University cash aims to boost local economy

A "significant" government investment in the University of Wolverhampton will help it work towards boosting the economy of the West Midlands, a director said.

The award is a share in a £50m Local Innovation Partnership Fund (LPIF), backed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The LPIF supports collaborations between universities and companies, to turn research into commercial products, services and technologies.

"This significant investment recognises the essential role our university plays in driving innovation and economic growth in the Black Country and wider West Midlands," said director of research and enterprise Ceri Jones.

They will now work with partners in the region to create and sell new technologies and support creative and engineering firms, he added.

The new programme, which began on 1 April, will run for five years.

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