The University of Kent has welcomed the announcement by the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) that Discovery Park has been selected as one of five new Life Science Opportunity Zones.
This announcement was made yesterday (20 February) during a national briefing at the Park in Sandwich. Discovery Park is Kent’s leading science park and a global leader for science and enterprise.
Kent Innovation & Enterprise, the University’s business and innovation gateway, works with Discovery Park on a wide range of initiatives and partnerships to support the development of a Kent life sciences ecosystem.
The OLS Life Sciences Industrial Strategy sets out a vision to deliver future growth for the sector targeting support at a regional level. The Zones are part of this vision and will promote and support science parks and other regional innovation ‘clusters’ to attract investment and enhance local research and development as well as innovation collaborations.
Life sciences is a diverse sector and the University has a long established reputation for the quality of its research, teaching and innovation in this area. In a partnership with Canterbury Christ Church it will open the region’s first medical school (Kent and Medway Medical School) in September 2020.
Professor Philippe de Wilde, the University of Kent’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Innovation, said: ‘Kent has extensive experience of collaborative working, both internally and with a wide range of external stakeholders, including life sciences product and service suppliers, NHS Trusts, businesses and charities. We would like to congratulate Discovery Park on achieving Life Sciences Opportunities Zone status and look forward to the new opportunities that will arise from this.’
The University of Kent’s Canterbury campus is a short distance from Discovery Park. This proximity enables staff from the University to attend meetings, events and networking initiatives at Discovery Park and provide bilateral support to companies in the life sciences sector.