South West RDA and University Challenge Jill Sheen 26 September 2008

2 South West RDA and University Challenge  SWRDA Corporate Plan  Examples of HE investments in priority places – past and future  Challenges

3 SWRDA Corporate Plan

4 SW RDA and HEFCE  Strategic Alliance (1 st region)  Joint Investment Criteria  Regular contacts between RDA and HEFCE SW Regional Team  Working together with partners

5 Priority Places and University Challenge  Combined Universities in Cornwall  North and South Devon  Somerset  Gloucestershire  Swindon  And…

6 Cornwall and its challenges  Rural and peripheral  GVA 75% of EU average (66.7% in 2001)  Very little higher education before CUC  Young people leaving to work /study  Economy dominated by small businesses  35% of businesses have turnover <£500k  Wages below national average

7 Cornwall’s brain drain Net Migration Age Group

8 Combined Universities in Cornwall Vision  To create a university infrastructure for Cornwall  To stem the brain drain  To help raise the game of business in Cornwall  To bring well paid jobs  To bring opportunities to people and businesses country wide

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10 Student numbers

11 Partnership  £120m in two phases  HEFCE, SWRDA and Government funding  EU funding through Objective One Programme  EU ERDF and ESF Convergence from 2007 – transform Cornwall  Cornwall County Council role

12 North and South Devon  Access to universities difficult, low participation  North Devon College (Barnstaple) –New campus – LSC funded –University of Plymouth Colleges partner –HE and Innovation Centre –North Devon Plus (include Local Authorities) for economic development  South Devon College –Stand alone HE Centre (with LSC and business relations function) –Close links with existing Innovation Centre based at College (Torbay Council)

13 Somerset Universities Partnership Project (SUPP)  No university in county (but 3 FECs delivering significant amount of HE)  Complex pattern of partnerships with HEIs  Drive from Somerset County Council  Wide consensus to pursue collaborative option addressing needs of Somerset economy

14 Other ‘cold spots’  Joint HEFCE/RDA demand studies funded in –Gloucestershire –Swindon

15 University Challenge(s)  Partnerships – are they the right players? Strategic context.  Institutional issues – structure and commitment  Competition and collaboration  Business support simplification/Train to Gain  Employer engagement funding models  HE/FE links  Sustainability

16 SWRDA and University Challenge