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BU vice-chancellor attends launch of University Innovators Guide

28 February 2013

Bournemouth University staff at the University Innovator's Guide launch Professor John Vinney wrote an article for the guide, outlining plans for university-business collaboration

Professor John Vinney, the Vice- Chancellor of Bournemouth University attended the launch of The Dods University Innovators Guide in Westminster on Wednesday.

The publication focuses on the strength of university-business collaboration in the UK at the moment and examines how this relationship can be developed further in the future to help grow the economy.

The event was attended by MPs, Members of the House of Lords and business leaders.

Speaking at the launch, Professor Sir Tim Wilson, author of the 2012 Review of Business-University Collaboration, spoke about how, with the end of traditional industry, the UK has to rely on its workforce as the capital to drive forward the economy, and universities were vital in developing the necessary skills for this.

The Wilson Review was published last year and in it Professor Wilson proposed an agenda for change to make the UK the best place in the world for business-university collaboration.

Also speaking at the launch was Adrian Bailey MP, who is Chair of the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee at Westminster.

He emphasised that universities were already collaborating with business, but not enough was being done to publicise this.

"Universities need to highlight their overall contribution to driving forward the economy and society today," he said, adding that he welcomed the publication as a great significant contribution to that.

Professor Keith Brown from the National Centre for Post-Qualifying Social Work at BU was at the event, highlighting the work the NCPQSW does with the private and public sector to provide in providing education and training for professionals within Health and Social Care.

He was accompanied by Jo Sams who studied at the NCPQSW and now owns and runs a number of residential care homes for young people.

The Dods Innovators Guide was produced in partnership with Bournemouth University, the University of Birmingham, Brunel University, the University of Hertfordshire and the University of Northampton.

It features an article on BU by Professor Vinney in which he outlines his plans for university-business collaboration.

He concludes: "University-business collaboration brings clear benefits to our students, the University, and the businesses that we engage with, and our work with local, national and international business is a source of considerable pride.

"The recommendations in The Dods University Innovator's Guide will ensure that BU can continue to prepare our graduates not just for the world of today, but for the world of tomorrow."

Download the University Innovators Guide

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