April 10, 2014 9.44 am
This story is over 98 months old
Lincoln College signs £250m deal in Saudi Arabia
Official signing: Lincoln College signed the £250 million contract to run three colleges in Saudi Arabia.
Lincoln College's Vice Principal and Deputy Chief Executive Ian Sackree and Principal and Chief Executive John Allen officially signing the contract with representatives from Colleges of Excellence and the Human Resources Development Fund. File: Shooting Star PR
Lincoln College officially signed a £250 million contract to establish three colleges in Saudi Arabia during a ceremony in the capital Riyadh on April 8.
In total, 100 colleges are being set up across Saudi Arabia as part of its Colleges of Excellence programme, aimed at improving education and training.
Lincoln College was one of 12 education providers from across the globe selected to operate 26 colleges in this latest wave of bidding.
Each provider has been offered an initial five-year contract to deliver vocational training and employment-related skills to Saudi men and women.
Of the three colleges to be operated by Lincoln College, one will be for women and two will be for men.
Overall, some 825 Saudi students, including 275 women, will be trained each year once the colleges reach full capacity.
Following the official signing Lincoln College is now in the process of recruiting senior staff to manage the colleges, two of which are on target to open in September 2014.
The college is also procuring IT, furniture and other equipment as well as appointing a graphic designer to create the branding.
Many of the suppliers are being sought from the East Midlands to help boost the local economy.
The Managing Director of Lincoln College International, Simon Plummer. Photo: Shooting Star
The Managing Director of Lincoln College International, Simon Plummer, said: “We were delighted to officially put pen to paper during the ceremony at the Colleges of Excellence headquarters.
“His Excellency Dr Ali bin Nasser Al Ghafis, the Governor of Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, was keen to emphasise the Kingdom’s commitment to improving the employment prospects of Saudi men and women and we’re honoured to be part of this mission.
“This contract win strengthens Lincoln College’s standing as a world-class technical and vocational training college and helps to put Lincoln and the UK on the world stage in terms of education.”
Minister of State for Skills and Enterprise, Matthew Hancock, has been keen to underline the UK Government’s support for the UK bids.
“These deals are a vote of confidence in the UK’s improving education system,” he said.
“Exporting helps companies grow and is a vital part of the Government’s long-term economic plan to create jobs and reduce the deficit.
“I visited Saudi Arabia earlier this year in support of UK bidders and am particularly pleased that they will soon be offering high-quality practical skills training to an additional 24,000 Saudi students including 14,000 Saudi women.
“I look forward to seeing the UK’s education and training presence continue to grow in Saudi Arabia and internationally. I encourage any company with global ambitions to contact UKTI.”
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We are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a collision caused serious injuries to a 23-year-old man.
Just before 3.30pm yesterday (2 July), we received reports of a collision on Barholm Road in Tallington. It involved a grey BMW 335D estate, a blue BMW 116D and an orange KTM motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider, a 23-year-old man, sustained serious injuries during the collision and was taken to hospital.
If you witnessed the incident and are yet to get in touch with us, please do so. If you have any other information or dashcam footage available that may have captured the road along the A1175 at the time of the collision, get in touch.
By calling 101 quoting incident 282 of 2 July.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 282 of 2 July in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.
The 2022 Destination Lincolnshire Tourism Excellence Awards are open for applications, and Destination Lincolnshire giving you the rare chance to co-create your application with Nell Barrington, a tourism awards veteran, who has helped hundreds of businesses write winning applications over the last 15 years – including national VisitEngland winners.
The Tourism Awards Masterclass is taking place on Tuesday 12 July at 11am for one-hour online. Laura Freer, Head of Marketing at Destination Lincolnshire said: “This is a golden opportunity, after years of hard work and heartache, to get your business and team recognised and rewarded.
“A well written application is key to achieving a coveted place on this year’s shortlist, and I’d encourage all tourism and visitor economy businesses who are thinking of entering – whether they are seasoned at writing award applications or not – to join us for this exclusive masterclass.
“Nell Barrington has worked with us and VisitEngland on the founding application processes of these awards, and she is perfectly placed to assist in co-creating applications that you can be proud of. This is a great opportunity for business development too – whether you are shortlisted for an award or not – discovering how to effectively apply for awards and talk up your business adds another string to your bow.
“Booking is essential and places are limited to just 35 – so be quick! This year we’ve made our masterclass available to partners and also to those who we are yet to work with for free. Call it an added bonus, after two years away from the awards circuit.
The awards masterclass is focussed on the application process, and it will spell out what the judges are looking for. You’ll learn how to make your application stand out from the local competition, helping your chances of going through to the national VisitEngland Awards in 2023.”
There are fifteen categories open for nominations from visitors attraction, accommodation providers, hospitality businesses and many more.
The deadline for nominations is July 29, with online judging starting on July 30 and mystery shopping from August 13. Finalists will be announced on Monday, August 15.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Engine Shed on October 21, and will be hosted by Lincs FM presenter, John Marshall.
The event is organised by Stonebow Media, publishers of The Lincolnite, to celebrate the best businesses in Greater Lincolnshire, alongside headline sponsors Lincoln College and Destination Lincolnshire.
We would also like to thank our other sponsors Visit Lincolnshire, Heart of Lincs, Duncan and Toplis and LNER, insight6 and EV Camel.