Nick Herbert MP to give lecture on rural communities

The University of Chichester is delighted to welcome local MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to talk as part of its Distinguished Lecture Series on the Thursday 28th January 2010.

Nick Herbert will be giving a lecture on issues surrounding rural communities and the environment. It will take place in the Mitre Theatre at the University’s Bishop Otter Campus in College Lane, Chichester at 6.30pm.

Nick has been the MP for Arundel and South Downs since 2005. In December of that year David Cameron appointed him as the Shadow Minister for Police Reform and in July 2007 he was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary for State for Justice. In January 2009 Nick was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Previously Nick was Chief Executive of Business for Sterling, where he launched the successful ‘no’ campaign against the Euro. Nick is also passionate about defending rural communities. For several years he worked for the British Field Sports Society, becoming its Director of Political Affairs. In this role he played a leading role in setting up the Countryside Movement, which became the Countryside Alliance.

There is no charge for attending any of the Distinguished Lectures at the University and they are open to all. Car parking is available on the University campus. All Lectures take place in the Mitre Theatre at 6.30pm.

There are two more Distinguished Lectures is the series. Lord Falconer will be talking on ‘The Changing Constitution’ on Thursday 25th February and Professor Chris Stringer will be presenting a lecture on ‘The Early Human Occupation of Britain and Europe’ on Thursday 11th March.

To reserve your space for the Nick Herbert lecture or any of the other talks please contact the University’s events team on 01243 812149 or email events@chi.ac.uk.

Business networking event at University of Chichester is a success

A business networking event with the University of Chichester in Bognor Regis has been attended by more than 60 companies from across the Arun district.

The “University of Chichester and Local Business Session” was the last in the series of a free programme of workshops arranged by Arun District Council’s Bognor Regis Regeneration Task Force in association with the Arun Business Partnership, Bognor Regis Chamber of Commerce, Business Link, Butlins, and the University of Chichester to help local businesses flourish.

It was organised for local businesses to find out what opportunities there are to work with the University.

Businesses were given presentations on the plans for the £8million re-development of the Bognor Regis campus, on how to become a supplier to the University, and the services the University can provide for management training and business development.

Dr Andy Dixon, Head of the Research and Employer Engagement Office at the University of Chichester, said: “It was great to see so many businesses at the University interested in what we have to offer. For many of them, this was their first time on the campus so we were delighted to welcome them.

“Everyone I spoke to was very positive about the evening and the opportunities available for working with the University. I look forward to working with them in the future.”

The event followed a similar networking session held before Christmas at Butlins in Bognor Regis.

Richard McMann, head of the Bognor Regis Regeneration Task Force, said:

“Our recently launched Developer and Partner Charter created a commitment for developers and investors to work with our local businesses and these free networking events for local businesses have all been a tremendous example of the Charter in action. Their success means we will offer more of them too.

“Many of the people who attended last night had never before been to the University so the sheer number of people who attended was a result in itself.”

“The expansion and growth of the University Bognor Regis campus is as important as any other development in the town's regeneration programme and the event was a wonderful opportunity for our local businesses to learn how they can benefit from it, and be part of it too."