Plans for a major university in Swindon have moved a step closer with the signing of an agreement to explore the development of a unique learning institution in the town centre.
Swindon Borough Council and the University of the West of England (UWE) are to develop detailed proposals to create the university campus, which will be the first to be designed for, with and by employers.
The intention is to cater for up to 3000 students, some of them residential. Along with a broad range of courses, it is planned it will offer work-based learning to boost the skills of the existing Swindon workforce, giving more education opportunities to as wide a range of people as possible.
The name and the exact location for the proposed university is yet to be decided, although it is likely to be sited on land north of the railway line in the centre of Swindon.
It is intended that the new university will focus on the strengths of the Swindon economy, such as advanced engineering, financial services, ICT, health and social care and the heritage industry. It will also be innovative, with a strong reputation for quality, and be international in its outlook.
The negotiations to secure the Memorandum of Understanding were led by the Swindon Strategic Economic Partnership, of which the Council is a key member.
Rikki Hunt, chairman of the SSEP and local businessman, said: "There are more than 150 universities in the UK, so our intention is to create something distinctive that's not available elsewhere. We can't be certain yet about the exact nature of the university until we've carried out the detailed assessment and understand exactly what employers are prepared to support, although we've already had preliminary discussions."
John Rushforth, deputy vice chancellor at UWE, said: "The University already has a successful track record in working with employers in Swindon, including the NHS and Motorola. We are delighted to be working with partners that want to build on this. There is a lot of work to be done and it is critical that we establish what the people and employers of Swindon want and will support, in order to make a robust case to funders and other potential investors to secure this exciting possibility.
Swindon Borough Council leader Cllr Roderick Bluh said: "If we are to be successful in attracting and keeping high-value employers, we have to be able to provide them with the right people with the right skills. That's why I'm so pleased with signed this agreement with UWE, because they share our vision for the town. 
"Following the University of Bath's decision to withdraw, Swindon Borough Council's Cabinet has been working closely with the local MPs and stakeholders to maintain momentum and reach this important stage."
Progress on the agreement will be reviewed in March next year. In the meantime, work will now go ahead to look at the type of courses which the new university will offer, how big it will need to be, how it will be organised and run, and how it will be funded. Joint approaches will be made to various funding bodies. 

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