Keele University has agreed a partnership with a national firm to boost students’ skills and knowledge in infrastructure communications.
The university will work with Copper Consultancy to help students develop their skills in communications, particularly related to projects such as renewable energy developments.
The partnership will also see the two organisations develop research on how infrastructure projects can best secure buy-in from society for future developments, as the Government continues to push forward with plans to support clean energy projects in a bid to meet decarbonisation and growth targets.
Copper will work with students at Keele University’s Institute for Sustainable Futures to provide insight into real-world projects, and the two organisations will work on joint research to better understand the challenges and opportunities of securing buy-in to the net zero transition.
Copper is also hoping to learn from Keele University’s experience, including its Smart Energy Network Demonstrator, and Keele’s students will have opportunities to support communications for major infrastructure projects at Copper.
Dr Pawas Bisht, Senior Lecturer in Media, Communications, and Creative Practice at Keele University, said: “This partnership provides an important pathway for Keele to further extend its world-leading sustainability research, education and impact into the vital domain of strategic environmental communications.
“With Copper’s support, we will be able to provide students from across natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, opportunities to gain exposure to real-word communicative challenges and linked professional opportunities presented by the net-zero transition.
“We also look forward to knowledge sharing and collaborative research activities building on our strengths in the areas of environmental storytelling and community-based approaches to decarbonisation.
“The Keele Institute for Sustainable Futures, which will be coordinating these initiatives, foresees this partnership with Copper as the start of a productive long-term relationship enhancing our firm commitment to transdisciplinary working.”
Martin McCrink, Managing Partner at Copper, said: “The opportunity to collaborate with Keele University means we can support the next generation of leaders to embed communications into their thinking. Securing public and political buy-in to the change required for the net zero transition is key to whether we can adapt quickly enough.
“The talent we can attract, retain and support to grow at Copper is critical to our success and we are keen to create deep roots with the institutions who are educating tomorrow’s leaders.
“The transition to net zero will require a broader range of skills than ever before and this includes communications. At Copper, we see opportunities across renewables, nuclear power, water, transport, change management and construction. That’s why we have set up this partnership.”
Copper is part of RSK Group, which has recently established links with Keele University.
