CBI Higher Education - RSS Feed

Businesses and universities must work together to boost skills

06 October 2008

The CBI, UUK and HEFCE have been working in partnership to examine how businesses and universities can work together more effectively to develop higher level skills in the workforce. The results are set out in a new report Stepping higher: workforce development through employer-higher educ...

Business needs to send a clear message to higher education

18 March 2009

The CBI higher education taskforce is comprised of 18 leaders from leading businesses and universities. Here, two members of the taskforce, John Griffith-Jonesfrom KMPG and Ian Tyler of Balfour Beatty articulate why higher education is an important issue. "Business needs to send a clear messag...

Support for businesses in the downturn

12 January 2009

Universities UK has launched a leaflet Standing together: Universities helping business through the downturn It includes practical support to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) spot problems early, focusing on SME priorities - cash flow, access to finance, staff training, consu...

Employability skills are essential for all graduates in todayâs job market

26 March 2009

The CBI in partnership with universities UK and support from DIUS, has today launched a report focussing on graduate employability. Future fit: preparing graduates for the world of work highlights examples of good practice in the development of employability skills by universities and employer...

David Lammy comments on CBI's Future fit report

01 June 2009

David Lammy, minister of state for higher education and intellectual property had the following to say in relation to the CBI's Future fit report which looks at preparing graduates for the world of work. "We all know that graduates need to be equipped with the right skills to succeed in ...

CBI's Future fit report - key lessons for universities and employers

09 June 2009

The CBI's Future fit report makes a number of recommendationson how businesses and universities can prepare graduates for the world of work. "Universities owe it to their students and themselves to prepare students for employment ... While the onus lies with the student to research these...

CBI's Future Fit report on the political and educational agenda

26 June 2009

On 24th June, MPs and peers came together with vice-chancellors of universities, heads of careers services, and employer representatives to talk about graduate employment in the context of the recession, and to draw attention to the CBI/UUK Future Fit report . Professor John Coyne, vice-cha...

BBC coverage of CBI Future fit report

27 March 2009

CBI's Future fit report, launched on 26 March, has received significant coverage in the national and regional press. Mentions have been secured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Online and also in selected regional press. Richard Wainer , head of education and skills at CBI was interviewed on Ra...

Higher level skills needs remain high on agenda - CBI/Nord Anglia report

06 April 2009

Employers remain concerned about their ability to find the future talent their business will need, new CBI figures show today (Monday). Over half (57%) of employers lack confidence in there being enough highly skills staff, including graduates, in the future. The latest CBI/Nord Anglia educati...

CBI taskforce makes key recommendations for business and higher education

21 September 2009

CBItaskforce calls for far-reaching changes to maintain quality With the UKs higher education (HE) system facing tough choices posed by recession and competition from abroad, business must do even more than it does to work with universities and the government to help maintain the UKs international...

David Willetts speech at the CBI's higher education summit

20 October 2009

Let me start my offering my congratulations on your valuable new report. It is a very useful statement of the current barriers limiting universities and business partnership as well as the potential for working more closely together in the future. The report is a useful contribution at a useful mo...

Lord Mandelsonâs speech at the CBI's higher education summit

20 October 2009

For UK plc, HE and FE are capacity costs they are the costs of being in business at all. The reality is that they are rising. Because we compete on people and skills, even in technology-intensive sectors like manufacturing. And the skills we need both at the generic and specialist ends of the spec...

Stronger together article from the CBI magazine, Business Voice

09 November 2009

The CBI's higher education taskforce report identifies how business can work with universities to boost the UKs competitiveness. By Lizzi Holman With the UK's higher education system facing tough choices posed by the recession and competition from abroad, the CBI higher education taskforce re...

AMEC investing in engineers

09 November 2009

Amec is investing in several partnerships with UK universities in an effort to produce more nuclear engineers. It has relationships with Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Imperial, providing staff as lecturers and in some cases visiting professors to a range of nuclear-related courses. Howe...

How important is going to university to business?

10 November 2009

Article by Susan Anderson, CBI director of education skills policy You could be forgiven if you missed the figures released last week by Universities UK which showed the economic impact of universities. Some people may be surprised to learn that our universities generate 59bn for the economy...

CBI welcomes proposals for the Research Excellence Framework

13 January 2010

The CBIresponded to the consultation by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) on the Research Excellence Framework (REF). The REF will replace the system of Research Assessment Exercises (RAEs) as the main basis for allocating research funds to universities in most of the UK...

Dr Alison Hodge, university partnerships director, QinetiQ,

16 January 2010

QinetiQ's Dr Alison Hodge chairs the CBIs Inter-Company Academic Relations Group (ICARG). In this video she talks about its work. London, January 2010. Watch the video

Richard Lambert speaks on Britainâs education system

08 March 2010

Richard Lambertrecently spoke to an audience gathered at Deloitte's offices in London on Britain's education system. The speech emphasised the need to tackle our long tail of educational underachievement, set out the priorities for government in addressing youth unemployment, and highlighted the c...

CBI shows business commitment to higher education

31 March 2010

This month, CBI Higher Education Task Force Chairman and CEO of Centrica, Sam Laidlaw, delivered the key note address to the Guardian Higher Education Summit. He emphasised that future skills shortages in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) could affect growth, and that more effort w...

CBI calls for major focus on STEM, including maths and numeracy

31 March 2010

This month, CBI Head of Education and Skills, Richard Wainer, addressed the Royal Society annual conference on maths education, alongside schools minister, Diana Johnson MP, and shadow schools secretary Michael Gove MP. Richard emphasised the business need for all young people to leave school with...

CBI explores sector links with education and skills

31 March 2010

This month, CBI trade association members met with sector skills councils and Universities UK to explore business-education links and share best practice. The Periodicals Training Council showcased their accreditation scheme for university degrees in magazine journalism and the British Associ...

Sam Laidlaw talks to the JISC

05 April 2010

Sam Laidlaw, chief executive of Centrica, and chair of the CBI higher education taskforce, and Professor Tim Wilson, vice-chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire addressed peers and key policymakers at the Higher Education Policy Institute House of Commons seminar in March. Both spoke to the...

CBI support for REF proposals

16 April 2010

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has now published the outcomes of the consultation on the Research Excellence Framework (REF) held in 2009. This includes a summary of the responses to the consultation and details of the impact pilot exercise , including membership of...

Strong recognition for business-relevant postgraduate study

22 April 2010

The postgraduate review conducted for the secretary of state for business, innovation and skills has concluded that postgraduate skills are critical for tackling major business challenges and has recommended that postgraduate provision should be made more responsive to employer needs to ensu...

CBI manufacturing council meets EPSRC chief executive

26 April 2010

Professor David Delpy, chief executive of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), met the CBI's Manufacturing Council in March to discuss EPSRC engagement with manufacturing businesses. He noted that manufacturing accounts for 13 per cent of UK GDP (150bn) and for 56 per ce...

Vital STEM subjects get support in Budget 2010

29 April 2010

In the event of a Labour government post-election, the recent Budget highlighted that HE funding will be focused on financing an extra 20,000 science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) undergraduate places at universities in England and Wales. But this comes after Pre-Budget Report announce...

Working together â business and universities

26 February 2010

In the second of two videos, Dr Alison Hodge recorded a further podcast on business-university links and how to improve them. Watch the video

Enter the CBI supported National Training Awards

22 March 2010

The National Training Awards (NTAs) are the premier accolade for training and development in the UK and are run by UK Skills on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The Awards identify and celebrate organisations and individuals that have achieved really outstanding busi...

Input sought for new CBI report on delivering the right educational outcomes

28 May 2010

The formation of a new government presents a real opportunity for a fresh approach to secondary education - developing new school models, more innovative curricula and high quality leadership and management, to better address business' education priorities. The CBI is working with a range of member...

CBI supporting universities week

09 June 2010

The CBI is supporting universities week which is a campaign tohighlight the essential role of universities in the UK and their impact on the economy, culture, society, the environment and much more. To find out more and get involved please follow the link to the universities week website .

Universities & business: working together in an age of austerity

10 June 2010

Decisions to be taken in the next 12 months will help to determine the shape of higher education in the UK for decades to come. Later on this year, Lord Browne and his independent commission will publish their findings on the sustainability, mission, and funding of Britain's universities, and that...

CBI discusses apprenticeships with Vince Cable

01 July 2010

CBI Director-General Richard Lambert had his first formal meeting with the new Secretary of State for Business. During a wide-ranging discussion, Richard emphasised the need to support more employers to become involved with apprenticeship programmes by cutting back on bureaucratic barriers and add...

CBI director-general speaks on higher education

06 July 2010

Richard Lambert warned in a speech this month that the UK urgently needs a broad debate about what is needed from the higher education system. Delivering the University of Sheffield management lecture, he asked what effect proposed funding cuts might have on the quality of research and teach...

Government sets out new funding priorities

13 July 2010

Business secretary Vince Cable has set out the government's skills funding priorities for the current year. In a letter to the Chief Executive of the Skills Funding Agency, Dr Cable confirmed plans to re-allocate 150m of Train to Gain funding to support 50,000 new apprenticeship places, and pri...

CBI comments on new BIS skills paper

22 July 2010

The CBI today responded to the consultation paper issued by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, titled Skills for Sustainable Growth . Susan Anderson, CBI Director for Public Services and Skills, said: "We believe the government is asking the right questions in order to achieve a ...

The Guardian - the future of higher education

12 January 2010

The future of higher education 11-12 March 2010 London CBI is pleased to be a marketing partner of this event produced by The Guardian. Sam Laidlaw, CEO of Centrica and chair of the CBI's higher education taskforce is speaking at the event and will detail both the work of the taskforce to dat...

Semta - Skills: How to get returns on your investment

25 February 2010

Skills: How to get returns on your investment 23rd March 2010 Manchester The CBI is supporting sector skills council Semta for science engineering and manufacturing technologies with a free conference to share best practice on getting returns from skills. Semta will also launch its new simpl...

CBI higher education summit

20 October 2009

Following the launch of the CBI higher education taskforce's final report, the higher education summit will provide an excellent opportunity to explore the relationship between business and higher education. Date: Tuesday 20 October 8.45 16.00 Venue: BMA House, Tavistock Square, Lon...

Stronger together: Executive summary

21 September 2009

Universities are a vital public good, making a crucial contribution to the intellectual, cultural, social and economic well-being of the UK. They play an essential role in ensuring that the country has the skills and knowledge necessary for its long-term success. This report sets out what busi...

Stronger together: Recommendations

21 September 2009

The Task Force has made 24 recommendations to government, universities and students. It is also encouraging businesses to sign up to a range of commitments, designed to improve HE outcomes. Its top priorities are: To help raise the numbers and quality of graduates in science, technology, eng...

Stronger together: 1. What business wants from higher education

21 September 2009

A competitive business sector needs excellent universities to produce the graduates, postgraduates, research and innovation that are required to drive economic growth and prosperity. The UK has one of the most successful HE sectors in the world whether measured by the quality of its graduates and...

Stronger together: 2. Action now will be critical

21 September 2009

The HE sector faces big challenges. Public funding will come under severe pressure in the next few years as the government struggles to manage an unsustainable fiscal deficit. At the same time, UK universities are facing growing competition from the emerging economies, as well as from North Americ...

Stronger together: 3. Why business must do more

21 September 2009

Business already does a lot to support students and fund research, but the taskforce believes that employers need to engage and invest more effectively. Each taskforce member has undertaken to do more, and this report also sets out a range of commitments which all businesses should consider: Em...

Stronger together: 4. Delivering business coutcomes in tough financial times

21 September 2009

The current funding models need to be reappraised. Government must recognise that a vibrant university sector is critically important to the well-being of the UK, and that taxpayer support here is already lower than in many other major economies. Heavy cuts in the public funding of teaching and re...

Stronger together: 5. How universities can do more for business

21 September 2009

Just as companies are having to focus on cutting waste to survive the recession, so universities need to take bold action. The constraints on public funding will provide a spur to develop new ways of generating income, and of addressing difficult issues on pay and pensions. There are strong argume...

Stronger together: 6. Ensuring students have the skills to succeed

21 September 2009

A survey undertaken for the Task Force showed that many recent graduates felt they had not received high-quality careers advice. Others thought more could have been done to help them develop the employability skills necessary to secure the jobs they wanted. Action here would be in the interests of...

Future fit: preparing graduates for the world of work

26 March 2009

In the current economic climate, it is essential that graduates are prepared to enter the workplace, possessing key employability skills which will enable them to compete in today's job market. Universities and employers both have an important role to play in providing work placements, internships...

CBI/Edexcel Education & Skills Survey 2008

17 April 2008

The CBI/Edexcel Education Skills Survey 2008 of 735 firms, employing 1.7 million people between them, identifies skills gaps in the workplace, reveals the skills employers value the most and spotlights how employers are managing to source highly skilled people with the right qualifications. I...

Reaching further - workforce development through employer-FE college partnership

12 January 2009

The CBI, in partnership with the Learning and Skills Improvement Service, examines in a new report how businesses and colleges can work together more effectively to boost employees' skills. The findings of this research are explored in the report Reaching Further - Workforce development through em...

Stepping higher - workforce development through partnership

30 October 2008

In today's more competitive world, our economy needs more people in the workplace with higher level skills. Many employers and universities are already working together to achieve this. More and more universities and higher education colleges see engaging with employers as an everyday activity. Bu...

Stronger together

16 October 2009

The report, the culmination of a year's work by the CBI higher education taskforce - comprising both business and universities - says that the rapid rise in student numbers, coupled with a severe strain on public finances, makes current public funding levels unsustainable. The UK's HE sector is ...

Ready to Grow: Business priorities for education and skills

21 May 2010

A new government takes office at a time of major economic challenges, with a need to achieve reductions in public debt and to secure the recovery. Improving the skills of the workforce will play an important part in that process, by underpinning the competitiveness of UK business. Employers in...

You're Hired! More apprentices for business

17 August 2010

Our new policy brief You'rehired! More apprentices for business sets out our vision for expanding high-quality apprenticeship schemes. Apprenticeships provide practical, business-focused training that delivers benefits to businesses and apprentices, by improving business productivity and givin...

SET for growth - business priorities for science, engineering and technology

17 August 2010

Science, engineering and technology (SET) skills are vital to the future growth of the economy - but current projections warn of shortfalls at all skill levels. This new policy brief sets out the importance of improving the number of those qualifying with SET skills. Though the new government ...

Making it all add up - business priorities for numeracy and maths

17 August 2010

This new brief outlines the CBIs ambition to improve the numeracy and maths skills of young people across the UK. At present too few young people are developing the numeracy and maths skills they require in the workplace, and concern among employers are growing. This briefing sets out practica...

Successful Business Engagement

24 March 2010

Interactions between businesses and universities are a key feature of the higher education landscape of the 21st century. Policy makers, business leaders and universities themselves all point to the significance of this growing aspect of education and yet few, if any, studies have been produced to...

Network Rail â working with universities to meet a specific skills need

11 November 2009

In planning their future workforce, Network Rail identified a need for more Project Managers to carry out the work they were intending to undertake over the next five years. Realising that they would not be able to recruit the numbers they required externally, the company sought another solution. ...

AstraZeneca: supporting the next generation of chemists

11 November 2009

A few years ago, Astrazeneca became alarmed at the fall in the number of students applying to read key science subjects at university. As a leading pharmaceutical company, whose success relies on researching and developing new medicines, the downward trend in science graduates threatened their fut...

Microsoft: pushing the boundaries of research

12 October 2009

Microsoft Research Cambridge was set up in July 1997 to provide a world-class hub for the firm's development activity. Today over 100 researchers, mostly from Europe, are engaged in computer research at the lab. The lab's work in computer science plays a pivotal role in applying computer technol...

Lancaster University: world class research and collaboration

12 October 2009

InfoLab21 is Lancaster University's world-class research, development and business centre in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Opened in February 2005, the InfoLab21 project is based on the principle of collaboration. The facility brings together the university's Computing and Comm...

McDonald's: supporting staff to gain higher level skills

15 October 2009

McDonald's regularly support members of staff to study for higher education qualifications knowing that the investment will bring benefits to the individual and the company as a whole. Members of staff develop their skills and confidence, and will be able to apply their new competencies back at w...

Cardiff University: different approaches to developing employability skills

15 October 2009

Cardiff University is focused on its goal of becoming a world-leading institution. Therefore alongside its research activities, the university realised that a key indicator of success was the employment destinations of its graduates. Building on its strong links with employers, the university ...

M&S - getting and giving

28 July 2009

If in the last 20 or so years you have like millions of UK shoppers found yourself in a Marks Spencers store, you may have encountered a student taking a year out from their degree course to work alongside the companys 68,000 UK employees. MS provides year-long placements for undergraduates to ...

Cardiff University: Employability is such a powerful agenda that universities canât hide from it

04 August 2009

Cardiff Universitys campus close to the centre of the capital of Wales is the place of study of 20,593 undergraduates and 6,213 postgraduates. As the universitys own website points out, this makes it the size of many small towns, making it a potentially daunting task to influence the behaviour of ...

Work-related learning is everyone's responsibility - Glasgow Caledonian University

13 July 2009

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is Scotland's fifth largest university, with about 16,000 students on its modern campus in Oman, studying in seven academic schools over the areas of business, health, science and technology. Integrating employment and higher education In 2007, the Scottis...

KPMG: work placement students add real value

15 July 2009

KPMG is a leading international provider of professional services including audit, tax, financial and risk advisory. In the UK, over 10,000 partners and staff work in 22 offices, stretching from Plymouth in the south-west of England to Aberdeen in north-east Scotland, and from Cardiff to Ipswich. ...

Liverpool John Moores University - Degrees with the âWoW factorâ

20 July 2009

The world of work While some schools and programmes had for a long time delivered a good mix of subject skills, graduate skills and work-related learning, the arrival in 2000 of Professor Michael Brown as vice-chancellor and chief executive provided an opportunity to connect the universitys whol...

University of Exeter: getting the employability message across through creative marketing

15 June 2009

The CBI's Future fit report provides numerous case studies including one from the University of Exeter. Key pioints from the case study are: an evolving and innovative marketing strategy to get employability messages across to students an annually produced Employability Matters ha...

Shell: placements need to be as close to real life as possible

08 June 2009

The CBI's Future fit report provides numerous case studies including that of Shell. Shell has good partnerships with a range of universities, working with careers advisers and academics. This is partly about promoting our internships as part of our marketing for graduate recruitment. But w...

Goldsmiths: giving graduates ability and adaptability

10 June 2009

The CBI's Future fit report contains a number of case studies that look at how businesses and universities are preparinggraduates for the world of work. Key points of theGoldsmithscase study are: The Goldsmiths "3D Graduate" based on personal development planning Incorporating e...

University of Hertfordshire: involving business at every opportunity

04 June 2009

The CBI's Future fit report contains a number of case studies that look at how businesses and universities are preparinggraduates for the world of work. Key points of theUniversity of Hertfordshirecase study are: extensive employer consultation and engagement to determine what empl...

Yellowfin: everyone in business should be engaging with universities

04 June 2009

The CBI's Future fit report contains a number of case studies that look at how businesses and universities are preparinggraduates for the world of work. Key points of theYellowfincase study are: Chief executive working with local universities to share experience and encourage entre...

Centrica: helping students build employability skills

01 June 2009

The CBI's Future fit report contains a number of case studies that look at how businesses and universities are preparinggraduates for the world of work. Key points of the Centrica case study are: Building links to universities so business leaders share knowledge and experience P...

University of Surrey: giving students a competitive edge for the future

03 June 2009

The CBI's Future fit report provides numerous case studies including one from the University of Surrey. The university has a clear approach to employability which is set out in its vision statement. Students are encouraged to acquire life and work skills alongside their academic achievements. ...

Sainsbury's: students often bring an interesting new perspective and dimension

26 June 2009

Sainsburys is one of the big four supermarkets, with 785 stores across the UK, also offering a wide range of non-grocery items, online ordering, and financial services via Sainsburys Bank. Over sixteen million customers shop at Sainsburys every week and about 150,000 people work for the company...

Sam Laidlaw (Chairman)

12 January 2009

Sam Laidlaw joined Centrica plc as Chief Executive in July 2006. He is Chairman of the Executive Committee and the Disclosure Committee. He was previously Executive Vice President of the Chevron Corporation, Chief Executive Officer at Enterprise Oil and President and Chief Operating Officer at Ame...

James Smith

13 March 2009

James has been with Shell since 1983 and has worked in all the group's major businesses. Until the end of 2003 he was on the global board of Shell chemicals as head of technology, strategy and sustainable development. He has been head of resourcing, which principally involved ensuring there is ...

John Griffiths-Jones

13 March 2009

John studied at Eton and Cambridge. A former major in the territorial army, he spent a significant part of his career at KPMG developing its corporate finance division. John has strong views on the graduate market place and their importance to his business. "The best way to evolve is to attrac...

Madeleine Atkins

14 January 2009

Madeleine Atkins studied law and history as an undergraduate at Cambridge University before qualifying as a secondary teacher. Following various post-doctoral research positions, she became a lecturer in education management at Newcastle University. Having held the positions of Head of Depa...

Glynis Breakwell

14 January 2009

Professor Breakwell took her PhD from the University of Bristol and DSc from the University of Oxford. In 2003, in recognition of the significance of her contribution to the social sciences, she was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Bristol and in 2004 became an Honorary...

Chris Brinsmead

14 January 2009

Chris Brinsmead has been the President of AstraZeneca UK since 2002. Prior to this he held a variety of marketing and senior management roles with AstraZeneca. He is also President of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. He holds a BSc in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Busin...

Melfort Campbell

14 January 2009

Melfort Campbell is Chairman and Chief Executive of Imes Group, which he established in 1985. During the last 20 years he has evolved the Company from its origins as Water Weights a novel technology for testing crane-lifting integrity to one that has diversified and expanded into many other mark...

Johnny Cameron

14 January 2009

Johnny Cameron was appointed to the Board of Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc in March 2006, Johnny Cameron joined RBS from Dresdner Kleinwort Benson in 1998. In 2000, he was appointed Deputy Chief Executive of Corporate Banking Financial Markets (CBFM) with responsibility for the integration...

Ian Cheshire

14 January 2009

Ian was appointed Group Chief Executive of Kingfisher plc in January 2008. Prior to this he was Chief Executive of BQ from June 2005. His previous roles at Kingfisher include Chief Executive of International and Development, Chief Executive of e-Kingfisher and Group Director of Strategy an...

Iain Coucher

14 January 2009

Previously Managing Director of Network Rail, Iain Coucher became Deputy Chief Executive of Network Rail when it acquired Railtrack PLC in October 2002. Iain has responsibility for all day-to-day operations. Previously, Iain was Chief Executive of TubeLines, one of the preferred bidders for the...

Steve Easterbrook

14 January 2009

Steve was appointed President and CEO of McDonalds UK in April 2006 and President, Northern Division, McDonalds Europe in January 2007 with responsibility for the UK, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and the Republic of Ireland. Steves current roles at McDonalds build on a 15 year career ...

Gordon Frazer

14 January 2009

Gordon has been Managing Director of Microsoft UK since 31 July, 2006. In 2001, Gordon Frazer took the Outstanding Contributor Award at Microsoft's global sales convention. He also won the Leadership Award. Gordon Frazer was General Manager of Microsoft, South Africa from 2002 to mid 2006.

Richard Lambert

14 January 2009

Richard Lambert studied history at Balliol College and joined the Financial Times in 1966. He edited the Lex column in the 1970s, becoming financial editor in 1979. In 1982 he moved to New York as the Bureau Chief, returning to the UK a year later as deputy editor. He became editor of the Financia...

Graham Love

14 January 2009

Prior to assuming his current role, Graham Love was group CFO, working closely with the chairman to lead QinetiQ through its successful IPO on the London stock exchange in early 2006. In 2003, he was CEO of QinetiQ north America. In 2001,Graham joined the defence evaluation and research agency...

Jamie Mitchell

14 January 2009

Jamie has been starting up, investing in and managing entrepreneurial businesses for the past 10 years. Most recently, as UK managing director at innocent, he grew innocents UK business from 17m to 100m in 3 years, driving innovation first in smoothies, then in food, and creating one of the country...

Paul Skinner

14 January 2009

Paul Skinner is Chairman of Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Limited which together form Rio Tinto, the global mining and minerals company, dual-listed in the UK and Australia. He joined the boards of Rio Tinto as a non-executive director in 2001 and became Chairman in November 2003. Paul was last re-e...

Susan Taylor Martin

14 January 2009

Susan Taylor Martin has been appointed Managing Director and Senior Company Officer (SCO) for UK and Ireland (UKI). Susan has a wealth of knowledge about the Company, having been closely involved in the setting of Reuters strategy in recent years. Since joining Reuters in 1993 Susan has held a...

Rick Trainor

14 January 2009

Rick Trainor has been Principal and Professor of Social History at Kings College London since 2004. For the previous four years he was Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Social History at the University of Greenwich. An American by birth and undergraduate education, he took his doctorate at ...

Ian Tyler

14 January 2009

Ian is a chartered accountant. A Director since 1999, he became Chief Executive on 1 January 2005, having been Chief Operating Officer since 2002 and prior to that, Finance Director. He joined Balfour Beatty in 1996 from the Hanson Group where he was finance director of ARC Ltd, one of its prin...

Trevor Mann

14 January 2009

In 1980 Trevor Mann started his career as a management trainee at BBH Coil Transformer Ltd, a subsidiary of Farnell Electronics. Trevor worked within the light manufacturing electronic service industry before joining Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Limited in 1985. In 1999 he was appointed ...

CBI reaction to Gordon Brown's science speech

27 February 2009

Commenting on the prime minister's announcements of new government targets for science and maths in secondary schools, John Cridland, the CBIs deputy director-general, said: "These are positive moves by the government. We need more young people studying science and maths - these skills are vital...

CBI backs science ambassadors - but change needed to increase take up in schools

09 March 2009

The CBI today backed Lord Draysons call for more scientists and engineers to act as ambassadors to promote science and engineering in schools, but called for extra measures by government to raise science skills. Richard Wainer, the CBI's head of education and skills policy said: "Science and e...

Tough jobs market means graduates need work experience more than ever

26 March 2009

The CBI director-general, Richard Lambert, will say today (Thursday) that it is even more important during the recession that students gain vital employability skills and experience of the workplace while at university, so they are better equipped to compete in the increasingly tough jobs market a...

CBI launches new higher education taskforce

17 September 2008

The future of higher education was under the spotlight at the first meeting of a new taskforce of business and university leaders formed by the CBI. The CBI's higher education taskforce - under the leadership of Sam Laidlaw, chief executive of Centrica - will explore what business wants...

Partnership between business and universities critical to maintaining UK competitiveness - CBI

30 October 2008

Collaboration between business and universities could help the UK to maintain its competitive edge, according to a CBI-Universities UK report. Stepping higher - workforce development through partnership looks at how business and universities can work together to improve the skills of the wor...

CBI comment on 10,000 extra university places confirmed this autumn

20 July 2009

The CBI commented today on the government's announcement that it would fund student loans for 10,000 additional university places in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects in the coming academic year. Universities will have to find the funding for teaching the degrees. ...

Business must do more to help maintain a world class higher education system - major new report

21 September 2009

With the UK's higher education (HE) system facing tough choices posed by recession and competition from abroad, business must do even more than it does to work with universities and the government to help maintain the UK's international competitiveness, a major new report says today (Monday). Th...

CBI reaction to speech by Lord Mandelson at CBI's higher education summit

20 October 2009

The CBI today (Tuesday) responded to Lord Mandelsons speech at its Higher Education Summit at BMA House. Richard Lambert, CBI Director-General, said: "Lord Mandelsons support for the work of the CBIs Higher Education Task Force in bringing universities and business together is welcome. Business ha...

CBI reaction to Lord Browne's appointment as chair of higher education review

09 November 2009

The CBI has today (Monday) commented on the appointment of Lord Browne as chair of the Government's independent review of higher education funding and student finance. Susan Anderson, CBI director of education skills policy, said: "We welcome Lord Brownes appointment to this critical review; h...

CBI congratulates A-level students but wants more to study maths post-16

19 August 2010

The CBI applauded students and their teachers on their A-level results today (19 August) and welcomed the slight increase in numbers taking maths. The number of students completing A-level maths this year has risen 6% to 77,001, following a 12% increase last year. The CBI welcomed this increase, b...

CBI reacts to GCSE results and calls for more schools to offer triple science

24 August 2010

The CBI today (24 August) congratulated students and teachers on this years GCSE results. There were increases in the numbers taking individual, in-depth sciences (biology, chemistry and physics) as separate GCSEs. Numbers taking biology rose by 28% to 129,464, physics increased by 32% to 120,455...

CBI calls for action on state school science education

17 August 2010

The CBI today warned that the shortage of science graduates must be addressed by the state education sector, where insufficient numbers are studying science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. These subjects tend to lead to better job prospects and higher salaries, and are vit...

Stronger together

21 September 2009

In this podcast , Richard Wainer and Lizzi Holman talk to Graham Smith about the background to the report and its main findings.

CBI's higher education taskforce speaks

10 June 2009

Andy Russell, CBI higher education taskforce adviser talks tochief executive of Centrica, Sam Laidlaw, with Glynis Breakwell, vice chancellor of the university of Bath and Melfort Campbell, CEO of Imes Group about why they are involved in the taskforce and the challenges facing thehigher educat...

CBI / Nord Anglia education and skills survey 2009

02 June 2009

Employers are looking to get more out of staff training during the recession to help their business survive, new CBI figures show. The latest CBI/Nord Anglia education and skills survey, Emerging stronger: the value of education and skills in turbulent times , shows that in response to the...

Richard Lambert talks to the BBC about research and innovation

01 September 2009

Richard Lambert,recently talked to BBC Working Lunch presenter Declan Curry about how to turn academic researchinto innovative commercial enterprise. Universities have become increasingly responsive to business needs since the 2003 Lambert review of business-university collaboration, and many en...

CBI's James Fothergill on business priorities for skills

20 May 2010

James Fothergill, CBI head of education and skills discusses the CBI/EDI skills survey Ready to grow: business priorities for education and skills.

Jenifer Moody comments on Ready to Grow skills report

20 May 2010

Jenifer Moody, EDI development and innovation director discusses the findings of the CBI/EDI skills survey Ready to grow: business priorities for education and skills .

Simon Waugh's opinions on new skills report

20 May 2010

Simon Waugh, chief executive, National Apprenticeship Service, discusses the 2010 survey findings.

John McNamara's thoughts on new skills report findings

20 May 2010

John McNamara, chief executive, Alliance of Sector Skills Councils, discusses the 2010 survey findings

Dr Alison Hodge, university partnerships director, QinetiQ,

16 January 2010

The CBIs Inter-Company Academic Relations Group (ICARG) held its January meeting in Cambridge as the guests of Microsoft Research. Dr Alison Hodge, university partnerships director of QinetiQ, who chairs the group, describes its work.

Universities and business working together

26 February 2010

On a later visit to our offices in London Dr Alison Hodge,director of university partnerships, QuinetiQ, recorded another podcast on business-university links and how to improve them in the current economic climate.

Lord Mandelson addresses the CBI higher education summit

27 October 2009

Lord Mandelson spoke to an audience of CBI members including FTSE100 companies and universities in his speech at the HE summit at BMA House. In response to the speech Richard Lambert, CBI director-general, said: "Lord Mandelson's support for the work of the CBI's higher education taskforce in ...

Richard Lambert's speech at the CBI's higher education summit

27 October 2009

Richard Lambert addressed an audience of CBI members in his speech at the HE summit at BMA House and talked about the future role of the taskforce and working with the NUS. Richard discussed the next steps for the CBI, which includes presenting the recent CBI report Stronger together to CBI regi...

CBI Higher Education - RSS Feed

Businesses and universities must work together to boost skills

Business needs to send a clear message to higher education

Support for businesses in the downturn

Employability skills are essential for all graduates in todayâs job market

David Lammy comments on CBI's Future fit report

CBI's Future fit report - key lessons for universities and employers

CBI's Future Fit report on the political and educational agenda

BBC coverage of CBI Future fit report

Higher level skills needs remain high on agenda - CBI/Nord Anglia report

CBI taskforce makes key recommendations for business and higher education

David Willetts speech at the CBI's higher education summit

Lord Mandelsonâs speech at the CBI's higher education summit

Stronger together article from the CBI magazine, Business Voice

AMEC investing in engineers

How important is going to university to business?

CBI welcomes proposals for the Research Excellence Framework

Dr Alison Hodge, university partnerships director, QinetiQ,

Richard Lambert speaks on Britainâs education system

CBI shows business commitment to higher education

CBI calls for major focus on STEM, including maths and numeracy

CBI explores sector links with education and skills

Sam Laidlaw talks to the JISC

CBI support for REF proposals

Strong recognition for business-relevant postgraduate study

CBI manufacturing council meets EPSRC chief executive

Vital STEM subjects get support in Budget 2010

Working together â business and universities

Enter the CBI supported National Training Awards

Input sought for new CBI report on delivering the right educational outcomes

CBI supporting universities week

Universities & business: working together in an age of austerity

CBI discusses apprenticeships with Vince Cable

CBI director-general speaks on higher education

Government sets out new funding priorities

CBI comments on new BIS skills paper

The Guardian - the future of higher education

Semta - Skills: How to get returns on your investment

CBI higher education summit

Stronger together: Executive summary

Stronger together: Recommendations

Stronger together: 1. What business wants from higher education

Stronger together: 2. Action now will be critical

Stronger together: 3. Why business must do more

Stronger together: 4. Delivering business coutcomes in tough financial times

Stronger together: 5. How universities can do more for business

Stronger together: 6. Ensuring students have the skills to succeed

Future fit: preparing graduates for the world of work

CBI/Edexcel Education & Skills Survey 2008

Reaching further - workforce development through employer-FE college partnership

Stepping higher - workforce development through partnership

Stronger together

Ready to Grow: Business priorities for education and skills

You're Hired! More apprentices for business

SET for growth - business priorities for science, engineering and technology

Making it all add up - business priorities for numeracy and maths

Successful Business Engagement

Network Rail â working with universities to meet a specific skills need

AstraZeneca: supporting the next generation of chemists

Microsoft: pushing the boundaries of research

Lancaster University: world class research and collaboration

McDonald's: supporting staff to gain higher level skills

Cardiff University: different approaches to developing employability skills

M&S - getting and giving

Cardiff University: Employability is such a powerful agenda that universities canât hide from it

Work-related learning is everyone's responsibility - Glasgow Caledonian University

KPMG: work placement students add real value

Liverpool John Moores University - Degrees with the âWoW factorâ

University of Exeter: getting the employability message across through creative marketing

Shell: placements need to be as close to real life as possible

Goldsmiths: giving graduates ability and adaptability

University of Hertfordshire: involving business at every opportunity

Yellowfin: everyone in business should be engaging with universities

Centrica: helping students build employability skills

University of Surrey: giving students a competitive edge for the future

Sainsbury's: students often bring an interesting new perspective and dimension

Sam Laidlaw (Chairman)

James Smith

John Griffiths-Jones

Madeleine Atkins

Employability skills are essential for all graduates in todayâs job market

Lord Mandelsonâs speech at the CBI's higher education summit

Richard Lambert speaks on Britainâs education system

Working together â business and universities

Network Rail â working with universities to meet a specific skills need

Cardiff University: Employability is such a powerful agenda that universities canât hide from it

Liverpool John Moores University - Degrees with the âWoW factorâ