Academic partnership with industry

Historians at the University have pieced together the singular story of an east coast-based pharmaceutical company in an unusual partnership with local industry.

The history department, whose international research excellence was recognised in the recent Research Assessment Exercise, struck an agreement with GlaxoSmithKline to produce a history of the company's Montrose plant which celebrates its 50th anniversary this month.

The resulting book, by Professor Chris Whatley and postgraduate student Ann Petrie, will be published by the company as part of a series of events to celebrate the anniversary on 26 May.

Professor Whatley said, "It is a relatively rare event for a humanities department to find commercial sponsorship for what is in fact a very valid and interesting piece of research into Scotland's recent industrial history. We are delighted to find the project has been such a success for both partners and are now actively seeking similar contracts from other companies."

David Wintle, GlaxoSmithKline Site HR and Business Change Director, was equally happy with the partnership. "As project sponsor, I have to say that coming up with the idea to produce a history of the plant here at Montrose was the easy part, the more difficult part was finding someone to research and write it. Having made contact with the University we were immediately impressed by their enthusiasm for the project and their desire to make it a reality. Now that we have the final product in our hands we are extremely pleased - something that the university, GSK and the Montrose community will be proud to be associated with.'

Caption left to right Professor Chris Whatley, Ann Petrie and David Wintle.

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