Dearne Valley University Centre [Partner Names] New University Challenge Draft proposal to HEFCE This draft summarises the case for HE investment in the Dearne. It does not say who should do what or give details of curriculum, governance and other matters that are for agreement between the partners October 2009 1 Contents Overview Outline of the Statement of Intent 1. Rationale for the project 2. The aims of the project 3. Assessment against the HEFCE Common Evidence Base 4. The local evidence base 5. Links with complementary local and regional developments 6. Partner commitment 2 Overview 1. This document is submitted by [requires here a summary of who is submitting the document and who will operate etc the DVUC]. 2. Dearne Valley University Centre (DVUC) will be a major Higher Education centre, with up to 1000 FTE students by 2013/14, for the deprived Dearne Valley at the geographical centre of Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham, boroughs with a combined population of 800,000 but with no university. 3. DVUC will widen participation by young people; offer adults a second chance to gain the HE qualifications that they and employers need; and contribute to regeneration of the Dearne Valley. 4. POLAR data from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) 1994- 2000, show that only 21.4% of those aged 18 in the Dearne Valley entered HE compared with 45.2% in England. And in Census 2001 only 9% of working age adults held degrees compared with 21% in England. The relative position in the Dearne has changed little since then. 5. Numerous factors contribute to low participation, but a shortage of provision appears to be one of those factors. Areas comparable to BDR have much more HE provision and markedly higher HE participation rates. The difference in participation rates cannot be explained by factors such as low prior attainment and is, we suggest, in large part due to low levels of provision. Recent major studies by EKOS and by Segal Quince Wicksteed reinforce the case for HE development. 6. Within BDR, the Dearne Valley has special attractions as a location. It has a substantial population of around 100,000; it is the place where HE participation and Level 4 attainment is worst – and where a ‘statement’ such as DVUC can be of most value; it has growing employer demand, and an ‘Eco Vision’ for development that creates particular HE opportunities; and it is accessible to the greater part of the BDR population even though the Dearne’s own residents cannot easily reach university campuses in Sheffield or Leeds. 7. In more detail on travel-to-learn, Dearne residents currently face journeys of an hour or more to substantial HE provision. We agree with HEFCE that the absence of local provision depresses HE participation. DVUC will allow participation to rise, rather than displacing learners from other institutions. 8. The government’s New University Challenge (NUC) is central to the success of Dearne Valley University Centre. Through NUC, we are seeking from HEFCE a capital contribution of £1m and some 600 Additional Student Numbers. 3 Outline of the ‘Statement of Intent’ 1. Rationale for the project 1.1 Dearne Valley University Centre (DVUC) will be a high quality building 1 in the heart of the Dearne Valley (see map) drawing new, local entrants into Higher Education. It will be operated by [detail required on arrangements]. 1.2 The rationale for DVUC is that in HEFCE’s Common Evidence Base (CEB): that participation can be raised and other benefits secured by developing HE in areas where local provision is not available. We present below objective evidence that the Dearne Valley does not have local access to HE in the CEB sense of provision within a 45 minute one-way travel time. DVUC will focus on young people from deprived, low-participation wards, and on adults who have not previously participated in HE. 1.3 DVUC will forge close links with employers, who recognise the need to develop high level skills as the local economy emerges from recession. It will be central to the 1 Provisionally suggested to be Humphrey Davy House, which is available for purchase, and at 45,000 square feet is capable of accommodating the up to 1000 FTE students discussed here. 4 ‘Eco Vision’2 developed by a local partnership board chaired by local MP and Minister John Healey. The vision is for the Dearne Valley to be transformed by the know-how of its people, by the imagination and commitment of its community a nd by enterprise. The Dearne Valley will become the green heart of the Sheffield City Region and move from carbon (coal) production to carbon reduction by: • Nurturing ecological awareness and know how • Growing a low carbon infrastructure • Seeding a natural regeneration of the landscape 1.4 The three boroughs in the Dearne Valley have each agreed economic plans for their areas with Yorkshire Forward, which form the basis for investment in the area. And all three have prioritised the regeneration of the Dearne Valley as an Eco Valley. DVUC would be a pivotal component of regeneration. 1.5 DVUC’s contribution to HEFCE and to other objectives is reflected in the commitments of support given by partners including Yorkshire Forward and the Chambers of Commerce. Yorkshire Forward’s priority in developing a skilled workforce is to focus on higher level skills. They are investing in demand-led initiatives that contribute towards the Regional Economic Strategy target of raising the percentage of the population qualified to Level 4, and are committed to working with partners in South Yorkshire to ensure that DVUC supports their higher level skills agenda. 2 Available at www.urbedftp.co.uk/dearnevalley/Dearne%20Valley%20Eco- vision_Final%20Report.pdf 5 2. The aims of the Dearne Valley University Centre 2.1 The general rationale for DVUC was sketched in Section 1. Its specific aims are to develop a campus accommodating up to 1000 FTE HE students studying a broad range of classroom-based subjects, including both generic subjects and subjects linked to the Dearne Eco Vision. There is a fundamental commitment in developing this curriculum to add capacity, rather than to duplicate existing provision. The figure of up to 1000 is our estimate of the combination of demand from potential learners (if offered local study opportunities) and from growing employer need. 2.2 We have identified a modern office building of over 4,000 square metres, which is capable of accommodating the proposed student numbers, and which Rotherham Council is willing to explore the option of purchasing for the purpose. The advantage of choosing an existing building is that early expansion can be secured. 2.3 Through this Statement of Intent, we are seeking some 600 Additional Student Numbers from HEFCE and a capital investment of £1m, primarily for refurbishment and adaptation of the building proposed for use. 6 3. Assessment against the HEFCE common evidence base 3 3.1 The common evidence base (CEB) assesses travel times to HE provision on the assumption that the (raised participation) benefits of new HE provision are greatest where many potential learners face long travel times. Residents of the Fens, for instance, are many miles from significant HE provision and the CEB shows the benefits that would arise there from new HE provision. 3.2 We agree with this approach. 3.3 We consider, however, that the precise methodology used to create the CEB is inappropriate for the Dearne. The CEB explanatory note says that it takes travel times to be road travel times adjusted for (slower) urban road speeds but not adjusted for peak time congestion. It says further that provision within ten minutes’ travel is considered to be fully available whilst provision more than 45 minutes away is considered to be unavailable for local study. 3.4 The table below uses www.transportdirect.co.uk to show travel-to-learn times for residents of three Dearne settlements seeking to study at three universities. The times vary, up to almost three hours, but in no case are within the 45 minute threshold. Thurnscoe East Denaby Wath Car Train & Bus & Car Train & Bus & Car Train & Bus & Walk Walk Walk Walk Walk Walk Sheffield 0.53 0.54 1.50 0.53 1.02 1.18 0.46 0.57 1.05 Hallam Univ University of 0.56 1.39 2.04 0.56 1.18 1.31 0.49 1.13 1.21 Sheffield Leeds Met 0.57 1.10 n/a 1.05 1.38 2.06 0.59 1.39 2.48 University 3.5 Dearne Valley resident students cannot in practice travel by private car to city centre HEIs. Even if they own a car, parking difficulties and cost preclude this option. 3.6 We conclude that HE provision in South Yorkshire is in the words of the CEB ‘unavailable for local study’ for most residents of the Dearne Valley because one-way travel times exceed the CEB limit of 45 minutes. The CEB does not actually reveal this because its travel time assumptions are inappropriate for South Yorkshire. 3 http://www.hefce.ac.uk/widen/challenge/evidence/ 7 4. The local evidence base Introduction This section presents the local case for investment in the Dearne Valley University Centre. THE provision and HE participation are low in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham, and in the Dearne Valley specifically. Low HE participation compared with the national average is explained partly by low prior attainment by young people and by adults, but this cannot explain why participation is lower than in closely comparable areas with similar levels of attainment.