The Sustainable Development Research Centre

Sustainable Development Research Centre (SDRC) together with UHIMI, The University of St Andrews, The Forestry Commission, The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Cairngorms National Park Authority, and the Forestry Commission Forest Research Agency have come together to establish the National Sustainable Development Centre (NSDC).

The creation of a National Sustainable Development Centre (NSDC) will complement existing research strengths and help to build new capacity. It will coordinate sustainable activity across Scotland and create an evidence base which can be used to inform future policy making within the field of sustainable development.

To achieve relevance and excellence the Centre will create active research partnerships between business, government agencies and academic institutions at the national and international level. It is envisaged that the NSDC will coordinate sustainable development activity in Scotland incorporating two key themes namely: governance for sustainable development and envisioning sustainable economies. The Hub would be a bespoke facility based at the Enterprise Park in Forres, Moray. The Nodes will be identified centres, or departments, positioned at partner facilities in Aberdeen, Grantown on Spey, St Andrews and Edinburgh.  All research, knowledge transfer and management activities will be channelled through the Hub to form links with partner Nodes. 

For one year from 1st August 2008 the set up phase, a mutually agreed working arrangement between partners will operate as an interim measure.  This will allow the parties to create a brand capable of being used singly or jointly on funding proposals, subject to the notification of such usage to all other parties and will enable the interim National Centre to begin operations and to develop relevant management and administrative processes.  During this set-up phase a funding proposal will be developed for the first five-year operation of the National Centre.

Objectives of the set up phase:

• Establish the National Centre brand.

• Establish an informal stakeholder group to advise on the creation of the final National Centre.

• Submission of core funding applications to research councils and other funding bodies to create the National Centre.

• Agree the management structure and administration processes for the national Centre.

• Develop a research strategy and business plan for the centre.

• Commence research projects prior to the creation of the full collaborative centre which will enhance the likelihood of success of the core funding applications.

• Run a series of informative workshops to publicise the activities of the interim collaboration.

• Negotiate and hopefully enter into a legally binding collaboration agreement between the Partners in order to establish the final National Centre.