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Review of higher education in Cumbria

Summary

This report was commissioned in November 2002 by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). It follows initiatives in Cumbria and by HEFCE both to assess and to improve the opportunities for higher education in the county.

The main challenge is to raise the profile of higher education in Cumbria. Without a stronger presence of higher education, which is relevant to all stages of life-long learning, there is a significant risk that the relative economic decline of Cumbria will continue.

The report is not intended to produce a menu of detailed recommendations; nevertheless it identifies major priorities. There is a need to build effective critical mass in the separate universities and colleges, and to encourage the sharing of operations. The physical learning environment should stimulate aspiration. There is also a need to build capacity in applied research areas.

But above all there is a need to build an identity for the 21st century vision of a network of collaborating campuses which has all the key attributes of a single campus university but brings together the strengths of a number of universities and colleges. For convenience this network is called the 'University of Cumbria'.

To establish this vision, the report argues that there needs to be a formal agreement about this goal, not just by the higher education institutions and further education colleges but by the principal agents of the broader community in Cumbria.

The report is intended to lead to further action. It includes recommendations for the formation of a Project Board with a remit to develop a three-year business plan, in the context of a 10-year strategy, to develop higher education in Cumbria.

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Last updated 4 September 2003