There may be 6,000 miles between them but 2 like-minded colleges have joined forces to exchange engineering knowledge for the benefit of their students and staff. South Eastern Regional College has announced a partnership with Toyama National Technical College, Japan, the first of its kind in the UK. Both Colleges are investing much time and effort into increasing the number of skilled graduates in science, engineering and technology.
The relationship will see students and staff from both colleges exchange knowledge in engineering. SERC lecturers have already been to Japan to teach and 16 Toyama students are expected in August to further study engineering and business the SERC way!
Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Employment and Learning welcomed the partnership saying: “This partnership symbolises the international nature of our economy and recognition of our role in delivering world class education to help businesses and individuals compete on a global platform.
This gives us the chance to showcase the high quality of Further Education in Northern Ireland in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and priority skills areas. Students at SERC will gain valuable knowledge in engineering which will serve them well in their future careers.”
Ken Webb, Principal and Chief Executive of SERC explains:“We very much view Toyama College as a natural partner for SERC, with our shared emphasis on improving the science and technological skills base. Since we are all working and competing in a global marketplace we have to be open to learning from other experts across the world. I know that our students and staff will value this opportunity to enrich the learning experience and enjoy the diversity that it brings.”
In the last year SERC has seen an increase of 16% in STEM related subjects which have been deemed as crucial for the future success of the NI economy by the governing and industry experts. It has been reported by Oxford Economics that around 6,000 newly skilled people from colleges and universities are required in these areas in the short term.
On signing the agreement Dr Yoneda, President of Toyama College, said, “We have been seeking a Technical College partner for some time and are delighted to sign this agreement with South Eastern Regional College. SERC is a complimentary fit especially in the pioneering work that they do in the area of engineering. We look forward to the many benefits that this partnership will bring not least in providing our students with a unique knowledge transfer opportunity.”