UTC partnership highlights University of Northampton's ambitions

By Simon Wright (University Q&A)

KNOWLEDGE: Expert tuition from engineers in top teams will benefit students

THE recent news of the partnership between Silverstone Circuits, the University of Northampton and Tresham College has not only highlighted the ambitions that the University of Northampton has for the future, but will give students new opportunities to learn from the experts.  The agreement will see a new University Technical College open up within the next two years, with as many as 580 students between the ages of 14-19 benefiting from the new options that will come from it.  Yesterday, I had the privilege to interview the vice-chancellor at the University of Northampton, Nick Petford who was very excited about the link-up and indicated that the future is very bright, not only for the people of Northamptonshire, but the options University Technical Colleges will bring in the future.

Simon: First question Nick, is how excited are you about the link-up between the University and Silverstone?

Nick Petford: I am very excited about it.  We’ve had good relations with Silverstone prior to the UTC announcement.  We’ve had people from fashion working down there, Science & Technology and students from the business school on events management courses but this is an opportunity to put it all together.  It will really make a different for the people of Northamptonshire and outside as well.  It won’t just be for Northampton, it’s going to be so successful that it will be a national project.

SW: For those unsure about the partnership, can you go into a bit more detail about the partnership within the three parties involved?

NP: As a University, we have four partner colleges who we work with on strategic stuff.  One of them is Tresham College, who are based up in Corby and we started discussions with Corby a couple of years ago about a project that might have ended up with a University in Corby.  That didn’t get very far due to funding but then the University Technical College came on the scene and because Tresham already do some teaching down at Silverstone around engineering.  So, it was a chance for us to come together and start to think about how we can develop a really exciting partnership between Silverstone, the University and Tresham around a 14-19 year old curriculum. 

SW: What is the planned date for opening this technical college?

NP: The planned date is 2012, but that’s what they (Central Government) want to happen.  Whether that will be possible will depend on getting planning permission, on how to start building it, so all of that has to happen and whether that timescale is feasible, I don’t know.  It might be 2013.

SW: What types of students are most likely to benefit from the link-up?

NP:  Well, these UTC’s are actually schools.  You start at 14 years old and you leave when you are 19, so it goes into the traditional A level territory.  So, they will have to teach part of the National Curriculum and it will be teachers, not so much University staff.  There will be standard GCSE’s, such as Maths and Science, but where we will be able to help is that through the maths curriculum and the science curriculum will be geared towards motorsports.  I think the great thing as a kid will be sitting there thinking why are we learning this and you might get someone from McLaren saying; ‘You’re learning this because this is how our car works,’ and you will need to learn the maths of engines and aerodynamics, the pressures and so on.  So, it’s a very exciting opportunity.  It won’t be for everyone, but if you are saying why you are bothering with this, well you’re bothering because it’s what an employer wants and that employer could be Red Bull.

SW: How many people will be allowed to train for these opportunities?

NP: There will be about 550 at Silverstone.  Whether it will be that number when it starts in 2012 or 2013, we don’t know.  It will depend on how we build it up, so it might be a smaller intake to start with, but ultimately when it is all up and running, I’d say 550, maybe as many as 580 students.

SW: What is the background of University Technical Colleges, as I know this is something that you and the University are keen on pushing forward?

NP: The background comes from Lord Baker (Kenneth Baker) who was a minister in the government a few years ago.  The whole philosophy behind them is to develop vocational learning and make it as excellent and as aspired as more traditional academic learning.  There is still the feeling that the traditional A level/GCSE standard is where the more attention is and where the kudos lies, whereas doing the BTEC/Vocational route is not quite seen in the same standard.  So this is an opportunity to make vocational education through UTC’s as well respected and well received as a more traditional academic route is seen today. 

SW: Final question, with the link-up in place, how big is this news and how does it state the University’s future ambitions for 2012 and beyond?

NP: That’s a really good question.  I think what is says is that it plays perfectly to the University’s ambition and strategy  about being a vocational University and takes employability amongst its students very seriously and it wants to be a very different University from more traditional institutions.  As I explained with the GCSE v Vocational route in schools, it’s similar in Universities across the UK.  Some Universities offer more standard, academic courses and others go down the vocational route and sometimes, there’s been a bit of an imbalance.  So, this give us a chance on the vocational side of things to really spread our wings and start to offer the life-changing opportunities which I think UTC’s can do.  It’s spreading our mission, speaks to what we do and what we are about and also offer a pipeline for kids to come through from UTC’s to University if that’s what they want to do once they finish their UTC studies.

Royals caught up in tuition fees violence

SHOCKED: Charles and Camilla were caught up in the riots

PRINCE Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were lucky to escape injury, when their car was attacked by student protestors on Thursday evening.  Paint was thrown and windows were smashed by the demonstrators, as they arrived at London’s West End to watch the Royal Variety show at the London Palladium.  Clarence House soon confirmed that both were unhurt, but clearly shaken up by what had just happened.  Ten police officers were injured and around 30 protestors needed hospital treatment, on the bloodiest day of violence in the capital since the controversial Poll Tax was passed through by Margaret Thatcher’s administration in 1990.

All the trouble came on the day when the crucial vote was held on tuition fees.  After a five hour debate in the House of Commons, parliament approved the increase from 2012, which can allow higher institutions to charge student’s upto £9,000 a year to continue their studies.  Despite a late rebellion from some Liberal Democrats, the coalition majority passed by just 21 votes (323 to 302), far closer than what many anticipated.  Simon Hughes, the Deputy Leader for the Lib Dems elected to abstain from voting, whilst former leaders of the party, Charles Kennedy and Menzies Campbell were amongst those against the increase.  Crucially, the under-fire deputy leader of the coalition, Nick Clegg and Business Secretary Vince Cable, voted for the proposal to go through.

RIGHTFUL: Demonstrators turn their anger on Nick Clegg

Outside, ‘Shame on you’ was the chant used by the peaceful protestors.  Clegg’s broken promises that he made at the General Election have angered many, but there could be no excuse for the violence throughout Thursday.  Some complained about the excessive police tactics, charging at some with horses.  Once again, although they can’t take the whole blame, the Metropolitan Police lost complete control of the situation, which will fill no-one with much confidence, should Britain come under attack again from international terrorist organisations.  Nevertheless, the head of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Paul Stephenson defended his force for their actions; “The police have done as well as they could today, and we were appalled with the significant number of people who behaved very badly today.” 

INFERNO: Protesters set off a fire in Parliament Square

Most of the blame though must run with those who turned up in London, determined to cause trouble.  Whether they were students really doesn’t matter, because it still is simply unacceptable.  By the end of the evening, some were trying to smash into The Treasury and windows were smashed at The Supreme Court.  Others disembarked from parliament square, attacking Christmas shoppers in Oxford Street and smashing windows at the TopShop building on the same road.  Many just seemed intent on causing destruction; far more than those who stormed Conservative party headquarters in the first set of riots on November 10.  The Home Secretary, Theresa May was quick to condone the actions of the rioters; “What we have seen today has nothing to do with peaceful protests.”    

The attack on the Royal car must put into serious question; the amount of Royal Security present at the time.  The Duchess of Cornwall brushed off the incident afterwards; “We are both okay, and there’s a first time for everything!”  Major investigations have already been announced into the disturbing trouble.

ITN’s political editor Tom Bradby summed up the general consensus of Thursday’s events on News at Ten; “There were shocking pictures of officers being set upon and it was clear that although many came to make their point fairly, the hardcore minority became intent on causing trouble.”

The coalition government have done something many don’t like; and Nick Clegg has proven for many students, that he is a dirty, shameful liar.  However, when the Winston Churchill statue was defaced by protestors, you know just what a dark day it was for our country.  The violence was destructive, unacceptable and those responsible should be brought to justice.

However, on London’s worst day since the 7/7 attacks in 2005, some will wonder whether this is just the start of a frequent event to dominate the headlines.

Student protests turn violent in London

A GROUP of students yesterday took matters into their own hands, turning a peaceful protest into a violent bloodbath.  Milbank Tower, home to the headquarters of the Conservatives was stormed by an angry bunch of protestors, with fires lit, windows smashed and furniture damaged.  It is estimated that over £1million in damage was caused.

ANGER: Students turn against the coalition government

As the battle was over last night, the war between students and the coalition government has only just begun.  It is the first sign of rebellious action that has been taken since the spending review around three weeks ago.  Over 50,000 students marched through London, angry with proposals of an increase in tuition fees, from £3,290 a year to £9,000 year.  It wasn’t just tuition fees that dominated the concerns, with many cuts in education budgets and the removal of the EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) and ALG (Adult Learning Grant) for students that attend sixth form or colleges across the country.  The march was set-up by the NUS and the UCU (University College Union).  President of the NUS, Aaron Porter was furious with those who had taken matters into their own hands; “It’s an utter disgrace.”  “Perhaps 500 or more have chosen to use disgraceful tactics to try and undermine us.”

FIERY: Fires were started by the protestors

Although no-one can condemn the students who decided to use violence to get their point across, the police have been strongly criticised for their response to the violence.  As the protestors stormed the roof of Milbank Tower, police admitted that they didn’t anticipate the trouble that was caused.  The commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Paul Stephenson has announced an enquiry into the lack of police and looked shocked when he told the media of his thoughts on the day’s events; “We didn’t expect this level of violence – but we’ve got to ask ourselves the question: Should we have anticipated this?”  For him to have even suggested this is absolutely startling.  There a load of questions for the police to answer.  Their response and pre-planned action was simply unacceptable, when trouble could easily have been predicted by many.  It shows the lack of organisation within the Metropolitan Police – you do wonder whether a pet animal could have organised it better!

Another man feeling the heat is Nick Clegg, who seemed to be the main person that the students were targeting for broken promises.  In the Liberal Democrats manifesto, Clegg promised a cutback on tuition fees and many of the Lib Dem MP’s signed pledges against increases on university fees.  Standing in for David Cameron, who is in China at the moment, Clegg got a roasting yesterday at Prime Minister Questions from the Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman; “In April, you said it was your aim to end University tuition fees.  Can you update the house on how your plan is progressing?”

Clegg’s response was far from convincing; “This is an extraordinarily difficult issue.”

Harman went on the attack again; “In April, you said increasing tuition fees to £7,000 a year would be a disaster.  What word would you use to describe fees of £9,000?”

Clegg started to use old examples that simply didn’t awash with the main opposition.  Cameron’s suggestion in Beijing that overseas students will get a significant cut in fees, whilst domestic students get a raise just adds insult to injury.  The coalition government had a very bad day yesterday and have a lot of answers and very reasonable ones to give to win back the trust of many students.

FURY: A fire extinguisher is thrown from the Milbank Roof

There were some casualties on the ground, as students from the roof began to throw missiles, with a fire extinguisher one of the items thrown, which narrowly missed police, who were now dressed in riot gear.  Around 14 casualties were taken, with three police officers being treated in hospital.  The mayor of London, Boris Johnson was appalled by the events; “It was a quiet, peaceful, good-humoured demonstration.”  “They were fully entitled to do so, but it is very tragic that a few minorities have decided to abuse the right of protest and cause criminal damage.”  “Completely unacceptable and those who are responsible, I hope they are bought fully to justice with the law.”

Some of the troublemakers may not have been students; some could have been unemployed people or other minorities who have been affected by the spending cuts.  Police confirmed that 32 people have been arrested and hopefully, those responsible will be kicked off their courses and face the full force of the law.

TROUBLEMAKERS: Angry protesters charge into Tory HQ

The tuition fees proposal must be approved in the House of Commons and House of Lords next month.  If the £9,000 a year cap is introduced, then students will be close to facing £40,000 of debts.  Yesterday’s events are unlikely to sway the government’s thinking, but it was a day of shame and embarrassment for all parties.  A day when the coalition government came properly under-fire for the first time, a day when the students fought back – but with disgusting and shameful results, a day when the inadequacies and the lack of organisation of the Metropolitan Police were well and truly exposed, a day which bought the worst scenes of violence on British streets since the Poll Tax riots of 1990. 

In fact, yesterday was a black day for everyone, and the fear is, more is to come.

  

Browne's Report Shakes-Up University Fees

TUESDAY morning saw the highly-anticipated news of Lord Browne’s report into higher education fees.  With it, there is very grim news for all students, both current and prospective who are thinking of university in their future careers.

If the coalition government goes ahead with Browne’s recommendation, students will be paying upto £6,000 a year to study at university.  Currently, the fee is capped at £3,290 a year.  Browne, a former chief executive of BP wants the current system to be replaced with a much easier format.  However, it now means that students could be finishing their degree in debt of more than £30,000.  The interest rates on student loans are also set to rise, from 1.5% to 2.2%.  To compensate these changes, Browne also wants to increase the salary threshold, so students begin paying back their loans, when they start earning £21,000 a year, rather than the current £15,000 scheme which is in place now.  It is by far the biggest shake-up in education policies for over two decades.

His report could cause a major rift in the current coalition partnership.  The Conservative party are certainly for the idea, but David Cameron will be desperate for the Liberal Democrats to back the proposal through parliament.  In the lead-up to the General Election, both Nick Clegg and Vince Cable were totally against a rise in tuition fees, making it one of their key pledges in their election manifesto.  The news has angered the president of the NUS (National Union of Students), Aaron Porter; "Lord Browne is clearly dangerously out of touch with the pressures faced by students and their families.  "The Government must reject proposals that would recklessly undermine our future by ending the notion of public higher education."

Compromises need to be made by all parties; even David Cameron said that in his first Downing Street media conference on Monday.  However, students are bound to rally around the expected rises, and many will question the point of university, especially if they become saddled in thousands of pounds of debt and with no guarantee of a decent job after graduation, especially in the tighter economic climate we live in today.  Plus, universities may struggle to get the intake required, especially if students start becoming scared to pay such ridiculous amounts of money.  Standards will need to rise in all universities; otherwise these changes simply can’t go through. 

This isn’t the last we’ve heard of tuition fees.  It is bound to be a major topic point throughout the autumn.