There are twelve higher education institutions in Yorkshire and Humber – nine Universities and three higher education colleges. There are also 27 further education colleges which teach higher education courses and combined, there are over 206,000 higher education students in the region. Around 55% of all students studying at a Higher Education Institute in the Yorkshire region enter employment within the region itself. Indeed, within an approximate 10 mile radius of the centre of Bradford, there are 4 Universities and 17 further or higher education, or vocational colleges, offering a significant supply of potential highly-skilled labour to companies.
The Business Schools at Leeds University and Bradford University are both ranked in the top 60 of the Financial Times Global MBA ranking for schools throughout the world.
The higher education sector in the region is also highly innovative, with latest data showing 136 patent applications filed in 2005/06 (more than a 50% increase on the previous year, and higher than all other regions in the UK, with the exception of London and the South East). The region also has a cumulative portfolio of more than 560 active patents – with London and the South East again the only regions surpassing Yorkshire and Humber. According to the latest data, there are 78 spin-off companies which have some Higher Education Institution involvement, which have survived at least three years. This is more than the North East and North West regions combined and higher than all other regions outside London. There were also graduate start-up companies established in 2005/06 – an increase of more than one fifth on the previous year.
A recent survey, published by Push.co.uk, demonstrated that the University of Bradford has the lowest cost of living throughout the UK. The living costs in Bradford (based upon the cost of student housing, groceries and drinks) were just 73% of the national average and less than half the cost of living at the most expensive Universities in the country. In addition, the University of Bradford has a particularly high proportion of graduates who enter employment within the West Yorkshire County following graduation. According to the most recent data (2005/06 leavers), 620 of the Bradford University undergraduate students completing their degree in this academic year entered employment in West Yorkshire (equivalent to over 63% of those undergraduates who entered employment following graduation from the University).
The University of Bradford
The University offers a range of courses which may be relevant to investing companies and their employees. The University has around 10,000 students, one in five from overseas, and offers about 140 degree courses at undergraduate level and about 80 at postgraduate level. For example, Bradford University School of Management offers a part-time executive MBA, which is ranked in the top ten in the UK by the Financial Times, and research degrees at the Management School are the 16th most popular destination in the world for doctoral students in business and management. The Management School offers courses covering various subjects of potential relevance to businesses in the district, such as manufacturing / operations strategy; subcontracting and outsourcing; supply-chain management.
As well as academic research, a very strong knowledge-transfer network, which targets large numbers of SMEs in the region, and accredited training courses, the school also offers programmes of executive education – the fastest growing activity in the University, with 1,000 practising managers a year. Indeed, the University has recently launched the new ASCENT Programme for Aspiring Managers, targeted at new managers in business and covering a diverse range of topics relevant to working in a Management position. The course involves just 14 days of education across a twelve month period, meaning Managers can continue their normal duties.
University of Leeds University of Huddersfield Leeds Metropolitan University
The Universities of Huddersfield and Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University are located a short distance from Bradford and offer a wide range of subjects, including traditional academic courses, as well as employment-focused courses, such as ‘Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc’ at the University of Huddersfield. The University of Huddersfield offers a strong vocational emphasis and is one of the top five providers of courses with a work placement. The University has close links with industry and commerce in the region. The University of Leeds offers a more traditional academic focus, with strong emphasis on research and excellent links with businesses throughout the region. Leeds Metropolitan University also maintains very strong links with local businesses and offers a mix of academic and vocational type courses.
Bradford College – www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk
