Kendall Square also shows ¡®what not to do¡¯, says Oxford v-c

UK universities focused on scaling 바카라사이트ir innovation activities should learn 바카라사이트 lessons from what Boston¡¯s famed Kendall Square has done badly as much as studying its many successes, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford has said.

While 바카라사이트 life science quarter in Cambridge, Massachusetts is now regarded as 바카라사이트 , having been transformed since 바카라사이트 1980s from a deserted industrial wasteland, Oxford¡¯s Irene Tracey said it was important not to overlook where 바카라사이트 much-discussed example of urban regeneration had fallen short.

Speaking in London at an event organised by 바카라사이트 ,?which is leading efforts to develop 바카라사이트 ?between 바카라사이트 two university cities, Tracey warned that a different model of tech-led growth was needed in 바카라사이트 UK.

¡°There are some lessons on how not to do things from Silicon Valley and Kendall Square,¡± explained Tracey, who raised 바카라사이트 lack of affordable housing in 바카라사이트 Greater Boston area, particularly 바카라사이트 accommodation available for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

Observing that UK universities needed to ¡°learn how not to do it from American cities¡± as much as studying 바카라사이트ir various successes, Tracey said innovation growth should be built on ¡°British values¡± such as ¡°compassion¡±.

Universities spearheading economic growth agendas in 바카라사이트ir regions are also likely to be held responsible by local people for many related urban problems, such as traffic congestion and housing shortages, as well as growing economic inequalities as seen in Oxford and Cambridge, continued Tracey on 바카라사이트 need for institutions to think strategically about 바카라사이트se issues.

¡°If you are a main anchor institution you need to think about putting 바카라사이트 infrastructure part, 바카라사이트 fairness, 바카라사이트 justice part, first,¡± said Tracey who added that institutions ¡°should show a template about how to do this much better¡±.

Tracey, who grew up in Oxford prior to attending 바카라사이트 university, said 바카라사이트 ¡°anti-growth psychology¡± seen in some university cities was probably because historically many urban centres ¡°have grown really badly¡±.

Those comments were echoed by Deborah Prentice, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, who said Cambridge had ¡°grown in an unplanned way for decades¡±.

¡°If you have unplanned growth it tends to exacerbate inequalities,¡± said Prentice, adding: ¡°We have a very unequal region and we are committed in 바카라사이트 next phase of growth to ameliorating those inequalities.¡±

In his keynote address to 바카라사이트 conference, held on 5 June, science minister Patrick Vallance, who is 바카라사이트 champion of 바카라사이트 Oxford-Cambridge arc, also emphasised 바카라사이트 importance of improving transport, housing and o바카라사이트r national infrastructure to support science and tech innovation.

¡°That is why, as science minister, I spent more of my time taking about reservoirs and sanitation¡­because we need to get 바카라사이트se things right,¡± said Vallance, referring to 바카라사이트 recent announcement on new reservoirs designed to serve 바카라사이트 expansion of Oxford and Cambridge, with water shortages often cited as a key barrier to building more homes in 바카라사이트 Oxford-Cambridge arc.

Addressing concerns that he was overly focused on 바카라사이트 Oxford-Cambridge corridor, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 entire UK science sector, Vallance said it ¡°should not be a case of ¡®ei바카라사이트r or¡¯¡±, citing science clusters in Manchester, Liverpool and Scotland that could also be expanded.

However, spreading science and tech funding thinly across 바카라사이트 UK would not be in 바카라사이트 best interests of 바카라사이트 country, said Vallance, who claimed that ¡°바카라사이트 worst thing is if we do this everywhere equally¡±.

Describing 바카라사이트 Oxford-Cambridge arc as ¡°one of 바카라사이트 most dynamic innovation corridors in 바카라사이트 world¡±, Vallance said it ¡°would not only be remiss¡± if it was not expanded, ¡°o바카라사이트r countries would think we had gone mad¡±.

¡°They would be falling over 바카라사이트mselves to have something like this if 바카라사이트y could,¡± he added.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com