University of Hereford set for launch
THE first new greenfield university in Britain launches today (Thursday), backed by the support of a strong coalition of leading academics, engineers, business leaders and politicians.
What is set in motion today will lead to the University of Hereford opening its doors to the first of 300 students in September 2017.
The new university, which was outlined by the Prime Minister last month in new economic growth proposals, owes much to the strategy laid out in the strategy, The New Model In Technology & Engineering (NMITE).
The strategy seeks to radically change the way engineering and related technologies are taught in Britain. Its aim is to help tackle the growing shortage of graduates who combine such degrees with the broad range of skills required by employers.
The approach is inspired and supported by the radical and renowned Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts, in the United States.
Karen Usher, co-leader of the university development team, said the launch marked the point at which Britain got a new university to help address the country’s chronic shortage of suitable technology and engineering graduates.
“The combination of widespread backing from three world-class academic partners means that our doors will open in autumn 2017 for the first students to enter this ground-breaking new university in a brand new campus in Hereford’s historic centre,” she said.
“It will be the first university in Europe to fully adopt the tried and tested approach of America’s highly innovative Olin College of Engineering. It will be about not just giving Britain more great engineering graduates, but importantly graduates who will be equipped additionally with the broader business, innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership skills that British employers need but find to be in very short supply.”
The new facility has the support of the universities of Bristol and Warwick.
Professor Pam Thomas, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (for People and Public Engagement) at the University of Warwick, said: “We have been delighted to have been asked to help and advise our colleagues at NMITE on areas such as syllabus and pedagogy. We are now beginning to advise and explore with our NMITE colleagues as to how degrees could be awarded to students in the early years of its operation.
“The fact that this would be the first new greenfield university in 40 years has a great deal of resonance with the experience of the University of Warwick as this very year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Warwick’s creation on a greenfield site, and our rise to become one of the UK’s top ten research-led universities.”
Dr Richard Miller, President of the Olin College of Engineering said his body was supporting the initiative by providing consultation and advice.
“Olin College is a unique new institution with a national mission to change higher education in ways that have been needed for a generation. It is more than a highly selective and respected undergraduate programme in engineering—it is a kind of privately funded national laboratory for STEM education,” he said.
Alistair Neill, chief executive of Herefordshire Council, said: “Herefordshire Council strongly supports this transformative project, and we will continue to work very closely with its project leaders in preparing for the university to be established.
“We live in a knowledge economy, nationally and internationally – and our future success and that of our young adults depends heavily on being genuinely competitive in this very challenging international arena.”
