University to boost research investment

The University of Wolverhampton is making a multi-million pound investment as part of its commitment to research.

A funding pot of £6m has been set up which academics from across the University can put in bids to in order to finance new research projects.

The aim is to bolster the research profile of the University and make it sustainable for the long term with the vision of increasing the world class work it produces.

A total of 35 bids from the full range of the University’s academic schools have been put forward which have to be decided upon and the successful programs and staffing will be in place by next April.

Professor John Darling, Dean of Research at the University, said: “This is the biggest single investment the University has made into research and that is a bold move.

“This is about saying that research is at the heart of everything we do. It informs teaching, business and society. We want to create really excellent world class research.

“This is focussing both on what we already do, as well as new research, and differentiating ourselves from other institutions to make what we do is sustainable.

“We also have a responsibility to our students to provide them with exposure to such work. By involving them in knowledge and discoveries, they are becoming part of something exciting which they can say they were the first person ever to have performed a certain process or feat. That could be the trigger to a career in research.

“People don’t always realise what great things we as a University do and we should celebrate that.”

The University is recognised for some of its cutting edge research. This includes being the first in the world to uncover one of the processes in the body that can cause type 2 diabetes, developing Europe's first metal laser sintering machine, providing breakthrough research into brain tumours and producing world-leading analysis of web content and traffic.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, Professor Geoff Layer, said: “As a University it is essential that we develop applied research. Knowledge and creativity are fundamental to our values.

“The University is making a big commitment in this area and it is absolutely right that we do so in order to invest in our research capabilities and output with the aim of producing outstanding results.”

In 2009, the University was awarded almost £2 million in recognition of our research excellence. This was a testament to our hard working staff, and a mark of the University’s constant drive for discovery and innovation.

ENDS

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