A major new partnership between Health Innovation West Midlands and Birmingham City University has been announced, marking a significant step forward in regional collaboration on health and care research, innovation, and education.
The five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sets out a shared commitment to deliver impactful research, foster innovation with system partners, and support knowledge exchange across the West Midlands. The agreement brings together HIWM’s leadership in health innovation and BCU’s academic strength to improve patient outcomes and support the NHS’s transformation agenda.
Under the MoU, HIWM and BCU will co-design and deliver joint research and innovation projects, with a particular focus on supporting initiatives within BCU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery. The partnership will also engage with enterprise hubs such as STEAMhouse and the Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (IKE) to accelerate innovation and commercialisation.
Chief Officer at Health Innovation West Midlands, Tim Jones, said:
“This partnership reflects our shared ambition to place innovation at the heart of health and care transformation. By combining our strengths, we can accelerate the development and adoption of solutions that make a real difference to patients and communities.”
The agreement outlines opportunities for knowledge transfer partnerships, consultancy, and collaborative ventures that will benefit both the academic and healthcare sectors.
Importantly, the MoU also establishes clear principles around intellectual property, confidentiality, and data protection, ensuring a robust and secure framework for future collaboration.
Professor Ian Blair, BCU’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Academic, added:
“The University is committed to shaping a healthier future for the region and building on the strong relationship that already exists with Health Innovation West Midlands (HIWM).
“The MoU presents us with a unique opportunity to embed academic excellence into the heart of healthcare innovation and empower our staff and students to co-create solutions with real societal impact, which is fundamental to our 2030 Strategy.”
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