The universities of Nottingham and Birmingham recently celebrated five years of partnership at a Parliamentary reception. The innovative partnership between our universities builds on complementary strengths, creating greater opportunities across a breadth of activities, including research, education and international co-operation.

Mark Garnier MP, Minister for International Trade, and Alex Chisholm, Permanent Secretary for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, spoke at the event and highlighted the role that such partnerships play in competitively positioning the UK economy on the global stage and will play in delivery of the government’s new Industrial Strategy. The reception was attended by stakeholders from local government, funders, and business, as well as a diverse selection of Parliamentarians.

The fifth anniversary of the partnership also coincides with the launch of the Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE) – a joint research centre that is the result of a £10m investment by the universities. COMPARE will develop more effective drugs with fewer side effects to treat cardiovascular disease and cancer, while working with the pharmaceutical industry to take the treatments from bench to bedside.

More information about the partnership is available at www.birmingham-nottingham.ac.uk and below you can see some photos from the event.