School of Business
Leicester Vaughan College
Established: 2017
Legal structure: Community Benefit Society
Who we are
Leicester Vaughan College (LVC) is an independent higher education college set up as a co-operative community benefit society to continue the work of the former Vaughan College, which ceased operation after more than 100 years.
We are working towards providing university-level education dedicated to the needs of part-time learners and to those wanting a second chance to study and we provide degree-level part-time courses, workshops, and seminars.
The challenge
How best to develop the planned learning offer according to local needs and to involve businesses in the learning environment. Building accountability by involving residents from local communities to be directly involved in the development of the learning prospectus and the governance of the Community Benefit College. Developing viable financial strategies. Ensuring sustainability.
What was required
Build outreach to engage with and support the diversity within our local communities to meet learning needs. Promote this innovative new addition to the higher education landscape. Engage students to be actively involved in designing and reviewing learning.
Tools used:
- Applying for finance.
- Plan, pioneer and deliver a co-operative university-level college programme
- Legal structures
- Business planning
- Recruitment and HR
Working with the project helped LVC to increase confidence in business delivery, better understand marketing strategies and to improve understanding of bid writing. The group was also assisted to develop and implement a business plan.
Growth acceleration through
Business modelling: Developing short-, medium- and long-term goals and financial strategies. Establishing LVC’s mission, values, ethics, principles and practices. Developing a funding bid for a three-year university programme.
Business planning: Strategies, tools and resources for developing an accredited Higher Education offer to be sold to employers and the education sector. Devising a three-year plan of action.
Action planning: Led to creation of innovative physiological health and safety course. Attainment of three-year funding to run the course. Creation of two jobs. New offers such as Discovery Learning Circles.
“Working within the Growth Accelerator project has allowed Leicester Vaughan College to benefit from the skills, advice and experience of various advisers and this has been an immense help in terms of business development and planning. We have a stronger idea of our business and feel more confident to bid for finance. This confidence has assisted us to gain funding to appoint two people who will undertake an innovative programme which will take our organisation to another level, and we are very positive for our future.” Leicester Vaughan College