27.01.2004
Higher education in Hastings got a boost today with the news that the University of Brighton has won more money from the government to help develop UCH - University Centre Hastings - the centre for university education in Hastings.
The University of Brighton is manager of UCH, which has developed as part of the SEEDA (South East England Development Agency) led Hastings and Bexhill Regeneration Plan. The Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Higher and Further Education, Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP, will be visiting UCH on 2 February.
Brighton has secured £3.5million from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to equip the new Learning Resource Centre at UCH and for further improvements to the old BT building.
The new money will also enable the University of Brighton to support the development of courses at UCH over the coming years. This is a unique project, a serviced university facility managed by the University of Brighton with academic partners including the University of Sussex, the Open University, Hastings College of Arts and Technology (HCAT) and Canterbury Christ Church University College.
The UCH project has three phases. The first is to consolidate existing higher education courses (particularly business and IT) in the town. The second is to add additional courses for local people and the third is to attract students from around the UK and abroad, as well as new academic partners, with the aim of providing a wide choice of qualifications in Hastings.
Professor Sir David Watson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Brighton said,
"This is excellent news. UCH is now really taking shape as an integral part of the regeneration of Hastings and Bexhill.
"This new funding will enable the University of Brighton to forge ahead with plans to increase the higher education opportunities available to the people of Hastings and the region and to contribute to the regeneration of the town."
Polly Thornton, Learning & Skills Manager at Sea Space, the company set up to implement the Hastings & Bexhill Task Force’s plan, comments:
"This is another exciting milestone in our work to breathe new life into the area through education-led regeneration.
"UCH is going from strength to strength in delivering the commercially-focused university courses that will make a huge difference to the local economy and people. We’re also delighted to be continuing to strengthen our partnership with the University of Brighton."
Sir Howard Newby, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said,
"The council is delighted to be supporting the UCH proposal which should make a major contribution towards widening participation in higher education and economic regeneration in Hastings."
UCH was established in September 2003 to accelerate higher education in Hastings. This is a core strategy in the Hastings & Bexhill Task Force’s programme for local economic regeneration. The University of Brighton, Hastings College of Arts and Technology, the University of Sussex, the Open University and the University of Westminster are delivering degree courses at UCH. UCH courses are commercially focused and designed in partnership with employers. Those currently on offer include computing, business management, accounting, business law and a range of adult education and Open University programmes. Other universities from the south-east are in discussions to join UCH over next 12 months and introduce additional subjects to the curriculum as relevant to local needs.
Background information
• Hastings needs help. Overall it is the 27th most deprived English district
and, educationally, census data shows it is 292/376 in England/Wales for qualifications
at degree level or higher, while regionally it is 3/67 for adults with no qualification.
• The SEEDA led Hastings and Bexhill Regeneration Plan identifies education
as one of its five focus areas and SEEDA is providing substantial capital support
for the building refurbishment that supports UCH.
• The UCH concept was proposed by the University of Brighton as a means
of rapidly developing high quality higher education. It builds on the university’s
historical connections with both Hastings College of Arts and Technology (HCAT)
and the Conquest Hospital. An early milestone was achieved in September 2003
with the enrolment of over 400 HE students on franchised courses.
• The "Coastal Highway" (a collaborative project between all
of the HEIs in Sussex) has piloted early intervention in local secondary schools,
raising aspiration for further and higher education. This has now been developed
under "Partnerships for Progression" (P4P) and will thereby cover all
secondary schools in Hastings.
Why UCH is important
• UCH offers the prospect for education-led regeneration initially by meeting
the growing demand in the Hastings and Bexhill area, where participation rates
are below average, then attracting students from across the region, and eventually
nationally and internationally.
• The governance is also unique with each HEI responsible for the quality
and delivery of its own courses while a management committee (chaired by the
University of Brighton) brings together the functioning requirements of UCH,
and a stakeholders group (chaired by SEEDA) provides linkage with the local and
regional stakeholders and employer needs.
The future
• Continuing professional development (CPD) will be an important priority.
This will start in health, where there is an existing base and demand, and expand
quickly into the business area linking together the third stream activities of
both HE and FE.
• Within four to five years it is expected that demand will fill the building
and it is proposed to move to a new purpose built facility.
• Eventually the HE focus will lead to the development of both academic
and industrially based research activities as a major contribution to the regeneration
of the town.
Further information can be found at www.uch.ac.uk
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton, 01273 643022
