Universities launch online equipment sharing database

The M5 group have launched a new website which includes a searchable database detailing each piece of equipment that can be shared across all M5 universities, including the University of Birmingham. 

The new searchable online database is available at www.m5universities.ac.uk and includes details of equipment that can be shared, its location, and contact details for information and bookings. A costing model has been agreed, and the group are also exploring options for jointly procuring maintenance and servicing contacts for similar equipment across the institutions.

What is the M5 Group?

The M5 Group of universities; Birmingham, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham, Warwick and Aston; was established to boost research collaboration and improve sharing of equipment. The group are developing the tools needed to make such sharing work in future and hope this will lead to increased efficiencies in terms of use of expensive equipment.