Sam Plum, Chief Executive Officer, Westmorland & Furness Council

Westmorland and Furness Council is a brand-new authority, formed on the 1 April 2023, following Local Government Reorganisation in Cumbria. We are an ambitious council that puts people at the centre of everything we do as we work to make Westmorland and Furness a great place to live, work and thrive. 

There is huge potential and opportunity for our area, but it is not without challenges, and these include an aging and declining population with low numbers of dispersed higher-level skills. High quality, inclusive, accessible education, training, and skill development are key to addressing these challenges and supporting our ambition for the future. 

UoC is a valued strategic partner in the delivery of this ambition, with an aligned vision to transform lives and livelihoods through the delivery of inspirational, inclusive, and accessible higher education. As a growing, thriving institution with a diverse offer and student mix, the UoC is effectively responding to regional needs. Facilities for off campus learning, often in workplaces, to study degree apprenticeships is helping to address the challenge of our large, rural, dispersed geography and aiding workforce development locally, regionally, and nationally in numerous public and specialist sectors. 

The Barrow Learning Quarter is a further example of the genuine commitment to active partnership working that UoC is supporting to address challenges and realise our shared ambition. A multi-million-pound collaborative creation, this represents a programme of seven innovative projects within Barrow in Furness that will transform the area. It will provide a university campus, adjacent to the BAE Systems Submarine Academy for Skills and Knowledge site on Barrow Island, and a skills hub for sixth form students, allowing for a joined-up approach from secondary education into employment, further and higher education.

Creating a full university presence in Barrow that attracts and retains talented graduates with high-level skills is vital for the area that is performing well economically and set to expand further in areas such as advanced manufacturing, business, computing, education, and health. It is an exciting development that demonstrates UoC’s commitment to responding to and supporting local needs, development, and growth.