New alliance between Aberystwyth and Bangor universities
Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities will announce a new Strategic Alliance today (Wednesday 7th December) that signals a new phase in the partnership between the two institutions.
The new alliance will build on the successful HEFCW funded £10.9m Research and Enterprise Partnership which was established by the two universities in 2006.
Set a target of generating £11m of additional research funding over a period of 5 years, the Research and Enterprise Partnership will report on Wednesday that it has in fact generated £53m of additional research funding.
This represents 481% of target and has been achieved in the form of new joint research projects, funding brought in by new appointments or as a result of workshops and meetings, which have brought together existing academics from both universities.
The new Strategic Alliance is already beginning to broaden and deepen the partnership between the two universities into areas such as joint strategies in Teaching and Learning, Innovation and Engagement, widening access and regional planning.
Shared services will also be developed in a number of areas, the most advanced being Welsh language services, human resources and careers and employability.
Professor April McMahon, Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University said: “The signing of this new Strategic Alliance represents a major milestone in the excellent relationship that exists between Aberystwyth and Bangor universities. Over the years both institutions have become and will remain the “best of friends”; we engage positively with each other in our shared interests and towards our shared goals, yet still maintain a friendly rivalry. This relationship allows us to develop initiatives that will ensure the mutual success of both institutions and have an increasingly beneficial impact of the various communities we serve.”
Professor John G. Hughes, Vice-Chancellor of Bangor University and Chair of Higher Education Wales said: “Following the recent announcement from the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the future shape of Higher Education in Wales, the signing of this new strategic alliance between Bangor and Aberystwyth reflects his view and signals our intention to continue working closely together over a broader range of issues, to the benefit of both institutions. Both north and mid Wales face a number of challenges, particularly as a result of the current economic climate. Our two Universities are very well placed to help improve the lives of everyone in these regions, and I look forward to working with the Welsh Government to do exactly that.”
The new Strategic Alliance will be signed at the review of the Research and Enterprise Partnership which takes place at the St. David’s Hotel & Spa, Cardiff on Wednesday, 7th December 2011 from 11.00am until 2.00pm.
Research and Enterprise Partnership Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities have been co-operating strongly for a number of years, and, with financial support from HEFCW, a research and Enterprise Partnership was established in 2006 in order to promote collaboration in achieving internationally competitive research. Four joint research centres now exist. The Partnership has developed further and now encompasses other activities such as the joint ‘North & Mid Wales Centre for Teacher Education’, the ‘Aber-Bangor Skills Centre’. It also facilitated the creation of the merged ‘North & mid Wales Reaching Wider Partnership’. The two institutions are also pioneering in Wales the development of a joint Learning and Teaching Strategy, and a joint Intellectual Property Policy.
Five examples of collaboration under the Research and Enterprise Partnership
1. Photonics in Wales
Training for Young Researchers
Over fifty delegates from industry, government and universities were hosted by CAFMaD and the Welsh Optoelectronics Forum (WOF) at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff in October 2010 to discuss the science and technology of green photonics. The meeting, chaired by Professor Andrew Evans, was also supported by the UK Electronics, Sensors and Photonics Knowledge Transfer Network (ESP-KTN). The national context of the meeting was set by Professor John Harries, the Chief Scientific Advisor for Wales, who reiterated the potential for photonics to generate a flow of technologies and applications between the six business sectors identified as vital for economic renewal by the Welsh Government. At a follow-on meeting in October 2011 (entitled ‘A Celebration of Photonics in Wales’) a formal process was initiated to develop a photonics strategy for Wales to assist the Welsh Government in its plans for economic development. This document, co-ordinated by WOF, will be presented to Professor Harries in December 2011. Professor Alan Shore (Bangor) is a member of the working group and a former Chair of WOF; Professor Andrew Evans is the current Chair.
2. Centre for Catchment and Coastal Research (CCCR)
CCCR brings together researchers from Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities working on the physical, biogeochemical and biological processes that can influence the behaviour of the coastal zone - from river catchment to shelf edge.
The Dyfi Demonstration Project CCCR has identified the Dyfi catchment-to-coast system as a demonstration project. A NERC funded research project, RETZ (River-Estuary Transition Zone), is studying the transfer of organic carbon from the catchment to the estuary. Since much of the carbon is attached to sediment particles, the project is using a combination of physical observations to assess hydrodynamics and sediment transport and geochemical measurements to determine the sources and transfers of carbon. This involves measurements in the river (led by Aberystwyth) and the estuary (led by Bangor). The dataset will then be used to drive models that can predict the impacts of climate change on carbon fluxes.
3. Centre for Intergrated Research in the Rural Environment (CIRRE)
CIRRE brings together leading academics from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University and the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) at Bangor University. CIRRE is co-directed by Professor Jamie Newbold in Aberystwyth and Dr John Healey at Bangor University. There are also strong links with the NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (co- located with Bangor University in the Environment Centre Wales) and the Wales Environment Research Hub. CIRRE’s core competence is the ability to integrate research across a range of disciplines, from molecular biology through ecology to the social sciences, and to develop and test models that explain current landscape function and condition, and predict how this will change as a consequence of management and climate change. CIRRE has also established itself as a leading centre in the areas of food security and health and environment research across the St David’s Day Group of Universities.
4. Seals in Medieval Wales
The Seals in Medieval Wales (SiMeW) project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), is based within the Department of History and Welsh History at Aberystwyth University and is being carried out by a team of scholars from Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities, under the auspices of IMEMS.
Wax seals imprinted with coats of arms, emblems, names, mottos and other identifying features have been used for authentication across different cultures and to validate documents throughout Europe and the wider world for many centuries. Medieval seals provide a special view of institutional and individual concerns and provide support for the interdisciplinary interests for today’s researchers at all levels. Seals also offer unique insight into those who used them and the context in which they were used. Yet although they are a key resource, they remain an underexploited source of images and words from the past.
SiMeW investigates seals from across Wales and the Marches to explore aspects of medieval society and economy, politics, religion and expressions of identity in new ways. While the focus is Wales and its border, SiMeW’s scale will enable this project to inform future studies of the use of seals in the UK and beyond in terms of methodology and the interpretative content of the outputs. The project is also providing lively new material to enhance the study of the medieval period by Welsh schoolchildren.
5. Services to Business
The ‘Services to Business’ programme being delivered by Research and Enterprise Support Unit provides a gateway through which stakeholder organisations can connect with one or both institutions. Offering a central point of contact (freephone, email and website) and enquiry service across both institutions, the Services to Business team are well placed to respond to business requirements. Businesses benefit from the opportunity to draw on knowledge, expertise and facilities which best meet their requirements. This can be offered by a single institution or through a project team drawing on expertise from both Universities.
A suite of marketing materials has been developed which provides businesses with an appreciation of the scope of the services offered; from student and graduate placements through to collaborative research, continuing professional development and bespoke solutions, together with the frameworks and funding opportunities which exist to support such interactions.
The new alliance will build on the successful HEFCW funded £10.9m Research and Enterprise Partnership which was established by the two universities in 2006.
Set a target of generating £11m of additional research funding over a period of 5 years, the Research and Enterprise Partnership will report on Wednesday that it has in fact generated £53m of additional research funding.
This represents 481% of target and has been achieved in the form of new joint research projects, funding brought in by new appointments or as a result of workshops and meetings, which have brought together existing academics from both universities.
The new Strategic Alliance is already beginning to broaden and deepen the partnership between the two universities into areas such as joint strategies in Teaching and Learning, Innovation and Engagement, widening access and regional planning.
Shared services will also be developed in a number of areas, the most advanced being Welsh language services, human resources and careers and employability.
Professor April McMahon, Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University said: “The signing of this new Strategic Alliance represents a major milestone in the excellent relationship that exists between Aberystwyth and Bangor universities. Over the years both institutions have become and will remain the “best of friends”; we engage positively with each other in our shared interests and towards our shared goals, yet still maintain a friendly rivalry. This relationship allows us to develop initiatives that will ensure the mutual success of both institutions and have an increasingly beneficial impact of the various communities we serve.”
Professor John G. Hughes, Vice-Chancellor of Bangor University and Chair of Higher Education Wales said: “Following the recent announcement from the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the future shape of Higher Education in Wales, the signing of this new strategic alliance between Bangor and Aberystwyth reflects his view and signals our intention to continue working closely together over a broader range of issues, to the benefit of both institutions. Both north and mid Wales face a number of challenges, particularly as a result of the current economic climate. Our two Universities are very well placed to help improve the lives of everyone in these regions, and I look forward to working with the Welsh Government to do exactly that.”
The new Strategic Alliance will be signed at the review of the Research and Enterprise Partnership which takes place at the St. David’s Hotel & Spa, Cardiff on Wednesday, 7th December 2011 from 11.00am until 2.00pm.
Research and Enterprise Partnership Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities have been co-operating strongly for a number of years, and, with financial support from HEFCW, a research and Enterprise Partnership was established in 2006 in order to promote collaboration in achieving internationally competitive research. Four joint research centres now exist. The Partnership has developed further and now encompasses other activities such as the joint ‘North & Mid Wales Centre for Teacher Education’, the ‘Aber-Bangor Skills Centre’. It also facilitated the creation of the merged ‘North & mid Wales Reaching Wider Partnership’. The two institutions are also pioneering in Wales the development of a joint Learning and Teaching Strategy, and a joint Intellectual Property Policy.
Five examples of collaboration under the Research and Enterprise Partnership
1. Photonics in Wales
Training for Young Researchers
Over fifty delegates from industry, government and universities were hosted by CAFMaD and the Welsh Optoelectronics Forum (WOF) at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff in October 2010 to discuss the science and technology of green photonics. The meeting, chaired by Professor Andrew Evans, was also supported by the UK Electronics, Sensors and Photonics Knowledge Transfer Network (ESP-KTN). The national context of the meeting was set by Professor John Harries, the Chief Scientific Advisor for Wales, who reiterated the potential for photonics to generate a flow of technologies and applications between the six business sectors identified as vital for economic renewal by the Welsh Government. At a follow-on meeting in October 2011 (entitled ‘A Celebration of Photonics in Wales’) a formal process was initiated to develop a photonics strategy for Wales to assist the Welsh Government in its plans for economic development. This document, co-ordinated by WOF, will be presented to Professor Harries in December 2011. Professor Alan Shore (Bangor) is a member of the working group and a former Chair of WOF; Professor Andrew Evans is the current Chair.
2. Centre for Catchment and Coastal Research (CCCR)
CCCR brings together researchers from Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities working on the physical, biogeochemical and biological processes that can influence the behaviour of the coastal zone - from river catchment to shelf edge.
The Dyfi Demonstration Project CCCR has identified the Dyfi catchment-to-coast system as a demonstration project. A NERC funded research project, RETZ (River-Estuary Transition Zone), is studying the transfer of organic carbon from the catchment to the estuary. Since much of the carbon is attached to sediment particles, the project is using a combination of physical observations to assess hydrodynamics and sediment transport and geochemical measurements to determine the sources and transfers of carbon. This involves measurements in the river (led by Aberystwyth) and the estuary (led by Bangor). The dataset will then be used to drive models that can predict the impacts of climate change on carbon fluxes.
3. Centre for Intergrated Research in the Rural Environment (CIRRE)
CIRRE brings together leading academics from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University and the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) at Bangor University. CIRRE is co-directed by Professor Jamie Newbold in Aberystwyth and Dr John Healey at Bangor University. There are also strong links with the NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (co- located with Bangor University in the Environment Centre Wales) and the Wales Environment Research Hub. CIRRE’s core competence is the ability to integrate research across a range of disciplines, from molecular biology through ecology to the social sciences, and to develop and test models that explain current landscape function and condition, and predict how this will change as a consequence of management and climate change. CIRRE has also established itself as a leading centre in the areas of food security and health and environment research across the St David’s Day Group of Universities.
4. Seals in Medieval Wales
The Seals in Medieval Wales (SiMeW) project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), is based within the Department of History and Welsh History at Aberystwyth University and is being carried out by a team of scholars from Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities, under the auspices of IMEMS.
Wax seals imprinted with coats of arms, emblems, names, mottos and other identifying features have been used for authentication across different cultures and to validate documents throughout Europe and the wider world for many centuries. Medieval seals provide a special view of institutional and individual concerns and provide support for the interdisciplinary interests for today’s researchers at all levels. Seals also offer unique insight into those who used them and the context in which they were used. Yet although they are a key resource, they remain an underexploited source of images and words from the past.
SiMeW investigates seals from across Wales and the Marches to explore aspects of medieval society and economy, politics, religion and expressions of identity in new ways. While the focus is Wales and its border, SiMeW’s scale will enable this project to inform future studies of the use of seals in the UK and beyond in terms of methodology and the interpretative content of the outputs. The project is also providing lively new material to enhance the study of the medieval period by Welsh schoolchildren.
5. Services to Business
The ‘Services to Business’ programme being delivered by Research and Enterprise Support Unit provides a gateway through which stakeholder organisations can connect with one or both institutions. Offering a central point of contact (freephone, email and website) and enquiry service across both institutions, the Services to Business team are well placed to respond to business requirements. Businesses benefit from the opportunity to draw on knowledge, expertise and facilities which best meet their requirements. This can be offered by a single institution or through a project team drawing on expertise from both Universities.
A suite of marketing materials has been developed which provides businesses with an appreciation of the scope of the services offered; from student and graduate placements through to collaborative research, continuing professional development and bespoke solutions, together with the frameworks and funding opportunities which exist to support such interactions.
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