New agreement to boost business and education links

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New agreement to boost business and education links

A new partnership has been agreed between the University of Wolverhampton and a leading organisation which safeguards the standards of education and business links.

A Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) was signed with the Institute for Education Business Excellence (IEBE) at the University.

The partnership will help the Institute to develop its professional development programme, allowing its members the opportunity to take qualifications and courses right up to Masters Level.  The Institute draws its membership from practitioners within a wide range of roles in schools, colleges, businesses and specialist organisations in the UK and overseas.

The MoC was signed by IEBE Chair, Shân Jones and Professor Caroline Gipps, Vice-Chancellor at the University.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Geoff Hampton has been instrumental in developing the relationship with IEBE. He said: “We are delighted to sign this new agreement. We are committed to supporting the creation of professional partnerships between business and education which have a positive impact on the employability of school, college and university students.

“This new link is a logical extension of our business engagement work, which includes Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and projects such as Student Placements for Entrepreneurs in Education West Midlands (SPEED WM) which enables students to launch a business alongside their studies.

“The relationship with the IEBE provides the endorsement of a nationally recognised body with particular expertise in drawing education and business together.”

Chief Executive of IEBE, Declan Swan, said: “If we are to build a more vibrant and competitive economy all young people need quality experiences of employment before they enter the workplace. For students and businesses to receive maximum benefit we believe these experiences should be professionally arranged and managed. 

“This new and exciting agreement with the University will play a significant role in helping us build a professional community of expert practitioners supporting learner achievement and helping prepare young people for working life.”

Members of the IEBE include school teachers and Head teachers, community and education managers at large companies and employees of specialist education and business brokerage organisations.

The new partnership will develop resources and opportunities for IEBE members to widen their knowledge base and work towards accredited qualifications in education business practice, including at post-graduate level.

ENDS

For more information please contact Vickie Warren in the University of Wolverhampton Media Relations Office on 01902 322736 or v.warren@wlv.ac.uk or Matthew Chiles at IEBE on 07825 299443 or email matthew@iebe.org.uk

NOTES

University of Wolverhampton

• The University of Wolverhampton has 23,000 students and 2,500 staff in the West Midlands and has global operations in India, Malaysia, China, Nigeria, Poland and Cyprus.
• We deliver the highest number of Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) activity in the UK. KTPs help companies to benefit from graduates working on a specific project with academic support.
• Our excellent teaching and learning provision, which spans sciences, creative and performing arts, education, business and management, health and wellbeing, engineering and technology, law and social sciences, ensures 90% of graduates find employment.
• Of the 11 subject areas entered in the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2008), eight had elements graded as world leading and all subjects had elements graded as internationally excellent.
• We have invested £110m in the last ten years on campus and student facilities.

Institute for Education Business Excellence

• The IEBE is an education charity dedicated to improving the employability of young people.
• Through its Council, the IEBE sets and safeguards the standards for all types of work experiences up to the age of 19. We do this by providing professional accreditation for individuals and quality assurance for organisations. Work experiences delivered by professionals working to the highest possible standards help make young people more empowered, employable and entrepreneurial.
• Individual members can be found in schools, colleges, businesses and specialist organisations in the UK and overseas. IEBE recognises their professional competence through tiered membership, from Associate to Fellow.
• IEBE also recognises the quality of organisations through the Award for Education Business Excellence (AEBE). 84 have met the standard and more than 50 others are registered and working towards it.

Tags: Caroline Gipps, education business links, IEBE, Sir Geoff Hampton, University of Wolverhampton