FROM LEFT: BCOT principal Judith Armstrong, University of Winchester regional director of academic programming Paul Chamberlain, business lecturer Stella McKnight and NHCCI chief executive John Harrocks

MEMBERS of Basingstoke's business community were given a clearer idea of how business-centric the University of Winchester has become.

A networking event was organised by North Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at the Chute House Campus, in Church Street, Basingstoke.

Welcoming guests, the university's director of regional academic programming, Paul Chamberlain, said the university is keen to foster closer employer engagement and work more closely with the business community.

Mr Chamberlain said: "We are trying to run a mini university here, which reflects the whole range of higher education experience.

"We have Masters programmes and top-up programmes for those who have already done HNDs and other equivalent qualifications, to take them further, as well as a range of foundation degrees."

Among the courses on offer at the Basingstoke campus is a foundation degree in management (information technology), which after two years can be topped up to a Bachelor Honours degree with a further year of study.

Business lecturer Stella McKnight told guests that the university had teamed up with global IT company LogicaCMG, based at Green Park, in Reading, to offer the course, which aims to recruit and develop managers for the future.

Delighted with how the course has gone, Mrs McKnight said: "A course like this can realise the potential of truly vocational education and training and provide graduates who are prepared to meet the employment needs of local industry."

10:58am Tuesday 8th April 2008

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