Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal broke ground on the construction site of the new £25 million University of Cumbria campus in Barrow today.
HRH was welcomed by leaders from the university and BAE Systems and visited the dockside site where the university’s campus is to be constructed, adjacent to BAE Systems Submarine Academy for Skills and Knowledge on Barrow Island.
Her Royal Highness also learned more about how the campus will form part of the Barrow Learning Quarter – one of seven projects in the Brilliant Barrow scheme.
Granted £25 million from the UK Government’s Towns Funds, Brilliant Barrow aims to transform the area for future generations, helping it thrive as a great place to live, work, study and visit.
As the largest Brilliant Barrow project, the Barrow Learning Quarter will focus on transforming educational opportunities in the region by providing the new university campus and a skills hub for sixth form students at Furness College.
The ‘once-in-a-generation’ opportunity to address the skills needs of the region is a collaborative project between the University of Cumbria, Furness College, BAE Systems, Lancaster University, and Westmorland and Furness Council.
Barrow Learning Quarter is closely aligned with the needs of local employers, improving long-term career and job prospects, and enhancing the competitiveness of local businesses.
BAE Systems was recently awarded £3.95 billion from the Ministry of Defence to embark on the next phase of the UK’s next-generation Royal Navy submarine programme.
The funding covers development work to 2028, enabling BAE Systems to move into the detailed design phase of the programme. The award will also fund significant investment in the Barrow shipyard, investment in the supply chain, and recruitment of more than 5,000 new employees.
By developing a stronger university presence in Barrow, the project partners hope to attract and retain talented graduates to meet the needs and aspirations of the area.
Steve Cole, CIO and operational improvement director at BAE Systems Ltd and chair of the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal Board, said: “The projects that make up the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal are ambitious for this area and the people in it.
“Offering a university education within a dedicated campus setting here in Barrow has the potential to change the lives and the future of so many people for generations to come.”
Professor Julie Mennell DL, vice chancellor at the University of Cumbria, said: “At this important time for Barrow, a new university campus here will not only drive our mission to transform lives and livelihoods in our communities but will contribute to the future growth and prosperity of the area.”
Steve Timms, managing director of BAE Systems Submarines, said: “It is a privilege to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to our submarines site to mark the beginning of work on the new University of Cumbria campus and to show her the vital work we do in supporting the Royal Navy.”
