Last updated 15:52, Wednesday, 23 April 2008

THE University of Cumbria has been granted nearly £200,000 from the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

The £188,000 awarded to the university is part of a national project announced by HEFCE that will pay out £8.3 million to developing new relationships with employers to support business growth and employee development in universities across the country.

The University of Cumbria will use the money to meet employers’ needs in policing and supply chain logistics, aiming to delivering provision for 890 students by 2012. HEFCE will provide capacity funding of £8.3 million; and all supported institutions will receive provision funding for the student numbers enrolled on courses which are co-funded with employers.

Helen Marshall, pro-vice-chancellor at the University of Cumbria, said: “Full-time students will do a foundation degree in parallel with being special constables.

“The police force has agreed to source 25 per cent of their intake from us, which will be 90 per cent of ours. They will get ready-made students who can hit the ground running.”

Existing officers will be able to top up their experience with more specialised training in community policing or mental health.

David Eastwood, HEFCE chief executive, said: “Employer engagement is not just for those universities or colleges known for their business orientation; it is for the whole sector. The projects we are funding today reflect the changing and quickening pace of engagement, which is now becoming part of the core business of higher education.”

Employers including Cumbria-based haulage company, Stobart, will fund 37.5 per cent of the cost of foundation degrees in transport logistics and supply chain management. Along with a master of business administration programme in supply chain management, these will attract more students from India and China, who are keen to reduce their costs.