Professor Mark Goodwin congratulates the top 150 businesses in the region.

University of Exeter helps celebrate the top 150 businesses in the South West

Professor Mark Goodwin, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Innovation and External Engagement spoke to more than a hundred business leaders at the official launch of this year’s Western Morning News Annual Business Guide, a publication celebrating the top 150 businesses in the region. The University of Exeter was among the sponsors of this year’s guide.

The University of Exeter supports on average around 1,000 projects with business every year, This involves collaborating on research and development, linking to graduates and students and accessing new technology and innovation using the world class academic expertise and facilities at the University campuses in Exeter and Cornwall.

Professor Goodwin said: “We are very proud to work with businesses around the South West to support innovation, and to support them to increase productivity and prosperity for the benefit of everyone in the region.

“Our students and staff come from more than 140 countries. Some of the most talented people in the world are working in the region to help develop new technology and processes and carry out key research to benefit human health and the environment.

“We encourage students to stay in the South West and grow their own businesses. Many want to be entrepreneurs and we have developed programmes to help them do this in the South West. 5 years ago our Student Entrepreneurs Society had fifty members. Now there are over 1000.”

Professor Goodwin said the University of Exeter remained committed to supporting economic growth in the South West as the UK prepares to leave the European Union.

He said: “We will however, at this point continue to welcome colleagues and students from across Europe, and the globe, to work and study at our University. We don’t know whether we will continue to have access to European research funds, or whether we will be able to recruit EU students in the same numbers as now, or what effect Brexit will have on our staff who are from the EU.  

“Given that it is important that we all now work together to attract investment in infrastructure and drive the economic growth, innovation and productivity that will benefit the whole region.”

Date: 12 July 2017