1. Background
Loughborough University in the UK has an “international reputation for excellence in
teaching and research, strong links with industry, and unrivalled sporting
achievement. Loughborough is research-intensive. Its ethos from its earliest days has
been to produce highly relevant research that solves real world problems to assist both
business and industry, and improve people's quality of life… ….Nearly half of the
University's income is for research, and its research partnerships and links with
business and industry are the envy of other institutions. The quality of teaching at
Loughborough is verified by exceptionally high scores awarded under the
Government's independent assessment scheme, which have consistently put the
University towards the very top of the Teaching Quality league tables”.
(http://www.lboro.ac.uk/about/profile.html).