytechnic of its times - our role is not simply to respond to change, but to shape it. By anchoring Scottish IKE in Glasgow for the next decade, we’re embedding innovation capability into Scotland’s workforce, driving future prosperity. From net zero and digital transformation to advanced manufacturing, maritime and health, new developments are constantly being undertaken in Scottish IKE, to help reshape Scotland's innovation landscape.”

As a civic anchor institution, City of Glasgow College plays a critical role in regional and national development. Hosting Scottish IKE strengthens Glasgow’s and the college’s position as a centre for applied innovation, while ensuring that innovation capability reaches communities, employers and public services across Scotland.

Looking Ahead: Innovation as a National Capability

This 10-year commitment comes at a pivotal moment. As Scotland faces accelerating technological change, sustainability challenges and workforce transformation, the need for democratised, systemised and professional innovation has never been greater.

Together, City of Glasgow College and Scottish IKE will continue to:

• Expand access to innovation education, certification and accreditation
• Support organisations to embed innovation as a core competency
• Connect Scottish innovators to global knowledge and IP networks
• Build a future-ready innovation profession for Scotland

Marking this important milestone, Professor Sam Medhat, Chief Executive of the IKE Institute said:

“Since its formation, City of Glasgow College has demonstrated what is possible when STEM education, innovation and civic purpose are brought together at scale. The College’s sustained investment in innovative skills development has delivered tangible economic value and formidable social impact, whilst positioning innovation as a core, learnable capability rather than a specialist pursuit.”

“Over the past eight years, the College has been home to Scottish IKE Institute, and over that time has built a powerful, mutually-reinforcing partnership with IKE HQ – a true partnership that continues to strengthen Scotland’s innovation capacity for the benefit of learners, industry, and communities alike. We are delighted, having signed this ten-year Partnership Agreement, to grow our strong collaboration over the next decade.”

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About City of Glasgow College
City of Glasgow College is Scotland's largest technical and professional skills college, delivering world-class learning and skills development aligned to industry and societal need. The College is committed to ‘Let Learning Flourish’ through Inspiration, Excellence and Innovation, enabling individuals and organisations to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

About Scottish IKE
The Scottish Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (Scottish IKE) is the Scottish branch of the UK’s professional body for innovators. Based at City of Glasgow College since 2017, Scottish IKE supports organisations to build sustainable innovation capability through assessment, accreditation, applied projects and global knowledge exchange.

About IKE Institute
The Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (IKE Institute) is the UK's professional body for innovators, established in 2011 with a Government mandate to ensure innovation is seen as a professional discipline that requires knowledge, skills and competency development. The Institute accredits, certifies, benchmarks, and provides research, development, training and mentoring in innovation and digital transformation, in such sectors as construction, defence, education, energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, nuclear, security, technology and transportation.

IKE Institute’s work is guided by the Innovation Council, which brings together senior business leaders representing different economic sectors. The Institute runs think-tanks, conducts research studies, delivers certified training, develops new business models and provides tools to support organisations in their strategic innovation developments.

We influence the inter-relationship between education, business, and government through research and collaborative networks. Our Innovation Manifesto highlights our commitment to support the development of innovative people and organisations. The IKE Institute sits on the UK Scientific and Parliamentary Committee and the BSI/ISO Technical Committees for Innovation, Defence Standardisation and Artificial Intelligence, amongst others.

PRESS CONTACTS:

IKE Institute
Michelle Medhat
michelle.medhat@ikeinstitute.org
07720286633

City of Glasgow College - Scottish IKE Institute
Stuart McDowall
stuart.mcdowall@cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk
0141 375 5209