Comments on the Cambridge-MIT Institute from Politicians and Business Leaders

Prime Minister Tony Blair commented, in answer to a question in the House of Commons, "The venture between MIT and Cambridge University is immensely exciting."

Stephen Byers, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whose Department is part funding the new Institute, commented that it was " A major achievement. The combination of Cambridge and MIT will bring a dynamic force to support our agenda of innovation, enterprise and entrepreneurship."

Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett said, "The Institute will help place the UK at the cutting edge of the globalisation of higher education."

Sir John Browne, Chief Executive of BP-AMOCO commented, "This partnership confirms the status of Cambridge as one of the world's great universities. I hope it will be the first of many such links between Cambridge and the USA."

John Weston, Chief Executive of British Aerospace, said, "I am delighted with this development. As a high technology company, with operations on both sides of the Atlantic, we welcome the combination of the best of the technicial institutions in a new institute. I look forward to working with them to create a high technology entrepreneurial future, particularly for new start-up companies".

Sir Richard Sykes, Chairman of GlaxoWellcome, commented, "This is very good news for academia, for business and for the UK. MIT has a strong track record for transfer of technology and spinning off companies, expertise we have traditionally lacked in the UK. It is far-sighted of the Government to provide funding for such a forward-looking initiative."

Chris Gent, Chief Executive of Vodafone AirTouch, said, "This is a very exciting collaboration. Modern business works on a global scale and I am pleased to see two of the world's top universities working together. Cambridge and MIT are ideally suited to training the business leaders of the future."

Lord Simpson, Chief Executive of GEC, said, "This is splendid news. The new knowledge-driven industries, like Marconi, depend heavily on getting the right people with the right skills and this new partnership should be a trump card in this process. The Trans-Atlantic approach reflects the way that we too are developing as a company with half our business and nearly half our employees now located in the USA."

Alex Trottman, Former Chief Executive of Ford Motor Company, said, "I am delighted by this development. As a businessman who has spent roughly half of his career in the United Kingdom and half in the United States, I am convinced that the Cambridge-MIT relationship will create major social and economic benefits on both sides of the Atlantic."

Lord Simon of Highbury, former minister and Chairman of BP, currently advisor to the Cabinet Office, said, "This is a world-class project and a brilliant concept for an educational alliance. It will encourage breakthroughs in entrepreneurship and new technology applications. It will contribute to the development of the European market in knowledge-based industries, which Government knows is critical for sustainable economic growth."

Martin Sorrel, Chairman of WPP, said, "This is a wonderful initiative by the Government, as in business (and education is a business), strategic alliances and joint ventures are an extremely effective way of sharing knowledge and developing new ideas. The combined power of Cambridge and MIT will enhance the UK's competitive position through improvements in entrepreneurship, product developments and technology. It will also ensure that both universities continue to be pre-eminent, global institutions."

Robin Saxby, Chief Executive of ARM Holdings, said, "We are excited by this imaginative move, which we expect will create many high growth technology companies similar to our own."

The General Secretary of the TUC, John Monks, said, "This is excellent news for Britain. Better research is crucial if we are to turn today's innovations into tomorrow's industries, and turn today's ideas into tomorrow's jobs."

The General Secretary of the TGWU, Bill Morris, said, "It will improve research into new innovations on which economic and industrial success in the new millennium will be built."