Higher Education Institutions
To support both the existing and future workforce, the NWDA has
funded the development of a number of Higher Education Institutions
which are critical to the economic growth of Northwest
sub-regions.
University of Cumbria
The University of Cumbria is helping transform the Cumbrian
economy by: increasing local access to higher education;
encouraging graduate retention; and helping people in the
sub-region move to higher value employment. This threefold approach
to strengthening the economy will help Cumbria emerge from the
global downturn stronger than ever before.
The NWDA has awarded £26 million to the University, which is
being provided between 2009 and 2017. This funding is on top of the
£9.3 million we invested to support its official launch.
The University will work closely with local businesses through
its enterprise units to develop knowledge links between
academia and business, which will help drive economic regeneration.
It will also transform the further and higher education
infrastructure of Cumbria through the development of a Distributed
Learning Network involving four Further Education colleges in the
county.
The University of Cumbria was formed by the merger of the St
Martins College, the Cumbria Institute of the Arts and the Cumbrian
campuses of the University of Central Lancashire.
Burnley Further & Higher Education College
The NWDA has invested £9.9 million in Burnley Further &
Higher Education College, which is a joint initiative between
Burnley College and the University of Central Lancashire to deliver
access to education that meets the needs of the future workforce - through its
16-19 Centre, Skills & Adult Centre and University Centre.
The college campus, which was built on a brownfield site, is a
key element of the urban regeneration of the town. The presence of
a national university site will impact on the regeneration of the
local community as well as providing a significant development to
local industry and commerce.
Blackburn College University Centre
The NWDA has invested £3.2 million in Blackburn College’s
University Centre to improve the low skills levels in Pennine
Lancashire and meet the educational skills needs of local
employers. The college will be working with local businesses to
develop bespoke training to help ensure more graduates find work
locally, rather than having to move from the area.