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Professor Malcolm Grant, President and Provost of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê, today (7 Dec) hosted a visit to Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê by the Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP, Secretary of State for Education and Skills.

The purpose of the visit was to demonstrate the core activity of a modern UK research-intensive university such as Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê, and demonstrate how its research activity ties in with its teaching mission.

In the course of the visit, Ruth Kelly visited laboratories, and met with leading researchers, post-docs, PhDs and undergraduates. The visit took in Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê's Institute of Women's Health; the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, that is working to develop the next generation of biopharmaceuticals aimed at developing vaccines and treatments for types of cancer and tissue damage; and Professor Helen Fielding's Ultrafast Laser Group in Chemistry.

Provost Grant said: "I am naturally delighted that the Secretary of State has come to Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê, to see some of the truly innovative work going on here.

"The research-intensive universities are one of the great success stories of this country and must be a matter of great pride to Government ministers. We believe that a powerful world-class research capability provides the ideal environment for educating the talented students that we are fortunate to attract to Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê. This visit demonstrates, I believe, the government's recognition of the importance of research-led teaching activity in such institutions."

Ms Kelly said: "I am delighted to have visited Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê, one of the leading research-intensive universities in the UK. It is exciting to see innovative, world-class research first hand."