The University of Exeter has announced plans to invest £80 million in science, medicine and engineering over the next three years. Thirty million pounds from existing University funds and an anticipated £50 million from external sources will be spent on new appointments and infrastructure to boost research and teaching.
Professor Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter said: ‘This is an exciting time for the University. Recently named Times Higher University of the Year, Exeter is now ranked firmly among the top 20 UK universities, but we have ambitions to rise higher still. There are already many existing areas of world-class science at Exeter and this investment will enable us to further increase the scale and range of our activities.’
The University has identified five broad themes for this investment, which build on existing areas of excellence. These are:
Climate change and sustainable futures
The University will significantly enhance its strengths in research into climate change impacts and socio-economic interactions. This builds on its world-leading research in climate prediction, adaptation and mitigation, and close liaison with the Met Office Hadley Centre.
Systems biology
Already developing a world-class reputation in biosciences, the University will make further investment to provide state-of-the-art facilities and new appointments to develop models of key biological systems.
Extrasolar planets
The University is establishing a centre for cross-disciplinary research into the physics of extrasolar planets – planets outside our solar system – that will be unique in the UK. Bringing together mathematicians and theoretical astrophysicists with observational astrophysicists, researchers will directly test their predictions using state-of-the-art equipment.
Functional materials
The University will bring together Exeter’s world-leading expertise in engineering ‘smart’ materials and fundamental physics research in photonics and nanomaterials to create innovative new materials. The University’s £120-million science park will capitalise on the near-term, high-tech industrial applications of this work
Translational medicine, personalised healthcare and public health
Exeter is internationally recognised for clinical and translational research in diabetes, mood disorders and interventions to achieve behavioural change for health. The University will invest significantly to enhance novel research opportunities to accelerate the translation of clinical research into health improvements.
Over the next three years, the University will be making a significant number of new appointments and investing in postgraduate research studentships in these areas.
This new approach will encourage academics from different disciplines to work together on joint-research projects. For example, engineers, physicists and mathematicians will be working with biologists on systems biology projects, and social scientists will be working with physical scientists on climate change studies.
Some aspects of the investment are already underway. The Geoffrey Pope Building, home to the School of Biosciences, is undergoing a major redevelopment to provide state-of-the-art laboratories. The University has already recruited research teams to work alongside the Wave Hub. This £28-million project is being developed by the South West of England Regional Development Agency off the north coast of Cornwall.
More about this and other exciting developments at Exeter can be found on the University’s website.
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