Reading University wins

The University of Reading has secured more than £1m in funding for an 18-month project with the University of Surrey, which aims to address the immediate and long-term skills and knowledge needs of the biopharmaceutical industry in the South East.

The universities will use their expertise of working with the industry to create opportunities for employees, the recently unemployed and graduates.

The recruitment of Industrial Fellows from the newly redundant or those at risk of redundancy is a distinctive feature of the project. Employed by the universities, Fellows will develop and deliver on immediate specialist training needs, mentor graduate interns and support targeted skills development in science students. They will take on much of the mentoring and supervisory work that often prevents small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources benefiting from the input of graduate interns.

The project has been awarded nearly £670,000 under the Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF). ECIF was set up by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to help universities respond rapidly to meet the immediate needs of the economy during the current recession. The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has offered match funding of £345,000 and the universities will each contribute £172,000, bringing the value of the project to more than £1m.

University of Reading pro-vice-chancellor for enterprise, Professor Christine Williams, said: "The scheme will give recent graduates the chance to make a real contribution to industry as well as furthering their skills and knowledge development through industrial experience and higher-level courses at the universities."

The project is also the first step in setting up a Centre for Knowledge and Skills Exchange for the Biopharma Industry in the South East.

University of Surrey senior deputy vice-chancellor, Professor John Turner, said: "Universities can play a special role in economic recovery by contributing their high-level skills to sectors that are important to the regional and national economy. We are delighted to be working with the University of Reading on a project which will harness the expertise of both institutions, and benefit the South East."