Northern businesses and universities are encouraged do more to strengthen the UK’s relationship with Germany, according to the Regional Chairman of the German-British Chamber of Commerce (GBCC).

Mark Green, who is also the Honorary Consul for the Federal Republic of Germany and commercial partner at Cobbetts LLP, made the announcement at the GBCC’s recent annual dinner in Manchester, which hosted the German Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Mr. Georg Boomgaarden.

In his keynote address, Ambassador Georg Boomgaarden praised the links that have already been forged between German businesses and UK universities. He highlighted Mark Green’s efforts in strengthening Anglo-German ties, particularly through his consular competition with Northern universities.

The competition sees final year German language students pitch a business idea, in German, in a Dragon’s Den-style competition for a chance to win a cash prize and a coveted internship with a leading German business.

Following a very successful pilot competition in 2011 at the University of Leeds, this year the programme is being offered to the University of Manchester, the University of Leeds and the University of Sheffield, amongst others.

As part of his trip to the North West, Boomgaarden also visited food company Dr Oetker’s pizza factory in Leyland near Preston, as well as B. Braun Medical Ltd, near Sheffield . The Ambassador was impressed by the optimistic outlook that the region’s German businesses had of the future and positive attitude towards growth.

Mark Green said: “Germany remains a vital trading partner to the UK and it is more important than ever that the economies work even closer together in a global economy. By developing stronger links between businesses and universities, we can get more young, highly-skilled students into attractive jobs with progressive German companies in the region.

“I am delighted to continue the Consular internship programme with some of the North’s leading higher education institutions and help support our brightest talents and enable them to flourish on an international stage.”