DURHAM University and Procter & Gamble have won the Royal Society of Chemistry Teamwork in Innovation Award.

The annual award recognises outstanding examples of partnerships between industry and academia in promoting innovation.

The collaboration, which started in 2009, has resulted in more than 50 joint projects between the University and P&G to help improve a wide range of household products.

Initially a team of 30 academics and PhD students from Durham University’s departments of Chemistry and Physics, and the University’s Biophysical Sciences Institute (BSI), worked closely with P&G scientists at the Newcastle Innovation Centre.

This has since become a formalised strategic partnership involving academics from chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, psychology, engineering and the Business School at Durham University working with P&G scientists globally.

Professor Tom Mcleish, of Durham University, said: “At Durham we treasure the multiple ways in which our partnership with P&G enriches the University and the ways in which academic research can both give value to and benefit from collaboration with the wider community locally and globally.

“We are delighted that the Royal Society of Chemistry has chosen to recognise the importance of forming creative, long-term, strategic and multi-level working partnerships between universities and businesses with this award.”

Dr David Jakubovic, of P&G, said: “We have enjoyed a successful, mutually beneficial relationship with Durham. Our research programme with Durham University is focused against some of our toughest innovation challenges and our collaboration has delivered world class research outcomes and superior innovation for our consumers.”