University partnership ‘critical’

‘Stepping Higher’, from the CBI, looks at how business and universities can work together to improve the skills of the workforce. Of the £33bn spent on training annually, around £5bn could be provided by universities, according to government research. ‘Stepping Higher’ suggests ways in which universities can tap into this market by making themselves more accessible to business. For example, running courses on employers’ premises, outside normal term time and adapting teaching styles to new audiences. It also highlights the advantages for businesses of working with higher education to create training programmes which deliver the skills they need, as well as the potential for generating ideas for new products and services. The report, which was sponsored by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), contains case studies of companies successfully working with universities, including car maker Ford and Loughborough University. CBI director-general Richard Lambert (pictured) said that although many universities and businesses were working together effectively, more could be done to encourage further collaboration. He said: “A strong relationship between business and university sectors is critical to helping the UK maintain competitiveness and the economic downturn makes it even more important for employers to strengthen workforce skills as competitive pressures intensify. Both sides can benefit from collaboration – businesses from new thinking and high quality employees, and universities from practical insights that enrich their teaching and research.” Professor Rick Trainor, President of Universities UK, said universities were becoming more business friendly but wanted to make it easier for employers to work with them. He said: "The report highlights some of the areas where universities and employers could each look at doing things differently. In particular, it asks whether universities need to be clearer about how they can add value to businesses and how they can become more accessible to employers. Similarly, the report recommends that employers should aim to articulate better their skills needs and those they are likely to want in the future. "