New Partnerships and Funding align Nottingham with Europe

Set to capitalise on exciting opportunities offered by a post-Brexit future, the University of Nottingham announced the forging of closer links with Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen (Germany) and unveiled multi-million pounds of funding and aerospace partnerships underlining the university as a key player in Europe’s biggest research programme, Clean Sky 2.

Nottingham played host to an MOU signing (Jan 28) to strengthen active research collaborations in areas including plant sciences, precision imaging, learning science and qualification programmes.

Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Tübingen, Professor Dr Bernd Engler said: “The signing of the memorandum of understanding between our two universities will bring us a decisive step forward and will build a solid basis for strengthening our cooperation. The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union will doubtlessly cause certain constraints, especially with regard to funding opportunities, but we strongly believe that with joint efforts we can overcome the challenges of the coming Brexit.”

Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange said: “The University of Nottingham and the University of Tübingen have substantial research and teaching collaborations in many areas. The memorandum of understanding signed today celebrates this relationship at a time when we are looking at new ways of enhancing and developing these connections, bringing together our respective strengths in Clusters and Beacons of Excellence and beyond, to address global research challenges."

In addition, the University has joined leading European research institutions and aerospace manufacturers in a £12.7 million-plus EU project designed to explore the delivery of hybrid electric propulsion for sustainable aircraft.

IMOTHEP (Investigation and Maturation of Technologies for Hybrid Electric Propulsion) brings together 33 key aviation industry and research stakeholders. The consortium includes aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Leonardo and leading engine manufacturers including Safran of France, Italy’s GE Avio and MTU of Germany; leading organisations from the Association of European Research Establishments in Aeronautics, as well as partners in Russia and Canada. The consortium is led by ONERA, the French aerospace research lab.

Nottingham has also been provisionally awarded a share of more than £20 million in European funding to continue to support innovation by Midlands aerospace businesses and build upon the region’s success as one of world’s biggest aerospace industry clusters. The fund would enable the University and its partner, the Midlands Aerospace Alliance (MAA), to offer support to aerospace supply chain businesses in the Midlands.