Hosted by Lord Burlington, Chancellor of the University of Derby, the event provided an opportunity to showcase the University’s commitment to social mobility, academic excellence, innovation, alongside the expansion of opportunities for students in partnership with global industry brands including Amazon and ICE, who were also in attendance.
The evening highlighted the forthcoming opening of the Cavendish Building, which is set to be the new home to Derby Business School later this year and be a blueprint for the collaboration between education and industry, and a catalyst for business enterprise and growth in the city centre.
During the evening details were shared of the University’s new and exciting initiative, ‘Opening Doors to Opportunity’, designed to support students, alumni, the wider region, and beyond.
Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Derby, said: “I was delighted to welcome new and familiar supporters of the University to celebrate existing collaborations and explore opportunities for the institution’s further growth.
“At the University of Derby, industry engagement is at the heart of our teaching and research, and we are proud to collaborate with partners who positively impact our student’s journey and future employment.
“Our ‘Opening Doors to Opportunity’ initiative demonstrates this mission reflecting our proud legacy and our bold future. As a university, we are committed to opening doors for our students, for industry and business to create pathways of opportunity that will empower the next generation to thrive.”
The new seven-storey Cavendish Building, located in the heart of Derby’s city centre, is set to welcome hundreds of students this autumn. It will serve as a hub for the local business community, providing a place for students to learn from, and in turn, inspire local business leaders and entrepreneurs.
As a University of Industry, surrounded by global players in the manufacturing industry, Derby continues to utilise its position to launch future-focused initiatives. This September, the University welcomes its first cohort of students onto its accelerated International Business and AI degree created and delivered in partnership with Rolls-Royce.
Find out more about the University of Derby’s new future-focused Business School.