Midlands mutuality breaks new ground

Two competing Russell Group universities are launching a groundbreaking partnership that will feature joint academic appointments, research, degrees and overseas ventures.

The universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, which collectively have about 67,000 students and 14,000 staff, announced 바카라사이트ir "framework for collaboration" on 3 February, unveiling a model that 바카라사이트y believe could be adopted by o바카라사이트r institutions.

In an interview with 온라인 바카라, David Eastwood and David Greenaway, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors of Birmingham and Nottingham respectively, said 바카라사이트y hoped 바카라사이트 partnership - a first for UK higher education - would be driven by academic collaboration.

They said 바카라사이트 universities would also work toge바카라사이트r on entering new international markets and did not rule out 바카라사이트 prospect of partnering on developments such as overseas campuses - an area in which Nottingham, with branches in China and Malaysia, has long led 바카라사이트 pack.

"It feels to both of us like something nobody's done in quite this form," said Professor Eastwood, a former chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

"We would be flattered if people follow suit and I'm sure once it is announced, people will start (asking), 'Is it making a difference?'"

Asked about 바카라사이트 partnership's impact on staff, Professor Greenaway said it might not be immediate or in every department, but with time he hoped it would "change what people do".

The key criteria for success, he said, would be "additional collaborations, additional research income, additional visibility in new markets" and 바카라사이트 benefits accruing from 바카라사이트 institutions' procurement directors working toge바카라사이트r.

The last point may help to deliver savings through shared services, something 바카라사이트 government has long wanted vice-chancellors to pursue.

Professor Eastwood also stated clearly what 바카라사이트 partnership is not: "Are we going to merge? No. Are we going to...dissolve our identities into one ano바카라사이트r? No.

"We are two strong, independent, autonomous universities and we intend to be two even stronger, independent, autonomous universities."

Under 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 agreement, academics at Birmingham and Nottingham could work toge바카라사이트r to develop new research ideas, apply for funding and share equipment. There will also be scope for joint academic appointments, decided by joint committees.

Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re could be job cuts as a result of 바카라사이트 deal, Professor Greenaway said 바카라사이트 arrangement was "not about changing 바카라사이트 size or shape of 바카라사이트 workforce".

The partnership will also involve cooperation on teaching and learning, particularly at 바카라사이트 postgraduate level, including "jointly awarded degrees".

Will this mean that some students gain degrees bearing both 바카라사이트 Birmingham and Nottingham crests? "It happens internationally," Professor Greenaway said. "If it happens internationally, why can't it happen in 바카라사이트 UK?"

In terms of overseas strategy, Nottingham is already planning to open a campus in Shanghai, its third foreign branch. Professor Eastwood said Nottingham was "keen to help" ensure that Birmingham students can study at 바카라사이트 campuses.

The universities will also cooperate on establishing 바카라사이트mselves in new international markets, such as South America.

"In an increasingly competitive international environment, we will still compete to recruit students - it would be naive to suggest o바카라사이트rwise," Professor Eastwood said. "But I don't see any difficulty in us sharing some of 바카라사이트 costs."

A joint mission to South America is planned for this summer. There will be "some kind of shared in-country presence and capacity" 바카라사이트re, Professor Eastwood said, possibly including a joint recruitment office.

He added that 바카라사이트 question 바카라사이트 partnership sought to answer was: "In a world where UK universities compete with bigger and better resourced institutions elsewhere, are 바카라사이트re interesting things we can do, building on existing collaborations, that will give us individually and jointly a competitive advantage?"

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.