National Centre for Universities and Business responds to government white paper on higher education

National Centre for Universities and Business responds to government white paper on higher education

The National Centre for Universities and Business welcomes the Higher Education White Paper and supports the drive into the knowledge economy. As the white paper notes: “Work led by the National Centre for Universities and Business, and involving key partners from across UK, will make it easier for business and others to identify the people, capabilities and research to meet their needs.”

To support this ambition, the National Centre has launched konfer.online, an innovation platform that gives easy access to university knowledge and IP.

David Docherty, Chief Executive of the National Centre said “We are looking forward to working with UK Research and Innovation and the organisations within it.

“The government is right to focus on employability and student outcomes and the importance to business of developing graduate talent. We especially welcome the focus on improving social mobility.  Our programme on work experience seeks to address this through research and analysis, as well as a digital solution to help university students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds improve their employability through access to work experience.

“We welcome the recommendation in the Wakeham Review of STEM Degree Provision and Graduate Employability that the National Centre should help resolve issues surrounding work experience. We look forward to working with the successor body to UKCES to encourage industry and education providers to collaborate and better understand current and future skills needs.

“We also welcome the recommendations in the Shadbolt Review of Computer Sciences Degree Accreditation and Graduate Employability. And, we look forward to continue to address the barriers that different groups of Computer Science students face in accessing and undertaking work experience that is unpaid or voluntary.”

ENDS

About the National Centre for Universities and Business

The National Centre for Universities and Business is an independent and not-for-profit organisation that promotes, develops and supports university-business collaboration across the UK. The National Centre is the only organisation bringing together universities and business to influence government and solve the country’s challenges. 

Details of our research and reports can be found here:

Increasing the offer of work experience in STEM subjects:
http://www.ncub.co.uk/increasing-the-offer-of-work-experience-in-stem-subjects-can-demand-match-supply.html

Student Employability Index<http://www.ncub.co.uk/what-we-do/sei.html> :
http://www.ncub.co.uk/press-releases/work-experience-vital-to-future-success-say-graduates.html

Submission to Lord Stern’s review of the Research Excellence Framework:
http://www.ncub.co.uk/press-releases/ncub-submission-to-lord-stern-s-review-of-the-research-excellence-framework.html

Submission following Green Paper, ‘Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice’ J
http://www.ncub.co.uk/press-releases/ncub-green-paper-teaching-excellence-social-mobility-and-student-choice-jan-2016.html