Town gets ready for university challenge (From Swindon Advertiser)

Town gets ready for university challenge

6:00pm Tuesday 14th February 2012 in News By David Wiles

Coun David Renard

SWINDON’S ambition to become a university town will move up a gear when a dedicated group is set up to support the long-term project.

The town has already seen its university hopes dashed twice in recent years.

The University of Bath intended to establish a base in Swindon and then later the University of West England had plans to expand into the borough.

However, neither reached fruition for various reasons, including changes to central Government policy and funding arrangements.

But Swindon Council wants a university because it believes it will drive economic development and cultural regeneration.

It plans to set up a project group to draw up a radical higher education strategy of how a university can be achieved.

Coun David Renard, cabinet member for children’s services, stressed that a university before 2015 would be unlikely due to the Government’s budget deficit, but said the strategy would put Swindon in the best position to get cash when the economy improves.

He said: “I think it’s right that the council works with the colleges and other partners to re-focus the debate and come back with some firm proposals as to how we can deliver our ambition.

“I think we need to remind people we haven’t forgotten about it and we’re still working hard to try to deliver it, but I don’t think anyone should be under the misapprehension that’s going to be easy to deliver.”

If the proposal is supported at Cabinet tonight, a group will be set up comprising representatives from business, the council, the colleges and other partners.

Coun Renard said the board would look at possible location, whether it would need a new building or could fit into an existing building, and what kind of courses it could provide.

He said building a university at North Star on the land earmarked in the draft Core Strategy is unlikely now because of the project to improve the Oasis leisure centre – but the council still wants a town centre location. Coun Renard said the board would also develop a business case for resources to expand higher education facilities, making much of the fact that Swindon is the largest town in the south without a university within a 25-mile radius.

Coun Renard said: “We have got some very hi-tech businesses in the borough.

“We need more highly qualified people to help these businesses expand and to attract new businesses into the borough.

“And the base of those people within the borough with higher level qualifications is lower than the national average, and therefore if we want to attract the business in we need more highly skilled individuals here so a university is going to be important.”

Mark Dempsey, the Labour group’s deputy leader, said: “I think this is a good paper and the right strategy for taking the university project forward.”