University partnership secures new funding for skills initiative

An innovative Birmingham education partnership has received funding to develop new and enhanced courses that will help provide the skills needed in the Midlands’ future economy.

The University of Birmingham, University College Birmingham and South & City College are set to work together with the region’s employers to provide education programmes that will equip students with skills to face the future.

Following last summer’s announcement of a new collaboration between the University of Birmingham and University College Birmingham, the partnership has now won the maximum £200,000 national funding from HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England).

The partnership will use the HEFCE funding to help develop new and enhanced higher education courses that support the aims of the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

Backed by five employers, the universities will work with South & City College Birmingham to develop a new curriculum focussed on Electrical and Electronic Engineering, which will boost students’ digital, technical and employment skills alongside ‘core’ academic content.

The project aims to plug the gap in provision between FE Colleges – which tend to take more vocationally-focussed students – and research-intensive universities, which traditionally admit more academically focused students.

University of Birmingham Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir David Eastwood said: “The University of Birmingham and University College Birmingham will work together with employers across the region to harness the strengths of each institution for the benefit of young and mature learners and the Midlands’ economy.

“We are delighted to receive funding from HEFCE that will help us to create new, innovative developments that support the regional skills agenda helping students move from Further to Higher Education.”

University College Birmingham Vice-Chancellor & Principal, Professor Ray Linforth added: “Alongside The University of Birmingham and South & City College Birmingham, we look forward to leading the way in developing innovative education and training pathways that will benefit the region and its young people.”

More than 30 universities and colleges in England have each been awarded up to £200,000 of project funding from HEFCE’s Catalyst Fund programme, with additional investment provided by the universities and colleges involved, employers and other partners.

The HEFCE funding is designed to support universities and colleges in co-developing and co-designing courses with national and local employers.

Across the country, this funding is supporting a range of projects in many different sectors which align with the Industrial Strategy’s ‘Grand Challenges’ – from advanced engineering to data analytics, and from artificial intelligence to bioscience.

HEFCE’s investment will help to enhance graduate outcomes and employability, and upskill the workforce – providing the key skills that industry and employers will need and contributing to UK productivity in the longer term.

HEFCE Chief Executive, Professor Madeleine Atkins, said: “We were delighted with the quality of proposals received for this funding call and particularly the impressive levels of engagement between higher education and industry.

“This investment represents important support for the government’s Industrial Strategy. The funding will provide new courses and vital skill developments in key industrial sectors across the country, from which students, the workforce and employers all stand to benefit.”