Newcastle College’s new six-figure investment “transforms learning landscape”

Newcastle College University Centre is set to invest almost £6m into its facilities over the next three years, giving students access to “cutting edge” technology.

As part of leading college group NCG, the University Centre has been awarded a share of £6m of funding from the Office for Students (OfS) to invest into developing its Higher Education (HE) facilities.

The funding will be used to create HE Hubs for construction, engineering, energy and digital technologies, designed to help close the region’s skills gaps at higher technical levels in these industries.

Building on the University Centre’s commitment to creating the workforce of the future and developing talent for the region, these new facilities will enable it to respond to changing skills needs and new technologies in these sectors, providing enhanced learning experiences and ensuring its graduates are ready for the jobs of today and the future.

The first year of development will see the completion of HE Hubs for Digital Technologies. On Newcastle College’s Rye Hill campus, the ground floor of the University Centre will be converted to include digital learning facilities, flexible teaching spaces and bespoke digital labs specifically dedicated to cyber security and immersive technology.

Following this, the focus will turn to a significant project to rebuild, refurbish and equip Construction, Engineering and Energy facilities, creating three high-spec CAD/BIM suites. This will establish Newcastle College University Centre as a leader in technical higher education and provide students with facilities that will support them to excel.

Jon Ridley, Deputy Principal (HE) at Newcastle College, commented: “We are incredibly pleased to make this investment in the student experience. It’s our commitment to nurture the talent that will go on to work and innovate in the areas of strategic importance to the region.

“We are committed to giving individuals access to a high-quality learning experience in which they develop their skills to succeed and thrive in our region. We work closely with business making sure our graduates are work ready.

“Our continued investment into our facilities means that students across disciplines have the chance to study using advanced, innovative technology that will be used in the jobs of today and the future. We are developing a talented workforce for the North East, that SMEs and big business will really benefit from.”

The news follows a £2m investment into STEM facilities in 2022, which Newcastle College University Centre invested into teaching facilities across STEM subjects of strategic importance including Energy, Engineering, Digital Technologies and Aviation. All with the goal of meeting changing regional skills needs to enhance employability prospects.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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