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<p>It is important that universities focus on ensuring that their graduates have the
skills needed, including technical, vocational and transferable skills, to gain a
positive outcome from their degree. The primary aim of the Office for Students (OfS),
the higher education regulator, is to ensure that higher education delivers positive
outcomes for students and that it has a regulatory focus to ensure that students are
able to progress into employment or further study.</p><p> </p><p>Collaboration between
universities and business is increasingly important, both in the development of work-ready,
highly skilled graduates and in contributing to local and regional economic growth.
There is already a strong track record of collaboration. For example, Teesside University’s
Digital City innovation initiative is helping local small and medium-sized enterprises
to place graduate interns in their businesses by providing recruitment support and
a 50% contribution towards their salary.</p><p> </p><p>The government is supporting
greater collaboration between businesses and universities in a number of ways:</p><ul><li>The
OfS, through its Industrial Strategy and Skills Challenge Competition is funding providers
(including in collaboration with employers) to develop and implement projects to improve
outcomes for graduates who seek employment in their home region. Details of which
can be found here: <a href="https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/ofs-challenge-competition-industrial-strategy-and-skills-support-for-local-students-and-graduates/"
target="_blank">https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/ofs-challenge-competition-industrial-strategy-and-skills-support-for-local-students-and-graduates/</a>.</li></ul><p>
</p><ul><li>Similarly, the UK Research and Innovation 'Strength in Places Fund' is
a competitive fund for collaborative bids between research institutions and businesses
to support significant regional growth through research and innovation. Details can
be found here: <a href="https://www.ukri.org/funding/funding-opportunities/strength-in-places-fund/"
target="_blank">https://www.ukri.org/funding/funding-opportunities/strength-in-places-fund/</a>.</li></ul><p>
</p><ul><li>The OfS is providing £20 million for the Institute of Coding which will
target a skills gap in digital skills and involves collaboration between education
providers and industry. This includes working together to create core content and
introducing flexible ways to learn.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The government also partially
funds the National Centre for Universities and Business which promotes, develops and
supports university and business collaboration across the UK.</li></ul><p> </p><p>It
is important to remember, however, that universities are autonomous institutions and,
as such, that they are responsible for the courses that they develop and that the
government does not prescribe that certain content needs to be included.</p>
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