A University for Hereford

[Harry Beynon]

Unless I have missed something, there does not appear to have been much mention on HV of the new University project.

 

This project is quite possibly the most positive news the city has had in decades. As Herefordshire is one of only three counties without a University, the initiative is government-backed and will happen! This opens up the prospect of thousands of new students and teaching staff coming to Hereford, boosting spending and stimulating the local economy.

 

More excitingly, the University plans to take up many of the redundant buildings in the city centre and use them as teaching spaces. So, we could see new life breathed into Maylords Orchards; Chadds; the old Odeon site etc etc.

 

Please back the new University project - it's great news for Hereford!

[bobby47]

Dear Harry, Your post is an excellent one. There's nothing wrong with it and there's nothing wrong with you. What's actually wrong is me because I'm about to p.is.s on this notion that a University is great news for our City.

It's a gimmick. It's no different to that 'halleluzah' moment when some fool stepped forward and suggested that Hereford should aim to be the Capital of Culture. Yes, it's a dog. Not only is it a dog. It's a dog with fleas and I'll be damned if I join this chorus of, ' Wonderful News'.

For starters, students have little or no disposable income which, given our already desperate fiscal situation, ain't going to do much to raise any funds through financial transactions that then get recycled within our own communities. I've stood behind students in the Chippy queue and most of them pay by bloody cheque. By bloody cheque! Good Lord!

Throw that in with our desperately low housing stock that's failed to house thousands of migrants and indigenous people and which has created a vast number of ***'s that never contribute fully to the Council's revenue and you've got yet another ingredient that'll create more problems to our dysfunctional economy. All that will be achieved is more Homes of Multi Occupancy, more strain on our public services and even more demand to share a room with several others who are all in the same boat of poverty and hopelessness. And yes, it'll raise the private sector rents even higher which'll create even more chaos for all who've chosen to either stay here in Hereford or have chosen to settle here and work hard for low pay and unintentionally help to drive down the weekly wages levels.

Then, there's the bloody infra structure! What more can I say about that little knotty conundrum. No sensible and joined up public transport programme, debts created by the Council that we'll never pay off and no bloody sane and sensible manufacturing base that just might ensure a job that pays more than plucking a chicken or picking some fruit.

Do I think its a good idea? No I bloody don't. It's a terrible idea that'll have only two groups of people rubbing their hands. Private sector landlords and neighbouring County economies who'll be more than happy to take our highly qualified kids because we ain't got any bloody jobs for them.

[Denise Lloyd]

Well that makes 2 of us Bobby.  If you want to keep graduates in the area you have to provide them with decent careers (not jobs with zero hours and minimum pay) careers with decent money.  Now if somebody had come up with idea of a Medical Uni - Hereford alongwith a lot of other counties has a shortage of medical staff/social workers/an excellent home care system - I would have been the first to say whoopie that's so brilliant. The careers are already here in Hereford.  But no this is just another pie in the sky pink fluffy clouded idea.  

 

I know we are in the minority but hey ho.

[Ubique]

Well said Bobby ....a well thought out post .

[Dave99]

University towns all over the country share the many problems outlined here of housing shortages and challenges to infrastructure. However many universities, despite these challenges continue to stimulate and flourish the local economy through increased spending by students and parents alike. This in turn may well attract further investment willing to attract this new influx of potential revenue..

 

If efforts are made, and much needed resources diverted to and spent in Hereford, and the university is  delivered as published then like many many other towns and cities in the UK we will benefit from increased local spending, and the  potential  development and  re- generation of  the city buildings; and who knows even raising Hereford's sadly reduced profile to the outside world.

 

Change and progress is often difficult to stomach, and not without its difficulties, but the alternative option – doing nothing, is worse.

[greenknight]

Hello Harry. Sadly the King is correct ..

 

My old city of Winchester has witnessed what can happen when there is no preparation for increased student numbers. One old council estate called stanmore once a fantastic centrepiece of 1930's construction changed considerably as councils were encouraged to give away at ridiculously low values which was fine until the new age landlords moved in, seizing the opportunity to stuff five spotty teenagers, hormones raging, drink cans thrown in the old privet hedge soon to be ripped out and laid to concrete or rubble so that three or four 12 year old beaten ups can be parked outside waiting for there first Friday night suicide mission. All well and good but what about the old couple who live in the terraced next door. That same couple who have meticulously kept their home spotless, hedges trimmed and bins tidy!

 

Of course it does not stop there because the demand for houses increases putting the prices up forcing local people out. Heh I'm not over yet because the Council now short of development sites seeks out every opportunity to land grab so say goodbye to any old allotment site provided in the yesteryear.

 

So Harry only time will tell if the University prooves to serve the city well but heads up mate if you want to influence the people please create purpose built accommodation for the younguns and not just in the first year. Also it's an absolute requirements to provide a fully integrated transport hub. Get this right and you will quash the doubters!

[megilleland]

Unless I have missed something, there does not appear to have been much mention on HV of the new University project.

 

Harry have a look at this topic started back last March 2014 and containing 57 posts. If you do a search the word "university" crops up in 34 other topics. Some refer to the Robert Owen School in Blackfriars Street so I don't think this has been missed or not mentioned at all.

[Cloudberry]

Although the "prestige" of a university would be good for Hereford, I share some doubts with others on this thread. The practicalities may not have been thought through. The new university website

 

In Hereford we already have some students earning degrees at the College and also at the Bulmer Foundation, so we are not totally lacking in opportunities for our young people. I would not want them to think they were 2nd class behind a new university.

[Cloudberry]

Somehow the middle part of my previous post has disappeared! I was expecting to say that the new university website is a bit ambiguous. I am dubious about "inquiry-led learning" (surely not teach yourself?) and there being no Faculties or departments, just "teaching teams". Are they talking about on-the-job placements in engineering industry? If so, would that be in Hereford or would it have to be elsewhere? Can Hereford attract excellent teaching staff, or might some of them actually be elsewhere, with their teaching accessed online? I hope some of these questions are answered soon.

[megilleland]

Is the Open University still going?

[megilleland]

Following the Hereford Civic Society husting on education last week a lot of time was spent talking about the planned University in the city. The spokesperson Karen Usher acts as the frontman for this idea and since last year the aims of the University have moved on. The name has been agreed that the University and will be called

 

The New Model in Technology & Engineering (NMITE).

 

There are a lot of documents setting out the ideas for NMITE. The earlier plan of scattering the campus across Herefordshire in redundant council buildings appears to be put on the back burner, with a more centralised campus in the city centre with specific purpose built, iconic buidings. Architects have been retained to put forward plans to pull these buildings together with linked open spaces.

 

Listening to other members of the panel and audience it was felt that this would be an opportunity to bring together all aspects of the city culture and share these buildings for the common good.  Remember the original idea for the ESG was a cultural centre, since abandoned.

 

A young member of the audience did highlight that she thought students would be key holed into specific company operations, but at least they would have a job. Whether local youngsters want to get up to £40,000 in debt to join this network remains to be seen. There is a compulsory part of the course for all students:

 

"In the tradition of liberal education all students will also be required to participate in NMITE’s unique Human Interaction© curriculum which is designed to enhance employability and provide the societal context needed to develop well rounded engineers". This sounds like a programme of global transformation adopted by all the international, national and local authorities to foist on us.

 

To get a good idea of what they are proposing here are the links to specific documents of importance:

 

A Short Project Summary

 

Campus

 

Academic and Business Consultees

 

Employers

 

Science and Technology Education today

 

Students and Parents

 

Supporters and Donors and The Herefordshire Tertiary Education Trust Founders’ Fund

 

Schools and the Curriculum Framework

 

Well rounded, globally employable engineers

 

"This institution – with 5,000 pioneer and innovative engineering students – will be the catalyst for transforming the Herefordshire economy and education system, and will, over the next 25 years, contribute up to 40 percent of the additional economically active residents needed to make the county sustainable".

 

It sounds too good to be true, but then if the council are involved it may be another story.

[megilleland]

News Release by Herefordshire Council:

 

Norman Augustine, famous for his extensive career in engineering, is coming to Herefordshire and launching the official ‘NMITE Connect’ schools programme in mid-April.

 

The ‘NMITE Connect’ event, supported by Norman, is designed to link schools with local businesses, creating opportunities for both them and their students, in the fields of engineering science.

 

School and college teachers, along with heads, are invited to come along to hear presentations from Norman, and others, on the types of benefit links with a local business can offer. They’ll be invited to talk to businesses about bespoke opportunities for their schools.

 

The NMITE Connect event, being held on Tuesday 21st April, will include:

 

The official launch speech, presented by Norman Augustine;

 

*A number of speakers covering a range of advantages that schools and colleges will have by taking part in this new programme;

 

* A group of year 6 pupils from Francis Xavier's RC Primary school in Hereford, presenting on why they need and would like a university in Hereford;

 

* Local businesses exhibiting, at hand to speak about the working benefits they can offer; 

 

* The chance to network and enjoy refreshments put on by NMITE;

 

* The chance to meet the NMITE team.

 

The NMITE university team are reaching out to schools and colleges. ‘NMITE Connect’, linking schools and business, is the start of a long line of opportunities that NMITE will offer schools. The ultimate benefit students and pupils will have is through enhanced curriculums, and continued educational support.

 

NMITE is very clear on the importance of engaging with schools and colleges, and with students of all ages, according to David Sheppard, NMITE co-team leader. “We want to help schools and businesses forge relationships, these links will develop into programmes which ultimately benefit students and enhance their learning.â€

 

“All schools in Herefordshire and border counties will be given the opportunity to become involved with NMITE and this is the just the start, linking them with their community and local businesses,†says David.

 

An amazing CV. It is a pity that he not addressing the public of Hereford as part of his visit to the city. How do you pack all this experience into one's life. A lot of his talent regarding engineering was spent in the Arms and Defence businesses so are we to expect a revival in the Rotherwas munitions factory ie drones and missiles aimed at Russia?

[greenknight]

News Release by Herefordshire Council:

 

 

 

 

An amazing CV. It is a pity that he not addressing the public of Hereford as part of his visit to the city. How do you pack all this experience into one's life. A lot of his talent regarding engineering was spent in the Arms and Defence businesses so are we to expect a revival in the Rotherwas munitions factory ie drones and missiles aimed at Russia?

 

Well he sure has sat in a lot of "Chairs"! I'm not sure about munitions however the Germans are reinstating 100 mothballed tanks because of the Russian threat...madness.

[Ubique]

Black Country University closing after 4 years

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-32317181

[greenknight]

Black Country University closing after 4 years

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-32317181

Yes Ubique and I got the impression that it ran on a similar prospectus but I could be wrong!

[Denise Lloyd]

In the tradition of liberal education all students will also be required to participate in NMITE’s unique Human Interaction© curriculum which is designed to enhance employability and provide the societal context needed to develop well rounded engineers. 

 

Courses in the Human Interaction© curriculum will include:

• People, behaviour, management and leadership""

 

 

Will these people be taught how to speak HC talk.  Leadership courses are part of the curriculum.  Does anybody know if the teaching of this "skill" will be in house or out sourced from local specialists in Leadership Courses?

[dippyhippy]

I've no idea Denise!

 

As long as it's not outsourced to Freedom Church, for one of their "leadership" courses, I'm not going to worry too much!

[twowheelsgood]

 

In the tradition of liberal education all students will also be required to participate in NMITE’s unique Human Interaction© curriculum which is designed to enhance employability and provide the societal context needed to develop well rounded engineers. 

 

Courses in the Human Interaction© curriculum will include:

• People, behaviour, management and leadership""

 

 

Will these people be taught how to speak HC talk.  Leadership courses are part of the curriculum.  Does anybody know if the teaching of this "skill" will be in house or out sourced from local specialists in Leadership Courses?

 

 

Sounds horribly like Common Purpose indoctrination to me. Since when was 'Human Interaction copyrighted'? This is not what is required to produce engineers!

[dippyhippy]

Interesting, Two Wheels that you have also had that thought.

 

I'm so glad that my mind works in a similar way to yours on occasion, on a personal level I find that quite reassuring.

 

I often have to stop myself from blogging about every little thing that causes me alarm..... folks would think I'm as mad as a fish!

 

But the jargon does make you wonder, doesn't it??

 

Phase 2 of the master plan for the next generation.

[Denise Lloyd]

Axle oil and nipple grease is what produces the best engineers - not the gift to talk crap.  Or are we talking posh engineers who don't get their hands dirty?

[megilleland]

Anyone seen any reports on Norman Augustine's visit to Hereford in April 2015. Comment here from Richard Weaver on Facebook.

 

#NMITE Hereford's New University launched was honoured with guest speaker Norman R. Augustine. Remarkable man who having lead the most amazing life in the US space industry is now devoting himself to building links between education and technology & engineering. Check him out on Wikipedia

 

Seems to have passed by very quietly.

[Denise Lloyd]

This has all gone very quiet lately.  Are they still on track for starting up next year that is 2016 with all their finances in place?

[Denise Lloyd]

Nice to see the Jess has priorities right 

 

Dear Denise

We have just had some fantastic news:  the Government has today come out in support of our long-term project to build a new university focused on engineering in Herefordshire.

The Spending Review delivered by the Chancellor this afternoon committed to providing dedicated support for the project.

In a letter to me, the Chancellor wrote that he hopes “this will allow the institution to start teaching the engineering students of the future that our country needs before the end of the Parliament.â€

As you know, I believe this could be the most important single development for Herefordshire since the building of Hereford Cathedral.

There is still a great deal of work to do.  But today’s announcement is a massive step forward, and testimony to the hard work put in by team leaders Karen Usher and David Sheppard, and all involved with the project. 

All best,

Jesse

[greenknight]

I would like this project to work but only on the basis that it was more than an engineering university and had all the proper infrastructure in place.

It's not for this thread but listening to the Chancellor,s statement I'm not really sure that the guy truly knows what money he's got after all out of know-where more money is available for this and for that when a few months ago there was nothing!As for the Shadow Chancellor presenting the little red book at the table well the blushes were visible on the opposite side of the house...how stupid and Labour's move towards self destruction continues.

Of course we are sure to see council tax rises now but possibly one good thing.....Will the money for the Southern Relief Road be withdrawn??

[Denise Lloyd]

Following on from TWG's comment alongwith mine on the HC Farms forum I was not totally sure that Holme School of Ag was still open.  A quick look on their website it seems it is very much open and working alongside Ludlow College of Ag and the University of Worcester.

 

http://www.hlcollege.ac.uk/College/hereford-university-centre.html#

 

Why does the new university and the Univ of Worcester not just join forces surely it would be a cheaper option.  I do not understand the need to spend spend when is it really necessary?

[twowheelsgood]

Bottom line is that they're competing businesses - the Hereford University Centre came about very quickly once the NMiTE was mooted, and they already had an established set up - it was really just re-branding (ha!). However, with no campus, staff or money, NMiTE is going to have go some to be ready for pupils for the revised date of 2018/19. To be fair to them, they're proposing something quite radical and different to the established education model anyway, but then so was Robert Owen ...

[Denise Lloyd]

Flicking through the hefty document that Maggie May left a link for of which I am quite sure we were not supposed to have sight of  I see HC are pledging to continue their financial support of Holme Lacy/Worcester Uni

[Denise Lloyd]

NMITE†@NewModelEng  4h4 hours ago

More

Great news for Herefordshire and UK engineering - Gov announce support for NMiTE with £8m investment https://www.gov.uk/government/news/midlands-engine-to-roar-ahead-with-ambitious-new-strategy â€¦

 

 

Quality of life is also placed at the heart of today’s plans with the Local Growth Fund investing £8 million to create a new world class teaching University in Hereford,  from Phillip Hammond

[DILLIGAF]

I'm sure I'm not the only one asking; but where is this NMiTE supposed to be sited?

Lots of talk from the President, who commences his role this July, but no university for 3 years! That's a considerable amount of 'preparation' for a university with no lectures or exams.

Could someone please enlighten me?

[twowheelsgood]

The motto of the university will be, 'No lectures, no exams, no text books.' Ergo, no buildings required! Just a Presidential Suite presumably. So the launch gets put back another 3 years and where will those 5000 students be accommodated? Rotherwas is mooted. An 8% ish increase in Hereford's population - dare I ask if anyone has considered the impact on essential services? Another few thousand cars on the road?!