Senior business journalist praises Teesside’s work with bioscience sector

Initiatives such as the National Horizons Centre being built by Teesside University will help deliver the Government’s Industrial Strategy and overcome some of the challenges posed by Brexit, according to a leading business journalist.

Jonty Bloom, the BBC’s business correspondent, said universities such as Teesside hold the key to helping the UK compete on a global footing following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

He was visiting the region in order to speak to business leaders at a Business Exchange event at the University’s Darlington campus, before heading to Middlesbrough to address staff at the University’s annual Working with Business Conference.

The Business Exchange is a network of senior leaders from businesses and organisations in the North East and North Yorkshire, with events held at the University’s Centre for Professional and Executive Development throughout the year.

Jonty Bloom spoke and answered questions about the challenges and opportunities facing the Government and businesses as Britain prepares to withdraw from the EU next year.

He pointed to the £22.3million National Horizons Centre being built in Darlington as a good example of how universities can work closely with business to help move the economy forward.

The centre, which is expected to be completed in Spring 2019, is a research, teaching and training facility set to drive growth in the regional and national bioscience industries by developing the technical, innovation and management skills and knowledge needed for the sector to continue to grow and generate jobs and wealth in Tees Valley and the UK.

Jonty said: 'The new bioscience centre is a good example of working with the Government’s industrial strategy.

'Bioscience is an area in which we can only get more technological and more advanced.

'We have an excellent higher education sector in the UK and our qualifications are recognised across the world.

'Universities are key to helping businesses reach knowledge, research and expertise and we need to be knocking on people’s doors to let them know this.'

The Working with Business conference is an annual event that brings university staff together to discuss and share examples of best practice surrounding enterprise and business engagement.

As well as hearing from Jonty Bloom, staff also heard about a successful Knowledge Transfer Partnership with software developer Teleware, employing a graduate associate supported by academic expertise, which helped the company develop new machine-learning technology.

Laura Woods, Director of the Forge, Teesside University’s business hub, said: 'Jonty Bloom is hugely well-informed about Brexit, and he gave a masterful and accessible insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the UK between now and March 2019.

'The University is putting an enormous focus on growing the bioscience sector in the Tees Valley and beyond, so we were delighted to hear Jonty’s endorsement of our work, and of the contribution that universities have to make to economic growth.

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• Business