23 June 2005
Issued by the cabinet office emergency planning college and the University of Leeds

LUBS and EPC partnership
Leeds University business school and the cabinet office emergency planning college (EPC) today announced a groundbreaking partnership that will directly contribute to improving the nation’s resilience to emergencies and disasters through the delivery of high quality training and education.

The partnership heralds the formation of a ‘centre of excellence’ that will offer a unique range of qualifications from vocational to Master’s degree in civil protection, risk management, business continuity, emergency planning and related subjects.

Leeds University business school will now be directly involved in the design, development and delivery of training products tailored to meet the needs of all services, agencies and individuals involved in resilience activities. This will bring the academic quality of a university of national and international standing to bear on the pursuit of higher operational performance standards amongst resilience practitioners nationally.

The new courses will be available from September 2006 with teaching delivered at the EPC in Easingwold (near York), the Leeds University business school campus and by distance learning methods. Meanwhile EPC will also expand its delivery of training at customer locations and regional centres throughout the UK.

Students choosing to take higher level courses and qualifications will also enrol as members of the University of Leeds, whilst those undertaking programmes with other providers (such as the Open University) will be able to transfer credits earned in their civil protection studies into other qualifications and subject areas. Ultimately the intention is to offer accredited modules to other universities, colleges and training providers for embodiment into appropriate courses.

There is already a great deal of interest in this area of study – practical, professional and academic. In common with wider trends, EPC’s existing delegates are keen to have their training and professionalism recognised through academic qualification, and this partnership will satisfy the full range of those aspirations.

Michael Charlton-Weedy, chief executive of the emergency planning college, explains: “This partnership allows us to enhance the UK’s resilience whilst simultaneously meeting customer demand for accredited qualifications. Working with Leeds University business school we shall together support and reinforce the professionalism of everyone involved in coping with the array of disruptive challenges that the nation faces.”

The identification and promotion of best practice in civil protection is a key governmental responsibility and the EPC, as part of the cabinet office civil contingencies secretariat, is responsible for meeting the training requirements created by the new Civil Contingencies Act 2004. The importance, scale and priority of those requirements created the need to reinforce the college’s capacity, and this partnership is the most effective and economic solution to that challenge.

Talking of their new partner, Michael Charlton-Weedy, added; “In Leeds University business school we have secured an exceptional partner who will be highly advantageous for the college, the cabinet office and ultimately for UK resilience. This is a first class university with a very strong practical side, which has the expertise and enthusiasm to maximise the potential of the emergency planning college in Easingwold”.

Professor Andrew Lock, dean of Leeds University business school, said: “We regard the collaboration with the EPC as a major opportunity to increase our outreach and to have greater positive impact on people’s careers and on national priorities.”

The emergency planning society (EPS) has also expressed strong support for the new partnership. Debbie Spargo, chief executive of the EPS said: “Not only will this benefit our members individually, but it will also help to reinforce the identity, image and quality of the emergency planning profession collectively.”

The partnership, a first for the cabinet office, is unique in the depth and breadth of learning opportunities it offers and is an exciting venture that will credit those in the emergency planning profession with appropriate academic recognition.

Notes for editors

About the emergency planning college
The college is the UK’s centre for the delivery of multi-agency training in civil protection (formerly and still widely known as emergency planning and management), which is a key component of national resilience. It is a subordinate part of the cabinet office civil contingencies secretariat, which is responsible for the co-ordination of the national resilience effort.

The Hawkhills Estate in Easingwold (home to the college) was purchased by the war department in 1937 as a training establishment. In 1949 it became the civil defence school (latterly college), which in 1989 was re-named the emergency planning college after the end of the Cold War. Responsibility for the site and its function moved from the home office to the cabinet office in 2001.

The EPC trains some 6,500 people each year at the Hawkhills and at locations throughout the UK. About 50% of that figure is from local government; 20% from the emergency services; 10% from the private sector (especially the utility companies); 6% from the NHS; 5% from central government; and the remainder from the voluntary sector and other areas. This diversity underlines the multi-agency nature of the college’s training, which brings together all those involved within a common operating doctrine. The courses cover the entire span from junior grade to chief executive and chief officer.

The college delivers training in a wide variety of subjects, but these can be grouped into risk management; planning, management and recovery for all types of emergency however caused; business continuity; human and animal health; and crowd and event safety.

About Leeds University business school
Leeds University business school (LUBS) is one of nine faculties of the University of Leeds. It has over 90 academic staff and 2122 full-time equivalent students, 555 of whom are postgraduates.

LUBS is ranked amongst the top 100 business schools in the world by The Economist 2004. The 2005 survey by the Financial Times ranked LUBS 5th in the UK, 8th in Europe, for the quality of the research published by its staff. The school is one of only 16 UK business schools to hold accreditation under the European quality improvement system (EQUIS) and its MBA programmes are accredited by the association of MBAs (AMBA). Only approximately one-third of MBA programmes in the UK hold that accreditation.

LUBS has an established set of major corporate clients including First Direct, Kelda Group (Yorkshire Water), National Australia Group (Yorkshire Bank), and DLA.

For further information or to set up an interview please contact:

Campbell McDonald, government communication team, cabinet office; 020 7276 0311.
Email: Campbell.macdonald@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk

Elaina Botham, marketing & sales manager, emergency planning office: 01347 825025
Email: Elaina.botham@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk

Allan Bolton, general manager, Leeds University business school: 0113 343 4884.
Email: arb@lubs.leeds.ac.uk