Universities Seal Their Commitment to New University Centre Folkestone
The Universities of Greenwich and Canterbury Christ Church signed a joint venture agreement at the new University Centre Folkestone on Monday June 18. The document cements both universities’ commitment to work in partnership to deliver a range of degree programmes from the University Centre Folkestone and offer higher education in a town where many school leavers, young people and adults may not have considered higher education as an option.
The document was signed by the Vice Chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church, Professor Michael Wright, and the Vice-Chancellor of Greenwich, Baroness Tessa Blackstone, with the Chairman of the Creative Foundation, Roger De Haan, in attendance (a copy of the joint venture agreement is featured in the notes to editors section). The signing ceremony was attended by members of Shepway District Council; representatives from local schools; and senior staff from both universities and the Creative Foundation.
Baroness Blackstone says: “When Roger De Haan came to me with the idea of developing a new university centre in Folkestone, I knew immediately that this was something that Greenwich should be a part of. This joint venture agreement illustrates our commitment to local business and enterprise by increasing opportunities for people to enter higher education and to support the community of Folkestone.”
Professor Michael Wright, says: “The signing of this agreement signifies the latest step in the development of the University Centre Folkestone. I first met with Roger De Haan in 2001 to discuss the idea of creating a new higher education centre for Folkestone. If it wasn’t for Roger’s drive, determination and vision, we would not be here this afternoon and I would like to thank him for his support.”
Roger De Haan says: “The development of the University Centre Folkestone is part of a bigger project to regenerate the town of Folkestone. As part of this regeneration project, the provision of higher education opportunities is essential. Many young people from Folkestone leave the town to study degree programmes elsewhere and do not return and the local economy suffers a ‘brain drain’. The new University Centre Folkestone will hopefully attract local residents and people from further afield and therefore lead to economic growth and sustainability. It will be at the centre of thriving arts community and I would like to thank the Universities of Greenwich and Canterbury Christ Church for all of their hard work on this venture.”
For further information or images contact:
Nick Davison
Press Officer
University of Greenwich.
020 8331 8092
n.a.p.davison@gre.ac.uk
Claire Robinson
Media Relations Officer,
Canterbury Christ Church University
01227 782391
claire.robinson@canterbury.ac.uk
Notes To Editors
Joint Venture Agreement on developing higher education in Folkestone between University of Greenwich and Canterbury Christ Church University
1. It is agreed as part of a broader collaborative arrangement between the two Universities and the Creative Foundation that they will work in partnership at the University Centre Folkestone to develop higher education for the purpose of:
- Facilitating access to higher education predominately for the people of Folkestone and South Kent
- Developing with Folkestone and South Kent skills needed by employers
- Contributing to the development of the regional and sub-regional economies
- Developing a portfolio of provision that will attract students, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
2. The partners will seek to contribute jointly to the development of the University Centre Folkestone based at the Glassworks, Mill Bay, to provide a single higher education campus with shared library, learning support, catering and classroom facilities.
3. The partnership is based on the agreement that there will be:
- Open and transparent joint academic planning of numbers and programmes with a view to achieving viable complementarity between the academic offer of both Universities.
- The division of growth between the two Universities would be in line with the agreed business plan. The aim would be to achieve broadly equal shares of that growth having regard to such factors as full-time equivalent student numbers and associated income streams and new opportunities for programme development.
- The programmes offered initially by Canterbury Christ Church University will be in the areas of Performing Arts and Contemporary Visual Arts, together with combinations with Creative Enterprise, Professional Development by Work Based Learning and Early Years Education and ITT progression routes. The programmes offered by the University of Greenwich will be in the areas of Business, Information Technology, Retail Technology, Marketing Technology, Multimedia, Event Management, Enterprise Project Management and Applied Professional Development (Work Based Learning). The academic offer will be subject to annual review in accordance with 3a.
- If either University wishes to run new programmes outside the areas specified in (c) above they will need to secure the agreement of the other partner before proceeding.
4. It is further agreed that both partners will seek to support the achievements of each other’s business plan within the context of the agreed business plan for UCF. This may include:
- Identifying new areas for further collaborative development as alternative to, or replacement for, existing and/or planned activity
- Ensuring equitable and shared use of UCF resources
5. To facilitate the development and delivery of sub-degree work each higher education institution may seek to work with South Kent College especially with regard to facilitating effective progression routes from South Kent College to the University Centre.
6. The partnership will be facilitated through the following structures:
i. A Joint Venture Board including the Vice-Chancellors of both Universities and the Deputy Vice Chancellor (or other appropriate nominee of the Vice Chancellor).
ii. A Project Management Steering Group including the Chief Executive of the Creative Foundation, the Principal of South Kent College, representatives from SEEDA, HEFCE and KCC and other appropriate senior staff from the two Universities, the Creative Foundation and key stakeholders as appropriate.
iii. A Planning and Implementation Group dealing with the management arrangements between the two universities. The Planning and Implementation Group may choose to establish a Joint Academic Planning Committee reporting to the group to develop a growing portfolio of programmes to meet the needs of people and businesses in the Folkestone area and to address regional and national skill needs.
iv. Joint subject groups may be established as necessary to undertake detailed curriculum development for new programmes
v. Common student support arrangements and academic regulatory structures will operate as appropriate to facilitate the partnership to the benefit of students. In particular these structures will facilitate the operation of potential collaborative provision leading to awards conferred jointly by both Universities.
7. For the purpose of transacting business at the Joint Venture Board, the Project Management Steering Group and the Planning and Implementation Group, there will be equal representation of the two Universities.
8. Through these areas the parties aim to provide a balanced portfolio of provision at Folkestone such that higher education participation rates in Folkestone and South Kent are enhanced.