OXFORD'S two universities are to set up a "one-stop-shop" to forge closer links with local businesses.

At present a business wanting to use the universities' resources has to contact different people for each service it wants.

But now the universities are each providing a single point of contact for businesses to approach them.

The development comes after Oxford University scooped £1m and Oxford Brookes was awarded £550,000 from the Government's Higher Education Reach Out to Business and the Community Fund.

Both grants, which are to be spread over four years, are from a fund set up to promote links between higher education and industry.

Oxford University asked for the money to allow it to play a more active role in the regional economy.

Its team is being led by Joe Barclay, 53, who joined the university on secondment from Barclays Bank in September as the university's regional liaison director.

His team will promote industrial contacts, help businesses analyse their key needs for education and expertise in research and advise on access to University resources.

He said: "The university has enormous resources, particularly in science. We are keen to share our intellectual brainpower and equipment.

"It could be for research, it could be for educational consultation. This new unit will make it easier for businesses, because there was no central point of contact. It is general bridge-building. In the past it relied on a relationship that was very haphazard."

Sir Martin Wood, chairman of the Oxford Economic Partnership, welcomed the move. He said: "The new unit will have a vital role in enabling business to access the enormous resources and expertise of the university."

A spokesman for Oxford Brookes University said: "We already do a lot of work with businesses in the region. We do a lot of degrees which work closely with business such as engineering and we provide a lot of professional training and short courses for businesses as well as carrying our research and consultancy.

"Oxford Brookes is planning to establish a new business services directorate to bring this work together and build on existing projects."

Story date: Friday 10 December

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