WMG has been hailed as a role model of partnership between science research and industry in a key speech by Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Dr Vince Cable.

Dr Cable was speaking about the context of the impending major government spending decisions, how the UK invests in science and research, and he posed the question “can we achieve more with less?”

The speech praised WMG for being “outstanding” in its ability to innovate and bring together a range of disciplines. Dr Cable said:

“I recently went to Professor Bhattacharyya’s outstanding centre at Warwick and the whole point about his centre is innovation depends on lateral thinking between apparently different disciplines.”

He also noted WMG’s partnerships with industry and the significant economic benefits of such partnerships. In particular he singled the partnership between WMG and Tata as one of the examples of the “…fact that the UK is home to some of the leading universities in the world, and has such a strong research base, undoubtedly helps us attract overseas investors.”

When he visited WMG, Dr Cable noted that “WMG and the University are playing a vital role in helping the UK become a world leader in innovation by bringing together top research and business partnerships. Warwick has become one of Britain's leading universities, in large part because of its long standing commitment to work with business and promote innovation, with wider benefits for the UK economy."

WMG director Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya said: “We are delighted that the Secretary of State came to see for himself how R&D facilities like those at WMG are a real and significant engine driving economic growth. The many research partnerships formed between universities like Warwick and companies like JLR and its many suppliers, makes a vital contribution towards sustaining UK economic growth”

The full speech can be found at:

http://www.bis.gov.uk/news/speeches/vince-cable-science-research-and-innovation-speech

For further information please contact:

Peter Dunn, Head of Communications
Communications Office, University House,
University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 8UW, United Kingdom
email: p.j.dunn@warwick.ac.uk 
Tel: +44 (0)24 76 523708 Mobile/Cell: +44 (0)7767 655860

Pr121 9th September 2010