THREE business development managers have been appointed by the University of Teesside. The appointments follow the university's successful bid for a £3m grant from the Higher Education Innovation Fund last year to support its enterprise strategy. The managers will work with the university's Centre for Enterprise and the business community to forge links between business and academia.

TIM BRUNTON will look after the School of Computing and the School of Arts and Media.

He worked in the construction industry before studying interior architecture and design at Teesside and joining the university's Virtual Reality Centre.

JUDITH BROWN has responsibility for the School of Social Sciences and Law and Teesside Business School. She is keen to establish strong relationships with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the social enterprise sector and will also work with the voluntary, community and the public sectors.

She has worked in the manufacturing and service sectors and for local government in community economic development.

GEOFF ARCHER will look after the School of Science and Technology and the School of Health and Social Care. He has 15 years experience of research and development, focusing on food science and nanotechnology and formerly managed the North-West Food Centre in Manchester.