Innovation

UNW’s strategic purpose
A summary of Northwest ‘Strategy for Innovation’:

• To work openly with others to create lasting public benefit
• To be the preferred partner of choice for those external organisations and funders that matter to us 
• To establish innovative behaviour as a quality recognised in career progression at UNW.

Innovation is not limited to business; it is at the heart of all vibrant public and private sector activity. So, innovation is a part of everything we do. Whether it is delivering innovative was of supporting our own  core research and education activities, or in how we support others innovate within their sectors.

 
UNW wants to work openly with innovators. We recognise the value of combined resources to focus on a problem, a need or an issue and the power of different people and organisations being able to work easily  together to solve it. We do not seek to be in a controlling position or to limit access to the outcomes. For UNW, being “first” is not as important as contributing to change which makes people’s lives better. Innovation is not a means in itself, but a mechanism to achieve this outcome. 

 
UNW expends and diversifies activities within themes directed towards policy-makers, cultural industries and healthcare. These themes are embedded within academic units as three Institutes which interact with  a Central Innovation and Enterprise Office.