President and Vice-Chancellor Duncan Ivison visited Cambridge to build on the partnership between The University of Manchester and the University of Cambridge established last year.
The collaboration between the two universities, which are both located in UK innovation hotspots, aims to boost growth and turbocharge a more inclusive economy, so everyone can benefit from the opportunities created by innovation.
Professor Ivison visited Cambridge as part of a delegation led by Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, which also included the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, Professor Deborah Prentice.
Also representing The University of Manchester was Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement and Professor Lou Cordwell, OBE, Professor of Innovation.
During his visit, Professor Ivison toured the Cambridge West Innovation District and paid a visit to the Cambridge Graphene Centre.
Graphene was first isolated at The University of Manchester in 2004, earning Professor Sir Andre Geim and Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov the Nobel Prize in Physics. Two decades on, this wonder material has incredible potential to revolutionise how we live and it is being piloted for a breadth of medical and engineering purposes.
The visiting delegation also paid a visit to AstraZeneca’s Discovery Centre (DISC), a state-of-the-art research facility. The biopharmaceutical giant is set to extend its ‘AstraZeneca Exchange’ science and business mentoring programme to Manchester entrepreneurs, helping early-stage life sciences businesses to develop their ideas and connect with scientific and commercial experts within the company.
The Glasshouse, a new innovation hub for Innovate Cambridge, was also officially opened by the Mayors. Academics, business and civil leaders from Cambridge and Manchester also attended the event to celebrate the collaboration between the two universities and Innovate Cambridge.
Professor Ivison said: “To keep the UK at the forefront of a truly inclusive growth agenda, we need to supercharge innovation – linking capital, talent, and research in ways that drive new economic growth.
“Working collaboratively, the partnership will build on the strengths of both cities’ universities and innovation ecosystems to deliver real benefits for our regions and beyond. Our ambition is to power an inclusive economy, positioning Manchester and Cambridge as central players on the global stage to accelerate growth for all in society.”
The partnership is the first of its kind, and it aims to build closer relations between universities and research institutions, attract more investment and speed up the growth of start and scale-ups.
Chair of Greater Manchester Business Board and Professor of Innovation at the University of Manchester, Lou Cordwell, said: “This partnership is a groundbreaking initiative – bringing together two of the UK’s leading innovation cities to help us achieve more. Whether it’s researchers, entrepreneurs, established businesses or investors, we want to support a flow of innovation between our two places.
“Hearing from the Mayors, local leaders, businesses and universities today, the scale of the opportunity and level of ambition was clear and we’re excited to take the partnership further.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Greater Manchester and Cambridge are two world-renowned centres of innovation. This partnership is breaking new ground, creating strong new ties between the North of England and the Golden Triangle to drive regional and national economic growth.
“Our two places have distinct identities and unique strengths, but we also have a lot in common – world-leading universities and dynamic, fast-growing economies. We also share an ambition for growth that benefits everyone, with more people and businesses able to access the opportunities created by innovation. By working together, we can be greater than the sum of our parts.”
The Vice-Chancellor’s trip to Cambridge followed hot on the heels of the new government’s first Budget, in which research and development (R&D) is cited as one of the Chancellor’s key priorities. An increase in public R&D investment of £20.4billion in 2025/26 was announced in addition to a boosted budget of £13.9billion for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
The partnership between The University of Manchester and the University of Cambridge aims to plot a new way forward for R&D and innovation-led growth.
