A leading science park in the county and the University of Kent have outlined how they intend to work together across a range of key sectors.

Sandwich's Discovery Park and the university have signed what's known as a 'memorandum of understanding' (MOU).

It provides a broad outline of a partnership the pair hope to forge over the next three years - and key to that is retaining scientific talent in the county.

It will see them work together in areas such as industrial biotechnology, neurosciences and digital and data driven healthcare - often referred to as TechBio.

The MOU was signed on the first day of a three-day innovation boot camp held at the science park, in which staff and postgraduate students from the university’s division of natural sciences took part in talks and workshops aimed at developing their knowledge of how to commercialise innovation.

Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park, said: “Signing this MOU creates solid foundations to bring scientific research and companies closer together and strengthens our shared ambitions.

“Collaboration between academia and business is essential if we are to build on the exciting developments that are coming out of the university’s laboratories."

Dr Robert Barker, innovation lead for the university’s division of natural sciences, added: “Discovery Park is a strategic point of engagement for the biotech community and an important hub for our students and research community as they work to develop their world leading research and innovations."