HOW heartening it was to witness the hosts of students and their families at the University of York open day recently.

The campus was humming with instructive activities and cheerful, volunteer undergraduates directing and informing the crowds with courtesy and charm.

It was plainly the place to be. Credit for York's reputation for quality must go to vice chancellor Brian Cantor and his team, who deserve praise for maintaining York at such a high position in the Sunday Times ranking, with 22 rated excellent subjects and research out of the top drawer too.

Nothing succeeds like success and it is striking that the University of York is a great success story for this region and the nation.

Added to high academic achievement must be the many successful business enterprises clustered supportively around the university. Clearly Science City is where the future for York now lies. Further successes will soon compensate for the loss of traditional businesses such as Terry's recent retreat overseas, loss of the railways and doubtless others yet to go elsewhere to be better engaged more directly in the global economy.

May I therefore congratulate all concerned in the promotion of the University of York and its associated developing businesses as places of excellence and enterprise. This encourages further inward investment and re-location of new business to help make this region thrive in the face of growing international competition.

Ian Wormald,

Kenwick Woods,

Kenwick,

Louth, Lincs.

Updated: 10:29 Wednesday, October 19, 2005