UPP is rising above the recent doom and gloom as it celebrates another spectacular year with occupancy levels of more than 99 per cent across its portfolio of university partners.
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12/01/2012 - UPP named as signatory to the Deputy Prime Minster’s flagship policy
UPP has today been congratulated by Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, as one of the leading companies in opening their doors to young people from all walks of life.
The UK’s leading provider of student accommodation, campus infrastructure and residential services, UPP, has been named as one of the signatories to the Business Compact, the Deputy Prime Minister’s flagship scheme to create fairer opportunities to getting the best jobs.
Sean O’Shea, Chief Executive of UPP, said:
“At UPP we’re very aware that hardworking, talented young people can slip through the net, simply because of assumptions made about their background or social status."
“Businesses signing up to The Compact can help send a clear message to all of our young people; if a young person works hard, they should have an equal chance to fulfil their full potential."
“From a business perspective the UK cannot afford to waste its future talent and we at UPP are dedicated to ensure opportunities are open to all. Through our work with The Prince’s Trust and in committing to the ideals of the Compact we’re already seeing results”.
Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, said:
“This is an important step towards a society where it’s what you know, not who you know, that counts. Working with the Coalition, the biggest hitters in Britain’s business world are helping lead the way to a fairer, more open society.
“By opening their doors to young people from all walks of life, this marks the start of a culture shift at the heart of British business, driven by the belief that ability and drive should trump connections and privilege."
“I’d like to thank UPP for signing up to the Business Compact. Today’s success makes me even more ambitious. This great news is just the beginning – I will be doing everything I can to bring even more businesses on board.”
More than one hundred of Britain’s biggest companies and top professional groups have signed the Business Compact, committing them to making entry into their professions fairer.
The Business Compact forms a key part of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Social Mobility Strategy, launched in April 2011, which sets out the Government’s determination to ensure every individual is free to achieve, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. Businesses which sign up to it must agree to:
- support communities and schools through reading and mentoring schemes or encouraging their staff go out to schools and inspire pupils about their careers
- open opportunities to all young people by advertising their work experience places through schools, online and in other public forums, rather than just giving places to their mates
- make access to internships open and transparent, paying interns the National Minimum Wage where they are legally entitled to it and providing financial support to ensure fair access, such as providing expenses and/or accommodation to those from less advantaged backgrounds to ensure they are not prevented from accessing opportunities by their financial circumstances
- recruit fairly and without discrimination, ensuring that their recruitment processes don’t allow candidates to be inadvertently screened out because they went to the wrong school or come from a different ethnic group (including through using name-blank and school-blank applications where appropriate).
Sean O’Shea, Chief Executive of UPP, will attend a reception tonight held by The Deputy Prime Minister who will thank all of the businesses who have signed up to the Business Compact.
ENDS
For more information about UPP, please contact:
Martha Dalton, Ian Lindsley or Fran O’Leary
Jefferson Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7256 8912
Email:
For further detail about the Deputy Prime Minister’s work on the Business Compact, please visit:
http://www.dpm.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/businesscompact
Notes to Editors
1. UPP
University Partnerships Programme (UPP) is the trading name of UPP Group Holdings Ltd and its subsidiaries. It specialises in funding, developing and operating student accommodation and campus infrastructure schemes as well as delivering residential management services. It has invested £1.4 billion in the Higher Education sector and plans to invest a further £1 billion into UK universities.
www.upp-ltd.com
22/12/2011 - Plans submitted for renewal of Bridges Hall at the University of Reading’s Whiteknights Campus
UPP has submitted plans to replace student residences at the University of Reading’s Whiteknight Campus. These plans represent the final phase of the Whiteknights Campus student residences replacement plan, and respond to a demand from students for high quality, affordable accommodation on the site.
The plans, which include the renewal of Bridges Hall, have been put before Wokingham Borough Council for approval, following a consultation exercise with the local community, students and staff.
The scheme includes the replacement of an existing hall of residence, the provision of a new catering hub and ancillary accommodation, including a Junior Common Room social space, a new warden’s flat, and launderette and hall offices. The scheme aims to provide a range of accommodation types to cater for different student requirements, including en-suite cluster flats, town houses, and economy cluster flats.
The scheme has been designed with sustainability in mind and aims to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standard for the residences. The redevelopment will incorporate a number of environmentally sustainable features, including roof top solar panels, energy efficient boilers and water heaters, energy metering facilities, and heat recovery ventilation systems.
Professor Tony Downes, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said:
“The replacement of the old Bridges Hall with a high-quality development that will meet exacting environmental standards and deliver an excellent student experience will complete our ambitious project to make student accommodation at Reading second to none in the sector.”
Sean O’Shea, Chief Executive of UPP, said:
“Our proposals represent a clear vision to improve facilities and enhance the student experience. Working in close partnership with the University of Reading, we have created a sustainable, affordable student accommodation scheme that meets the demand from students for a high quality environment in which to study, live and relax. We look forward to taking our plans forward with our partners, the University of Reading.”
UPP recently completed a pioneering deal which will provide over £200 million investment for the University and see UPP operating a total of 4,321 rooms as well as managing the University accommodation office. UPP is the leading provider of campus infrastructure, student accommodation and residential management services to the HE sector. Working in partnership with universities, UPP provides specialist residential management services, including facilities management.
The completion of Bridges Hall will not add to the overall number of student bedrooms available to Reading students. The replacement halls programme has significantly updated the quality of student accommodation and concentrated University halls on the Whiteknights campus.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Fran O’Leary, Ian Lindsley or Martha Dalton,
Jefferson Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7256 8912
Email:
Notes to Editors
1. UPP
University Partnerships Programme (UPP) is the trading name of UPP Group Holdings Ltd and its subsidiaries. It specialises in funding, developing and operating student accommodation and campus infrastructure schemes as well as delivering residential management services. It has invested £1.2 billion in the Higher Education sector and plans to invest a further £1 billion into UK
universities.
http://www.upp-ltd.com
2. University of Reading
The University of Reading is rated as one of the top 200 universities in the world (THE World Rankings 2011). The University is one of the UK’s top research- intensive universities and is ranked in the top 20 UK higher education institutions in success rates for securing research council grants worth nearly £10 million from UK Research Councils.In the RAE 2008, over 87% of the university’s research was deemed to be of international standing. Areas of particular research strength recognised include meteorology and climate change, typography and graphic design, archaeology, philosophy, food biosciences, construction management, real estate and planning, as well as law. Standards of teaching and the student experience are excellent - the University scored highly in the National Student Survey 2011. 89% of Reading students responding to the survey stated they were satisfied with the quality of their course.
Media enquiries about the University of Reading from Alex Brannen, Director of Communications, on 0118 378 8005,
3. The scheme is located on the University of Reading’s Whiteknights Campus. The campus is south of Reading town centre.
There are 649 student rooms organised between three types of accommodation: premium rooms are en-suite and organised within 8 room cluster flats, standard rooms are non-ensuite bedrooms with shared bathrooms arranged in 12 person town houses, and economy rooms are non-ensuite rooms arranged in 10 person cluster flats. The proposals are for 63 premium rooms, 192 standard rooms, and 394 economy rooms. All accomodation is four storeys in height.
Other facilities will include: a new cafe bar and shop, , launderette, covered bicycle stores, a Junior Common Room, a new warden’s flat, student reception and office suite.
The scheme is targeted to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating for the residential development.
22/12/2011 - £230 million transaction completed by UPP and the University of Reading
UPP has successfully completed a £230.1m transaction (£186.5m of senior debt provided by AVIVA; sub-debt and equity procured by UPP) with the University of Reading establishing a 125 year partnership for the entire university residential estate. The deal, which during 2012 will involve an investment of almost a quarter of a billion pounds, is the single largest private investment into a UK university residential estate to date and represents the first large scale investment from AVIVA Commercial Finance into the Higher Education sector. This deal highlights the confidence felt by institutional investors in the University of Reading, UPP’s unique model and the Higher Education sector in general.
The pioneering deal will provide over £230.1 million investment for the University and will see UPP operating a total of 4,321 rooms for the University as well as managing the University accommodation office. The University of Reading will become the first UK University to develop a long–term partnership with the private sector for its entire on-campus student accommodation estate. The transaction, the result of a competitive bidding process, will also generate a capital receipt for the University of Reading for investment in the provision of its core teaching and research functions.
UPP, the UK’s leading provider of campus infrastructure and residential management services, will transfer and operate a total of 2,610 rooms, in addition to its 816 rooms of existing accommodation at The University of Reading, as well as a further 895 rooms presently under construction for 2012/13. UPP will also develop a further 649 new rooms, which will complete the current Whiteknights Campus accommodation project. UPP will be providing hard and soft facilities management services across this portfolio, with the University retaining responsibility for student welfare and pastoral matters, grounds maintenance, security and IT, as well as running catering throughout the University including in halls and bars.
The University of Reading is ranked as one of the UK’s most research-intensive universities and as one of the top 200 universities in the world. UPP’s partnership with the University of Reading dates back to 2000 and, with this new transaction now complete, UPP has invested almost quarter of a billion into the University at a time when Government funding for university capital projects is being cut. The new developments will provide the University’s students with additional affordable, high quality accommodation, which will further improve the student experience.
Professor Tony Downes, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: “The University of Reading has been working with UPP for over a decade and we are delighted that this relationship will now extend to managing the University’s entire on-campus student accommodation. Our accommodation provision plays a huge part in our on-going success in providing a high quality student experience at Reading. By working with the leading professional managers of student accommodation in the UK higher education sector, we can look forward to continued success in providing a class of accommodation that attracts the brightest and best students to the University. Importantly for the University of Reading, at a time when the funding model for higher education is undergoing a radical change, this deal will allow us to concentrate our investment in research and teaching facilities while continuing to provide our students with high-quality accommodation.”
Sean O’Shea, Chief Executive of UPP, said: “The scale of this transaction shows that the Higher Education sector is out-performing the market – and is increasingly seen as an attractive investment opportunity, providing consistently robust income streams. We’ve been working hard to attract new types of investors into this market, particularly investors with long term strategies such as pension funds that we see as a strategic fit for this sector. This deal shows that despite the financial climate, the financial community has a growing appetite for this kind of investment opportunity, delivered through UPP’s unique model. We work in partnership with universities to provide high-quality accommodation, campus infrastructure and specialist asset management solutions and, we’re delighted to be working with such a forward looking university as the University of Reading – with its strong strategy and clear vision for the future.”
Kevin Sale, Commercial Finance Director at Aviva, said:
“We are really pleased to have been able to extend our lending to the student accommodation sector on this project. We are happy to be involved in this significant upgrade of the accommodation facilities working with such a well regarded University as Reading and an experienced campus management service company in UPP. Aviva Commercial Finance provide long term, fixed rate debt across a number of sectors and whilst we have an appetite to fund further schemes of this type, these will be on a limited and
selective basis.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Martha Dalton, Ian Lindsley or Fran O’Leary
Jefferson Communications,
Tel: +44 (0)7971138459,
Email:
University of Reading: Alex Brannen, 0118 378 8005,
Notes to Editors
1. UPP
University Partnerships Programme (UPP) is the trading name of UPP Group Holdings Ltd and its subsidiaries. It specialises in funding, developing and operating student accommodation and campus infrastructure schemes as well as delivering residential management services. It has invested £1.4 billion in the Higher Education sector and plans to invest a further £1 billion into UK universities.
www.upp-ltd.com
3. The University of Reading is rated as one of the top 200 universities in the world (QS World Rankings 2011). The University is one of the UK’s top research-intensive universities and is ranked in the top 20 UK higher education institutions in securing research grants worth over £10 million from UK Research Councils. In the RAE 2008, over 87% of the university’s research was deemed to be of international standing. Standards of teaching and the student experience are excellent - the University scored highly in the National Student Survey 2011. 89% of Reading students responding to the survey stated they were satisfied with the quality of their course putting the University in the UK top 20 for student satisfaction levels. The University opened nearly 900 new student bedrooms in Mackinder and Stenton Halls on the main Whiteknights Campus in 2010. 898 rooms are currently under construction in Childs Hall and will open for the 2012/13 academic year.
4. The new deal with the University of Reading will deliver:
- An investment of £230 million into the university
- The transfer of all 4,321 student rooms on campus to UPP by academic year 2012-13
- (Academic year 2011-2012): estate transfer of 2,610 rooms
- UPP transferring a further 895 rooms currently under construction on the campus for the academic year 2012-2013
- UPP building new 649 room student accommodation scheme and catering hub
- UPP operating the campus accommodation office
- UPP providing all hard and soft facilities management services
- Rooms will be provided for staff and pastoral care staff at a subsidised rate or for free in some instances
- Lifecycle costs – such as refurbishment and upkeep – will be included in the deal, taking these ‘sunk’ costs away from the university
- The deal involves a 125 year concession period and an extension to the existing partnership
26/10/2011 - Celebrating the University’s first Chancellor at Benyon Hall naming ceremony
University Partnerships Programme (UPP) in partnership with the University of Reading has today (26 October) announced the renaming of Reading Student Village as Benyon Hall, to commemorate the University’s first Chancellor, James Herbert Benyon. As part of the scheme, UPP and construction partner Mansell has developed a new student reception and Junior Common Room (JCR), which will provide students with their own communal space onsite.
Construction of the new JCR and student reception began in June 2011 and has been completed in time for the start of the new academic term. UPP has invested £500,000 in developing the new building, as well as rebranding Benyon Hall. The student reception and JCR have been designed with sustainability in mind, and will be tested using the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). The target is to achieve a “Very Good” rating.
Professor Tony Downes, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: "Prospective students, more than ever, are looking to get the best quality student experience, and excellent accommodation is right at the top of that wish list. We are delighted that UPP has invested significantly in the accommodation they provide for Reading students and that its new name reflects our earliest days as a University."
Sean O’Shea, Chief Executive of UPP, said: "We’re delighted to be opening these new facilities for students at the University of Reading, which we hope they enjoy. It’s fantastic to commemorate the University’s first Chancellor in this way, and we’re pleased to be involved in today’s opening ceremony. It’s a pleasure to be strengthening our relationship with such as prestigious university, and we look forward to our working together over the coming years."
UPP currently operates 815 rooms at the University of Reading. UPP is the leading provider of campus infrastructure, student accommodation and residential management services to the HE sector. Working in partnership with universities, UPP provides specialist residential management services, including facilities management.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Fran O’Leary, Ian Lindsley or Martha Dalton,
Jefferson Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7256 8912
Email:
1. UPP
University Partnerships Programme (UPP) is the trading name of UPP Group Holdings Ltd and its subsidiaries. It specialises in funding, developing and operating student accommodation and campus infrastructure schemes as well as delivering residential management services. It has invested £1.2 billion in the Higher Education sector and plans to invest a further £1 billion into UK universities. http://www.upp-ltd.com
2. The University of Reading is rated as one of the top 200 universities in the world (THE World Rankings 2011). The University is one of the UK’s top research-intensive universities and is ranked in the top 20 UK higher education institutions in success rates for securing research council grants worth nearly £10 million from UK Research Councils.
In the RAE 2008, over 87% of the university’s research was deemed to be of international standing. Areas of particular research strength recognised include meteorology and climate change, typography and graphic design, archaeology, philosophy, food biosciences, construction management, real estate and planning, as well as law.
Standards of teaching and the student experience are excellent - the University scored highly in the National Student Survey 2011. 89% of Reading students responding to the survey stated they were satisfied with the quality of their course.
More information at http://www.reading.ac.uk
07/10/2011 - Nottingham apprentice shortlisted as Young Builder of the Year Awards 2011 finalist
Michael Collins, a work experience apprentice from Nottingham - who attended The Prince’s Trust Get into Construction programme - has been selected as a finalist in the Young Builder of the Year Awards 2011.
The national awards celebrate the achievements of young people who have overcome personal barriers to train and work for the construction industry.
Michael, aged 25, from Gotham just outside Nottingham, is one of 21 UK finalists shortlisted for the Young Builder award in the category for 16-25year olds in training or employment. The winner is due to be announced at aceremony in the House of Commons on 12 October.
Michael was brought-up by his mother, and seven siblings. Until recently, Michael, who left school at 16 with few GCSE’s had worked in many different low paid jobs from warehousing to flipping burgers. Michael also had four children to support. The pressure became intense and he felt that he was trapped, destined to never achieve his potential in employment and be able to support his family how he would like. Michael became very low. After spending some time on Job Seeker’s Allowance Michael applied to an ad in a local newspaper for The Prince’s Trust ‘Get into Construction’ course even though he had never worked within the Construction industry.
However, he was shortlisted for the Young Builder prize after he showed outstanding promise during the four weeks he spent doing work experience as part of youth charity The Prince’s Trust’s Get into Construction course in May.
He was one of 15 unemployed 18-25 year olds on the programme, hosted by UPP and VINCI Construction UK, working on the student accommodation scheme at Nottingham Trent University’s Clifton Campus. Michael, along with the other young people, was given an insight into careers in the building industry and training in trades like plastering, carpentry, cladding, painting and decorating and bricklaying.
Following the programme he gained full-time employment with RilMac Scaffolding and is now an apprentice scaffolder.
His new job is helping him support his now five children, but he will be given a further boost if he wins the Award as the prize is acheque for £500 and £1,500 worth of building tools to help the winner with their career in the industry.
However, Michael is not the only success story of The Prince Trust Get into Construction programme, which is now in its second year with UPP at Nottingham Trent, since 13 of the 15 young people on the course have gone on to find secure full time employment or training. All young people on the course continue to receive six months support from The Prince’s Trust to help them further their careers, get into education or training.
Commenting on his shortlisting, Michael said: “The individuals on site from Rilmac, Vinci UK and The Prince’s Trust have really helped turn my life around. I am incredibly grateful to them and feel it is a privilege to be nominated for this award. My family are so proud.”
John O’Reilly, Regional Director of The Prince’s Trust in the East Midlands said: “Michael’s determination to turn his life around is incredible. He clearly demonstrates that it is possible for young people to break out of long-term unemployment, no matter what background they have had.
“The Prince’s Trust helped more than 4,200 young people in the East Midlands last year, giving them self-confidence often for the first time in their lives. In these times of economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever to support thousands more.”
UPP Chief Executive, and member of The Prince’s Trust Construction and Business Services Leadership Group, which helps to fund The Trust’s Get into Construction course, Sean O’Shea said: “As the leading provider of student accommodation, UPP is committed to providing training for young people at our sites, and it’s fantastic that one of our work experience apprentices has been recognised.
“We’re delighted for Michael that the Young Builder of the Year Award has chosen to acknowledge his success by shortlisting him. I know everyone at UPP will be backing him to win the award and to go on to have a great future in the construction industry.”
VINCI Construction UK is the building contractor on the Nottingham Trent site and, Keith Shivers, Regional Director Building Division - North added: “This is a fantastic result for Michael and great recognition of his hard work. VINCI Construction UK is enormously proud to be part of this invaluable Prince’s Trust programme to help young people into work in the construction industry and Michael’s story proves that it really does work - with 13 out of the 15 apprentices already in work. We all wish Michael the very best of luck for the Award.
ENDS
For more information please contact Martha Dalton, Fran O’Leary or Ian Lindsley
Jefferson Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7256 8912
Email:
fran.oleary@ jeffersoncommunications.co.uk
For further information from VINCI Construction UK please contact:
Melanie Mathews, Head of Corporate Communications, VINCI Construction UK
01923 470435,
Or,
Olivia Powis, Madano Partnership, 0207 593 4000,
Notes to the editors:
YOUTHBUILD UK http://www.ybuk.org
Youthbuild UK runs the Young Builder of the Year Awards 2011. Youthbuild promotes projects that empower socially excluded young people to undertake vocational training and build better communities,environments, enterprises, homes and facilities for those in need (including themselves).
The projects are innovative, successful and for disadvantaged young people which address issues within regeneration programmes. They differ from traditional training and employment programmes by providing focused support and incentives. This ensures that traditionally excluded groups gain access to vocational training that is recognised and provides the skills needed by industry.
Youthbuild UK runs annual awards in conjunction with the National House Builders Council to recognize the achievements of young people. It has links with other Youthbuilding networks in Europe and America where similar projects bridge between social inclusion and the needs of communities and industry. Since 1990, around 140 Youthbuilding projects have assisted nearly 4000 young people in the UK who believed in solving their own employment and housing needs. Stephen Ratcliffe Director of the UK Contractors Group, Imtiaz Farookhi Chief Executive of National House-Building Council, Judy Lowe Deputy Chairman of CITB-ConstructionSkills and Alasdair Reisner Director of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association make-up this year’s high- profile judging panel of the Young Builder of the Year Awards.
UPP
University Partnerships Programme (UPP) is the trading name of UPP Group Holdings Ltd and its subsidiaries. It specialises in funding, developing and operating student accommodation and campus infrastructure schemes as well as delivering residential management services. It has invested £1.2 billion in the Higher Education sector and plans to invest a further £1 billion into UK universities.
UPP is working with VINCI Construction UK to build 727 student rooms on Nottingham Trent University’s Clifton Campus. This is where the Prince’s Trust ‘Get into Construction’ programme was being hosted in May, for the second year running.
http://www.upp-ltd.com
ABOUT VINCI
VINCI is a world leader in concessions and construction.
The VINCI name symbolises the best in innovation, creativity and technological mastery, befitting for a Group that harnesses a culture of innovation to deliver technical expertise in tackling the most complex of projects.
The combination of financial strength, market-leading positions and a commitment to sustainability give VINCI its competitive edge.
VINCI companies in the UK turnover in the region of £1.9 billion per annum and employ circa 9000 employees. This is the second largest geographic operating sector outside France and represents 5.6% of VINCI’s €34.4 billion turnover. VINCI employs around 180,000 people in 100 countries around the world.
VINCI Construction UK is a national construction and facilities company and is the largest British subsidiary of VINCI.
VINCI Construction UK has strong relationships with other VINCI companies and subsidiaries and, as a result, can leverage ideas, skills and entrepreneurial flair to deliver top-quality work in all sectors.
http://www.vinciconstruction.co.uk/
About The Prince’s Trust
Youth charity The Prince's Trust helps change young lives. It gives practical and financial support, developing key workplace skills such as confidence and motivation. It workswith 13-to-30-year-olds who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. The Prince of Wales’s charity has helped more than 650,000 young people since 1976 and supports 100 more each day. Last year, more than three in four young people supported by The Trust moved into work, education or training. In April 2011, Fairbridge became part of The Prince’s Trust. The new united organisation will help 50,000 young people this year.
04/10/2011 - UPP Director of Strategy and Comms discusses future of Higher Education sector at Conservative Conference
Jon Wakeford, Director of Strategy and Communications at UPP, today discussed the future of the Higher Education (HE) sector at a 1994 Group fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference: “The Big Academy: How can the Government’s Higher Education proposals empower students and give freedom to universities?”
He said: “There is now a commercial imperative for universities to work as efficiently as they can, and that where savings are made, these are invested directly toward either their core functions of teaching and research, or towards student support. As an example, UCU identified £395m is spent by universities on bursaries and outreach each year. This could be funded by an efficiency saving of just over 4.4% across the HE sector.
It is estimated that at present, the sector is spending a total of £9bn per annum on non-core costs. Over the last 18 months HEFCE has undertaken a number of feasibility studies that suggest savings of up to 10% might be made with a more commercial approach to procurement of services. Our own experience across UPP’s 22,000 student rooms suggests that there are in fact savings to be made of between 25-30%.”
28/09/2011 - UPP Director of Strategy and Comms discusses future of Higher Education sector at Labour Conference
Jon Wakeford, Director of Strategy and Communications, UPP, speaking at the fringe event of university mission group, 1994 Group, at the Labour Party Conference and on the back of the UUK ‘Efficiency and effectiveness in higher education’ report, published recently, said:
"Efficiencies can be made from doing things differently in the HE sector. We believe real savings can be made from sharing services or working with private providers of non-core services, and that these savings can help improve the student experience.
“From our experience, across 22,000 student rooms and teaching facilities, we believe that savings of between 25-30 per cent can be made. Assuming these levels of savings could be replicated across the sector, this approach could have the potential to save £2.5bn.
“These savings on what are essentially non-core functions - can free up funds for teaching, research and bursaries that can make a real difference to affordability of study, for students."
20/09/2011 - UPP Director of Strategy and Comms discusses future of Higher Education sector at Lib Dem Conference
Jon Wakeford, UPP's Group Director of Strategy and Communications, today spoke at the fringe event of university mission group, 1994 Group, at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference, in Birmingham. He discussed UPP's role in working in partnership with universities to bring private investment into the Higher Education sector. To date UPP have procured £1.2billion of funding to develop and operate more than 22,000 student bedrooms, teaching infrastructure on university campuses, and a wide range of facilities management services.
Discussing how the Liberal Democrats can support universities and win back the confidence of students, he said: "For UPP, we have a crucial role in supporting universities and students during this turbulent transition period. It is imperative that the outcome of the changes taking place result in universities that are able to adequately fund themselves sustainably and this will require the majority of universities to work more efficiently. Where savings are realised it is critical these are used to improve the experience of students, be it by improving facilities, the quality of teaching and research or by providing more bursaries or scholarships."
19/07/2011 - The Prince’s Trust and UPP team up to help Exeter’s young unemployed
UPP has teamed up with youth charity The Prince’s Trust to offer a new course to help unemployed young people into work.
For the past two weeks, UPP and its university partner, the University of Exeter, have hosted 12 unemployed 16 – 25 year olds on The Prince’s Trust ‘Get into Facilities Management’ course.
During the course, participants gained experience in a range of facilities management roles, including reception duties, housekeeping, maintenance, and administration. Accredited training in cleaning, health and safety, fire safety and first aid were incorporated into the course, providing valuable and tangible skills for future work in the facilities management sector.
At the end of the course, participants gave presentations about their experiences at a celebration event, sponsored by the University of Exeter, to mark the end of the two-week period.
Following on from the success of the programme, UPP are now hoping to provide further training in facilities management for two of the young people who took part. Other young people will be supported by The Prince’s Trust into further education, work or training.
Mark Ware, who had a place on the ‘Get Into Facilities Management’ programme, and attended the celebration event said: “I took part in the programme to gain experience and develop my skills, to enable me to get a job. I am really happy to have been given this opportunity, and found the course insightful and refreshing.”
Rick Libbey, regional director for The Prince’s Trust in the South West said: “We’re delighted to be working with UPP and the University of Exeter to help unemployed young people into work. Both organisations are hugely passionate about providing training opportunities for young people and as such are a great example to other employers in the city.”
Jilly Court BA (Hons) MBA, Deputy Director of Campus Services at the University of Exeter, said: "The 'Get in FM' scheme is a great opportunity; providing valuable experience for young people which will assist them in finding employment in the future. The University of Exeter has a large Facilities Management team which provides key services for students, staff and visitors, it is important that we are able to encourage people to consider Facilities Management as a worthwhile career, as such we are delighted to be able to support this initiative of the Prince's Trust and UPP.”
Sean O’Shea, Chief Executive of UPP said: “Our long-standing partnership with the Prince’s Trust continues to provide more young people with the opportunities they need to build a career. As the leading provider of student accommodation and asset management services, we are dedicated to providing training opportunities for young people on our sites, and investing in the communities in which we work. We are delighted to be working with the University of Exeter on this programme, and would like to thank them for all their help and support.”
UPP is the leading provider of campus infrastructure, student accommodation and residential management services to the HE sector. Working in partnership with universities, UPP provides specialist residential management services, including facilities management.
Youth charity The Prince's Trust helps change young lives. It gives practical and financial support, developing key workplace skills such as confidence and motivation. It works with 14-to 30-year-olds who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. More than three in four young peopled helped by The Prince’s Trust move into work or training.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Fran O’Leary, Ian Lindsley or Martha Dalton, Jefferson Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7256 8912
Email:
Notes to Editors
1.University Partnerships Programme (UPP)
University Partnerships Programme (UPP) is the trading name of UPP Group Holdings Ltd. and its subsidiaries. UPP specialises in funding, developing and operating student accommodation and campus infrastructure schemes as well as delivering asset management services. It has invested almost £1 billion in the Higher Education sector and plans to invest a further £1 billion over the next two years.
2.The Prince’s Trust
Youth charity The Prince's Trust helps change young lives. It gives practical and financial support, developing key workplace skills such as confidence and motivation. It works with 13- to 30-year-olds who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. The Prince’s Trust has helped more than 650,000 young people since 1976 and supports 100 more each day. More than three in four young people The Trust helped last year moved into work, education or training. Further information about The Prince’s Trust is available at http://www.princes-trust.org.uk or on 0800 842 842.
20/06/2011 - Topping-Out Ceremony at UPP’s £24 million student accommodation project at the University of Kent
UPP’s £24 million student accommodation project at the University of Kent will today ‘top-out’ – reaching a milestone in the build. The four-storey student accommodation block at Keynes College has reached its highest point, this will be celebrated by the university, UPP and construction partners, Mansell, at a topping out ceremony today.
Once complete, the on-campus development, provided through a long-term partnership between UPP and the University of Kent, will comprise 495 new build student rooms adjacent to the existing Keynes College. The majority of rooms will be ensuite, constructed in eight room clusters, 45 rooms will be created in five townhouses, and five purpose built one-bedroom flats will also be constructed. A separate facilities management hub will complement the accommodation.
The project incorporates innovative environmental measures, following UPP’s award-winning Eco Residence model of sustainable development. The project is designed to achieve a BREEAM “Excellent” rating, by using responsibly resourced concrete and recycled materials where possible.
Professor Keith Mander, University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Physical Resources, said:
“The provision of high quality teaching, high quality residential accommodation and other student-facing services is becoming increasingly important as students are asked to make ever-greater contributions to the cost of their education. New buildings are an important component of the University’s plans to provide high quality facilities for its students as we go into this new era. It has been a particular pleasure to be once again working with UPP and Mansell to develop these new student residences.”
UPP Chief Executive, Sean O’Shea, said:
“Construction is well underway and this milestone in the build demonstrates a fantastic step towards completion of the project. This development has been designed with sustainability in mind and to further enhance the student experience. We’re looking forward to working closely with our construction partners and suppliers in delivering the completed project for the next academic year.”
Mansell’s Construction Director, Kevin Atkinson, said:
“Working with UPP and the University of Kent has proven to be a very successful partnership that has allowed us to deliver a high quality, well designed community where students want to live. This development sets a high standard for university accommodation and, following the topping out, we’re looking forward to moving to the final phase of construction.”
Once completed, UPP’s residential management arm will operate the new student accommodation and deliver bespoke hard facilities management services. The scheme will provide students with new affordable accommodation, which will help to further enhance the student experience. The project is UPP’s second development at Kent, where UPP has previously delivered a lecture theatre, student accommodation and teaching and conference facilities. UPP has now invested over £50 million into the University of Kent since their partnership began in 2008. Overall, UPP has now invested over £1.2 billion into the UK Higher Education sector since its inception.
Construction will reach completion in September 2011.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
1. UPP
University Partnerships Programme (UPP) is the trading name of UPP Group Holdings Ltd and its subsidiaries. It specialises in funding, developing and operating student accommodation and campus infrastructure schemes as well as delivering residential management services. It has invested £1.2 billion in the Higher Education sector and plans to invest a further £1 billion into UK universities.
http://www.upp-ltd.com
2. The University of Kent was established at Canterbury in 1965 and has now become known as the UK’s European university, with students in Brussels and Paris as well as at its other Kent campuses at Medway and Tonbridge. It has nearly 20,000 students, of which around 17,000 are undergraduates and approaching 3,000 are postgraduates. The University has consistently been rated by its own students as one of the best universities in the UK in the National Student Survey for the quality of its teaching and academic provision. The 2012 Guardian University Guide sees Kent ranked 23th with one third of its subjects in the top 12 nationally for teaching. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, the University was placed 24th out of 159 participating institutions in the UK for its world-leading research, while 97% of its academic staff work in schools or centres where the research is rated as either internationally or nationally excellent. In 2008, the University was awarded The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for the work of its Kent Law Clinic. The University’s strong European impact is reinforced by long-standing partnerships with more than 100 universities in mainland Europe and it is the only UK university to have specialist postgraduate centres in Brussels and Paris. The University has also developed relationships with many leading overseas universities outside Europe and in 2010 launched a new initiative to offer more scholarships to students from Hong Kong and China. It is a major educational, economic and cultural force in Canterbury, Medway and throughout the rest of Kent, supporting innovation and enterprise across the region. During 2010/2011 the University expects to contribute at least £200m to the economy of the Canterbury district alone.
3. The new development at the University of Kent will provide:
An investment of £24.0 million into the university
495 new student rooms
A sustainable development following UPP’s Eco Residence model. The superstructure will be built using highly insulated, air tight timber panels sourced from sustainable, managed forests, producing a significantly better carbon footprint than the norm. The timber frames will be manufactured off-site to minimise waste.