ONE of York’s universities is forging closer links with the city’s hospital.

Executive members from York St John University and York Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust today signed a memorandum of intent, ensuring co-operation and collaboration between the two organisations.

Following the relocation of York Hospital NHS library to the Fountains Learning Centre in Clarence Street last summer, links between the university and the hospital’s foundation trust have continued to grow.

The signing of this memorandum should help to promote the exchange of knowledge between the two organisations.

The partnership aims to maximise opportunities which will benefit students and staff of York St John as well as staff and users of York Hospital.

This will be achieved by the exchange of teaching and research staff, academic information, collaboration of workforce development programmes and joint research projects.

Staff will be able to share development and service opportunities and will be able to use residential, learning and office facilities.

Professor Dianne Willcocks, vice-chancellor of York St John University, said: “This formal partnership between York St John and the foundation trust builds on a decade of collaborative working and opens up further exciting possibilities around our shared commitment to lifelong learning for students and staff in our two organisations.”

Patrick Crowley, chief executive of York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a huge step forward for the hospital and the university in demonstrating that these two significant organisations can work together in a spirit of collaboration for the benefit of the community as a whole.”