A unique partnership between the University of Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes Council, UCMK has brought higher education to Milton Keynes and become the centre of an information technology revolution through its collaboration with the MK Smart Cities initiative.

At the heart of the MK:SMART project is the cutting-edge MK Data Hub, located at UCMK. The MK Data Hub will support business growth by creating opportunities for local businesses to develop new products and services.

Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce also became involved with UCMK and signed an agreement to promote enterprise, growth and innovation across the city. Other highlights over the past year have included a space technology showcase and awareness event.

BA Journalism student, Charlie Ray, was named Milton Keynes College Student of the Year. Charlie was one of the first UCMK students to complete a full BA Honours degree in Journalism and has since gone on to create the local Milton Keynes website CitiBlog.

UCMK also became an official partner with local football team, MK Dons with MK Dons' Chairman Pete Winkelman receiving an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bedfordshire for his sporting achievements and his work for the city of Milton Keynes.

UCMK received funding from the UK's innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board, to carry out research into the development of innovative traffic management systems. The project was completed thanks to the efforts of UCMK Professor of Computer Science, Ben Allen and Dr Eduardo Cano, Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Following the award, UCMK collaborated with Milton Keynes-based Ivy Ltd to develop an innovative solar energy sensor.

“As UCMK enters into its second year, we are excited to continue to grow and expand our partnerships with local businesses and communities,” said Paul Sant, Associate Dean at UCMK.

“The University has already achieved a lot in a short amount of time and the coming year brings many exciting developments, both for the University and Milton Keynes.”

For more information on UCMK and availability of courses, visit UCMK