A joint seminar on Innovation in Rural and Remote Areas has been organised by the UHI Centre for Remote and Rural Studies in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde and the Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

All are welcome to this event which is being held at the UHI Millennium Institute, Ness Walk, Inverness, IV3 5SQ starting at 11am on 21st June 2010.

For those who live outwith Inverness and the Highlands, access to the seminar by videoconference may be possible. To arrange access by videoconference please contact crrs@uhi.ac.uk or 01463 273 563.

The seminar will be chaired by Dr Neil Simco, Dean of Faculty of Business and Leisure, the prospective University of the Highlands and Islands.

Calum Davidson, Head of Key Sectors, HIE will open the seminar with welcome and H&I scene setting and Alison Wilson, Head of Finance and Business Services, HIE will present on homeworking.

Dr Sara Davies, European Policies Research Centre, and Dr Jillian MacBryde, Department of Management Science at the Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow will present on the findings of their research on innovation and innovation policy in remote and rural areas. Although innovation is often seen as an urban phenomenon, many innovative businesses may benefit from being located in remote and rural areas, for example where business activity is linked to natural resources, or where the constraints of remoteness (such as population sparseness) stimulate the introduction of new ideas. The study has examined the challenges and opportunities for innovation in remote and rural areas, as well as kinds of policy intervention seen, not only in Scotland but also in Cornwall and Wales, as well as in Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

If you would like to attend this event please register by completing the form under the following link http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K3CV2X7 by Wednesday 16th June 2010.