Showcasing collaboration: Collaboration in crisis

Collaboration in Crisis is the first in the National Centre for Universities and Business’ (NCUB) new quarterly showcasing series. Each quarter we will focus on a different theme under which we will celebrate and share the best of NCUB member collaborations.

World over, no country, region, organisation, household or individual has avoided the impact of Covid-19. As governments, international agencies, global corporations and institutions have been contending with the spread of Covid-19, universities and business have stepped up and united. This collaboration has been the backbone in the national effort against the outbreak.

Almost immediately in fact, universities and businesses rose to the challenges faced by the pandemic. In this booklet, NCUB has collated ten collaboration case studies from across the country. These case studies just scratch the surface of the incredible collaborative work that NCUB members have been involved in. There are hundreds of collaborative examples that could have been featured in this document.

In the booklet, we hear from Dr Phil Clare, the Deputy Director (Knowledge Exchange and Engagement) at the University of Oxford about their work with AstraZeneca creating a vaccine. We look into Durham University’s and the University of Bristol’s work creating ventilators from vacuum cleaner and automotive parts, respectively, as well at UCL’s partnership with Mercedes Benz to create breathing aids.

We take a look at the collaboration between King’s College London with health science company ZOE to create the symptom study app. On the first day the app launched one million members of the public downloaded it, making it one of the most successful first days for an app ever.

A study into the impact of Covid-19 on pregnancy that was carried out by the University of Birmingham, and a study into the pandemic’s impact on NHS staff’s mental health that was carried out by the University of Roehampton are also both included.

We look at a snapshot of just a handful of the many UK universities who have joint forces with businesses to create hand sanitiser and PPE for both front line workers are their local communities including: the Bangor University, the University of Chester, the University of Dundee, Falmouth University, the University of Huddersfield and The University of Plymouth. Also featured are some of the universities who have stepped up to support the NHS by testing for the virus including: the University of Cambridge, the university of Aberdeen, Imperial College London, Bournemouth University, Queen Mary University of London and the University of Birmingham.

We look at the exciting collaboration between the University of South Wales and Welsh Government, Panasonic UK and clinicians in Hywel Dda University Health Board to create new blood oxygen monitors to help fight the virus. And lastly, we feature the University of Leeds who has joined forces with a number of international businesses to form an independent alliance: The Emergent Alliance.

Collaboration in Crisis is a chance to celebrate the lifesaving work these institutions have been carrying out during Covid. Without collaboration, we wouldn’t have taken such important steps towards tackling Covid-19.

For more information or if any NCUB members would like to receive hard copies of the booklet, please get in touch with NCUB’s Communications Manager Bethan Caunt at bethan.caunt@ncub.co.uk