University of Leeds - Virtual Science Park ©



Last Updated: July 19th 1996

Overview of the Virtual Science Park (VSP)

This is a major University of Leeds project led by Professor Peter Dew (School of Computer Studies) and Dr. Christine Leigh (School of Geography). The project is overseen by a Shadow Board which is chaired by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Leeds, Professor Alan Wilson, and includes the Registrar, Dr. David Robinson.

The VSP exploits the advances in real time collaborative computing and networking to provide an environment that can meet the objectives of physically based science parks without the need for organisations to relocate physically.

The objectives of the VSP are to enhance the University's ability to interact with industry and to develop and enhance its applied research and workplace learning activities through an integrated set of services built around a person-centred information model.

Background

Three years ago the University of Leeds concluded that a conventional science park would be inappropriate for an inner city university in a mature industrial region wishing to work with leading edge research partners either from other universities or, increasingly, with industry. Expertise within the University of Leeds has an international standing and our natural collaborators are found over a far wider area than the local and regional.

A programme of research and development has therefore been undertaken to create a Virtual Science Park (VSP) which will allow interaction and collaboration between researchers, teachers and students irrespective of distance. The Virtual Science Park is virtual in the sense that the working environments only exist when they are required.

A technical team based within a Virtual Working Environments Laboratory at the University of Leeds has built software to demonstrate the concept and to undertake early trials with key groups within the University.

The VSP integrates emerging collaborative, multi-media computing tools into a system which also provides a carefully structured information architecture to describe the skills and expertise of organisations in the VSP. Navigation and viewing facilities are provided to allow quick and easy identification of potential collaborators and a range of conferencing tools is available to aid communication between geographically separate people. In addition, issues such as security and accounting are addressed.

Pilot projects are being developed to better understand the customisation of VSP services; they include virtual research consultancies, Leeds Environment Centre, access to specialist information services, The Keyworth Institute, virtual research clubs and the Work Based Learning project.

A number of strategic partners have been identified and are helping to accelerate the development of the technology in order to allow the University to build a state of the art, real time, collaborative computing environment.


People involved with the project


VSP Publications


See also the VSP documents gateway for other documents.

For internal use only: VSP minutes gateway (password protected).


Related links


These pages are maintained by Andy Walker of the University of Leeds, Virtual Science Park.

Goto Virtual Working Environments Group Homepage
Goto School of Computer Studies Homepage
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