1.2 Developing international links

Oxfordshire has a matrix of linkages that stretch across the world.

Oxfordshire has a matrix of linkages that stretch across the world. These have been established between companies, academia, twinning, personal and public sector agencies. These links should be developed and exploited to benefit the economy through the development of international trade and investment, as well as to create products and services that compete globally.

Examples of current links that have the potential to be developed and exploited to benefit the economy of Oxfordshire:

• The University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University attract students and staff from around the world. For instance, between them, the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School and Oxford Brookes' Business School have more than 200 full-time MBA students from over 40 different countries.
• Oxfordshire's academic and research base has a large number of established international links. For example the Joint European Torus (JET), the flagship of the European Community Fusion Programme have a team of scientists working at the Culham Science Centre, from all the EU countries, plus associated countries.
• Town twinning, initially established as social and cultural links, and which have the potential to be developed into business opportunities.
• Established links between Cherwell District and the Bonn region in Germany, Western Sweden and the Vendée in France.
• UK Trade & Investment, which is the government organisation dedicated to helping companies in the South East achieve their full international business potential. The organisation combines the expertise of local International Trade Advisers with the national resources of the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) global network of Trade Development Officers to help win business overseas.
• Global companies with already-established international links e.g. BMW, Siemens Magnet Technology, Evotec OAI.