focus on west london
Community collaboration key to success
Brunel University London’s key role in both the local and global business communities and its entrepreneurial flair make the Uxbridge-based university an attractive partner for collaboration, writes its deputy vice-chancellor of academic affairs and civic engagement, Professor Bill Leahy
Community ties are hugely important to Brunel. We are proud to be a leading London university and prouder still to have Hillingdon and the Thames Valley on our doorstep. These communities are crucial to our success, and our vital role as a civic university is enshrined in our strategic vision.
Significant economic impact
Brunel is a significant and growing local and regional business. We contributed more than £200 million to the local economy and over £500m GVA to the London economy in the most recent yearly estimate by independent consultants BiGGAR Economics. Every £1 we make has an economic impact of £6.30 in the UK economy.
In terms of employment, some 4,300 jobs in the borough of Hillingdon were supported by Brunel in the same academic year – a figure that is increasing strongly with time. More broadly, our institution generated almost 7,600 jobs across London and over 10,200 nationally.
Brunel has relationships with well in excess of 8,000 companies through placements, graduate employment, mentoring, research funding and supply services. Our relationships with core organisations – including our fellow anchor institutions in Hillingdon: Heathrow, Hillingdon Borough Council and Hillingdon Hospital – involve shared connections at various levels, from research to employment.
These strong relationships with business are hugely beneficial for all involved. For us, they are important in providing opportunities for our students to gain work experience, enhancing our teaching and learning and ultimately providing jobs for our students. And the relationships are also crucial in developing and maintaining critical research partnerships and enhancing our ability to secure and exploit research funding opportunities – improving the impact of our research for businesses and communities and supporting our knowledge transfer activities.
A great example of this business engagement and the partnership working we do here at Brunel is the Hillingdon Business Expo, held on our Uxbridge campus. Firmly established in business owners’ calendars after three strong years, it attracts more than 1,500 visitors and includes more than 100 local and regional businesses, connecting them with potential customers and suppliers.
Through a pioneering new partnership with the Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, we are launching the new Brunel Partners Academic Centre for Health Sciences, which aims to transform the way health and social care is delivered to the community. The Centre will drive innovation in community care through multidisciplinary research, will provide new
approaches to education and teaching for allied health, nursing, social care and medicine, and will prepare the next generation of healthcare workers for the changing landscape.
Nurturing new businesses
Our Brunel Business School actively supports the Co-Innovate project, funded equally by the university and the European Regional Development Fund. Through the projects’ two initiatives, Co-Innovate Bridging the Gap and Co-Innovate Journeys, we provide support to local SMEs and start-ups for new product, service and process innovation.
We have worked closely with more than 250 local SMEs so far, connecting businesses to the academic expertise, innovation specialists and knowledge resources found within Brunel. This is knowledge exchange at its highest level: developing solutions for business through collaboration, and providing our students with an effective learning experience, boosting academic and employment projects.
We are proud of our students’ entrepreneurial flair, and provide structures within which their potential can be realised.
Brunel University London’s campus
The Brunel Innovation Hub aims to stimulate entrepreneurship and encourage students and graduates to turn their ideas into business. We bring together a collaborative and supportive network of successful entrepreneurs, experienced
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businessmag.co.uk THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – NOVEMBER 2017
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