University in 'Northern Way' alliance
Northern England's eight research-intensive universities have formed a powerful alliance, known as the N8, to support the Government's Northern Way initiative, which aims to boost regional economies and narrow the £30bn output gap between the North and South.
The Universities of Newcastle, Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and York are identifying areas of research excellence which are predominantly held in the North of England and have the greatest potential to benefit the economy.
Research themes for initial consideration, identified by the eight Research Pro-Vice-Chancellors and other senior managers, include ageing & health, energy, molecular engineering, regenerative medicine and sustainable water use. Other themes will also be considered as the Northern Way initiative is developed.
A £100m spending plan for the Northern Way, including £10m for science and innovation, was announced last month at a meeting in Gateshead, when Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott stressed the Government's long term commitment to the initiative. 'It shows we mean business and will help us to attract even more investment and development over the next 20 years,' he said.
The Northern Way initiative will maintain close links with the Science City initiative. Of the N8 members, Newcastle, York and Manchester were designated as Science Cities by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, in December 2004.
In an article published in the August 2005 edition of Parliamentary Brief magazine, which is widely read by Ministers and Civil Servants, the N8 points out that its combined power is comparable to that of Oxbridge and London universities.
'With a total turnover of £1.75bn, a research income of £620m, over 8,000 academic staff and 160,000 students, the N8's critical mass rivals that of the 'golden triangle' in South East England and many powerful groupings in the USA,' says the article.
The N8 has also agreed on its logo, an eight-pointed star, pictured above.
Any member of staff who wishes to comment or make suggestions about the University's involvement in the N8 or Northern Way is invited to write to Professor Trevor Page, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for External Relations and Research Liaison, who is the University's representative on the N8 group. E-mails sent to newslink@ncl.ac.uk will be forwarded to Professor Page for his consideration.
Web links to further information:
Parliamentary Brief magazine (to read N8 article, download PDF file of August 2005 edition and see Page 23).
Northern Way website (including access to Business Plan)
published on: 27th July 2005