Date: Mon 23rd February, 2009
Venue:
In the latest Spark event more than 50 Yorkshire-based companies, business leaders and representatives from regional universities came together to discuss future cooperation.
The Business of Education was an attempt to bring together the worlds of academia and commerce. It focused on issues relating to sales and innovation, but the overriding theme was of a need for better communication from universities seeking to engage with small and medium-sized businesses.
A lunchtime question and answer session revealed some of the concerns the business community has about linking up with universities.
Glen Hopkinson, managing director of Connect Yorkshire, told the audience that the title ‘what education can do for business’ should be ‘what they can do for each other’
“Only a partnership will work and only then when both sides get something out of the deal,” he said. “Creating a virtuous circle is what we need to do.”
Connect Yorkshire is intended to be a fast track for high-growth companies in Yorkshire, linking young knowledge-based enterprises to resources, including universities.
Hopkinson has more than 20 years’ experience in managing and growing high - tech businesses - including Orac, a spin-out from the University of Leeds - and stressed to the audience that much good work is done inside such seats of learning.
Two round table discussions were also held - on sales and innovation - in conjunction with Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sunderland.
