Charities across Edinburgh entered the new year facing a complex operating environment, as Scottish Charity Register data reveals more organisations were removed from the register last year than were newly established.
According to the register, 101 charities were registered in Edinburgh during 2025, while 122 were removed from the register.
Removal from the register can include mergers or charities completing their purpose, but the figures highlight the ongoing pressures within the voluntary sector as organisations adapt to rising costs, regulatory demands and changing funding patterns.
This local picture mirrors UK trends. The Status of UK Fundraising 2025 report found that 54% of UK charities saw their fundraising income remain static or fall over the past year, with a substantial majority attributing this to wider economic conditions. While income is not universally declining, many organisations are having to work harder to maintain stability.
Ansvar Insurance, a specialist insurer for charities and not‑for‑profit organisations, says the challenge is less about short-term survival and more about long-term sustainability.
Photo of a group of friends studying together at home
Adam Tier, Head of Underwriting at Ansvar, commented: “Edinburgh has always had an incredibly active charity sector, but these figures show just how challenging the current environment has become.
“Rising operational costs, a more competitive fundraising landscape and increased demand with an average of 27% of Edinburgh residents relying on charitable services mean organisations need to think differently about sustainability.”
To help local organisations strengthen their resilience, Ansvar is encouraging charities to explore less obvious strategies that can make a meaningful difference:
Build practical partnerships: Formal partnerships with organisations serving similar beneficiaries can reduce overheads through shared back-office functions, joint fundraising and collaborative grant bids, while strengthening funding applications.
Focus on long-term supporter relationships: Nurturing existing supporters through regular updates and consistent storytelling can help convert into monthly giving, providing greater stability than one-off donations.
Review insurance and risk exposure: A risk assessment can highlight duplicated cover or gaps in protection. As services evolve, charities should ensure their insurance reflects current activities to avoid unnecessary costs or unexpected exposures.
Despite the pressures, the registration of new charities in Edinburgh during 2025 demonstrates the commitment of local communities to addressing social need.
Adam Tier added: “Financial sustainability isn’t just about raising more money. Often, it’s about taking a fresh look at existing processes and asking the right questions.
“The organisations that thrive are those that plan ahead, understand their risks and adapt early, positioning themselves to weather these challenges and continue serving their communities for years to come.”
A raft of new partnerships launched across Scotland’s academic ecosystem means that ‘collaborative innovation is the true winner’, according to an NHS Scotland partner.
Last week, it was announced that the University of Glasgow would be partnering with Glasgow Caledonian University to “enhance the two institutions’ capacity for entrepreneurship, innovation, and commercialisation” through what is being called the ‘Innovation Exchange’.
Earlier this month too, a consortium of seven institutions jointly launched the Shared Academic Knowledge Exchange Services (ShaKEs) initiative, bringing together Queen Margaret University (QMU), Abertay University, the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), Robert Gordon University, The Glasgow School of Art, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Edinburgh College.
Their aim is to “strengthen commercialisation and innovation across Scotland’s modern and smaller universities and the college sector”.
Edinburgh Napier University, Queen Margaret University, and Edinburgh College, College, said they expect the link-up in the capital will be “contributing to Scotland’s economic development, while benefitting our students, communities and industry partners”.
Formal NHS Scotland partner InnoScot Health believes the new partnerships are encouraging steps towards an ever more aligned triple helix of NHS, industry, and academia.
The organisation’s Innovation Commercialisation Manager, Fiona Schaefer said: “We have spoken for some time about the need for key institutions and enterprises to strengthen connections across Scotland for the benefit of all, and we’re now seeing that increasingly happening in academia.
“These are vital relationships that can help to underpin a healthier, more prosperous, and sustainable country. Collaborative support and the pooling of knowledge are essential to achieving that goal, so the forging of closer networks is a pleasing development.
“Scotland’s urgent need for more collaborative innovation is set to the true winner here.”
The Innovation Exchange is a five-year pilot partnership between Glasgow and Glasgow Caledonian Universities, supported by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
Central to the Exchange is the development of a robust pipeline of social and commercial enterprises with a shared commitment to progressive thinking.
The unifying of seven institutions as a result of the ShaKEs initiative will meanwhile allow the sharing of “specialist expertise and professional services to unlock new pathways for research impact, skills development, and economic growth”.
It aims to translate research into real-world impact for health and social care, amongst other sectors, by honing expertise in areas such as intellectual property that are required to commercialise projects.
Echoing those goals, the new partnership between Edinburgh Napier University, Queen Margaret University, and Edinburgh College, will support innovation and entrepreneurship in line with nationwide plans to boost Scotland’s economic development.
The agreement will enhance work towards ambitions laid out in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland Regional Innovation Action Plan and the Scottish Government’s National Innovation Strategy by strengthening entrepreneurial skills and networks.
InnoScot Health previously linked up with Edinburgh Napier University and Heriot-Watt University on an initiative – labelled a “first of its kind research collaboration” – which saw engineering and nursing students pooling capabilities and know-how to hone breakthrough healthcare ideas.
It is also a partner with Heriot-Watt University and University of Dundee in the Tay Health Tech collaborative programme which aims to break down barriers to healthcare and health inequalities through the development of technological solutions.
Fiona added: “It will be exciting to witness the acceleration of cutting-edge research and innovation which results from these many exciting new academic partnerships, no doubt positively impacting triple helix ambitions.
CHI in Local Government Project brings together key partners to deliver better outcomes for citizens
A new project exploring the use of the Community Health Index (CHI) number in Scottish Local Government has been awarded £590,000 funding from the Scottish Government.
The ‘CHI in Local Government’ project, led by COSLA, the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government, and Public Health Scotland, seeks to improve information sharing across health, social work, and social care services.
The Community Health Index (CHI) System, which has underpinned NHS Scotland’s digital infrastructure for over 40 years, provides a unique patient number used across the health service. It supports everything from immunisation and screening programmes to primary and secondary care delivery.
The CHI In Local Government project aims to use the CHI number to improve the quality of the data services hold, allow services across health, social work, and social care to better match data, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for our citizens.
Accessing health, social work, and social care services all too often requires people to repeat their information. Using the CHI number as a common identifier across health, social work, and social care will reduce this duplication and improve integration of services. To deliver the highest standard of care, it is essential that our workforce have access to the right information at the right time.
The aims of the CHI in Local Government project align clearly with the ambitions set out in the joint COSLA and Scottish Government Digital strategy, Care in the Digital Age, and Data strategy, Greater Access, Better Insight, Improved Outcomes.
Both strategies emphasise the importance of robust information governance and seamless data sharing across health and social care.
Councillor Paul Kelly, COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson, said:“I am delighted that the CHI in Local Government project has received funding to progress to the Discovery phase.
“By using CHI more widely across our Councils we can improve data matching and, crucially, reduce the amount of times people accessing our services have to repeat their information.
“I look forward to continuing to champion this work as it progresses and ultimately delivers better outcomes for our citizens.”
Tom Arthur, Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, said:“In line with the priorities recently set out in the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework, I am pleased to support this project.
“Using CHI numbers in social care means people will get a better level of service. By allowing information to be shared safely and confidentially between professionals, we can reduce duplication of work, and the time staff have to spend on administrative tasks.
“It will further embed the integration of health and social care and help in preparations for the health and social care online app, launching in Lanarkshire later this year.”
Martyn Wallace, Chief Digital Officer, Digital Office for Scottish Local Government, said:“I am thrilled with this significant investment as we continue to work closely with our public sector partners to enhance our digital services for citizens.
“By utilising the Community Health Index (CHI), we will streamline access to services, reduce the need for individuals to repeat their information, and ensure timely delivery of care.
“This initiative will also promote better integration of health and social care services, support other collaborative digital projects like the new Health & Social Care App, and ultimately improve outcomes for our citizens.”
Scott Heald, Director of Data and Digital Innovation, Public Health Scotland said:“Our vision at Public Health Scotland (PHS) is focused on ensuring communities can flourish across Scotland.
“We bring together data and intelligence to shape decisions affecting health and care. This work to adopt the Community Health Index (CHI) in Scottish Local Government will make a huge contribution towards how we can work with partners to maximise the benefits of digital and data in ways that will empower individuals and communities.
“PHS already collects and analyses data from across the domains of health and social care, much of which Is sourced directly from Local Government systems.
“The opportunity to integrate the CHI into those underlying systems will lead to faster, more efficient, and accurate production of whole-system data on health and social care services and provide insights on outcomes for individuals across Scotland.”
Upmo, the Edinburgh and Lothians-based charity supporting adults with learning disabilities and autism, is proud to unveil its brand-new electric van—thanks to generous funding from CrossCountry Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF).
The van was revealed on Thursday morning outside Waverley Station in Edinburgh. Wrapped in eye-catching Upmo branding and featuring the CrossCountry logo, the van reflects a shared commitment to inclusion and sustainability.
The fully electric van is already in operation across Edinburgh, Prestonpans and Gorebridge. It supports Upmo’s network of community cafés, gardens, and student-led retail projects, which provide our students with meaningful work experience, practical life skills and increased independence.
Upmo Eat: a network of community cafés where students gain hospitality and catering experience.
Upmo Grow: a gardening initiative focused on wellbeing, food growing, and sustainability.
Upmo Retail: where students design, make, and sell handcrafted products at markets and pop-ups. Products are also available through our online shop.
“We are thrilled to have this electric van active in our community,” said Mark Smith, CEO at Upmo. “Thanks to CrossCountry, we can now deliver our social enterprise services with greater efficiency and do our bit for the environment.”
Helping to reduce carbon emissions by replacing journeys previously made in petrol and diesel vehicles, the new vehicle will be used to:
Deliver Upmo Retail products to markets and partners
Transport produce from Upmo Grow to Upmo Eat cafés and partners
Transport equipment to student events, including musical performances and art exhibitions
Offer student work experience in areas like distribution and customer service
The launch builds on an existing partnership between Upmo and major UK rail operator CrossCountry. In 2023 Upmo Eat cafés received CCIF grant funding, with senior executives from CrossCountry visiting Upmo’s Drumbrae café in March 2024. In April 2024 and again in May this year, Upmo students were invited to take part in a work experience day with the catering team aboard a CrossCountry train from Edinburgh to Newcastle.
“Our relationship with CrossCountry shows what’s possible when partnerships go beyond funding,” added Mark. “Together, we’re delivering real impact—for our students and our community.”
Alex Bray, Stakeholder Liaison Manager at CrossCountry said: “We are proud to continue our partnership with Upmo and sponsor this new electric van.
“It’s fantastic to see how this vehicle will help deliver opportunities for people who are often excluded from traditional employment routes, while also aligning with our commitment to reducing carbon emissions.”
The van is helping Upmo deliver services more efficiently and supports the ongoing growth and sustainability of Upmo’s income-generating social enterprises—helping the organisation support more than 160 young people and adults with learning disabilities and autism across the region.
Look out for the new Upmo van as it makes its rounds in Edinburgh and the Lothians!
The Prime Minister will be focused on delivering prosperity and security for the British people, when he meets President Trump today in Washington D.C – but what Mr Trump will be focused on is anyone’s guess
Prosperity and security for working people focus of Prime Minister’s meeting with President Trump.
Special relationship between UK and US critical to deliver growth and security, with further collaboration on AI and tech.
Prime Minister to reiterate shared US-UK commitment to reaching a durable and lasting peace in Ukraine, and the need for Europe to step up to the challenge.
The Prime Minister will be focused on delivering prosperity and security for the British people, when he meets President Trump today (Thursday 27 February) in Washington D.C.
The UK and the US share a unique and historic relationship, based on shared values and a mutual commitment to economic and defence cooperation.
The UK and the US have one of the biggest trading relationships of any two countries in the world, worth around 400 billion dollars and supporting over 2.5 million jobs across both countries.
This visit comes just days after the third anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. The Prime Minister and President Trump share a commitment to delivering lasting peace in Ukraine, and the Prime Minister will reiterate the UK’s commitment to securing a just and enduring peace, bringing an end to Russia’s illegal war.
The Prime Minister will be clear that there can be no negotiations about Ukraine, without Ukraine and will recognise the need for Europe to play its part on global defence and step up for the good of collective European security.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister announced that defence spending will increase to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament. This will drive economic growth and create jobs across the UK, while bolstering national security and protecting borders.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The world is becoming ever more dangerous, and it is more important than ever that we are united with our allies.
“A stable economy, secure borders and national security are the foundations of my Plan for Change, and the US-UK relationship is integral to delivering them. These principles will be at the heart of discussions with President Trump today.
“There are huge opportunities for us to deepen our special relationship, deliver growth and security, and improve the lives of working people in both our great nations.”
Both countries are world leaders in AI and advanced technologies, and the Prime Minister will be looking to build on these strong foundations to create jobs and economic growth.
The discussion will have a particular focus on the opportunities that further technology and AI partnerships could deliver. These include a proposal of high-ambition shared moonshot missions across top technologies including quantum and AI, and a deeper partnership on space.
The US and UK are the only two allied countries with trillion-dollar technology eco-systems, and the Prime Minister will make the case for further integration between the two countries’ tech sectors to make them the most efficient, ambitious technology sectors in the world.
In October, US tech firms announced a £6.3 billion package of investment to support UK data centres – a central pillar of the government’s plan to ramp up the country’s AI capacity. In January a further £12 billion investment from Vantage Data Centers created over 11,500 jobs as the government published its AI Opportunities Action Plan.
These investments represent just one facet of the deepening science, innovation, and technology collaboration between both countries. In AI, researchers from both sides of the Atlantic have dedicated research exchange programmes to share knowledge and expertise in delivering the next wave of cutting-edge innovations that improve people’s lives in areas such as personalised care, autonomous surgeries, and cancer diagnosis – on top of a broader AI partnership which has also been signed by the AI Institutes of both countries.
On a visit to the West Coast at the end of last year Technology Secretary Peter Kyle met a range of companies to bang the drum for further investment in the UK’s technology sector. Just two weeks ago, he also put pen to paper on a new partnership with leading AI firm Anthropic which will explore how the technology can be put to work to transform the public services that UK citizens rely on, and deliver on the government’s Plan for Change.
The Prime Minister will join President Trump at the White House today, where he will be greeted by the President before signing the White House Guest Book and a tete a tete at the Oval Office. This will be followed by a bilateral lunch, and a joint press conference. He will also carry out a defence-focused visit.
On arrival on Wednesday night, he met a select group of CEOs from large US businesses to discuss their existing and growing presence in the UK, and the importance of UK-US trade and investment (above).
He will outline the strength of the UK offer to investors: policy stability; an active partnership with government; an open, trading economy; and a reform agenda focused on making it easier to do business.
The Prime Minister is accompanied by the Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who will join the Prime Minister’s programme at the White House (pictured above with ‘Lord’ Peter Mandelson, who welcomed the UK delegation to Washington).
The Momentum Delegate Programme kicks off in Edinburgh today, Wednesday 7 August, acting as a central hub from the world-leading Festival City to connect key cultural players from across the world with the wider Scottish and international cultural sector.
Every August during the Edinburgh Festivals the capital of Scotland becomes a global celebration of culture and creativity, with citizens of the city and the country joined by artists and audiences from all over the world.
At Momentum, a cohort of producers, government agencies, funders, stakeholders and programmers from invited countries will join a tailored programme of networking and meetings with creative practitioners, policymakers and educators in Scotland.
The collaborations established will enable long-term relationships, platforming Scotland and its artists and art organisations on the world stage and further cementing Scotland’s international cultural reputation.
On behalf of Momentum partners, Julia Amour, Director of Festivals Edinburgh said: “The Edinburgh Festivals are distinctively Scottish yet profoundly international, and we’re delighted to welcome cultural representatives from around the globe to our Momentum programme, where we will help them build relationships with our festivals and the wider Scottish cultural sector.”
The 36 delegates arriving are from Viet Nam, Sweden, South Korea, the MENA region (Middle East & North Africa), Türkiye, Mexico and Poland – as well as two artform delegations for Literature and Visual Arts. Information on each area, its delegates and sessions are available on the Momentum website.
Since 2011, Momentum has brought over 700 international delegates to Edinburgh during the buzz of the city’s August festivals. These have contributed to multiple collaborations, most recently:
Scottish Dance Theatre (SDT) connected with Ciało/Umysł, an international contemporary dance festival in Warsaw, developed from a meeting set up by the Momentum team last year. After the initial introduction, with support from the Momentum follow-up fund, SDT Artistic Director Joan Clevillé visited Poland for Ciało’s dance platform.
SDT’s Senior Producer, Robyn Jancovich-Brownsaid: “The visit enabled SDT to get a sense of the scene, visit venues, make more connections in the area, and, critically, really understand the cultural and political context in which the artists and organisations are working.
“We’re now talking about next steps and exploring plans for an artistic exchange programme in autumn 2025, in which Scottish and Polish dancers will be able to work together.”
Ryan said: “Initially Manuela and I had some great chats just about being new in our roles and the challenges of directing festivals. We stayed in touch, sharing ideas about poets and writers, and then agreed to partner on a grant application.
“That enabled us to have an extra event at Stanza last year, in collaboration with Cúirt International Festival of Literature, called Companion Planting. An artist and an author visited from Ireland to talk about strategies of support and examined ‘care’ within collaborative artistic working practices.
“This was a perfect fit with Stanza’s theme last year. It’s rare to see a project happen that fast; I felt lucky to encounter Manuela, and get something going so quickly.”
Creative Scotlandand partners* have confirmed continued funding of a unique International cultural exchange programme, to a total of £730,000 over two years.
Celebrating social arts practice by supporting the development of new and existing partnerships between Germany and the UK, Cultural Bridge was established in 2021 as an innovative investment partnership between all UK arts councils and leading German cultural institutions.
So far Cultural Bridge has supported 35 partnerships and over 70 organisations committed to exchanging and collaborating on artistic practices that explore themes faced by communities in both countries.
The fund supports organisations working across various themes and artforms including youth work, inclusion, health and wellbeing, socio-political, rural and environment-based arts.
By enabling new and existing connections, Cultural Bridge supports a growing network of organisations committed to sharing expertise and skills, exchanging ideas and collaborating on artistic practices and projects that explore themes and issues faced by communities across both countries.
Tortoise in a Nutshelland TheaterGrueneSosse are partnered on their project The Invisible City. They said: “Cultural bridge will enable us to partner with like-minded artists to produce outstanding art for people of all ages. It is so important to be able to go into a process like this with time, space and openness, which the program will provide.
“Together, Theatergruenesosse and Tortoise in a Nutshell will explore the invisible cities and perspectives in the places that surround us. The funding allows us to collaborate and bring together young people from both Frankfurt and Edinburgh to learn and share with one another and discover the similarities and differences in our local communities and artistic practices.”
The programme launched in 2021 and has supported 35 new and existing partnerships through 42 awards, benefitting 73 organisations and providing opportunities to 591 artists and cultural practitioners across the UK and Germany. Nine of these partnerships through ten awards were from Scotland.
To date, Cultural Bridge has awarded £662,000 in grants and has today confirmed a commitment to two further funding rounds of £360,000 and £370,000 respectively, totalling £730,000.
Cultural Bridge is supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
Dana MacLeod, Executive Director of Arts, Communities and Inclusion of Creative Scotlandsaid: “Creative Scotland’s continued commitment to the Cultural Bridge programme is another example of our important work with the four UK nations’ arts councils to strengthen and deepen international links.
“The impactful partnership with Fonds Soziokultur, the British Council and the Goethe Institut in London supports exchange between socially engaged artists and creative practitioners across Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and our close neighbour Germany. This opens doors to nuanced and thought-provoking connections between the local communities with which they work.”
Recent weather events, such as heatwaves, floods and fires in the UK this year, have made three fifths (60%) of adults across Scotland more concerned about climate change
A third (32%) think that it’s too expensive to live more sustainably creating a barrier to climate action, despite 78% of adults in Scotland being concerned about climate change
Three in ten (29%) are more concerned with their energy bills as opposed to living sustainably
Recent weather events across the UK this year, such as heatwaves, floods and fires, have made three fifths (60%) of people in Scotland more concerned about climate change. A further 59% are also worried about weather reports from other countries, including in Australia and America, according to new research from mutual life and pensions company Royal London.
More than half (55%) have also said that ongoing media coverage has had an impact on their climate change concerns – and 49% said that having children and grandchildren has made them more worried about climate change.
This has spurred many to act and live more sustainably in the last 12 months. Most popular planned changes include reducing plastic usage (56%), shopping locally (49%), driving less (38%), and consuming less meat and dairy (35%).
However, the cost of living crisis is making it difficult for people in Scotland to act on climate change.
With the majority (83%) of adults in Scotland concerned about the cost of living, 29% are understandably more concerned with their energy bills as opposed to living sustainably. Many people are taking cost-saving measures this autumn and winter with a quarter (25%) planning to buy fewer or cheaper Christmas presents.
Shockingly, nearly half (46%) plan to turn on their heating only when absolutely necessary this winter and one in seven (14%) adults say they are anticipating skipping meals. Sustainability is unlikely to be the priority with a third (32%) thinking that it’s too expensive to live more sustainably.
Royal London’s Changemakers Programme announces partnership with Remake Scotland, a Perthshire based social enterprise, which promotes the reuse of local materials
Set up in 2011 in the town of Crieff, Perthshire, Remake Scotland promotes sustainable living across the local area. Its projects and services, such as its repair cafes, second-hand store, and community tool library (holding more than 300 items for residents to borrow), encourages the local community to reuse materials and become increasingly self-sufficient.
Given its success and growth over the previous years, from a small organisation based in the founder’s own garage, Remake Scotland now seeks to further expand the range of its services to maximise its impact and help the community live sustainably.
As part of this goal, it hopes to work more with commercial partners to develop a second-hand brokerage service.
Each Changemaker participating in the programme will benefit from a £20,000 grant, as well as extensive business support from The School for Social Entrepreneurs, which will continue for two years, to support them with the development of a greener economy that benefits many.
Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance Specialist at Royal London, says:“Climate change and sustainability are issues which need addressing urgently.
“Living sustainably doesn’t have to cost more and some measures, such as reducing the food and heat you waste, can save money. However, many of us need a helping hand to get started.
“We believe that these inspiring social enterprises can provide real solutions to these issues, with innovation at their heart, which is why they’ve been chosen as our Changemakers this year. We are delighted to support people who are looking at new ways to ensure that a just transition and moving fairly to a sustainable world is a possibility for everyone.”
Amulree Welch, General Manager at Remake Scotland, says: “We know that the cost-of-living crisis is having a huge impact on our community, particularly in the lead up to Christmas.
“Remake are committed to supporting our community through this crisis and helping people to continue to live sustainably while also living affordably. We do this by providing low cost, second-hand supplies through our Reuse Hub including a wide range of second-hand Christmas gifts, providing free hire of over 300 different pieces of equipment through our Community Tool Library and providing package free, sustainable products through our Remake Refillery, which are price matched with Tesco.
“We know that the cost-of-living crisis will for many people be taking precedence over the larger global concern of the climate crisis, however we hope that by supporting people to make second hand their first choice this winter this will help people save money and the planet.”
Researchers at Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde team up with international partners to develop quantum technologies for medical imaging and new materials for better medicines
Researchers at Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde universities team up with international partners to develop technologies of tomorrow
Teams at Heriot-Watt will work on developing quantum technologies capable of measuring single light particles that could be used for medical imaging or detecting objects behind barriers
A team from Strathclyde will develop new materials which could improve the processing and performance of drugs such as tablets and capsules
Leading UK researchers from Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde universities will work with international collaborators to develop the technologies of tomorrow, including quantum technologies for medical imaging and new materials for better medicines.
They are among 12 projects announced today bringing together UK and international researchers to develop cutting-edge new technologies, funded through a £17 million investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
One team at Heriot-Watt, led by Professor Gerald Buller, has been awarded a £1.3 million grant to advance quantum technologies capable of measuring single light particles.
Detectors that are capable of measuring the single quantum of light – the photon – are critical to many quantum technologies.
These technologies include quantum communications systems which connect remote quantum processors, and quantum-enhanced imaging approaches for uses such as medical imaging, detecting objects that are faint or behind barriers and satellite communication networks.
The team will work with collaborators at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and California Institute of Technology in the US.
Professor Buller said: “The impact of this project will be found in both advancing the emerging applications of quantum technology, as well as in more ‘blue-sky’ quantum research.
“Accessing the state-of-the-art detect single-photon detectors from this project will enable a range of advances in emerging quantum technologies such as quantum communications and quantum-enhanced imaging.
“In parallel, this project will allow examination of more fundamental studies of quantum entanglement in ultra-high dimensional quantum imaging and communications.”
A team of researchers at Strathclyde, led by Professor Alastair Florence, has been awarded a £1.2 million grant to work with collaborators in the USA, advance the development of amorphous materials, which are rigid and can hold their shape like solids but have disordered atomic structures like liquids.
They have huge potential in medicines manufacturing where they could be used to improve the processing and overall performance of drugs, in particular treatments which are taken orally such as tablets and capsules.
The team will work with collaborators at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and Ghent University in Belgium.
Professor Florence said: “This ambitious new international collaboration will develop new science and digital technologies to de-risk the use of amorphous solid forms, reduce the timescale and cost of their development, deliver innovation in their design and manufacture, and help drive the adoption of this versatile and important class of materials across pharmaceutical industry.
“Crucially, the project will also help to develop the talent pipeline and future research leaders for industry as well as academia.”
UK Science Minister George Freeman said: “From improving cancer treatment and generating clean growth to designing the communication networks of tomorrow, UK science, technology and innovation is developing pioneering solutions to the some of the world’s greatest challenges.
“These 12 international projects will harness the expertise of the UK’s world-leading researchers and global collaborators, helping us accelerate our path to an innovation nation and underline our position as a science superpower.”
EPSRC Executive Chair Professor Dame Lynn Gladden said: ““From better, cheaper medicines to powerful quantum computers and next-generation communications networks, these new technologies have the potential to transform the way we live.
“By bringing together world-leading researchers to deliver ground-breaking science and engineering solutions, these projects will generate impact that will be felt across all of society.”
The projects are:
A project led by Durham University aims to develop molecular quantum technologies for use in powerful quantum computers. They aim to use ultracold molecules cooled to within a millionth of a degree of absolute zero as the building blocks of new computing platforms, exploiting the rich internal structure of molecules to unlock the enormous processing power of quantum computation.
Partners: Imperial College London, University of Oxford, Harvard University (USA), JILA at the University of Colorado Boulder (USA)
Led by the University of Birmingham, researchers intend to develop robust and transportable optical clocks which use light to provide an unparalleled precision in timekeeping. They have a wide range of potential uses, from helping planes and ships to navigate to underpinning ultra-high broadband networks.
Partners: University of Nottingham, NPL, Riken (Japan), University of Tokyo (Japan), the University of Düsseldorf (Germany), PTB (Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt) (Germany), Technical University Munich (Germany)
Researchers at Heriot-Watt University will work with US collaborators to advance quantum technologies capable of measuring single light particles. These have a wide range of applications, including medical imaging, detecting objects behind barriers and satellite communication networks.
Partners: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) (USA), California Institute of Technology (Caltech) (USA)
Partners: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology (Germany) and Rosalind Franklin Institute
Working with collaborators in the USA, a team led by the University of Sheffield aims to develop the technology needed to fabricate ultimate visible light communication (VLC) systems and micro-displays. Using lasers on tiny chips in our devices, VLC could potentially offer bandwidth more than three orders of magnitude larger than conventional Wi-Fi or 5G.
Partners: University of Strathclyde, University of Bath, Harvard University (USA), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA)
Researchers led by Newcastle University aim to ensure that electric vehicles using the Internet of Things to optimise energy usage are cyber-secure. They will test the vulnerability of electric vehicles, national grids and charging infrastructure while developing the approaches needed to protect them against cyberattacks including the zero-day attacks.
Partners: Cardiff University, University of Sydney (Australia), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) (Australia)
A project led by The University of Manchester intends to increase, by up to a million-fold, the volume of manufactured materials that can be X-ray imaged to identify defects. Focusing on battery, composite materials and additive (3D printed) manufacturing, this will guide the manufacturing of new products and improve their performance.
Partner: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (France)
Partners: National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative Research Center for Metamaterials (USA), Airbus, BAE Systems, Ball Aerospace (USA), Bodkin Design, British Telecommunications, The City University of New York (USA), Dstl, Metamaterial Technologies, M.Ventures (Merck) (Netherlands), NASA (USA), Oxford Instruments, Phoebus Optoelectronics (USA), QinetiQ, Thales, Transense Technologies, Wave Optics
A team led by the University of Strathclyde will advance the development of amorphous materials, which are rigid and can hold their shape like solids but have disordered atomic structures like liquids. They have huge potential in medicines manufacturing where they could be used to improve the processing and overall performance of drugs, in particular treatments which are taken orally such as tablets and capsules.
Partners: University of Copenhagen (Denmark), Ghent University (Belgium)
A project led by the University of Leeds aims to improve the outcomes of surgical treatments for osteoarthritis, a condition affecting more than 8 million people in the UK and costing the NHS more than £10 billion a year. Researchers intend to use personalised approaches to evaluate devices such as hip and knee replacements so they can be matched to individual patients’ needs, reducing the risk of complications.
Partner: The Center for Orthopaedic Biomechanics, University of Denver (USA)
A project led by the Imperial College London and UCL aims to develop sophisticated mathematical optimisation algorithms that can guarantee finding the best possible designs and operational strategies in industrial processes and their supply chains. These algorithms will be designed and implemented to facilitate use by decision makers across the process industries to balance economic performance, safety and environmental impacts and handle uncertainty
Partner: RWTH Aachen University (Germany)
A project led by Aston University aims to advance frequency comb technology, which allows light to be measured and controlled and has potential in areas such as telecommunications, gas sensing and sensing for the food industry. Researchers aim to design and develop a new family of light sources with improved robustness, performance and versatility to allow for practical applications in a wide range of different fields.
Partners: University of Nice Sophia Antipolis (France), University of Lille (France)
Operation Wingspan, a year-long campaign to tackle wildlife crime, working with partners, including the Partnership Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) Scotland, has seen considerable success and is now entering its final phase.
This involves officers working on the persecution of fresh water pearl mussels and tackling all aspects of poaching, including hare coursing. As with previous phases, it will involve a combination of enforcement action and education.
Overall, the campaign has involved officers engaging with a number of organisations, including the agricultural community, ranger services, land managers and game keepers with the aim of educating the wider public and encouraging them to report wildlife crime to the police.
Detective Sergeant Billy Telford, Police Scotland’s Wildlife Crime Co-ordinator, said: “We have many internationally renowned species that attract thousands of nature lovers and tourists every year to Scotland, but many crimes against wildlife are cruel and barbaric, often involving a painful death.
“From hunting deer, hares or badgers with dogs, to using poisons or snares on protected birds, and protecting one of our lesser known species, the critically endangers freshwater pearl mussel, Operation Wingspan is raising awareness and hopefully encouraging people to come forward and report this kind of crime.”
Operation Wingspan began in October 2020 and Phase One saw officers tackling the trade in endangered species and included visits to over 300 business premises, such as antique dealers, retro shops and pet shops across Scotland to advise owners and provide information about potential contraventions under The Control of Trade in Endangered Species (COTES) 2018 regulations.
It resulted in the seizure and recovery of alligator heads from across the country.
Phase Two tackled badger persecution, working with the charity Scottish Badgers, to highlight that badgers and their setts are protected, that it is an offence to harm or interfere with them and that badger baiting is illegal. Where ongoing risks were identified, action was taken to protect the sett and the badgers.
Phase Three saw officers taking part in a construction conference to outline the responsibilities of developers, highlighting that it is an offence to destroy or damage roosts, as well as engaging with bat groups and visiting vulnerable roosts, ultimately leading to people being charged for undertaking development that threatened the welfare of bats.
In Phase Four concentrated on raptor persecution. Officers have carried out a number of activities, including patrols of vulnerable nesting sites, warrants executed in relation to wildlife crime and a social media campaign with an educational video that was produced in collaboration with the RSPB.
Detective Chief Superintendent Laura McLuckie said: “Reports of wildlife crime doubled during lockdown and Police Scotland is dedicated to working closely with a wide range of partner organisations to reduce the harm to species targeted by criminals and the communities who rely on them for employment and tourism across Scotland.
“Tackling wildlife crime is not just about enforcement, it is also about working with partners and raising public awareness to prevent it happening. Indeed, the public has an important role in helping up to investigate reports of wildlife crime and I would urge anyone with concerns or who suspect a wildlife crime has been committed to contact us on 101, and if it is an emergency to call 999.”
