The University of Liverpool has become the latest UK university to join IBM’s University Relations programme.
The programme will foster closer links between the university and tech giant and lead to tech innovations and support for teaching as well as research collaboration.
Research areas including artificial intelligence, Big Data and high-performance computing – across a broad range of disciplines including life sciences, engineering, chemistry and social sciences – will be covered.
The agreement gives university researchers access to IBM’s extensive range of facilities, services and products including IBM Watson, IBM’s artificial intelligence platform.
The closer links should also create opportunities for internships, studentships and placements in addition to improving university graduates’ employability.
“The partnership with IBM, one of the leading technology companies in the world, will bring an exciting stimulus to research and learning at Liverpool,” said Professor Wiebe Van Der Hoek, interim executive pro-vice-chancellor for Science and Engineering.
“The agreement will increase research capacity and capability and cover all areas of the university including health and life sciences, statistics and risk management.
“The diversity of research fields that we will be exploring together is testimony to the range and depth of expertise to be found at the University and to our mutual interests in key areas of research.
“The university will benefit from access to IBM’s commercial insight and this can inform and direct our research in the future as well as strengthening our abilities to generate real-world impact.
“The agreement underlines Liverpool’s determination to champion the value of industry-academia collaboration.”