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Business School opens its doors to economic success – University of Reading

The University of Reading has announced the formal launch of its new Business School. It has been established to build upon its international research and training excellence, and to help serve the expanding 'silicon valley' area, which houses major FTSE 100 companies and is a significant driver of UK GDP and regional employment. To mark its launch, the University is staging an event on November 12, 2003, to welcome business and community leaders in the region to see what the Business School can do for them. Guests will be presented with current research, focussing on the theme, 'The Effects of Globalisation on the Regional Economy', and hear from a number of renowned academics and business leaders. The Business School brings together the four separate disciplines of Economics; The ISMA Centre, the Business School for Financial Markets; Management and Real Estate & Planning. It will build on the individual strengths of these units, which attract students from 100 countries. Sponsors of current research include the DTI, the ESRC, Legal & General, the Council of Mortgage Lenders, Thames Valley Economic Partnership, the British Academy and the Nuffield Foundation. Members of the newly established school are committed to formulating a single strategy for a successful future and will draw on the experience of seven industry leaders under a newly established School Advisory Board. (for membership see 'notes'). The new board includes Peter Erskine, chief executive officer of mmO2 – one of Europe's leading mobile operators – who today becomes a non-executive director. Professor Jim Pemberton, head of the new business school, explained: "For a business school to be successful, it relies on many things, not least the excellence of its research and teaching. Links with business are also a vital component of success - there is a great deal to be gained by building alliances between industry and universities. Everything from knowledge transfer, student placements, and graduate recruitment to consultancy and contract research benefit both parties. Our launch is all about what we can share with business and the community in our region and beyond." Peter Erskine, the keynote speaker at the opening of the business school, added: "UK businesses carry out less than half the research and development per worker than that of our counterparts in the US, Japan and Germany. That needs to change in order to maintain competitive advantage. By combining the research power of the new business school with the public and private sectors of regionally-based organisations, we can create the ideal workforce to compete in tomorrow's marketplace." Other speakers include Ms Marianne Neville-Rolfe, CB, director of strategy and corporate services, South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), the leading economist Professor John Dunning and Professor Gordon Marshall, the vice-chancellor. The event finishes with an interactive forum on how partnerships can be of benefit to all concerned. end Anyone interested in attending the event or needing more information, should contact Craig Hillsley, Press Officer, The University of Reading tel: (0118) 378 8005 or e-mail c.hillsley@reading.ac.uk About The University of Reading Business School The University of Reading Business School is proud to be one of the leading business schools in the UK, evidenced by its top rating of '5' (international excellence) in both the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, and also in 1996 – one of only eight business schools to achieve this in the country. The Business School is the largest academic unit in the University of Reading, responsible for around one in six of its students. Its 1100 undergraduates and 1100 postgraduates are drawn from 100 countries. Degree programmes cover the whole range of business-related areas – accounting, economics, finance, management, planning, and real estate. It enjoys very good links with businesses situated within the 'silicon' Thames Valley and is known to be proactive and innovative. The School is keen to respond to the Government's challenge that universities should strengthen links with industry. The formation of its own consultancy organisation indicates its commitment to a culture of enterprise within academia. The Business School's new Advisory Board has been established to assist in the strategic development of the School. The seven external members are: Mr Peter Erskine, CEO, MM02 Plc Mr Ian Ryder, Senior VP Marketing, UNISYS Ltd Mr Martyn Lambert, General Manager, Avaya Corp Mr Mark Blunden, Partner, Boyes Turner Mr Mark Creedy, Managing Director, Property, Legal & General Investment Management Mr John Slade, Managing Director, Slade & Co Mr Martin Glenn, President, Walkers/ PepsiCo UK The University of Reading Business School also has its own Business Development Team which is committed to developing mutually beneficial links with the corporate and public sectors. The School is very aware that, in order to provide students with the necessary life skills, it needs to have continual dialogue with the leaders of industry and public life. Alliances are strategically planned to ensure that a symbiotic relationship will develop. The Business School carries out both blue sky and near market research that provides a continual flow of new ideas to its partners. It offers a range of seminars and workshops to business, and welcomes the opportunity to visit companies to inform them of our capabilities. It is also securing internships and endorsements from the multi-national companies in the region.