University and local business organisation sign agreement

LABA is the Leicestershire Asian Business Association, an organisation that “strives to facilitate improvements in the business competitiveness of its members through being locally sensitive and both nationally and internationally aware.” Last week LABA and the University of Leicester signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see the two bodies work closely together in a wide spectrum of academic and business-facing activities.

As part of the new pact, LABA’s Indo British Trade Council will host a major buyer and seller conference for British and Indian food/drink SMEs at the University over 30 August-1 September 2011, bringing together academics and professionals at the first such event anywhere in Europe.

Among the various elements of the University/LABA agreement are:

• Support for our Cardiovascular Research Centre appeal.
• Promotion of the University in Indian markets.
• Enhanced links between our space researchers and ISRO, the Indian space agency.
• A University presence at LABA’s Business Advice Centre and International Trade Centre.
• A jointly organised lecture series for the business community.

The agreement was signed by Prof Kevin Schürer, our Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise.

(l-r) Cllr Baljit Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Indo British Trade Council; Jaspal Singh Minhas, President of LABA; Professor Kevin Schürer, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise; Uday K Dholakia, Chairman of LABA and Indo British Trade Council