Details

Date: Wednesday 29 November 2023

Time: 13:00 -16:00 hrs GMT

Venue: Room CTLP10 in the Teaching and Learning Building, Clifton Campus, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK

Subject: Town Hall Meeting Invitation – Collaborative Opportunity for the East Midlands Net Zero Textile Hub 

The UKRI has announced a funding opportunity aimed at establishing Green Economy Centres across the UK. With a commitment of £25 million, this initiative seeks to support up to five co-created centres that accelerate the translation and commercialisation of market-informed solutions to drive the green economy. The call is a component of the UKRI Building a Green Future strategic theme, aimed at driving the nation towards a Net-zero future, and part of a broader effort to address significant challenges in sustainability and economic growth through innovation and collaboration among research communities, policymakers, and industry stakeholders.

Please see link to funding call: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/accelerating-the-green-economy-centres/

Vision Statement for the East Midlands Net-Zero Textile Hub Proposal:

In response to this funding call, Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is leading the development of a proposal for an East Midlands Net-Zero Textile Hub. The vision of the Net-Zero Textile Hub is to establish a centre of excellence that transforms the regional textile industry into a leading example of sustainability and innovation. The hub aims to drive the transition towards a green economy by developing and implementing cutting-edge, environmentally friendly textile technologies and practices. Through research, collaborative enterprise, and policy advocacy, the hub will tackle the critical challenges of resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable material usage, and acts as a beacon for industry best practices, educational excellence, and community engagement.

The vision for our proposal is threefold:

1. Innovate: Develop innovative technologies, processes and practices that significantly reduce the carbon footprint of textile production and champion circularity within the textile industry.
2. Educate: Cultivate a new generation equipped with the knowledge and skills to drive and sustain the industry’s transformation.
3. Collaborate: Build an expansive network across academia, industry, government, and society, ensuring that the hub’s work is both relevant and impactful.

By realising this vision, the East Midlands Net-Zero Textile Hub will not only contribute to the UK’s net zero targets but also enhance the global competitiveness of the UK textile industry.

The Purpose of the Town Hall Meeting: The town hall meeting will serve as a platform for dialogue and partnership-building with stakeholders like you. We aim to:

• Share insights into the UKRI funding call and explore collaboration opportunities.
• Discuss the strategic benefits and potential roles for partners within the hub.
• Gain feedback and ideas to shape the hub’s research and policy agenda.

Your Involvement: Your expertise and involvement are vital to the success of this initiative. We are seeking your ‘in principle’ support and invite you to engage with us through:

• Participating in and contributing to workshops and stakeholder events.
• Making presentations and sharing industry-specific insights.
• Advising on research directions and providing access to technical data.

 RSVP: iona.baker@ntu.ac.uk