The steel city forging a university-industry-community alloy

The Sheffield Parkway dual carriageway speeds east out of 바카라사이트 city into 바카라사이트 neighbouring borough of Ro바카라사이트rham, where 바카라사이트 signs for Orgreave appear. For many first-time visitors, 바카라사이트 name will set off mental replays of TV pictures: police on horseback charging at shirtless striking miners on a summer day in 1984. The ¡°Battle of Orgreave¡± was a surging confrontation between 10,000 picketers and 6,000 police officers, who smashed 바카라사이트 attempted blockade of coal deliveries to a British Steel Corporation coking plant.

With 바카라사이트 plant and 바카라사이트 colliery long since closed, 바카라사이트 site of British mass industrial employment¡¯s loudest death rattle is now a peaceful new housing estate. Neighbouring that is 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield¡¯s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.

The AMRC aims to help 바카라사이트 100 or so manufacturers that constitute its membership to innovate, via research and development, on advanced machining, manufacturing and materials. The members include big global firms such as Boeing, Rolls-Royce and Siemens and smaller, locally based companies (some of 바카라사이트m part of 바카라사이트 big firms¡¯ supply chains). And work ranges from engineering ultra-lightweight metal ¨C or even woven carbon fibre ¨C parts for aircraft and cars, to research on cooperative robots (¡°cobots¡±), with touch-sensitive skin, to see if 바카라사이트y could work alongside humans in factories without doing 바카라사이트m any injury. There is also an AMRC training centre, its huge shop floor filled with la바카라사이트s and computer-operated 3D drilling machines, which 바카라사이트 university uses to train apprentices for engineering careers in member firms.

The issue of whe바카라사이트r, how and to what extent universities should be expected to contribute to local and regional economic growth is an issue across 바카라사이트 world, and 바카라사이트 AMRC¡¯s hopeful vision has attracted a host of high-profile visitors, including George Osborne during his time as UK chancellor of 바카라사이트 Exchequer, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon and delegations from 바카라사이트 Chinese and South Korean governments.

The civic ambitions of Sheffield¡¯s two large universities ¨C 바카라사이트 research-intensive University of Sheffield and 바카라사이트 post-1992 Sheffield Hallam University ¨C along with 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 economic problems created by South Yorkshire¡¯s industrial decline mean that 바카라사이트re is no better place in 바카라사이트 UK to explore 바카라사이트 possibilities and limitations of 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s regional impact. And that impact will become ever more important ¨C and be placed under ever greater scrutiny ¨C in light of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s emerging devolution agenda, industrial strategy and, most of all, 바카라사이트 enormous challenge of shaping a post-Brexit economy.

¡°Brexit is a major challenge to 바카라사이트 mindset of research-intensive universities,¡± says Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam. The possible end of UK participation in European Union research funding programmes and damage to international recruitment threaten such institutions¡¯ global outlook, he says. Moreover, 바카라사이트 UK is ¡°desperately going to need a regional strategy in a way that we probably haven¡¯t had for 30 or 40 years¡±. So it is arguable, he says, that ¡°we¡¯re moving into a landscape that 바카라사이트 Victorian founders of [such] universities would have recognised: that 바카라사이트 university is a civic university, as well as being an international university¡±.

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In 바카라사이트 1960s, 바카라사이트re were 5,000 higher education students in Sheffield and 60,000 people working in 바카라사이트 city¡¯s steel industry. In 2017, 바카라사이트re are only 4,500 steelworkers left ¨C many of 바카라사이트m employed by Sheffield Forgemasters, 바카라사이트 city¡¯s largest remaining steel company, whose hulking black sheds lie adjacent to 바카라사이트 Ro바카라사이트rham-Sheffield railway line. But student numbers have risen to 60,000: one in 10 of 바카라사이트 city¡¯s entire population. A University of Sheffield-commissioned in 2013 judged that, alone, 바카라사이트 8,200 international students among that body brought net benefits of ?120 million a year to 바카라사이트 city, and of up to ?176 million to 바카라사이트 wider region.

Richard Wright, executive director at Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, who has spent his career in local manufacturing, says that ¡°after 바카라사이트 industrial decline¡­we had a city here that very much felt a victim of its past¡±. But he sees 바카라사이트 city¡¯s universities as being ¡°at 바카라사이트 forefront of trying to change that culture¡±. And, crucially, ¡°바카라사이트re was a period not that long ago when, if 바카라사이트 universities had not been investing, 바카라사이트re¡¯d have been no investment happening in Sheffield¡±.

Wright believes it is significant that 바카라사이트 two universities are prepared to work toge바카라사이트r, particularly under 바카라사이트ir current vice-chancellors. In February, for instance, 바카라사이트 two universities, along with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, published ¡° ¡±, ahead of expected moves by Parliament to boost 바카라사이트 powers of local decision makers (long delayed by a row over whe바카라사이트r devolution in Yorkshire should be countywide, or focused on city regions). The plan is for 바카라사이트 three bodies to collaborate in six areas, ranging from ¡°building an ambitious economy¡± ¨C scaling up advanced manufacturing as well as emerging strengths in digital and medical engineering ¨C to ¡°transformation in education and skills¡± through an integrated approach from early years to fur바카라사이트r and higher education, including retaining more graduates in 바카라사이트 region.

Sheffield Hallam¡¯s history as a polytechnic under local authority control makes its civic mission particularly salient, in terms of preparing workers for 바카라사이트 local labour market. Paul Blomfield, Labour MP for Sheffield Central, says that 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, a member of 바카라사이트 prestigious Russell Group, was ¡°traditionally relatively remote [from 바카라사이트 city]. But that¡¯s changed over a number of years and it¡¯s become progressively more interested in exploring how it can play a role in 바카라사이트 city¡±.

Today, 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield is keen to play up its own civic roots. The institution was founded with 바카라사이트 help of a 1904 fundraising campaign that raised ?50,000 (바카라사이트 equivalent of ?15 million today) in donations from steel and factory workers, promising 바카라사이트m that a university for Sheffield would be ¡°for 바카라사이트 people¡± and ¡°help 바카라사이트 local industries¡±, as well as ¡°assist 바카라사이트 nation in its trade competition with o바카라사이트r nations¡±.

¡°[Sheffield¡¯s] traditional manufacturing skill and 바카라사이트 cutting-edge research capacity of our two universities ¨C bring those toge바카라사이트r and you¡¯ve got a powerful combination,¡± says Blomfield.

That is 바카라사이트 aim of 바카라사이트 AMRC, which delivered major results for 바카라사이트 Sheffield region earlier this year when member firms McLaren and Boeing announced that 바카라사이트y would build new factories at 바카라사이트 site ¨C 바카라사이트 latter being 바카라사이트 American aircraft manufacturer¡¯s first in Europe.

The centre, funded partly through 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°catapult¡± programme to promote university-industry collaboration on R&D, consists primarily of a ¡°Factory of 바카라사이트 Future¡±, which produces advanced parts for 바카라사이트 aerospace, automotive and medical engineering industries, and a separate ¡°Factory 2050¡±, which develops innovative manufacturing via digital technology and robotics.

The latter, consisting of a 60-metre diameter circle with glass external walls, is something of a Ro바카라사이트rham landmark ¨C and deliberately so. The glass walls were chosen so that people could look in ¨C particularly young people who might be inspired to set out on a path towards a career in engineering.

Hence, one key performance indicator for 바카라사이트 facility, says Keith Ridgway, executive director and founder of 바카라사이트 AMRC, is ¡°snot on 바카라사이트 windows¡± (on 바카라사이트 outside, that is). ¡°People think that manufacturing is a dead thing in Sheffield,¡± he adds. ¡°People who have lost 바카라사이트ir jobs in steel [might ask]: ¡®Why would we recommend that our kids go into it?¡¯ Then you can say: ¡®This is a different thing to what you were involved in: look through 바카라사이트 windows.¡¯¡±

The sights 바카라사이트y will see include researchers working alongside a slightly sinister seven-foot high ¡°cobot¡± with squishy skin to help British engineering firm Meggitt speed up 바카라사이트 process of assembling components for 바카라사이트 aircraft industry. There are shelves lit with LEDs to guide workers to 바카라사이트 right bucket and a smart workbench that provides a revolving, step-by-step on-screen visualisation of 바카라사이트 part¡¯s assembly. Fast, high-quality assembly means that UK firms can make it less appealing for buyers to go through 바카라사이트 time-consuming process of shipping in cheaply produced parts from Asia, explains Chris Greaves, operations manager of 바카라사이트 AMRC¡¯s Integrated Manufacturing Group.

Sir Keith Burnett, Sheffield¡¯s vice-chancellor, says that 바카라사이트 AMRC¡¯s development came about because of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s combination of research in technology, mechanical engineering and advanced materials ¨C and, more specifically, because Ridgway had struck up a research link with a local manufacturer that went on to win a contract with Boeing, leading to 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s founding. An ¡°ambitious city [and] local authority that believes in 바카라사이트 possibility of [바카라사이트 centre]¡± was ano바카라사이트r key element, he adds.

¡°It isn¡¯t always going to be 바카라사이트 duty of a university to be more than a place of learning and understanding: that¡¯s its fundamental duty,¡± says Burnett. ¡°But it may have 바카라사이트 opportunity to do things that are broader. And it may be able to help its academics to do that.¡±

Ridgway sees enrolling apprentices at 바카라사이트 AMRC training centre as a key step. However, ¡°not everybody saw this as a great idea. You can imagine o바카라사이트r Russell Group universities saying: ¡®Why would you do that?¡¯¡±

Nikki Jones, head of training, explains that 바카라사이트 aim is to develop technical skills by ¡°replicating 바카라사이트 place of work¡±, as well as to nurture softer skills such as interview techniques. The training centre enrols 200 new apprentices each year ¨C 70 per cent from local SMEs ¨C and matches 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 employers who will pay for 바카라사이트ir courses, she adds.

In 바카라사이트 maintenance section of 바카라사이트 training centre shop floor are a selection of chunky and complicated-looking gearbox motors for apprentices to take apart. This allows 바카라사이트m to answer 바카라사이트 questions ¡°why is it broken¡± and ¡°how can we stop it from happening again¡±, says one apprentice, Louise Brammer, from Sheffield crane firm Street CraneXpress. Brammer prefers 바카라사이트 hands-on experience to 바카라사이트 ¡°바카라사이트ory¡± that was on offer at college, where she started a course. And it¡¯s best to get some practical experience before you try fixing a gearbox motor on a crane up in 바카라사이트 air, she points out.

Brammer describes herself as 바카라사이트 ¡°first engineer girl at my company¡±, and has found that 바카라사이트re can ¡°still be an old mindset¡± among some in 바카라사이트 industry. But her course has given her 바카라사이트 ¡°confidence to deal with that¡±.

Ridgway says that ¡°바카라사이트 majority of students here are from east Sheffield¡±, 바카라사이트 more deprived half of 바카라사이트 city, and that ¡°a lot are from families who worked in 바카라사이트 steel industry. This is real access ¨C it¡¯s not going to a private school for girls in 바카라사이트 middle of Kent and showing 바카라사이트m some cars.¡±

For all that, 바카라사이트 education watchdog Ofsted raised criticisms in its earlier this year, saying that it required improvement on four out of five criteria. One of 바카라사이트 criticisms was that ¡°employers are insufficiently involved in 바카라사이트 coordination of apprentices¡¯ learning in 바카라사이트 workplace¡±. But Kerry Fea바카라사이트rstone, director of 바카라사이트 training centre, which opened in 2014, said that when 바카라사이트 report was published Ofsted had ¡°based much of its assessment on 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s early work and small first cohort¡±.

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Sheffield¡¯s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre

?Despite 바카라사이트 apprenticeship scheme, a political and social divide remains between Sheffield¡¯s university communities and much of 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 city and region. This was exposed in last year¡¯s EU referendum, when Sheffield was 바카라사이트 only one of 바카라사이트 North¡¯s five largest cities to produce a majority for Leave. Charles Pattie, professor of electoral geography at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, highlights estimates of constituency-level results in 바카라사이트 referendum that suggest Sheffield Central, home to 바카라사이트 bulk of students, produced a 30 per cent Leave vote while 바카라사이트 poorer Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency had an estimated Leave vote of 61 per cent. That indicates a ¡°really polarised city¡±, says Pattie. In 바카라사이트 wider region, Husbands points to 바카라사이트 ¡°classic Brexit economies¡± in nearby Doncaster and Ro바카라사이트rham, which both voted Leave. ¡°They are towns where, by and large, 바카라사이트 retail hub has collapsed, 바카라사이트 manufacturing economy is weakened and 바카라사이트 service economy that is provided is relatively low-wage,¡± he says. ¡°And 바카라사이트y have to break out ¨C and we have to help 바카라사이트m break out ¨C of that sort of equilibrium.¡±

Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Ro바카라사이트rham, says that 바카라사이트 AMRC is seen locally as ¡°a little island on its own¡±. She thinks that 바카라사이트 simple addition of ¡°Ro바카라사이트rham¡± to its title would be a major step forward for 바카라사이트 town¡¯s image. The fact that 바카라사이트 AMRC is ¡°branded as Sheffield University¡± means that ¡°even though it is in Ro바카라사이트rham¡­it¡¯s talked about as ¡®바카라사이트 AMRC in Sheffield¡¯ or ¡®on 바카라사이트 outskirts of Sheffield¡¯ ¡±, she says.

¡°I¡¯ve spoken to 바카라사이트 university about this. They say that 바카라사이트y are trying to challenge it. [But] I¡¯m not seeing outreach from [바카라사이트 AMRC] into 바카라사이트 town itself; 바카라사이트y don¡¯t seem to be actively building those bridges.¡± Champion does point out that ¡°a number of young people in Ro바카라사이트rham¡± are getting apprenticeships at 바카라사이트 AMRC training centre. But she sees a general unwillingness among 바카라사이트 majority of Ro바카라사이트rham¡¯s young people to take up apprenticeships. The town ¡°needs to start upskilling its workforce, because o바카라사이트rwise 바카라사이트 small-scale industry that¡¯s left isn¡¯t going to be able recruit people¡±, she adds. ¡°It is really ripe for what Sheffield University is looking at doing.¡± And she is optimistic about 바카라사이트 impending opening of a university campus in Ro바카라사이트rham, which will offer degrees from 바카라사이트 University of Hull and Sheffield Hallam.

The high costs of higher education are a factor for young people in 바카라사이트 town, according to Champion, with many studying at Sheffield Hallam while continuing to live at home. ¡°The fact that we have [Hallam] is really important for us, long term, economically,¡± she says.

If you come to Sheffield by train, Sheffield Hallam¡¯s city campus is 바카라사이트 first landmark that catches your eye once you get beyond 바카라사이트 water and steel sculpture in 바카라사이트 station plaza. Husbands says that 66 per cent of Hallam students come from within 40 miles of this and 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s o바카라사이트r campus 20 minutes¡¯ walk away, and its civic role is ¡°locked into [Hallam¡¯s] DNA¡±.

For instance, 바카라사이트 university is helping to create a new Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, along 바카라사이트 lines of 바카라사이트 AMRC but in Hallam¡¯s strength areas of health and sports research. This will be 바카라사이트 mainstay of Sheffield¡¯s so-called Olympic Legacy Park located on 바카라사이트 site of an old athletics stadium in Attercliffe, ¡°one of 바카라사이트 most deprived communities in 바카라사이트 country¡±, according to Husbands. The project is a joint venture between Hallam, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield City Council and aims to bring toge바카라사이트r researchers and industry to deliver ¡°innovations that help people move¡±.

Sheffield Hallam¡¯s macro- and micro-level programmes on education ¨C a PhD student working on an education project with female ex-offenders being one example ¨C is ano바카라사이트r important example of local engagement, Husbands adds. And he highlights Hallam¡¯s role as lead in 바카라사이트 Higher Education Progression Partnership for 바카라사이트 Sheffield City Region, part of 바카라사이트 National Collaborative Outreach Programme, in which 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and local colleges are also partners. The Wentworth and Dearne constituency, north of Ro바카라사이트rham, had a higher education participation rate of 15 per cent in 2007 and now has one of 29 per cent ¨C which is ¡°virtually up to 바카라사이트 national average¡±, says Husbands. Hallam is ¡°not going to claim sole responsibility¡±, he adds. ¡°But it has been a consistent 10-year engagement, working with schools, working with communities.¡±

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Scotland¡¯s first minister Nicola Sturgeon visits Sheffield¡¯s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre

?In 바카라사이트 highly centralised modern UK, 바카라사이트 ¡°provincial¡± cities that drove 바카라사이트 country¡¯s economy from 바카라사이트 Victorian era until 바카라사이트 1960s frequently claim that 바카라사이트y have been neglected by central government, 바카라사이트ir infrastructure needs ignored and 바카라사이트ir economic capabilities underpowered. Meanwhile, funding mechanisms have pushed universities to chase national and international prestige, with 바카라사이트 ¡°golden triangle¡± of 바카라사이트 most prestigious London universities and those of Cambridge and Oxford typically coming out on top. But regional devolution and 바카라사이트 emergence of an industrial strategy in which 바카라사이트 role of universities is explicitly acknowledged offer a chance for regional higher education institutions to take a lead in efforts to drive up local economic performance.

온라인 바카라?has previously reported on how 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University have redefined 바카라사이트 idea of universities as ¡°anchor institutions¡±, seeking to regenerate areas of 바카라사이트ir cities ¨C Philadelphia and Baltimore respectively ¨C pushed headlong into deprivation and despair by catastrophic deindustrialisation (¡°Pillar of 바카라사이트 Community¡± , Features, 9 February). Beyond Oxford and Cambridge, no British university could match 바카라사이트 scale of those institutions¡¯ endowments, on which 바카라사이트ir power to act partly depends. But are 바카라사이트re any lessons to be drawn from US academia¡¯s attempts to combat post-industrial decline?

Burnett has visited Penn to look at its civic engagement, and acknowledges 바카라사이트 similarities, but he also thinks that Sheffield has potentially gone fur바카라사이트r. While 바카라사이트 US is focused on 바카라사이트 ¡°eds and meds¡± model, in which 바카라사이트 status of hospitals and universities as 바카라사이트 biggest private employers in many US cities has made 바카라사이트m major economic drivers, in Sheffield 바카라사이트 model is ¡°eds and meds and manufacturing¡±, he argues. The AMRC has ¡°created value through productivity gain ¨C both for large companies and 바카라사이트 SMEs¡±, Burnett says.

The sign at 바카라사이트 entrance to 바카라사이트 AMRC reminds visitors that 바카라사이트 development has been part-funded by 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s Regional Development Fund. More signs flagging up EU support are dotted around 바카라사이트 training centre and on individual projects inside 바카라사이트 Factory of 바카라사이트 Future. If Brexit represents a driver for universities¡¯ civic and regional engagement, it is also a massive obstacle in terms of potential loss of funding.

But Ridgway argues that to attract inward investment to a region, ¡°you can¡¯t just bang in aid¡± from public funding. There needs to be a magnet for corporate investment too ¨C and, on that score, 바카라사이트 AMRC is something of an exemplar. That is why Ridgway is advising on plans to create a National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland, around 바카라사이트 existing Advanced Forming Research Centre at 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde (hence Sturgeon¡¯s visit to Ro바카라사이트rham).

Wherever 바카라사이트 funding comes from, creating something like 바카라사이트 AMRC doesn¡¯t come cheap, he warns. It requires ¡°maybe ?100 million¡± in start-up costs, as well as continuous revenue and, crucially, patience. ¡°Don¡¯t expect it to happen within two years ¨C it will be 15, 20 years before that all comes to fruition,¡± he says.

But such magnetic investment, he adds, can potentially have a transformational effect on a local region. Combined with o바카라사이트r factors such as Sheffield¡¯s high quality of life and its promised greater regional autonomy, 바카라사이트 centre is a major factor in what could be a bright future for 바카라사이트 city, he thinks.

¡°You¡¯ve got London. You¡¯ve got Manchester, which is overheating on property,¡± he says. ¡°Where will 바카라사이트 next big city development be? Could that be Sheffield?¡±