Two leading Midlands universities, the University of Birmingham and the University of Nottingham, are building on their recent landmark collaboration by launching a £400,000 fund to support new joint projects. The money will help to deliver new scientific breakthroughs and innovations as well as supporting a range of other initiatives, such as developing new approaches to teaching at the two universities.
This innovative partnership between Birmingham and Nottingham, which was signed in 2011, has already led to the establishment of a multi-million pound specialist centre for arthritis research and a £2m joint investment to strengthen academic links with Brazil. The creation of the new £400,000 Birmingham-Nottingham Strategic Collaboration Fund will help to build on these existing relationships, as well as creating new collaborative projects which will deliver real benefits for both universities.
Professor David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, said: “We are two of the leading research universities in the UK and share a global ambition. This new fund will allow us to capitalise on our combined academic strengths and range, and greatly expand our joint activity. This latest investment demonstrates our commitment to the strategic partnership and to helping build the individual relationships upon which successful institutional collaboration is based.”
Professor David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham said: “In a globally competitive world, business and social prosperity increasingly depends on a knowledge-based economy, driven in large part by discoveries and ideas generated by research-led universities such as Nottingham and Birmingham. By committing funding to fostering a multidisciplinary approach we can continue to leverage the excellent partnerships we are already developing.”
The universities of Nottingham and Birmingham share characteristics of scale, history, outstanding research, high quality student experience and international engagement. The innovative partnership builds on a number of existing collaborations, including involvement in
the Midlands Physics Alliance, the Manufacturing Technology Centre, and the Midlands Energy Consortium. Nottingham and Birmingham are also formal partners in two large Research Council-supported Doctoral Training Centres, one in the area of Efficient Fossil Energy Technology, the other in the applications of Hydrogen and Fuel Cells.
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The University of Birmingham:
1. The University of Birmingham is a truly vibrant, global community and an internationally-renowned institution. Ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions, its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers and teachers and more than 4,000 international students from nearly 150 countries.
2. The University is home to nearly 30,000 students. With more than 7,500 postgraduate students from across the world, Birmingham is one of the most popular universities for postgraduate study in the UK.
3. The University plays an integral role in the economic, social and cultural growth of local and regional communities; working closely with businesses and organisations, employing approximately 6,000 staff and providing 10,000 graduates annually.