Mandy’s campus blueprint welcomed

Nov 4 2009 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette

NORTH-EAST business leaders have welcomed Lord Mandelson’s new blueprint on the future of the UK’s universities which includes focusing funding on key areas such as science and engineering - and encouraging stronger links with industry.

The new framework for higher education sets out priorities for the sector and comes before a review of the student funding system is due to begin. The framework will radically alter the sector, turning students into “consumers” who are choosier about courses and institutions.

The North East Chamber of Commerce highlighted the importance of closer links with the five North-east universities in its Innovation Report published earlier this year.

Ross Smith, NECC head of policy, said: “Lord Mandelson has hit at the very core of the issue - we need to unlock the potential of our universities to help businesses to innovate and compete on the global stage.

“We are seeing this happening in a number of ways in the North-east but there is much more that can be done to link the two sides more closely.”

Sarah Green, regional director, CBI North East, added: “It’s good that the Government has recognised the need to support subjects with the greatest economic benefits, for example through greater prioritisation of funding for science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, while still maintaining a diverse HE system.

“Business will need more graduates with these skills in the future.”