The University of Wolverhampton and Black Country Living Museum have launched a new education partnership to provide enhanced learning opportunities for communities across the Black Country.

The new 'Black Country Studies Centre' will offer guest talks, taster courses, student placements and research projects to create unique learning opportunities for the region and which build on the history of the Black Country. 

The partnership aims to achieve learning outcomes that will help local people to develop their employability skills, raise aspirations and encourage community cohesion. Jackie Dunne, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, said: “The provision of lifelong and life-wide learning opportunities is a core function of both the University and the Black Country Living Museum.

“We are committed to ensuring that the rich artistic and industrial heritage of the region is shared with our local communities and used to enrich lives, strengthen identity, raise aspirations and improve health and wellbeing.

“Both organisations have a significant presence within the Black Country, with strong links to our local communities, and the new Black Country Studies Centre will be ideally placed to offer enhanced learning opportunities for local people.”

The two organisations have worked together for a number of years on joint educational programmes, offering a range of immersive learning experiences focusing on skills and resources that have helped to shape the Black Country through a lifelong learning initiative called IgnitEd. Andrew Lovett, Director & Chief Executive at Black Country Living Museum, added:

“The Black Country Studies Centre has been created to formalise our current relationship with the University.

"Together and through a programme of inspirational activities we will continue to explore the history of the area and how that history informs our understanding of ourselves and our communities."