Falmouth University has welcomed a royal visitor to its campus in Penryn to celebrate 120 years of creative education.

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, met students and academics who are working together across technology and creative disciplines.

As part of the visit last month, the Duchess spoke to those working on the Live Audience Accessibility and Argumentation research project, exploring how haptic technology can make live music and events more accessible for people who are deaf or disabled.

Falmouth Packet: HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh laughs with a member of staffHRH The Duchess of Edinburgh laughs with a member of staff (Image: Falmouth University)

Also showcased were examples of games and digital products that have been developed by students at the Games Academy.

The UK video games industry supports 73,000 jobs throughout the supply chain and contributed £5 billion to the economy. It is also providing new ways to transform health, education and traditional industries like tourism.

READ NEXT: Jacob's Ladder Steps, Falmouth University art students mural

Professor Emma Hunt, vice-chancellor and chief executive, said: “It was an honour to show Her Royal Highness some of what we do here at Falmouth.

Falmouth Packet: The Duchess also took time to speak to studentsThe Duchess also took time to speak to students (Image: Falmouth University)

“As Cornwall’s university, we’re very proud that 120 after Falmouth School of Art was first founded, our students, academics and researchers are harnessing the power of creativity and technology for good.

“I was delighted that I, and some of our future creative leaders and explorers, had the opportunity to talk to the Duchess about the impact we are having – in Cornwall, but also on a national and global scale – addressing some of the big social and economic challenges of our age through our teaching, research and knowledge exchange.”

The visit came on the same day that the Duchess also spent time at the Children's Sailing Trust headquarters of Trevassack Lane on the Lizard Peninsula. 

Here she watched local schoolchildren take part in watersports activities on the lake, and toured the lake herself on ‘Floaty’, the trust’s one-of-a-kind, solar-powered accessible platform that allows groups of all ages and abilities, including their mobility equipment, to get out on the water.