£40 Million for University for Industry
On the 21st October 1998, Education and Employment Minister
Baroness Blackstone
announced £40 million for the University for Industry (UfI)
next year (1999-2000). She also
announced that the UfI, to be launched in the year 2000, will
have its headquarters in Sheffield.
The UfI is a major Government initiative which will
revolutionise the way people learn, using
state-of-the-art technology. It will help individuals and
businesses to identify the learning they
need and to access this learning in the right form, in the
right place, at the right time.
Using new technology and a network of learning centres, the
UfI will promote learning ranging
from the basic skills of literacy and numeracy to specialised
technological skills and business
management. It will play a key role in improving the nation's
competitiveness by raising
people's skill levels and employability.
Baroness Blackstone has also accepted a recommendation by Lord
Sainsbury of Turville, the
Chairman of the UfI's transition board, that Sheffield should
host this key Government initiative.
His recommendation was made after evaluating a number of
potential sites.
Lord Sainsbury said:
"All the contenders had a good case to host the UfI's
headquarters, and a commitment
to the UfI was evident in all their proposals.
Nevertheless, I am confident that we
reached the right conclusion. Sheffield is located in the
middle of the country, with
excellent transport links to all parts. The local labour
market has the skills the
University for Industry will need, and we have a choice
of good quality buildings."
Baroness Blackstone said:
"This substantial investment demonstrates the
Government's commitment to the
University for Industry. It will enable the UfI to be up
and running in the year 2000 and
give it the best possible start in its work, which is
crucial to our drive to make lifelong
learning a reality."
Up to £40million will be allocated to the UfI, and a further
£6.25million will go to Learning
Direct, the Government's national learning help-line, which is
to become the UfI's information
and advice service.
Baroness Blackstone said:
"The University for Industry can now start to build its
plans on a solid base. Sheffield
has the qualities the University for Industry needs, and
it has shown considerable local
commitment to the project. Sheffield will play a pivotal
role in helping us create a
learning society."
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