A feasibility study for a new University Centre in the Gatwick Diamond is part of the action 'flight plan' to secure an ambitious future for the Gatwick Diamond launched on 17 June. But business and public sector leaders were warned that the Diamond must get on with the job if it is to realise its dream to be a global top airport economic region.
Having a higher education facility, to complement the further education provided by Central Sussex and East Surrey Colleges, has long been a Diamond aspiration. Professor Julian Crampton Vice Chancellor of the University of Brighton told delegates that a feasibility study was underway to consider setting up a University Centre in Crawley in conjunction with the two colleges. He explained: "The Government has set the 'University Challenge' Initiative, led by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, to help communities without HE campuses to bid for them. We are delighted to be involved with this project which we hope could lead to the establishment of the first courses as early as 2009. We also hope that, in time, this could lead to the establishment of a Research and Development Centre in the Diamond."
The University Centre is just one of the actions set out in the flight plan prepared by Jamie Simpson of GHK Consulting: "The ambitions can be summarised in three words: 'Inspire, Connect and Grow'. Inspire includes not just the university centre but a commitment to improve skills and educational attainment in young people and throughout the workforce." He said to be successful the area had to have a 'buzz', it had to be a quality place, full of life and opportunity. An example might be the Gatwick Green concept to build an internationally accessible, high performing business district with research, development and office space as well as hospitality, retail and convention facilities. The development of the airport, through its £874 million capital expenditure programme and the plans to rebuild the station to become a transport interchange, had a vital part to play as did other investments in infrastructure such as revitalised town centres.
But Jamie Simpson went on to warn that action must start now if the target of 2016, set for the Diamond to achieve its aspirations, is to be met otherwise it could be too late,
Delegates also heard from Sean Randolph, Chief Executive of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, which is responsible for the economic future of the area near San Francisco on the US west coast, about the challenges that all regions face. He listed globalisation, technology driven productivity, the switch from manufacturing to service, the move to outsource and demographic change as impacting on economic growth. What it meant was that all regions had to compete with everyone else and that, in the US and UK in particular, they would have to move to high value industries to survive. "Talent is the currency of the global economy," he said. "Nurturing and retaining that will be central to any region's success."
Welcoming the latest developments in the Diamond Henry Smith, Leader of West Sussex County Council, says; "Gatwick Diamond is critical for expanding both our knowledge and business sectors. The area is the driver of our local economy and will require a lot of commitment from both local authorities and the commercial sector as well as academic institutions to work together to provide the best for this important sub-region. Higher education has been the missing element for too long in the Gatwick area so I'm very pleased to see such developments."
"Our 'flight plan' sets us on the path to take off but it also underlines the need for action now," says Chief Executive of the West Sussex Economic Partnership, Alistair Smith. "There is much to be done but there is a will to do it."
