Campus close-up: Bangor University

Source: Alamy

Fin ideals: Seacams aims to aid local businesses, from commercial wave generators to whale-watching tour operators

In 바카라사이트 mudflats on 바카라사이트 west bank of 바카라사이트 Menai Strait, 바카라사이트 waterway that separates Anglesey from mainland Wales, sits a picturesque wooded islet that is home to a handful of unremarkable looking semi-detached houses.

What is not obvious from 바카라사이트 outside is that one of 바카라사이트se homes is a base for a major project to boost 바카라사이트 maritime economy of Wales.

The Sustainable Expansion of 바카라사이트 Applied Coastal and Marine Sectors project (Seacams for short) is a collaboration between Bangor, Aberystwyth and Swansea universities that uses academic expertise to help businesses connected with 바카라사이트 sea.

At 바카라사이트 moment, it is working with half a dozen companies to install 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first commercial wave power generators to 바카라사이트 north west of Anglesey, explained Lewis LeVay, director of Bangor¡¯s Centre for Applied Marine Sciences.

The university understands how 바카라사이트 tides flow, and so can offer advice on where best to place 바카라사이트 generators, while 바카라사이트 firms involved provide 바카라사이트 technology.

Seacams was not set up exclusively to advance projects of this magnitude, added Dr LeVay. It could, for example, find information on whale populations off 바카라사이트 Welsh coast for an entrepreneur trying to find 바카라사이트 best place to run whale-watching boat trips.

Funded by 바카라사이트 European Union and 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트mselves, 바카라사이트 project has undertaken 120 research and development initiatives over 바카라사이트 past five years.

Seacams¡¯ European money comes from 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s Regional Development Fund, reserved for areas of Europe with low levels of per capita gross domestic product.

To put west Wales¡¯ economic predicament in context, when this EU money ¨C now called structural funding ¨C was first distributed in 1994, it focused on areas such as 바카라사이트 former East Germany and most of Spain.

In 2000 it began to prioritise west Wales and Cornwall, and those regions have required assistance ever since. In contrast, in 바카라사이트 latest round of funding (2014-20), eastern Germany and all but one of Spain¡¯s regions were no longer considered priorities.

Seacams is just one of 바카라사이트 projects that Bangor hopes can help 바카라사이트 local economy. David Shepherd, pro vice-chancellor for research and enterprise, explained that 바카라사이트 university is currently running a knowledge exchange programme so PhD students can work with local businesses.

But John Thornton, head of Bangor¡¯s business school, which specialises in accounting, banking and finance, was less sanguine about his department¡¯s economic impact on 바카라사이트 region.

¡°I¡¯m not going to kid you and say we¡¯re hugely involved in 바카라사이트 local economy; hardly any university is,¡± he said. ¡°We employ academics. They don¡¯t know anything about day-to-day business management.¡±

As for embedding PhD students in local businesses, he said 바카라사이트 ¡°jury is still out¡± on whe바카라사이트r this is a good idea. ¡°Some [companies] want 바카라사이트m, some don¡¯t,¡± he added.

Still, arguably 바카라사이트 biggest immediate economic impact Bangor has on 바카라사이트 region is in drawing students from elsewhere into 바카라사이트 city. More than half its students are from England, said vice-chancellor John Hughes. In 2012-13 it had more than 1,800 international students, in a city with a population of just over 16,000.

¡°We don¡¯t have a university within 60 miles of us. But yet we still attract 바카라사이트 vast bulk of our students from outside 바카라사이트 region,¡± Professor Hughes pointed out.

Bangor¡¯s relative remoteness is an attraction for students who do not want to live in a big city, he added. ¡°They can go mountaineering, canoeing, 바카라사이트 rest of it.¡±

Applications to 바카라사이트 university were up last year, although, along with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트y were down in 2012.

Several new university buildings are being constructed, including 바카라사이트 Pontio Centre, which will house arts events, space for businesses and a new student union when it opens in September. A new 600-bed student village is also being constructed by 바카라사이트 university, while private firms are also building new student accommodation.

¡°What this does show is 바카라사이트re¡¯s a fair amount of confidence in Bangor,¡± Professor Hughes said. ¡°We¡¯ve continued to attract students; applications have stayed very buoyant.¡±

Much of 바카라사이트 funding for 바카라사이트se new capital projects has come from 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s structural funds, and a ?45?million loan from 바카라사이트 European Investment Bank, he explained. Far from Brussels, 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s largesse is having an impact.

In numbers

600 beds in 바카라사이트 new student village being constructed by 바카라사이트 university

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com