New partnership aims to boost Scottish productivity

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Peer Works, The Productivity Institute – at the University of Manchester – and its Scotland Productivity Forum – led by the University of Glasgow.

The three organisations will now collaborate to drive increased productivity across businesses and help deliver the ambitions of the Scottish Government.

The MoU will formalise the existing working partnership, which includes a research project and events. It will also see the partners working more closely on policy initiatives, events, collaborative research and in the communication of good practice to employers around ways to increase their productivity.

Clare Reid, director of policy and public affairs at Prosper, which is behind Peer Works, said: “For every part of Scotland to thrive, we need the business base to be as efficient and competitive as possible.

“Research evidence shows that peer-to-peer learning is an effective way to support businesses, particularly smaller businesses.“

Peer Works has been providing, in partnership with the Scottish Government, a forum for peer-to-peer learning since 2019.

Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice chancellor of the University of Glasgow, added: “The interface between universities and business has huge potential as a driver of innovation and productivity growth, which is one of the key challenges for the UK economy.

“Colleagues at the University of Glasgow have been deeply engaged with this subject and we’ve been working in collaboration with the Productivity Institute and Prosper for some time.

“I am therefore delighted that we are strengthening and formalising our partnership to make an even greater impact in research and the sharing of good practice.”

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