Million Plus

In a speech today (2 October) at a fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference, Professor Graham Baldwin, Chair of MillionPlus and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), will urge the Government to recognise and utilise modern universities as a key piece in the skills puzzle, ready to “seize the opportunity” to address skills gaps.

The event, titled Delivering the skills Britain needs - the role of modern universities, hosted by ConservativeHome takes place today and will also stream live (further details in the Notes to Editors). In addition to Professor Baldwin, the panel also includes: Rt. Hon. Gillian Keegan MP, Secretary of State for Education; Councillor John Cope, education expert and Conservative PPC for Esher and Walton; and Naomi Clayton, Deputy Director of the Learning & Work Institute. The discussion will be chaired by ConservativeHome Assistant Editor William Atkinson.

Modern universities, with the sense of place part of their core mission and close ties with local industry and leaders in vocational education, can play a pivotal role in the Government’s skills agenda, Professor Baldwin will say:

“The skills agenda is currently at the forefront of policymaking in England… and it’s pleasing to see the Government is committed to expanding the pathways and opportunities available to people of all ages in skilling and re-skilling including via the lifelong loan entitlement which got Royal Assent two weeks ago.

“This provides an exciting opportunity which modern universities are ready to seize, through their role at the heart of skills training in Britain, delivering higher education which combines the academic and vocational.”

Citing his own university, Professor Baldwin will describe the role universities can play in boosting opportunity and growth in their communities:

“The University of Central Lancashire is developing its micro-credential offering in anticipation of the lifelong learning entitlement. This will strengthen the university’s comprehensive range of undergraduate degrees, 35 degree apprenticeship programmes and research degrees, all of which are delivering skills essential to the local and regional economy.

“…Our modern universities offer a variety of courses, often tied to the needs of their local areas and local economies. However, it is in our vocational and technical offerings that truly set us apart, and in our ability to innovate and work with business and industry to meet key local needs.”

Professor Baldwin will outline his view on the role that modern universities have in addressing skills gaps regionally and nationally.

“The skills gap facing the UK poses a major economic threat. Persistent shortages in key occupations slow growth and hamper public services. Closing these gaps requires expanding access to education that delivers the skills that match labour market needs but also plan for future skills needs, including modern universities continuing to lead the way in developing degree apprenticeships and more flexible learning options to make earning a qualification achievable for wider groups of learners.”

Professor Baldwin will conclude:

“Modern universities possess unmatched understanding of real-world needs and ability to open new routes to opportunity. Realising their full potential will be essential as the UK navigates the Fourth Industrial Revolution and builds an economy that leaves no one behind.”
 

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Delivering the skills Britain needs - the role of modern universities
Conservative Party Conference
Monday 2 October 2023

Thank you very much for coming to this event today to discuss a topic both close to my heart and also of serious importance to the future workforce of this country. I am Professor Graham Baldwin, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Central Lancashire and Chair of MillionPlus, the Association for Modern Universities.

MillionPlus has held events such as this at Conservative Party Conference for many years now, including last year’s discussion “Staying local to go far: the role for universities in driving regional growth”, but I’m glad we are back in Manchester today to continue the open and productive relationship we have with the Conservative Party around the future of higher education and skills policy and the role modern universities have to play.

Before I address the topic at hand I’d firstly like to thank the Secretary of State for joining us today. As a group we have been fortunate to meet with and have an excellent working relationship with you and your officials and I am looking forward to continuing this relationship as we tackle some of the challenges currently facing the skills landscape in this country. 

I’m also delighted to share a panel with Naomi Clayton and John Cope who bring a wealth of experience and insight in this area, and I very much look forward to hearing what they have to say and to our questions and discussion that follow, so thank you all.

The skills agenda is currently at the forefront of policymaking in England, I’m sure if you look around the fringe events here in Manchester this week you’ll get a sense of the strong appetite for skills discussion across all sectors and it’s pleasing to see the Government is committed to expanding the pathways and opportunities available to people of all ages in skilling and re-skilling including via the lifelong loan entitlement which got Royal Assent two weeks ago.

This provides an exciting opportunity which modern universities are ready to seize, through their role at the heart of skills training in Britain, delivering higher education which combines the academic and vocational. In fact, The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is developing its micro-credential offering in anticipation of the lifelong learning entitlement. This will strengthen the university’s comprehensive range of undergraduate degrees, 35 degree apprenticeship programmes and research degrees, all of which are delivering skills essential to the local and regional economy.

Universities occupy a unique place in the UK policy landscape - a focus of education policy in themselves, places where the groundwork for wider economic, scientific and social potential is laid by the development of new skills and innovations, and engines of social and economic change in their local area as major employers and hubs of social activity. Universities, and in particular modern universities, are crucial regional anchors, delivering the skilled workforce needed by industry.

The skills gap facing the UK poses a major economic threat. Persistent shortages in key occupations slow growth and hamper public services. Closing these gaps requires expanding access to education that delivers the skills that match labour market needs but also plan for future skills needs, including modern universities continuing to lead the way in developing degree apprenticeships and more flexible learning options to make earning a qualification achievable for wider groups of learners.

I know this is something both the Secretary of State and the Higher Education Minister are very passionate about, and modern universities continue to lead the way in developing and delivering high quality degree apprenticeship provision.

The way many people think of universities is quite often rooted in their own experiences of them – frequently without having had the opportunity to visit campuses and experience all that they have to offer. Our modern universities offer a variety of courses, often tied to the needs of their local areas and local economies. However, it is in our vocational and technical offerings that truly set us apart, and in our ability to innovate and work with business and industry to meet key local needs.

UCLan supports the wider skills ecosystem through close working relationships with the Lancashire Skills Hub, their partner Further Education Colleges and their wholly owned subsidiary company, Training 2000. This led to them delivering Department for Education funded Skills Bootcamps, aligned directly to regional priorities around digital skills.

As England seeks new talent to fill it skills gaps, empowering this undervalued skills development engine is key. Modern universities possess unmatched understanding of real-world needs and ability to open new routes to opportunity.

Realising their full potential will be essential as the UK navigates the Fourth Industrial Revolution and builds an economy that leaves no one behind.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Dan Blows on 020 3927 2916 or email press@millionplus.ac.uk
2. Stream the fringe event here.
3. MillionPlus is the Association for Modern Universities in the UK, and the voice of 21st century higher education. We champion, promote and raise awareness of the essential role and impact of modern universities in the UK’s world-leading higher education sector. More information can be found at www.millionplus.ac.uk
4. What are modern universities? Modern universities are long established centres of higher education in their communities with roots that stretch back decades, if not centuries. Many gained university title following legislation agreed by parliament in 1992. They make up almost half of the UK university sector with over a million students studying at modern universities every year.
5. Modern universities: facts and stats