INTO University Partnerships

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INTO University Partnerships is a British limited company that specialises in setting up joint ventures with universities. It focuses on the provision of foundation courses for international students, including English language, especially English for Academic Purposes.

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[edit] History

It was founded in 2005 and is chaired by Andrew Colin, who had previously set up Study Group, another international education group, and Embassy CES, a chain of language schools. He is an entrepreneur who enjoys excitement and adrenaline, including heli-skiing[1]. Colin has a background as a property developer[2] . "We are not trying to make money out of the tuition fees.... INTO is going to make money out of the buildings."[3]

Under the joint venture model, the university remains responsible for educational quality[4], while INTO provides the marketing and finance.

INTO has so far set up joint ventures with three British universities, Newcastle, Exeter, and East Anglia. INTO's latest opening is the £30 million six-storey centre at UEA, with 415 en-suite study-bedrooms and classroom space for 600 students[5], due to open in September 2008.

[edit] Future plans

INTO is in discussion with at least ten other British universities. Several others have been approached and declined, following staff protests. The International Centre for English Language Studies (ICELS) at Oxford Brookes University strongly opposed INTO's approach [6], a campaign which succeeded [7]. Bristol and Southampton have also been approached and decided not to go ahead with INTO. The University of Essex, following questions from the University and College Union [8], has explained the benefits of working with INTO [9]. The guarantees that INTO offers to existing staff are under dispute. [10] Andrew Colin rejects this criticism, saying "Give me three years and I will show you it is possible to create secure, well-paid jobs in EAP, and more of them," and rejects the similarity of his business model to private finance initiatives (PFI).[11]

[edit] Accounts question

INTO reached the parliamentary record when MP Austin Mitchell asked why it had not filed financial records with Companies House[12], as it is legally obliged to do. Andrew Colin said in the Times Higher Education that the delay in submitting accounts was a "simple mistake"[13]. He also revealed that the first set of submitted accounts showed a loss of £1.7m, but stated that the company would be beyond the break-even point by the third year.

[edit] Aircraft

According to the Civil Aviation Authority's database on registered civil aircraft, the company (or a subsidiary trading as INTO Air) owns a Swiss-built Pilatus_PC-12 turbo-prop aircraft, with registration G-INTO [14]. An article in General Aviation magazine quotes the cost of these aircraft at $4m and states that Andrew Colin has ordered a second aircraft for delivery in 2010 [15].

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Sovreign Credit
  2. ^ Espalier Group Ltd, a property company owned by Colin and sharing the same registered address in London.
  3. ^ English Language Gazette "Profiteer or prophet?" interview by Melanie Butler, August 2007, available from the INTO Media Pack
  4. ^ "UK University Foundation Courses" by Melanie Butler, Moscow Times Jobs & Careers supplement March 2008
  5. ^ "Spirited Blessing for Student Centre" 19 March 2008
  6. ^ Hands Off ICELS campaign
  7. ^ “University drops English privatisation plans” Guardian article by Debbie Andalo, 30 March 2007
  8. ^ Union briefing document for university council
  9. ^ University council response
  10. ^ “Hive-off row” Times Higher Education Supplement 9 Feb 2007
  11. ^ English Language Gazette "Profiteer or prophet?" interview by Melanie Butler, August 2007, available from the INTO media page
  12. ^ Hansard record
  13. ^ Times Higher Education "Into founder says his private capital supports public work"
  14. ^ Civil Aviation Authority database accessed 15 March 2008.
  15. ^ General Aviation August 2007, p21. "PC-12s gang up at Goodwood"

[edit] See also

[edit] External links