The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation has awarded £17,500 to PrimeTimers to progress the concept of a civil society university.

The funding will pay for a feasibility study into the viability of such an institution, the gathering of support from interested sector bodies, and a national conference to explore how to take the project onto its next stage.

The feasibility study is planned to establish what the demand is, what topics might be included, how it would be funded and what sorts of qualifications could be offered.

The idea of a university devoted to sector-specific learning was first discussed two years ago in a series of public debates hosted by Emeritus Professor Martin Albrow, visiting Fellow at the Centre for Global Governance at the London School of Economics.

Mary Chadwick, director of PrimeTimers, said there was general consensus from both inside and outside the sector that sector groups have a much greater role to play in society, “so now is the ideal time to look at formalising the concept for a higher education system dedicated to civil society”.

She added it was particularly timely given the political parties’ expressed support for early years funding, which could come at the expense of higher education. “The case for an independent flexible education system for the sector which is accessible to all ages at any stage in their careers, must be an attractive option.”

At the end of the one-year funding, if the feasibility study shows the concept to be viable, a new five-year plan will be devised and “major funding” sought to establish the university.

Chadwick said it would not be a “red brick university” but a type of “virtual university”.  While it is being incubated by PrimeTimers, the social enteprise that matches businesspeople with charities in need of particular skills and counts Acevo chief executive Stephen Bubb and former Lloyds TSB Foundation director Kathleen Duncan among its panel members, Chadwick said it would be “owned by civil society”.  

She envisaged it would be focused mainly on workplace learning, though there may also be opportunities for full-time study.

“The reality is that if you work in a social enterprise or a charity your opportunities to enhance or accredit your skills are not the same as if you worked in the public or the private sector,” Chadwick said.

“We also want it to be something that expresses the values that govern civil society.”