Mayor's rallying call to back bid for university
MAYOR of Doncaster Martin Winter has called on everyone in the town - especially the young - to rally behind its bid for a university.
Speaking after an address to the Doncaster College graduation ceremony, he said getting full university status was critical to the borough's future, would transform young people's lives and also give the town a massive economic boost.
Mr Winter said there were only about 1,000 higher education students in Doncaster while Sheffield had 30,000 contributing every day to the economic well being of the city.
He said: "We are still very much in the frame with our application to become one of the Government's 20 new universities but, as with all bids, we need the backing of all, and especially of the young people, to lift us clear of the pack of ambitious fellow bidders nationwide."
Mr Winter said there had been many successes in education in the borough including a 55 per cent improvement in GCSE results in the last seven years and the building of the new Doncaster Education City Hub.
He added that he was pleased with the college's partnership work with the University of Hull and University of Wales.
But Mr Winter said the staying on rate in the borough into higher education is still too low and he wanted to increase the skills of everyone, including those who did not believe university or higher education was the right avenue for them.
"I cannot stress highly enough how important the development of higher education is for the future well-being of the borough," he said.
"I want a university in Doncaster, not just to help our young people, but to become a real economic driver towards our ambition to become a city of significance."
Doncaster North MP and cabinet minister Ed Miliband is currently trying to gauge support for a Doncaster University in his constituency.
He has launched a survey asking all residents in his constituency as part of his annual report which is delivered to households.
Mr Miliband said when it was launched: "There is huge talent in Doncaster and it is right to ask whether it is time now to have a university to provide greater higher education opportunities, building on the work of Doncaster College."
Doncaster College wants the right to award its own degrees within three years and have an independent university in the town within seven years.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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