South Korea’s Ministry of Knowledge and Economics is funding the global research and commercialisation programme, which is designed to support the development of research expertise at SMEs in South Korea.

Industry sectors that the university and South Korean SMEs will collaborate in include biotechnology, medical devices, transportation and logistics, software, computing, robotics and electronics.

The South Korean government’s programme will provide £170,000 in funding for ten feasibility studies in the above mentioned fields, after which three of the studies are expected to develop into full-scale R&D projects worth £1m over the following three years.

The university’s bid for the partnership was facilitated by Scottish Development International, which helped Strathclyde to win out of a shortlist of six other European universities.

Dr David McBeth, director of the university’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Services, said that the partnership provided a unique opportunity for Scotland’s economy: “I am hopeful that, in due course, the programme will open up opportunities for economic activity for Scottish companies as the collaboration matures.”

SDI chief executive Anne MacColl also talked of the benefits for Scotland: “This partnership very much endorses Scotland as an academic and industry partner of choice.”

Ms MacColl added she had high hopes for Scotland to increase its worldwide reputation as a knowledge-led economy.