Academics from East London’s leading university campus have won a �4 million grant to head a ‘brain exchange’ project combining research study with entrepreneur skill in the arts and creative industries.

Post-graduate researchers who want industry practice will do exchanges with business entrepreneurs who want experience working in a higher education environment.

A consortium of universities, businesses and arts organisations is being put together by the University of London’s Queen Mary college at Mile End, it was announced on today.

The consortium will forge partnerships between academics and the arts industries, as well as liaise with IBM, Digital Shoreditch, the V&A, British Museum, British Library and the BBC.

It is one of four ‘knowledge hubs’ being set up with a �16m kitty from the Arts & Humanities Research Council.