Skills Minister praises DMU as a model for the sector during Leicester visit

The Government’s Skills Minister has praised De Montfort University (DMU) for its role as an “anchor within the city” following a visit to its Leicester campus. 

The Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern, Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education said she would “like to see more universities looking to DMU” for the way in which it engages local partners during the trip, in which she met students, staff and civic leaders. 

Baroness Smith said: “It's been brilliant to be here today at DMU because what I've seen is that the university understands its role as an anchor within the city, as the place that people can look to for their futures and a whole range of partnerships that are helping to make that happen.” 

The centrepiece of the visit was a roundtable discussion bringing together leaders from further education, employers, the NHS, Leicestershire Police, Leicester City Council and DMU's business community, exploring how partnerships across the city can widen access to opportunity and support local growth. 

Baroness Smith said: “I'd like to see more universities looking to DMU for this type of model where you understand your responsibility to the area where you are, you build the partnerships to make a difference, and in doing that, you benefit your local employers and the students who live in the area. 

“There is no point us growing the economy if the benefits of that growth are focused in areas that are already prosperous. Universities have got an enormous role to play in making sure that where there is growth, it benefits you where you live. And DMU is doing a fantastic job of that." 

Prior to that, the Minister was welcomed by Vice-Chancellor Professor Katie Normington and Ian Squires, Chair of DMU's Board of Governors, before a working lunch with the university's senior team covering DMU's strategy, skills provision and the financial pressures facing the sector. 

She then met Footwear Design students Damari Kota and Will Swinfield, who showed her examples of their work, direct experience with fashion industry employers and opportunities to travel abroad through DMU Global and present at the United Nation headquarters in New York.  

She then heard from staff and student representatives about Speak Out, DMU’s new project to combat harassment and sexual misconduct, along with wellbeing support and DMU's collaboration with the Students' Union. She also heard from Dr Leisa Nichols-Drew about DMU's research into safer knives and its status as the UK's first Safer Knife Campus. 

Baroness Smith said: “I've met some inspiring students today who are doing courses which have been designed with the support of employers, where they're working on projects that are real. I've got no doubt those students are going on to brilliant careers.” 

Professor Katie Normington, Vice-Chancellor of DMU, said: "It was a real pleasure to not just show Baroness Smith the way in which DMU works closely with local employers but to give her the chance to hear from them how we work to deliver the skills they need from graduates. 

“But, really, we have no better ambassadors than our students and the Minister heard from many of them about the wider opportunities and support they have here at DMU, within and beyond the classroom.”