Cranfield University has been selected as the lead higher education provider under plans to create a new digital skills university in Milton Keynes, UK.
The new digital skills university in Milton Keynes has been dubbed “MK:U”, and is under development by a consortium including the city council and private industrial partners such as Microsoft and Grant Thornton.
The university is expected to open to students in 2023, and will eventually have capacity for 5,000 students at the Milton Keynes campus. The curriculum will focus particularly on STEM subjects, and on developing the digital skills students will need to prepare for the future of business.
What is the next stage of the project?
The emerging digital skills gap in the UK urgently needs to be addressed, and a new digital skills university in Milton Keynes with the participation of industrial partners could address this by focusing on such cutting edge areas as:
- Cybersecurity;
- Autonomy;
- Robotics; and
- Artificial intelligence.
Each subject at the university will be paired with a lead business partner, ensuring that the skills acquired by students are relevant to the changing digital world.
The next stage of the project will see the consortium undertake a feasibility study over 18 months, covering every stage of the process from the planning and design of the new facility, to securing financing for its construction.
What have stakeholders said about the project?
Professor Sir Peter Gregson, chief executive and vice-chancellor of Cranfield University, welcomed the opportunity to work alongside the city of Milton Keynes in order to provide a digitally focused higher education institution.
He said: “We look forward to working closely with Milton Keynes Council to create a smart university for a smart city. Cranfield is one of the UK’s most business-engaged universities and we already have strong links with Milton Keynes. I am delighted that, together with our partners, we will be helping to deliver the exciting vision of a new university for the city.”
