New civic university agreement aims to improve skills and innovation in Milton Keynes
A new civic university agreement has been signed, with the aim of improving skills and innovation across Milton Keynes.
It was signed at a ceremony held at Unity Place on November 28, and seeks to develop greater collaboration between the signatories for the benefit of the city and future generations.
The agreement is led by educational institutions The Open University, Cranfield University and Milton Keynes College, with a detailed work plan and further announcements set to be made in 2026.
Among the organisations partnering with the civic university agreement are Milton Keynes City Council, Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Trust, Santander, Tech Mahindra, East West Rail, His Majesty’s Government Communications Centre, Milton Keynes Community Foundation and The Parks Trust.
The agreement signing ceremony was attended by all three Milton Keynes MPs and the city’s deputy mayor Paul Trendall.
It was preceded by a Responsible AI and Automation Conference led by the Arc Universities Group, a collaboration of universities across the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor.
During the conference academics shared the latest research on AI and automation, while guests were able to trial the latest autonomous vehicle technology trips aboard shuttles provided by Smart City Consultancy.
Vice-chancellor of the Open University Professor Dave Phoenix said: “While The Open University was founded as a ‘disrupter’, with the aim of using technology to open access to higher education, we have always been inextricably linked to Milton Keynes through our headquarters at Walton Hall and a shared ethos of doing things differently and better.
“This civic university agreement solidifies our commitment to the city, together with our key partners Cranfield University and Milton Keynes College.
“Through our research and teaching we already support investment and skills growth within the city, but this agreement today can act as a bedrock to further enhance our collaboration and support innovation and skills development that will benefit people and businesses from across the city now and for generations to come.”
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