The University will work with key partners within the Dudley Community Partnership - such as Associate Colleges, the Council, schools and other local partnerships concerned with community engagement, education, learning and training – to develop a strategic approach to the role of learning, teaching, education, training, curriculum, professional and personal development. In this way, the University hopes to play a leading role in ensuring the acquisition of knowledge and skills, relevant to the local economy, to businesses, neighbourhoods, communities and families.
The University will engage in sustainable research and scholarship which adds value to;
(i) development work with industry and public services
(ii) local economy, communities and partners.
Organisational Purpose
The University of Wolverhampton is a learning community promoting excellence, innovation and creativity.
The University is committed to being an:
(i) agent for social inclusion and social change
(ii) arena for the development of critical thinking
(iii) strategic force driving educational and cultural strategy for the region
(iv) educational hub supporting the regional and national economy through employment, entrepreneurship, creativity, knowledge transfer and research and development.
The National and Regional Picture
The University of Wolverhampton has international partnerships with other universities and colleges to provide degrees abroad to students in their homelands.
Nationally, the University plays a particular role in the development of new professions and in widening the social base of existing professions.
The University of Wolverhampton also attracts students from other countries and United Kingdom(UK) regions and, therefore, brings additional income from elsewhere to the locality: this in turn multiplies - generates further income and wealth - creating opportunities for connected sectors serving students and staff.
The University is a large employer with several campuses across the Midlands. It has arrangements with partner UK colleges to deliver its degrees in other areas.
In the next five years, the University seeks to build on its track record to strengthen its value to the Midlands region, City Region, Black Country Sub-region and Dudley.
The University is taking the strategic lead in implementing key learning, education and skills strategies across the Black Country. This and other work responds to the challenge to provide a workforce fit for the future. These activities seek to enable, prepare and equip students to take advantage of jobs and opportunities, such as those arising from the planned scale of growth for the Black Country in high-value added sectors.
At national, regional and local levels, the University regularly demonstrates its business orientated research capabilities which are complemented by its ability to stimulate, encourage and foster Continual Professional Development, business start-ups and enterprise incubator activities.
Common Purpose with LSPs
The common purpose of the LSP and the University of Wolverhampton are around:
a) Ensuring the ‘best fit’ between the enhancement and development of learning and education provision for the benefit of individual and economic growth and social inclusion of Dudley’s residents and employees.
b) Developing compatible processes which help individuals, families, minority groups, communities and neighbourhoods to overcome geographical, social and economical isolation.
Drivers
The University has a strong commitment to working to increase the participation and attainment of all groups in education, training, personal development, career progression and learning.
- The Government target that, by 2010, at least 50% of those between 18-30 years of age will have experienced higher education remains a strong driver.
The University of Wolverhampton has a commitment to tackling the barriers and hurdles which create social, geographical and economic isolation through promoting excellence of learning and education.
Work on 30 year vision for the Black Country Education and Learning Strategy has seen an Education and Skills Action Plan which drives an agenda to tackle:
- Low levels of Educational Achievement rate at Key Stages 3 and 4
The University seeks to develop, foster and encourage step changes across the Local Authority Area to improve its intellectual capital and, thereby, improve the ability of enterprises and people to provide a relevant and agile response to emerging economic opportunities. By helping people from businesses and communities to acquire skills and knowledge, the University will also positively respond to these problems:
- Relatively poor business survival rates
- Low wage rates and low threshold of those in skilled, knowledge-based and professional occupations.
The University of Wolverhampton has placed a priority on establishing and developing its Education Partnerships division which endeavours to generate education and learning strategies for providers around excellence, value addition and continuous improvements. The Midlands Leadership Centre is the consultancy arm of Education Partnership which helps others with their delivery.
Education Partnership’s sub-regional and local work has an area-based focus aimed at improvement in the poorest areas because many of the poorest areas also have high levels of ill health, low levels of educational aspiration and participation, minimal economic activity and high rates of worklessness.
Benefits and Constraints from LSP Engagements
Potential benefits from LSP engagement
Engagement with the LSPenables the University of Wolverhampton to maintain and develop strong relationships and create fresh links to ensure that learning and education are constantly improved across the Borough.
In addition, it allows the University to work with key stakeholders to progress the issue of accreditation of organisational and community activities as part of the academic framework of schools, colleges, professional bodies and the University.
Engagement with local public and private employers provides a mechanism to sharpen the University’s activities centred around the learner, continuous professional development and work-related education, learning and training.
Through LSP work the University can gain a much better understanding of the barriers and hurdles faced by individuals, groups, communities and businesses seeking to improve through progress to higher education.
Constraints
The University’s broad and constant purpose revolves around the twin and connected activities of attracting potential students and ensuring existing students get the very best out of their higher education experience.
The University of Wolverhampton does not have any specific remit to get engaged with any geographical locality. It does not have to get directly involved in economic regeneration or those matters relating to social exclusion of individuals, groups or communities.
The University is unlike agencies such as the Primary Care Trust which has no statutory duty but an ‘expectation’ to get engaged with the LSP. The University of Wolverhampton has become involved with the LSP because it has developed a strategy committed to national, regional and local agendas dealing with economic regeneration and social inclusion. Of course it also makes good business sense to get involved with the LSP and education providers in the area.
The Midland’s area served by the University is vast and this places pressures and strains, even within the Black Country sub-region, on the resources that can be realistically dedicated or directed to local LSP partnership work.
More Information
The University of Wolverhampton has been at the forefront of work to tackle social, economic and geographical exclusion and this is reflected by the fact that it is consistently placed at the top of National Leagues tables dealing with widening participation.
The University has a tremendous track record in finding employment for its graduates. There are many nurses, teachers, social workers and other graduates who not only find jobs but find these locally.
The University is a large employer and investor. In recent years some £130million has been spent on improving buildings and facilities.
Relationship with other partnerships
The University of Wolverhampton work with the Black Country Consortium and local authorities has resulted in a successful multi-million pound bid for City Challenge funds. This complements work already undertaken through the Black Country Children’s Services improvement Partnership. Creative Partnerships is another vehicle driven from within Education Partnerships to stimulate creativity and innovation within schools.
The University has collaborative links with the local Further Education Colleges and King Edwards Sixth Form College.
The University is keen to assist in activities which complement its mission such as work dealing with Community Development, Regeneration and Neighbourhood renewal.
Find out more:
To find out more please go to the University of Wolverhampton’s website: http://www.wlv.ac.uk/
Or contact us at the
University of Wolverhampton,
Wulfruna Street,
Wolverhampton,
WV1 1SB
For Course enquiries: 01902 32 22 22
General enquiries: 01902 321000
Email:enquiries@wlv.ac.uk
