FOCUS FEATURE We know, therefore, that our offer to the community
cannot be a ‘one size fits all’ arrangement. Some of the key challenges and priorities of rural Tintwistle will undoubtedly be different to those 60 miles away in Long Eaton on the M1 corridor. That is why it is imperative that we have the full picture
of need across the county to assess how we can make a positive and lasting impact, and who we need to collaborate with to achieve that. We need to work with our stakeholders, which is why we
urged local elected members of our city and county councils to complete our survey, and to encourage their constituents to do the same. We will need their support and buy-in to help realise the ambitions of our Civic University Agreement. Strong, constructive and lasting working relationships
with MPs, councillors, community leaders and the public in Derby and Derbyshire will be vital to this process. We want the opportunity to demonstrate the benefit we can bring to people who may have had no connection with the University of Derby, let alone those on our doorstep. We need our partners in business to come on this
journey with us. Their employees and customers have much to contribute to how we integrate ourselves better in future. Business and universities are collaborating in ways that they never have before, and this is almost a model of how the civic university could operate with communities. What we support and how we can provide that support
will be key questions for us to ask of ourselves as we develop our agreement. The approach we take will need to be considered and
strategic, involving a significant amount of collaboration, as this is where our relationship with businesses, local authorities, health and other organisations can help us to deliver real impact. We will need to be clear about what we prioritise, the expected benefits, and what we can realistically achieve in conjunction with our partners. It is sensible to assume that not only do the communities
across the county differ from place to place, but within each community there will be diversity of needs. We cannot build our agreement on assumptions; we need data and evidence – the cornerstones of academic research – from those who can best provide it; the people who live and work in Derby and Derbyshire. That is why it is so essential that the information we
gather, whether through our survey or our Civic University Agreement Forum, which we held in late June, comes from as broad a range of respondents as possible.
The surveys carried out by the Civic University
Commission noted that universities were reluctant to shout about their achievements, so that is exactly what I will do now. We are the 26th best university in the UK, according to
the Guardian University Guide 2020, and one of the world’s top 250 modern universities, according to the Times Higher Education. We are rated Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework and ranked 13th in the UK in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide for teaching quality. What the city and county has is a very good and
increasingly influential university that has impact at a local, regional, national and global level, attracts thousands of students from around the world and employs more than 3,000 people. This activity has generated hundreds of millions of pounds in spending power across the city, county and beyond. We have helped dozens of employers create 1,200 jobs
through our funding streams, used the knowledge of our graduates and academics to drive innovation with local companies, and we have generated hundreds of apprenticeship opportunities for local people and businesses. Through the Derby Opportunity Area, chaired by our
Vice-Chancellor Professor Kathryn Mitchell, we are playing a part in raising educational attainment across the city. Through our outreach and schools liaison work, we are inspiring local children to aspire to go to university. Through our links with industry and the D2N2 economic
partnership we are identifying the region’s skills needs and assessing how we can help to meet those requirements. Becoming a true civic university is an exciting prospect
that will enable us to build on this success. It will require us to be versatile, agile and responsive. The input and support of Derby and Derbyshire’s businesses – including yourselves – is an essential part of this process, joining up our expertise and resources to make a real positive impact that brings lasting benefits to us all.
University of Derby Kedleston Road Campus
‘Through our links with industry and the D2N2 economic partnership we are identifying the region’s skills needs and assessing how we can help to meet those requirements’
66 business network July/August 2019
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