UNIVERSITY College Worcester could play a major part in promoting innovation among county businesses, following the announcement of an ambitious scheme by the regional development agency.

Advantage West Midlands, has approved funding, totalling almost £1m, to allow universities to deliver region-wide innovation projects.

The Knowledge, Innovation and Technology Transfer (KITTS) and Regional Teaching Company Scheme (TCS) programmes have been designed to improve the competitiveness of small and medium-size companies in the West Midlands,

This will be achieved through the transfer of knowledge, innovation and technology from universities to companies.

The TCS and KITTS programmes will focus on how the skills of graduates and students can be used by companies to help them take forward an innovative idea, the development of a new product or a process improvement.

"With the emphasis clearly on the practical application of knowledge, the programmes will help companies make effective links with universities to find the right expertise to help them to improve their competitiveness," said Hilary Chilton, head of innovation at Advantage West Midlands.

"There is clear evidence that companies who work with universities gain significant advantage over their competitors.

"Graduates not only bring new technology skills into the business, they also help to create new ways of thinking and new approaches to old problems.

"We are delighted to be working with our university partners to offer these flexible schemes to West Midlands companies."

The programmes will be co-ordinated by the University of Wolverhampton but will be available right across the West Midlands region.

Support is particularly aimed at companies in the 10 priority areas, to ensure productivity and innovation levels continue to improve by bringing new skills and knowledge into the clusters.

The 10 clusters are building technologies, food and drink, ICT, professional services, transport technologies, environmental technologies, tourism and leisure, new media, high value-added consumer products and medical technologies.

Alan Collins, at the University of Wolverhampton said the programmes focused on the specific advantages of employing graduates with a clear link back to the vast resources of knowledge and expertise of the universities.

"By working together, the universities can make sure that whatever the business problem or opportunity, we can find, for the company, the right graduate skills to meet its needs."

For more information, click on www.advantagewm.co.uk