TRL 1–4
Research Centres of Excellence
Universities and research laboratories generate new knowledge, conduct research, supervise students and create early-stage innovations.
Centres of Excellence
GAAS Centres of Excellence
Transforming Academic Projects into Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Impact
Innovation pathway
From academic supervision to real-world impact
The GAAS Centres of Excellence bring together universities, research laboratories, innovation hubs, incubators and industry partners to strengthen the journey from academic supervision to real-world impact.
Led by internationally respected academics and industry professionals, the Centres of Excellence provide expertise, mentorship, collaboration opportunities and international partnerships across a range of disciplines.
Unlike traditional academic networks, the GAAS ecosystem supports the complete innovation pathway from research and student projects through to prototype development, manufacturing, commercialisation and societal impact.
Collective support
The Centres collectively support
PhD Research
Master's Dissertations
Postgraduate Research
Undergraduate Research
Final Year Projects
Senior Design Projects
Capstone Projects
Research Laboratories
Applied Research
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Industry Collaboration
GAAS ecosystem
How the GAAS Ecosystem Works
The GAAS ecosystem connects three critical stages of innovation:
TRL 4–7
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Centres
Innovation hubs, incubators and product development centres help transform research outcomes into prototypes, MVPs, startups and validated solutions.
TRL 7–9
Industry & Manufacturing Centres
Industrial partners support product engineering, manufacturing, certification, deployment and commercialisation.
Together, these Centres create a seamless pathway from academic supervision to innovation and impact.
Current network
Current GAAS Centres of Excellence
Specialist Centres connect academic leadership, domain expertise and innovation pathways across the GAAS ecosystem.
Centre of Excellence for Academic Supervision, Research Impact & Entrepreneurship
Lead
Dr. Muddesar Iqbal
President, GAAS Network
- Host
- Global Association for Academic Supervision, UK
To strengthen academic supervision and help universities transform supervised projects into applied research, innovation, entrepreneurship and societal impact.
Academic SupervisionPhD & Doctoral ResearchMaster's DissertationsUndergraduate ResearchFinal Year ProjectsSenior Design ProjectsCapstone ProjectsResearch ImpactEntrepreneurshipInnovation EcosystemsIndustry Engagement
Centre of Excellence for Robotics & Autonomous Systems
Lead
Dr. Henry Wang
- Host
- Xipu-uGo Robotics Research Centre, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), China
To advance robotics research and autonomous systems development through international collaboration between academia and industry.
RoboticsAutonomous SystemsMobile RobotsIndustrial RoboticsRobot Operating Systems (ROS)Intelligent MachinesHuman-Robot InteractionAI for Robotics
Centre of Excellence for Intelligent Product Design & Development
Lead
Andrew Folk
- Host
- Startupden Ltd UK
To support the transformation of innovative ideas into manufacturable products through design thinking, engineering design and rapid prototyping methodologies.
Product DesignDesign ThinkingEngineering DesignProduct DevelopmentRapid Prototyping3D PrintingDesign for ManufacturingProduct ValidationInnovation Management
Centre of Excellence for Cognitive Systems & Digital Innovation
Lead
Prof. Tasos Dagiuklas
- Host
- Cognitive Systems Research Centre, London South Bank University, UK
Cognitive SystemsAI ApplicationsDigital InnovationFuture NetworksEmerging TechnologiesSmart Systems
Centre of Excellence for Industrial Systems & Digital Trust
Lead
Dr. Ilias Politis
- Host
- Industrial Systems Institute of ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, Greece
Industrial Systems CybersecurityIndustrial Information SecurityIndustrial Digital TrustCritical Infrastructure Security
Centre of Excellence for Industry Clusters
Lead
Dr. Jamie Meehan
- Host
- Startupden Ltd UK
Transformational Growth and Innovation for High-Impact OrganisationsGlobal Industry Cluster AuthorAccelerating Digital & Green TransformationGlobal RD&I PMO
Centre of Excellence for Digital Innovations & Intelligent Connectivity
Lead
Prof. Shahid Mumtaz
- Host
- Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, UK
Digital InnovationsInnovative StrategyIntelligent ConnectivityEdge IntelligenceFuture Communication Systems
Centre of Excellence for Internet of Things & Smart Systems
Lead
Dr. Shancang Li
- Host
- School of Computer Science and Informatics, Cardiff University, UK
Internet of ThingsSmart SystemsDigital TransformationAIoTIndustry 4.0 Applications
Centre of Excellence for High-Performance Computing & Distributed Intelligence
Lead
Prof. Andrey Chernykh
- Host
- Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
High Performance ComputingCloud ComputingEdge ComputingDistributed SystemsIntelligent Infrastructure
Centre of Excellence for Digital Innovation & Smart Technologies
Lead
Prof. Honghao Gao
- Host
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
Digital InnovationSmart TechnologiesAI ApplicationsDigital TransformationEmerging Technology Ecosystems
Centre of Excellence for Higher Education Innovation & Research Leadership
Lead
Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum
- Host
- Global Association for Academic Supervision, UK
Higher Education InnovationResearch LeadershipAcademic PolicyInstitutional Capacity BuildingNational Innovation Systems
Centre of Excellence for Human Capital, Employability & Workforce Development
Lead
Asif Iqbal, SHRM-SCP
- Host
- Global Association for Academic Supervision, UK
EmployabilityFuture SkillsTalent DevelopmentWorkforce TransformationLeadership Development
Engage with GAAS
Become a GAAS Centre of Excellence
GAAS welcomes universities, research laboratories, innovation hubs, incubators and industry partners interested in joining the global ecosystem.
Together, we are building a pathway that transforms academic supervision, research and innovation into entrepreneurship, industrial collaboration and measurable societal impact in the AI Era.