A leading Government figure has met with University of Cumbria leaders to hear about projects and partnerships it is involved in.
Alex Aitken, executive director of Government Communications, Alex Aiken met with Vice Chancellor Professor Julie Mennell at the Fueshill Street campus.
Discussions focused on The Carlisle Business Exchange initiative and the Centre for Digital Transformation, both part of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal project to build a new university campus on the Carlisle Citadels site.
Prof Mennell said: “We are delighted he came to visit our university enabling us to share with him our progress and our ambitions to build on our achievements to date.
“We are rooted firmly in the prosperity and success of Cumbria, the wider Borderlands region, and North West, with a strong emphasis on place and partnership.”
His visit to the Carlisle campus followed a round table discussion on the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal with Cumbria LEP, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), the university and other business representatives.
The round table discussion, in Penrith, covered government investment in the Borderlands project across transport, digital connectivity, green energy and tourism.
The visit also provided an opportunity to showcase not just the Borderlands project but also the new campus development at Barrow, and how the university across all campuses focuses on providing training and opportunities for its local communities, how its graduates contribute to the local and wider economy, and how the university works with partners on a local and national level to address reskilling, sector and business needs.
Mr Aiken was given an overview of the key development partnerships the University of Cumbria is involved in such as:
- The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, working with Cumbria County Council, Carlisle City Council, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (Cumbria LEP) and Lancaster University Management School, together with place-based FE collaborative partners, to establish a new campus in the centre of Carlisle, which will not only seek to address the higher-level skills needs of Cumbria and the Borderlands region, but will also be a catalyst for city centre growth and vibrancy.
- The Carlisle Business Exchange (CBE), to be housed on the Citadels campus. The CBE will include 800 sqm of hyper-fast digitally enabled business interaction space and will be located within the University of Cumbria’s flagship new campus development on the Citadels site in the centre of Carlisle. The CBE will encourage and maximise innovation and collaboration with the university (both staff and students) for external businesses located in or moving to the CBE. These will include start-up businesses, through to scale-up businesses and flexible “touch down” space for larger business.
- Barrow Learning Quarter, working with BAE, Barrow Town Council, Cumbria County Council, Cumbria LEP, Furness College and Lancaster University to address long term skills needs across digital, advanced manufacturing and professional services alongside increasing the HE offer and accessibility of HE in and from Barrow.
Following the meeting with Prof Mennell, Mr Aiken gave a presentation to a group of university students on the future of the Government Communication Service and careers.
He said: “It was great to meet with the vicechancellor and members of her team at the University of Cumbria today.
“It was encouraging to learn about the university’s involvement in the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal and hear how the Citadels Business Infrastructure project will drive local and regional growth, develop skills and opportunities and contribute to the government’s plan to level up in Cumbria.
“It was wonderful to speak to students about Government Communications, opportunities for careers and its important role in public service.”
