The Duke of York undertook a number of engagements yesterday, opening the Bristol Business School’s faculty of Business and Law at the University of West England (UWE); visiting the UK Atomic Energy Authority in Abingdon; and hosting a concert and dinner at Buckingham Palace as patron of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
The new faculty building at UWE cost £55 million to build and features two showcase law courts, a city trading room, a business advice clinic, technology enhanced learning spaces, and an external business engagement hub.
Honoured to welcome HRH @TheDukeOfYork in the university today, talking to our students while having a campus tour and officially opening #BristolBusinessSchool pic.twitter.com/6hGtjp4FAC
— UWE Bristol (@UWEBristol) March 21, 2018
The University says it has been designed to offer a new approach to business and law education to benefit students and businesses in the region.
Prince Andrew toured the business school and met students and staff from the Business Advice Clinic; here undergraduates work with mentors from industry to offer pro bono support to small enterprises, and the Team Entrepreneurship Hub, the home of a degree course dedicated to giving students the practical experience to launch and run their own ventures.
The Duke of York was also shown the school’s Bloomberg Trading Room and a Technology Enhanced Active Learning space during the visit.
prince andrew, duke of york, tours university of the west of england (duke of york)
@UWELaw courtrooms and students are much appreciated by HRH The Duke of York this morning. On the bench, Sara – tutor and just appointed DJ for real. Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/2UJXP1am8q
— Dagmar Steffens (@dagmarsteffens) March 21, 2018
Addressing guests The Queen’s second son said: “It’s a pleasure to be able to open and celebrate a building such as this. A building lives because of what goes on inside it and judging from what I’ve seen on my tour, the vibrancy of the staff and students working here is making this building sing to a very wonderful note.
“I wish Bristol Business School, and the whole university, every good fortune in creating the sorts of young people we are going to need in the new environment we’ll find ourselves in during the next two to five years. These are going to be very challenging times but we need to create a breed of young people who are enterprising, entrepreneurial and ambitious. If we can do that we can, and will, succeed. So good luck, I wish you every success,” he said.
Professor Steve West, Vice-Chancellor at UWE Bristol, said of the royal visit: “We were proud to show The Duke that not only is Bristol Business School a striking modern building with state-of-the-art facilities but what goes on inside is equally impressive.
prince andrew addressed staff and students at uwe, saying and wishing them luck (duke of york)
the duke of york officially opens the business school at uwe (duke of york)
“Students are using the hugely expanded provision of technology enhanced active learning for greater co-creation and student-led problem solving, while a growing number of businesses are being welcomed through the doors to collaborate with staff and our ever more entrepreneurial students.
“It is this abundance of strong relationships with industry that sets UWE Bristol’s approach to business apart, with close collaboration ensuring the skills our graduates leave with are always relevant to employers’ rapidly evolving needs.”
It was then on to Culham Science Centre near Abingdon for the Duke. Prince Andrew was there to visit JET – the Joint European Torus – the world’s largest nuclear fusion experiment, which the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) operates for scientists around Europe.
The Duke of York was shown around JET and learned how it is involved in fusion reactors, which – it is hoped – will provide low-carbon energy across the world.
The @TheDukeOfYork visited us yesterday – we were honoured to show him around JET @FusionInCloseUp and explain the potential of fusion. https://t.co/cfcS3JwVbh pic.twitter.com/JTkH61hHAO
— Culham Fusion Energy (@fusionenergy) March 22, 2018
This fusion research is funded by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council and by the European Union under the Euratom treaty.
Part of the visit saw the Prince unveil a foundation stone for the new Oxford Apprenticeships Services Centre.
Back in London, Andrew hosted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) at Buckingham Palace; the Royal is their patron. The orchestra rehearsed and performed to mark the 25th anniversary of RPO Resound.
The @rpoonline have rehearsed at Buckingham Palace this afternoon ahead of their performance for the 25th Anniversary of the RPO Resound. pic.twitter.com/RtCgVhb74y
— The Duke of York (@TheDukeOfYork) March 21, 2018
Resound is a community and education programme, which provides opportunities to participate in music projects regardless of age, gender, religion or ethnic background. It believes in the transformative power of music to improve aspirations, abilities and life chances.
