An initiative to develop high-quality education and skills, improve business competitiveness and enhance the quality of life for local people in the North-east by exploiting information age technologies has been launched at the University of Teesside. More than 100 organisations have formed the Tees Valley Informatics Partnership, described by the university's pro-vice-chancellor, Helen Pickering as "part of a strategic drive to put the area at the forefront of developments in the information age."