A delegation from the University of Leeds has supported the Mayor of West Yorkshire on an international trade mission to Switzerland and Germany.
The University joined Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin and local businesses on a trade mission to drive investment and growth across three of the region’s biggest job-creating sectors.
Tracy Brabin said: “Europe is our most important trading partner, with investment from Swiss and German firms – and exports from our homegrown businesses – supporting thousands of good jobs in every part of our great region.
“Now, thanks to devolution and our strong, public-private West Yorkshire partnership, we have the potential to go so much further.
“Together, we’ll build international relationships that will stand the test of time and help us build a brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”
The University of Leeds was represented by Professor Peter Woodward, Chair of High Speed Rail Engineering, in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS) and Glenn McCauley from the University’s Business Engagement and Enterprise team and Space Hub Yorkshire, the UK Space Agency funded regional space cluster.
They discussed how West Yorkshire engages in Switzerland and Baden-Württemberg, a state in Southwest Germany and were then joined by Professors Rob Sturman, Catherine Noakes and Sophie Williams when the delegation visited Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), in Baden- Württemberg.
Glenn McCauley said: “It was great to be able to support the Mayor’s team and local businesses to create tangible business opportunities across advanced manufacturing, the green economy, AI and digital, all of which are key strengths for the West Yorkshire region.”
Together, we’ll build international relationships that will stand the test of time and help us build a brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.
KIT is a strategic partner of the University of Leeds and, during the visit, discussions centred around future collaboration in health technologies, energy, materials development and electronic and electrical engineering.
The strategic partnership has seen the two universities collaborate on research and internship programmes.
Among many research partnerships, the Portable Ice Nucleation Experiment (PINE) is a longstanding collaboration within climate and atmospheric science between the two Universities.
Last year, as a part of an exchange programme, two undergraduate students from the University of Leeds gained experience in the Institute of Vehicle System Technology and in Microtribology, supported by the Turing Fund and EPS. Additionally, two PhD students spent the autumn semester at KIT using the University’s International Strategy Fund (ISF), studying Transport Studies and Robotics.
During the visit Professor Catherine Noakes, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Professor Sophie Williams, Pro Dean for Research and Innovation in EPS at the University of Leeds joined the Mayor of West Yorkshire and female colleagues from KIT on a Women in Engineering panel. The panel discussed progress and barriers for women in engineering.
The University of Leeds is working to address these issues through the EDI Hub Plus, an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded network supporting systemic change across Engineering, Physical and Mathematical Sciences.
Professor Catherine Noakes said: “Working collaboratively within the West Yorkshire region and with partners at KIT enables some great opportunities to both build research and innovation impacts as well as support how we reduce barriers for underrepresented groups in engineering.”
Further information
For more information, please contact Rebecca Hurrey at r.hurrey@leeds.ac.uk in the University of Leeds press office.
Picture credit: West Yorkshire Combined Authority.