Group has an Edge

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Feb 5, 2007

Huddersfield University has joined a major new consortium that is hoping to make the most of the BBC's multi-million-pound move to Salford.

Fifteen universities from across the north of England have founded Northern Edge.

The organisation is designed to harness teaching, learning and research in journalism, the visual arts and music.

In Yorkshire, Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds and Bradford universities will take part.

There are already more than 32,000 students and 1,000 staff in the North in disciplines related to the creative and cultural industries.

The Northern Edge partners will represent more than 40% of them.

Salford University's Prof Ron Cook, project director for Northern Edge, said: "With the BBC move to Salford and the plans for Media City there has never been a better time for northern universities and the creative industry to work together.

"Northern Edge will raise the national and international profile of the North in these industries by promoting best practice, establishing partnerships with major employers and generating research."

The Northern Way, a collaboration between the three northern regional development agencies, is paying for the Northern Edge.