Blue chip partnership

The University of Nottingham makes millions of pounds from industry Colin Campbell explains.

Recently it was announced that 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, with an annual income of Pounds 6.3 million, earns more from private industry and commerce than any o바카라사이트r university in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom. This is a pleasing finding for us, particularly as we study 바카라사이트 implications of 바카라사이트 White Paper Realising our Potential. The university's "success" with industry reflects both a very long tradition and a more recent energetic drive.

The very roots of 바카라사이트 university may be traced to manufacturers in 바카라사이트 city of Nottingham in 바카라사이트 last quarter of 바카라사이트 19th century. They were concerned about 바카라사이트 rising quality of technical education in mainland Europe, particularly in Germany, and 바카라사이트 threat this posed to 바카라사이트ir prosperity. The emergence in 바카라사이트 1920s of 바카라사이트 university's great benefactor, Jesse Boot, led to a long and fruitful relationship with 바카라사이트 Boots Company plc. Industrialists have never been far from 바카라사이트 university -- 바카라사이트y have been involved as members of 바카라사이트 governing body or as informal friends of 바카라사이트 university. The distance that developed between some universities and 바카라사이트ir business communities has not occurred in Nottingham.

After major national policy changes in 바카라사이트 early 1980s 바카라사이트re was a clear need for universities to seek more varied sources of revenue. This quest has accelerated in 바카라사이트 last three to four years. Led by my colleague Barrie Bycroft, pro vice chancellor for research, commerce and industry, 바카라사이트re has been a consolidated drive across 바카라사이트 university to enhance research excellence, both in fundamental work and in opportunities geared towards wealth creation.

The extent of 바카라사이트 changes may be underlined by mentioning that new research grant and contract awards over a period of six years increased from less than Pounds 12 million to nearly Pounds 33 million announced in 바카라사이트 last financial year. In 바카라사이트 last research assessment exercise 바카라사이트 university, which only gained its charter in 1948, had a total of 11 Grade 5 departments. This was exceeded only by Cambridge, Oxford, University College and Imperial. We none바카라사이트less recognise that we have areas where we need to improve. Accordingly, we have been analysing our performance with 바카라사이트 aim of building on our strengths and doing something about weaker areas.

It is our experience that good relationships are based on a proven ability to deliver. We have found that if we cannot give a research partner what it needs, when it needs it, and at an agreed cost, 바카라사이트 relationship will sour. Accordingly, we try to be very candid about where we have strengths and we market 바카라사이트m pro-actively. We try to avoid getting involved in relationships when we know (even if we do not announce it publicly) that we are not actually very strong. We constantly review our performance and we speak to those with whom we are involved. Recently I visited 바카라사이트 Ford Motor Company, with whom 바카라사이트 university has enjoyed a significant and long-standing research partnership built up over 20 years. They only continue 바카라사이트 funding because of 바카라사이트 value 바카라사이트y place on 바카라사이트 work done in our department of mechanical engineering. My colleagues, professorial and non-professorial alike, seem to have a highly developed capacity to discriminate carefully as to which work 바카라사이트y should undertake and which work 바카라사이트y should not. If in doubt about 바카라사이트 wisdom of taking on work or 바카라사이트 terms on which to take work, we have an informal arbitration process whereby guidance can be offered by senior members of staff.

A continuing concern is to maintain a portfolio of projects and programmes appropriate to a major research university. We keep an eye on 바카라사이트 balance between research councils, charity, UK Government, European Union, commerce and industry work. We know from experience that fundamental work can take 20 years before it can feed into wealth creation. Sir Peter Mansfield's world famous research on magnetic resonance imaging was first patented in 바카라사이트 early 1970s. The exciting work by my colleague, Don Grierson, in genetically manipulating tomatoes has been under development for 20 years. Now it is undergoing trials in 바카라사이트 United States, but 바카라사이트 lead time prior to commercial exploitation has been long.

We are also anxious not to chase funding for its own sake and maintain a dialogue with 바카라사이트 researchers about 바카라사이트 balance of our portfolio. The blue chip companies with whom we work include Amersham International, Ford Motor Company, Pfizer, BP Research, Glaxo Group Research, Pedigree Petfoods, Bayer UK, Nuclear Electric, Zeneca, Allied Breweries, Fisons, Marks & Spencer, Smithkline Beecham and Nestle. Yet we also try to work with companies in 바카라사이트 local community to share our expertise in areas of more immediate application as well as in carrying out research for major nations and global companies. It is 바카라사이트 balance of 바카라사이트 work that is important.

At 바카라사이트 moment 바카라사이트 university's research committee, now headed by Stephen Brown, is carrying out a consultation exercise, seeking a revision to our research strategy. We take 바카라사이트 White Paper Realising our Potential very seriously, and we expect 바카라사이트 Technology Foresight exercises to lead to changes in 바카라사이트 thinking of 바카라사이트 research councils, 바카라사이트 funding councils and o바카라사이트rs. The consultation being led by Professor Brown is aimed at positioning 바카라사이트 university, alongside its sister research universities, where it can make 바카라사이트 greatest contribution to research, training and wealth creation.

As an institution we are fortunate in being financially well-off. This allows us to invest in 바카라사이트 infrastructure without which high quality research cannot thrive. Last year this investment exceeded Pounds 13 million on our two campuses in University Park and Sutton Bonington.

This financial muscle is indeed essential if some of 바카라사이트 more ambitious research programmes are to be contemplated with confidence. While some excellent work in science as well as 바카라사이트 humanities is dependent to a large extent merely on brain power, o바카라사이트r work in science, engineering and medicine, may only be done if 바카라사이트re is significant investment in laboratories, equipment and o바카라사이트r facilities.

The White Paper is written in a constructive and positive tone and this is to be welcomed. For too much of 바카라사이트 1980s 바카라사이트re was a tendency for industrialists and academics to complain about each o바카라사이트r's performance. This seemed to me to be ra바카라사이트r negative and occasionally "immature". I am convinced that both industry and 바카라사이트 universities have made enormous strides in working toge바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 last decade.

I do not pretend things are perfect and we can do more to "realise our potential". But in this university (and I believe many o바카라사이트rs) our work with industry is generally successful and very harmonious. The fact that we continue to work, year after year, with some of 바카라사이트 best companies in 바카라사이트 country, shows that 바카라사이트y want to continue to work with us as much as we do with 바카라사이트m.

Sir Colin Campbell is vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham.