Lancaster University took its world-leading research and business engagement programmes to the heart of Government this week.

University representatives met with MPs and industry leaders at an event showcasing Lancaster’s crucial role in addressing the UK’s Industrial Strategy, held at the Houses of Parliament.

Vice Chancellor Professor Mark E. Smith and Lord Price, former Minister of Trade and CEO of Waitrose, opened the event which saw a c.100-strong audience, including parliamentarians and business leaders, engage with Lancaster academics.

Vice Chancellor Professor Mark E. Smith said: “This event was the perfect opportunity to showcase the nationally and internationally significant research that is being pioneered in Lancaster, demonstrating to policy makers and industry leaders how important the work we undertake is, and how instrumental our world-leading experts can be for shaping future policy.

“As one of the UK’s top ten universities and the number 1 university in the North of England, it’s important for us to emphasise the research and innovation being generated here so that it has the opportunity to benefit all corners of the UK.”

PICTURED - Lancaster alumni Lord Mark Price CVO and Cat Smith MP, with Vice Chancellor Professor Mark E. Smith and Professor Dame Sue Black

Research projects and business engagement programmes linked to the future of productivity and innovation were the focus of the event. Guests were able to discover more about Lancaster’s work with the Cabinet Office’s Open Innovation Team, environmentally beneficial products and services created by the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation in collaboration with SMEs, and pioneering research and knowledge exchange around Government-backed initiatives such as Productivity through People and Made Smarter. The Work Foundation also highlighted the importance of ‘Good Work’ and placing people at the heart of the productivity puzzle in order to find a solution together.

SME leaders who have benefitted from the business support offered by Lancaster University were also in attendance, offering their personal stories about how engaging with the institution helped transform their organisations.

Professor Dame Sue Black, Pro-Vice Chancellor at Lancaster University, said: “Universities have a major role in delivering the UK’s Industrial Strategy, and by producing high quality research we can help to solve real societal and economic challenges. Lancaster has such a lot to offer and it is through true engagement and our culture of working so closely with communities at regional, national and international levels that we can bring about great change.”