Yorkshire's universities were rewarded in three categories of the Guardian Higher Education Awards, held at Senate House in London on the 27th February. Yorkshire's institutions received a win and two runner up positions at the Awards, which recognise best practice, achievement and innovation, proving the quality of higher education in Yorkshire and the Humber.

University of Huddersfield Vice-Chancellor Professor Bob Cryan won the prestigious award of Inspiring Leader, taking over a third of the public votes and fighting off competition from seven leading HE figures to be become the first recipient of the title. The Huddersfield Vice-Chancellor was delighted to win: “I was both flattered and surprised to find that I had been nominated, so you can imagine how I felt when my name was announced as the winner,” said Professor Cryan.

The University of Huddersfield also came runner up in the student experience category for their project entitled 'MyReading'. The interactive reading list software, provides access to reading lists and journal articles, as well as links to videos, art and music websites.

Rounding off a great night for Yorkshire, Leeds Metropolitan University was also awarded runner up position in the sustainability category for their Zero Waste to Landfill contract.  The contract has lead to the university influencing local recycling businesses decisions to invest in greater capacity and using its procurement power to ensure that, for example, contractors must now meet a 90% recycling target for refurbishment and construction projects.

Sue Holmes, Director of Estates, said: "This is another great recognition of our sustainability activities at Leeds Metropolitan University. We are committed to making continuing improvements and feel that the work we have done in terms of management waste is a step change for the sector and the waste industry. We hope it will encourage others to look at  using this sort of system." - See more at: http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/news/sustainability-project-shortlisted-in-guardian-university-awards07012013.htm?type=external#sthash.oS6V0P1m.dpuf

"This is another great recognition of our sustainability activities at Leeds Metropolitan University. We are committed to making continuing improvements and feel that the work we have done in terms of management waste is a step change for the sector and the waste industry. We hope it will encourage others to look at  using this sort of system." - See more at: http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/news/sustainability-project-shortlisted-in-guardian-university-awards07012013.htm?type=external#sthash.oS6V0P1m.dpuf

"This is another great recognition of our sustainability activities at Leeds Metropolitan University. We are committed to making continuing improvements and feel that the work we have done in terms of management waste is a step change for the sector and the waste industry. We hope it will encourage others to look at  using this sort of system." - See more at: http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/news/sustainability-project-shortlisted-in-guardian-university-awards07012013.htm?type=external#sthash.oS6V0P1m.dpuf

"This is another great recognition of our sustainability activities at Leeds Metropolitan University. We are committed to making continuing improvements and feel that the work we have done in terms of management waste is a step change for the sector and the waste industry. We hope it will encourage others to look at  using this sort of system." - See more at: http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/news/sustainability-project-shortlisted-in-guardian-university-awards07012013.htm?type=external#sthash.oS6V0P1m.dpuf

"This is another great recognition of our sustainability activities at Leeds Metropolitan University. We are committed to making continuing improvements and feel that the work we have done in terms of management waste is a step change for the sector and the waste industry. We hope it will encourage others to look at  using this sort of system." - See more at: http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/news/sustainability-project-shortlisted-in-guardian-university-awards07012013.htm?type=external#sthash.oS6V0P1m.dpuf

"This is another great recognition of our sustainability activities at Leeds Metropolitan University. We are committed to making continuing improvements and feel that the work we have done in terms of management waste is a step change for the sector and the waste industry. We hope it will encourage others to look at  using this sort of system." - See more at: http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/news/sustainability-project-shortlisted-in-guardian-university-awards07012013.htm?type=external#sthash.oS6V0P1m.dpuf

All award winners and runners up have contributed to the Guardian University Awards Ideas Bank, which is a forum to share good practice, and has more information on projects and individuals from across all award categories.

For more information on Professor Bob Cryan's award, please see here.

Yorkshire Universities is proud to announce the launch of the new Yorkshire Higher Education smartphone application, entitled 'Study In Yorkshire'.

Yorkshire Universities worked with colleagues from the universities of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan, Huddersfield, Bradford, York, York St John, Hull and Sheffield Hallam to develop the content which promotes Yorkshire as a global learning destination.

You can visit the web version of the app at www.studyyorkshire.com, or download the app here.

We are very proud of the completed app, which will soon be promoted by our member institutions. We are also keen to gain feedback, please send any thoughts through to i.woof@yorkshireuniversities.ac.uk.

There have been changes in the Yorkshire Universities' Knowledge Transfer (KT) Directors' Network.  Ian Rowe, in his capacity as KT Director at the University of Bradford, has stepped down as Chair to pursue his new role in the YU team as HE-LEP Liaison Director.

Bill Walker, Director of Knowledge Exchange at the University of Hull will now act as Chair of this dynamic and productive group.  Professor Liz Towns-Andrews, Director of Research and Enterprise at the University of Huddersfield, will act as Deputy Chair of the group.

These changes occur at an exciting time for the organisation with the KT Directors Network leading on the development of a £10m Yorkshire Innovation Fund.

Sheffield University is to receive £360,000 to support the commercialisation and testing of research in the life sciences sector.

The university is to get the funding under the joint £180m Biomedical Catalyst, which is run jointly by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Technology Strategy Board.

The MRC Confidence in Concept awards, totalling £7.4m across 14 universities, aim to help the universities progress more promising research ideas towards clinical testing.

Universities receiving an award have control over allocating the funding internally, allowing them to respond rapidly to new opportunities and have the flexibility to pursue the most promising translational research opportunities.

Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts said: "The UK's world leading life sciences industry is changing fast and we need to stay ahead of the game.

"The Biomedical Catalyst will help bridge the so-called 'valley of death' that exists between when a bright new idea is developed in the laboratory and the point when a new drug or technology can be invested in by the market.  This will support our most innovative life sciences SMEs and academics drive growth and benefit patients."

The Biomedical Catalyst, announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in December 2011, is a programme of public funding designed to deliver growth to the UK life sciences sector.

Source: The Business Desk

Leeds College of Music has announced the appointment of one of the UK's brightest new classical music stars, Charlie Siem, as Visiting Professor - he is appointed alongside world class solo clarinettist Emma Johnson MBE and Jeremy Lascelles, former Chief Executive of Chrysalis PLC.

Charlie said: "I am thrilled to have been approached by Leeds College of Music and eagerly await my visits to such a forward-thinking institution.  I look forward to being able to contribute and to share with its students my advice and experiences."

The visiting professors are actively involved with students through a range of master classes, workshops and performances.  Charlie, Emma and Jeremy join renowned classical soprano, Deborah York; musician and author, David Troop; and prominent German pianist Wolfgang Manz who were welcomed as visiting professors during 2011-12.

In June, Leeds College of Music was upgraded to an Apple Authorised Training Center (AACT) following a successful nine months running the AACT for Education programme.  The College is now able to offer the full range of Apple authorised courses to both internal students and members of the public.  Dr Randall Whittaker, Director of Curriculum and Research said: "Our superb facilities and trainers meet the standards set by Apple, and we can now offer Apple authorised courses leading to certified exams that are a valuable addition to any aspiring musician's or producer's CV."

It was also announced this summer that Leeds College of Music - an All-Steinway School - is the official practice venue for the 2012 Leeds International Piano Competition.

Huddersfield University's £12 million Enterprise and Innovation Centre (EIC) opened this summer.  It is a landmark project for the university and signals a new approach to university-business engagement.

The facility, funded through the European Regional Development Fund, aims to establish a unique environment to support spin-in and spin-out companies linked to the university to foster growth and economic regeneration within Huddersfield and the region.

The Centre brings together all the elements required for successful business growth under one roof - access to markets, finance, technology and skills, as well as traditional business support services.

The centre enables university researchers to engage directly with industry and maximise the impact of their research and development activities.  It also provides the infrastructure and resources to enable knowledge transfer and other collaborative project work between the University and external partners fostering a new approach to Open Innovation within the university environment.

Professor Liz Towns-Andrews, Director of Research and Enterprise at the University of Huddersfield, said: "The EIC will be business-focussed, business-facing and it will be the primary vehicle for the University engaging with business.  It will include networking opportunities and facilities which create an environment and community which will facilitate innovation in a number of ways.

"We want the centre to be more than just office space.  It will have facilities and initiatives that will generate innovation across supply chains from SMEs to large corporates and our own start-ups.

"It will be linked to the other business centres that Kirklees has in place already but will also have a different offering.  We want the companies to be high growth, high tech businesses that are aligned to the research strengths of the university."

Universities in the UK contributed £3.3 billion to the economy in 2010-11 through services to business, including commercialisation of new knowledge, delivery of professional training, consultancy and services.

Analysis by HEFCE of the eleventh annual Higher Education - Business and Community Interaction survey shows that the total value of the services which UK universities provide to the economy increased by 7 per cent in 2010-11, from £3.1 billion in 2009-10 to £3.3 billion.

Despite wider economic uncertainty, spending on university services by large business increased by 7 per cent, from £587 million in 2009-10 to £629 million in 2010-11.  Universities are stimulating economic growth and contributing to public services and society.

The report finds encouraging signs of the rising value of UK knowledge exchange.  This is illustrated by increases in income to universities from facilities and equipment - such as wind tunnels or digital media suites - where income grew by 12 per cent over the previous year to £129 million in 2010-11.

For more information and to download the report please visit the HEFCE website.

Source: HEFCE

The shortlist has been revealed for the Yorkshire Graduate Employer of the Year awards with supermarket chains Asda and Morrisons, which have headquarters in the region, among the finalists.

The Graduate Yorkshire awards celebrate the commitment shown to the personal and professional development of graduates by employers across Yorkshire and the Humber.

There are three award categories which are; micro graduate employer, medium-sized graduate employer and large graduate employer of the year.

The shortlist also includes the following employers:

Martin Edmondson, Graduates Yorkshire's Chief Executive, said: "We wanted to create an award that recognises the vital role that graduate employers play in the economic growth of the region, noth in terms of employment and business growth."

Each of the shortlisted companies show a commitment to the recruitment of graduates by partnering with universities, offering open days, webinars, and advice blogs.  They have also sought to equip their recruits with skills above and beyond their immediate job role.

Many of the shortlisted companies offered tailored training programmes, one-to-one mentoring and supported their staff to complete externally accredited professional qualifications.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony held on 6th September at an event in Leeds, with an overall winner chosen from the category finalists.

Graduates Yorkshire provides a service for Yorkshire's graduate job seekers and employers looking for graduate talent.  It is a subsidiary of YU and has recently celebrated its 5th anniversary.

Professor David Fleming, Vice Chancellor of York St John University, will take over as Chair of the Board of Directors of Yorkshire Universities.

Professor Fleming takes over from Professor Philip Jones, Vice Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, who has come to the end of his two-year term as Chair.  Professor Brian Cantor, Vice Chancellor of the University of York will act as Deputy Chair.

Professor Jones has successfully led YU through an interesting change of policy over the past two years.

Yorkshire Universities is working with a group of its member universities to develop a slick smartphone app that will make Yorkshire's universities stand out from the crowd for students looking to study in the UK.

Sheffield-based Yoomee was selected to develop the app - they are a specialist web agency which designs and develops online community platforms and apps for social good.

Representatives from the universities of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan, Huddersfield, Bradford, York, York St John, Hull and Sheffield Hallam are helping to develop the content which will include geography and economy, as well as music, food, drink, sport and customs. 

A special version of the app for iPads will be developed to take advantage of the large tablet display for full-screen, high impact presentations which will be of particular benefit to agents who are marketing Yorkshire's universities at overseas recruitment fairs and similar events.

The launch date for the app is January 2013.