Innovative further and higher education project for Basingstoke
Businesses in the borough are being urged to back a bid to turn Basingstoke into an innovative type of university town.
The council is working with key national economic and educational bodies, including the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and universities, to develop a ‘learning campus’. This would bring together further ‘vocational’ style training with higher education degrees and state of the art research.
It would build on successful colleges and link with 'best in class' universities, both national and international. Leading universities are showing real interest in the plan, which could also provide a new site for the relocation for the Basingstoke College of Technology. The project is aimed at ensuring that there is a skilled workforce to ensure continued economic prosperity for the borough, as well as raising aspirations for academic achievement.
It is proposed that the learning campus would specialise in subjects and skills that reflect prominent employment sectors in the borough, including information technology and communications, pharmaceutical and banking and finance. To encourage research and development and innovation in the borough, there would also be incubator units to support start-up enterprises
Detailed research into the project has been funded by SEEDA, which has commissioned a scoping study. This study found that there was demand and need for integrated further and higher education and continuous professional development on one site. The plan is now to submit a bid to the Learning and Skills Council by January for funding for the initiative
To develop the most successful model for the ‘learning campus’ the council needs to work with major businesses to understand their future workforce needs to ensure that the borough has a highly skilled workforce and a vibrant economy.
Cabinet Member for Economic and Educational Development Cllr Andrew Finney said: "One of the things that has been identified as holding us back from reaching our full potential as a key economic powerhouse in the South East is that we do not have a university based here. We need to continue to attract high profile major employers to ensure our residents, especially our young people, have the future career prospects and opportunities for success they deserve."
For more information call 01256 845597.