Is Bristol about to become a globally recognised hub of innovation? That’s just one of the questions that will be addressed at this week’s Science City Summit in Bath.

The Bristol city region was designated one of six Science Cities by the government in 2005, in recognition of its achievements and strengths in science, innovation and engineering.

The area around Bristol and Bath is home to the greatest concentration of silicon-design businesses anywhere in the world outside Silicon Valley, influencing everything from mobile communications and the development of the internet to digital TV. The Bristol area is also home to the UK’s largest robotics lab, which is pioneering the development of robotic devices.

Science City Bristol is a cross-sector collaboration, chaired by the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Eric Thomas, that aims to build on Bristol’s history of scientific enterprise and ensure that science and technology remain at the heart of the city’s future economic success.

The sixth annual Science City Summit will take place at the Assembly Rooms in Bath on 8-9 October with scientists and innovators from all over the UK gathering to exchange ideas and experiences. This is the first time the meeting has come to the region.

Bristol academic and broadcaster Kathy Sykes will discuss ‘connected cities’ and how science can be used to connect communities. Greg Horowitt, founder of Global Connect, from San Diego will talk about how that city transformed itself over 25 years to become one of the world’s most admired technology and life sciences clusters.

Speaking ahead of the Summit, Professor Eric Thomas said:

‘Science City Bristol is a brilliant opportunity for academics, business people and the government to work together to develop and promote this area’s excellence in science, engineering and technology. The benefits will be felt in everything from the strength of the economy to the pride that the people of Bristol take in their area.’