15.12.04
Cornwall's Businesses Gather at Tremough

With the students back at home after a successful first term, the seminar rooms and lecture theatres at the recently completed Tremough campus near Penryn were turned over to Cornwall's business community this week. A new event, named 'Opening Doors Opening Minds', was held in the evening of Monday December 13th and the morning of December 14th and provided a chance for large and small enterprises in Cornwall to find our more about the expertise and facilities they can tap into through the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) Business Development Team.

The 200+ attendees who signed up for the event had a rare opportunity to hear Trevor Baylis OBE, inventor of the clockwork radio, deliver a passionate speech on the importance of innovation in business. Delegates also attended a series of seminars on the big issues in business today, including branding, new technologies, leadership, innovation and sustainability.

"Opening Doors Opening Minds has been a great way to show businesses that the universities and colleges serving Cornwall have a tremendous amount to offer them," commented CUC Business Development Manager, Peter Castell. "Thanks to investment from the South West Regional Development Agency, Objective One, Cornwall County Council and our other supporters, businesses across the region are already coming to us to access cutting edge technologies, graduate skills and specialist expertise. We are confident that many more business people will be inspired by what they have seen and heard here and will be working with us in the future to help their businesses get ahead."

Business relations teams from many of the universities and colleges which make up the CUC partnership, including the University of Exeter in Cornwall, The University of Plymouth, Falmouth College of Arts, Cornwall College and Truro College put up displays and were on hand to talk to guests about the services they offer to businesses. Many of the business support agencies and sector networks which work with business in Cornwall had a presence too, allowing busy managers to get an overview of the help available to them under one roof.

Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Objective One Partnership, said: "This is exactly what the Partnership is aiming at – to build links between Cornwall's businesses and the CUC. The way forward for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is to create a knowledge-based economy by encouraging graduates to work in the region. Businesses working in tandem with the CUC should help to create the higher paid jobs that will generate wealth for the region."

Stephen Bohane, head of operations for the South West RDA in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, commented: "Promoting innovation by making the most of the region's intellectual capital is a key priority for the RDA which is why we have invested almost £13 million in the first phase of the CUC and are working with our partners on Phase Two. Building close links between Higher Education and local businesses will pay enormous dividends for the regional economy and the CUC is at the forefront of that development."

For further information please contact David Kirk, CUC, Tel 01326 370471 or email david.kirk@cuc.ac.uk.

back to top

Editor's notes:

The Combined Universities in Cornwall is a dynamic and visionary partnership that is one of the driving forces behind Cornwall's renaissance. This partnership combines the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, Falmouth College of Arts, The Open University, The College of St Mark & St John, and the Peninsula Medical School, with Cornwall's Further Education colleges - Cornwall College, Truro College and Penwith College. It aims not only to provide the students of the future with more choice and greater opportunities, but also to boost the economic fortunes of the region for the benefit of one and all.

The CUC initiative has been invested in by the Objective One Partnership for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, the South West Regional Development Agency, Cornwall County Council and the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Contact:

For more information, please contact David Kirk in the CUC PR & Communications Office.

Tel: 01326 370471
Mobile: 07834676942
Email: david.kirk@cuc.ac.uk

back to top

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439
cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

back to top