Staffordshire University will also benefit from a slice of £1bn being offered by the government.

Keele says it is delighted with the award and has yet to decide where the money will be spent. But it says it will be used across all disciplines.

Staffordshire University will receive nearly £1m in government money.

The money will be available from next year and is part of a two year programme of investment from the Science Research Investment Fund.

The fund aims to improve universities' facilities to allow them to compete on a world scale.

Both universities have to submit their proposed projects to the Higher Education Funding Council by May of this year.