Notes for editors:

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research, strong links with industry and unrivalled sporting achievement.

It is a member of the esteemed 1994 Group—a set of internationally recognised, research intensive universities—and has a reputation for the relevance of its work.  Its degree programmes are highly regarded by professional institutions and businesses, and its graduates are consistently targeted by the UK’s top recruiters.

Loughborough is also the UK’s premier university for sport.  It has perhaps the best integrated sports development environment in the world and is home to some of the country’s leading coaches, sports scientists and support staff.  It also has the country’s largest concentration of world-class training facilities across a wide range of sports.

In the 2008 National Student Survey, the University was voted fourth in the UK, with 22 out of 30 of Loughborough’s subject areas being ranked in the top ten for overall satisfaction.  Loughborough is also ranked in the top fifteen of UK universities in national league tables.  It was named winner of the 2006 and 2007 Times Higher award for the UK’s Best Student Experience and winner of the 2007 award for Outstanding Support for Overseas Students.  In recognition of its contribution to the sector, the University has been awarded six Queen's Anniversary Prizes—an achievement bettered by no other university.

East Midlands Development Agency (emda) was set up in 1999 to bring more jobs and skills to the region and to make the East Midlands a better place to live and work.  The new Regional Economic Strategy - ‘A Flourishing Region’, co-ordinated by emda, sets out priorities for the region until 2020.  Its publication follows the most comprehensive consultation ever undertaken in the East Midlands where more than 1,400 stakeholders and partners, and thousands of members of the public had their say on the future of the region.  The RES highlights the themes of productivity, sustainability and equality and is underpinned by ten priorities.  The new RES builds on the previous two strategies ‘Prosperity Through People’ and ‘Destination 2010’.  For more details visit: www.emda.org.uk

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