Deputy Lord Mayor donates money to Birmingham City University
Whilst he was holding his previous post of Lord Mayor, Michael Wilkes used the Lord Mayor’s charity fund to make a donation of £6,000 to Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment. This money has been used to found the Lord Mayor’s Prize, which is to be made annually to reward outstanding engineering students. This year’s recipient, Craig McKenzie, received the honour at a prize giving ceremony on Friday 25th February 2011 at the Banqueting Suite at Birmingham Council House. Councillor Wilkes, who also held the post of the University’s Chancellor whilst he was Lord Mayor, is determined to promote Birmingham’s once world-class manufacturing sector. He says: “A lot of Birmingham’s traditional engineering companies have disappeared and I would like to do my bit to help strengthen engineering across Birmingham and the West Midlands. I am especially keen to see resurgence in mechanical engineering because it is creative and involves making things. Manufacturing is essential because I believe an economy the size of Britain’s can’t be sustained by just a service sector – we need a strong manufacturing industry too." Councillor Wilkes continues, “During my year as Lord Mayor I had the opportunity to donate money to two good causes of my own choice, one of which was to encourage the study and teaching of engineering. Whilst Lord Mayor I also held the post of the Chancellor of Birmingham City University and have a high regard for the work the University has done in Birmingham and in the wider region. We need more young people to take an interest in engineering and this is my attempt to raise engineering’s profile. I would like to see engineering play a larger role in Birmingham and I believe that increasing the profile and number of engineers – at all levels – will help." Associate Dean of the University’s Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment, Peter Rayson says, “When Councillor Wilkes took office as Lord Mayor one of his objectives was raising the profile of engineering education within the city. He was very active in this regard and showed a keen interest in the Faculty’s undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and our external industry collaborations. He actively supported the Faculty at many of our event events and at the end of his period in office he told us he wanted to leave a legacy, for which we are very grateful.” Find out more about the Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment at Birmingham City University. Looking for funding for postgraduate studies in 2011? Check out the exclusive bursaries on offer from Postgrad Solutions. Content added on 1st March 2011. |
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Birmingham's Deputy Lord Mayor has donated money to Birmingham City University to help revive manufacturing in the region.