Entrepreneur and philanthropist, Sir Tom Hunter, in his role as visiting professor at the university and business school, has launched a series of lectures and debates, which will bring business leaders in their respective fields to Strathclyde to offer incisive thoughts and challenges as to how Scotland can deliver 'a new Enlightenment'.
The series was launched with a keynote lecture by Professor Sir Christopher Evans, one of the world's leading medical sciences entrepreneurs on June 21. A popular and pragmatic scientist, and a brilliant businessman, Sir Christopher is credited with starting the Cambridge Cluster. From small beginnings, it now embraces some 350 companies with a turnover of over $7 billion.
Sir Jim McDonald, Principal of the University, said: "Challenging conventional wisdom has been part of the University of Strathclyde's 'DNA' since we were founded by one of the leading figures of the Scottish Enlightenment for the pursuit of 'useful learning.'
"This ethos remains at the heart of our vision today as we strive for academic excellence and to drive investment, create jobs and support our businesses, and society at large in this technological age.
"We are delighted to launch this important lecture series with Sir Tom and look forward to some stimulating debates and high impact contributions."
Sir Tom said, "Mediocrity will confine Scotland to being a bit part player in the global economy. I want to see Scotland come together to embrace change and challenge the norms; seek out opportunity and deride negativity.
"I recognise I am a 'bit part' player in this, but at the very least I'd like to fulfill my 'bit' in an ambitious way. This series I hope will help inform the opportunities that prevail for Scotland, it's then up to us to run with them as we see fit."
The series was launched on June 20 with a keynote lecture by Professor Sir Christopher Evans.
Sir Christopher is regarded as one of the world's leading medical sciences entrepreneurs. A popular and pragmatic scientist, and a brilliant businessman, Sir Christopher is credited with starting the Cambridge Cluster. From small beginnings, it now embraces some 350 companies with over a turnover of $7 billion.
Sir Christopher said, "Scotland could lay some legitimate claims to nurturing the biotech industry from the late 1400s with both Aberdeen and St Andrew's universities creating the world's first medical teaching departments. The Scots were involved in very early surgical anaesthesia, syringes and typhoid vaccines. Some prominent modern day Scottish scientists have made massive contributions to medicine such as Alexander Fleming (penicillin), James Black (beta blockers), David Jack (asthma), David Lane (P53 cancer genes), Ian Wilmut (cloning Dolly) and Philip Cohen (cancer). So there is no doubt Scotland has a long track record of delivering breakthroughs in medical life sciences over the last 500 years.
"The world is suffering a miserable financial hangover at the moment with the Eurozone looking particularly grim with investment non-existent. But elsewhere in the US, Russia, China, Singapore and the Gulf States there is considerable investment going into medical research and technology. So Scotland should once again raise its game and step back onto the world scene – but to do that it will need to be brave and bold and start now."
While at the University, Sir Tom and Sir Christopher found the time to join a group of MBA students who selected the MBA elective, New Venture Creation. The students found themselves in the fortunate position of having both business entrepreneurs join them for one of their classes that same day, with one full-time MBA student even getting to pitch his business ideas to the business pair and get invaluable feedback from the leading entrepreneurs - an invaluable opportunity for all concerned.