University of Warwick’s regional engagement makes waves
AS DRIVERS of innovation and productivity through knowledge exchange, skills development and academic research, universities are crucial to regional economic growth.
In the West Midlands, the ripple of the University of Warwick is being felt far beyond the boundaries of its Coventry-based campus, as its regionally-focused initiatives surge through the Midlands Engine.
So what exactly does Warwick do for its region? Sitting on the Coventry & Warwickshire LEP board and influencing other regional schemes including the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Coventry City of Culture 2021 bid, Vice-Chancellor Stuart Croft is committed to ensuring Warwick is a constructive role player in the region’s future, and spreading the word. Recent regional events include a fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference in October 2016, where Warwick joined forces with the WMCA and Warwickshire County Council (WCC) to share the University’s impact on devolution.
Warwick’s approach to regional engagement begins on its campus. From its inception as a pioneering collaboration between academia and business, Warwick has always had strong connections with industry. And the present is no different: 2017 will see the opening of the National Automotive Innovation Centre on campus, as part of a long-term commitment between WMG, Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors European Technical Centre. It’s the largest private sector investment in any UK university to date, cementing the region’s reputation as a hub for manufacturing, and Warwick’s as a powerhouse of automotive innovation.
The campus is also home to Warwick Arts Centre, the largest arts centre outside of London, which inspires cultural engagement in the local area through events, performances and community-led productions. Over three quarters of the Arts Centre’s audience comes from within a 45-minute catchment area, and with nearly one million visitors per annum, the venue plays a crucial role in attracting people to Coventry.
Adjacent to the University campus, the University of Warwick Science Park is a hive of activity supporting the region’s SMEs, including 135 tenant businesses, providing advice on finance and incubation, research and development and knowledge transfer. Warwick’s Science Park recently introduced Business Ready, a new support programme part-funded by WCC and the European Regional Development Fund. The scheme is designed to help companies achieve and exceed their growth potential, and will boost the region’s economy through the creation of highly-skilled jobs.
Looking out of Warwick and into the wider region, the University is making a positive impact on skills development for both the current and future workforce. Following the success of the first WMG Academy for Young Engineers in Coventry, it’s opened a second in Solihull, equipping even more of the region’s students with the technical skills needed for either employment or Higher Education.
Championing degree apprenticeships, WMG has also introduced an Applied Engineering Programme aimed at higher apprentices looking to study for a degree whilst working. A longstanding partnership between Warwick and National Grid also provides training for young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs) to help them into work. Warwick also delivers outstanding executive education both through WMG and Warwick Business School whose MBA was ranked number one in the UK by the Economist.
And then there’s the vision for the development of the new Innovation Campus at Wellesbourne, creating a centre optimised for true collaborative working and epitomising Warwick’s approach to business, industry and the region. With inspirational businesses invited to join the University on its 450 acre site, the scope is there for innovators to craft space into something that fully enables their ideas to achieve.
To find out more about any of Warwick’s regional initiatives, visit www.warwick.ac.uk/business, email regionalengagement@warwick.ac.uk or telephone 0247 657 5829.
