Monday, June 20, 2011

Burnley football College student promo video.

As Burnley FC have got themselves the support and funding to open up a college at their place of business, I thought I would add their promo video to attract students.
Good luck guys!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Those in favour... Please speak up!

Still waiting for the Green light for the project. I had no idea I could be this patient!
It is my hope that Tun Mahathir likes the idea and puts in on the Proton/Petronas table for discussion and financing.
It would be nice to think that my name would appear on the ensuing org chart.
I read on a blog (Lotusbuzz) that the old Group Lotus CEO is in hospital with a lung condition.

My only contact with him was by telephone. It was obvious that many people had spoken to him about me. Mostly in order to ensure that I was not hired!

One thing I would like to clear up. I do not have an axe to grind with anyone associated with the Hethel Engineering Centre. The previous head of engineering Dave Tait was instrumental in setting the centre up. I met the man once and shook his hand. He seemed to be very personable. End of story.

I don't intend to answer any other accusations or libelous statements. I do occasionally wonder what makes some people tick.

I'm sure that Tun Mahathir is his own Man and will see through the BullsDoody and make up his own mind.

It would be nice if those who see merit in this would speak up.

Once again for those of you who cannot envisage this, here is a link to the SkySports video on the Burnley football college... 'Why has nobody thought of it before?'   -Brian Barwick FA Chief Executive 2005 - 2008

Formula1.com has an article on how a former F1 in schools student got a job at Red Bull F1 team. Adrian Newey is a patron of F1inschools. It reads like an adfomercial.
Here's the link: A dream realised - from F1 in Schools to Red Bull Racing

I read on the forums that Tony Fernandes was interested in buying Group Lotus at one point, pre Dany Bahar I imagine. I attended an ASLI Auto conference with Alex Yoong a couple of years ago. Alex told me he had met a Lotus Engineering Man on a plane who had suggested he do some work with Lotus Engineering Malaysia (Part of Group Lotus).
Alex now does Driver development for Team Lotus...
Here is his boss on CNN:

Monday, June 13, 2011

NAZA (Partners in Team Lotus) open Automotive college.

On the weekend, I emailed decision makers in Proton/Petronas and shared the following links:
http://bcove.me/4g0rrpsp  SKYSports News


This video shows several high level people talk of their revolutionary Football College in Burnley.
It is worth viewing. I wish I could get like minded people to work with me.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13730531   BBC Audio Link

Maybe now that someone has actually done this, albeit in Football, some forward thinkers in Proton and Petronas will see the light.


The partners of Tony Fernandes are (NAZA) made some educational news too...

NAZA a car assembly and sales company in Malaysia, whose name you see emblazoned on the Team Lotus car are opening an Automotive college.
Here is the Bernama Link to the story.

Help, Naza To Jointly Establish Automotive College

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 (Bernama) -- Help International Corporation Bhd and Naza Education Sdn Bhd have set up a joint venture company, Symphony Haven Sdn Bhd, to establish and operate a college that specialises in offering courses in automotive and transportation management.

In a filing to Bursa Malaysia Friday, Help International Corporation said the focus would initially be in Malaysia with a view to expanding to Asean countries.

"The establishment of this automotive college is part of Help's diversification plans to offer technical and vocational training for the nation," it added.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Burnley University opens for business. If Football can do it... Why can't Motorsports?

UK university to offer only football business degrees -BBC Audio file link.
Today Sky sports (UK) showed an interview with Brian Barwick, the former FA chief asking him why no-one else has ever thought of this!
Sky Sports News Video link
He seemed to be quite proud that he and his partners were such ground breaking thinkers.
Burnley is charging £6000 per year for it's services. The degrees will be transferrable to other disciplines outside of football.
Sounds good to me!
Another site http://www.freshbusinessthinking.com/  Has the following quote:

Brendan Flood, who sits on the board of directors at Burnley FC, is one of the chief investors in the new project, and he has put together a high profile board of advisors.


The non-executive board includes Brian Barwick, former chief executive of the Football Association, Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association, and Burnley fan and former Downing Street press advisor Alistair Campbell...

"Football involves more than just the game, off the pitch there is the media and marketing, supply chain management, logistics, business and finance and we want the UCFB graduates to leave with transferable skills that they could just as easily take to Mars or Deutsche Bank as a football club," Wilson (chief executive of UCFB) said.


The centre will offer three-year courses, accredited to a leading university:


BA (Hons) Football Business & Finance (three years)


BA (Hons) Football Business & Marketing (three years)


BA (Hons) Football Business & Media (three years)


Hopefully, one day I can get some high profile investors to join with me in a Motorsport University.
Obviously, I am hoping to combine physical campuses with online learning to target one million students.
 
Now that other people have started to do this maybe people will be less sceptical about the idea.
 
Time will tell. Enjoy the weekend.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Private University in UK starts soon... Not the Motorsport variety!

Is Grayling's New College a New Oxbridge? - Times

I bought the Sunday Times this week it has another couple of articles...

The Univesity proposes to charge £18,000 pounds per year. Private Universities are able to charge whatever they deem appropriate.

Interesting stuff. Education in the UK, like the National Health service is largely under the rule of the government.

As a matter of political principle many people in the UK are opposed to Private Universities.

Obviously, as a former employee of Lotus, when asked to set out a plan for training I immediately thought higher education. Elite but not exclusive.  Elite but inclusive.

Presently, I target One million students. Three physical campuses on three continents.

Hethel/UK/ Europe - Johor / Malaysia / Asia - California /America/ North America

Online access - Globally available, and increasing in its availability and power daily.

Group Lotus with much support from their shareholders are well positioned to do this.

Recently Group Lotus have announced possible layoffs due to the failure to obtain regional funding for Hethel.
Here is a project that was partially funded by the government.


Air Asia Flies to the UK,Malaysia and America (California) so they could also participate if they hugged and made up with Group Lotus. I'd love to use the Lotus 7 cars at the campuses Caterham or Westfield, so there is room for discussion there too.

Tony Fernandes just got another award... he's a Tan Sri now. A Malaysian title. Well done Tony.

A few years ago I was interviewed by Bernama, Astro TV in regard to this project. It's now on Youtube.
I have added it to this post.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Lotus lay off 99 people, blamed on UK Government and the Regional Grant Fund

Lotus are to right size the company again!
Job losses imminent at Lotus  - The Manufacturer site.

After missing out on £27.5m in funding from the Government's Regional Growth Fund, Lotus has announced that 99 jobs are to be cut at its plant in Hethel, Norfolk.

Geoffrey Mead, employment partner at Eversheds, explains the current law: "You come across employers who will keep the number of redundancies below 100 to have a period of 30 rather than 90 days. You might say that is a bit sneaky but it is structuring your decisions to comply with legal requirements." He said Lotus could save significant wage costs – “60 days’ pay for up to 99 people” – by doing this.


I am on the outside looking in. I seem to remember Proton writing off all Lotus debts and right sizing the company under the previous CEO...

Now they have loaded the company up with debt and are also right sizing the company again. Dany and his team are certainly different. I have never met any of them. My experience with the previous CEO was a little negative. Plenty of people within Lotus seem to have taken the opportunity to promote themselves at my expense, our telephone conversation was interesting to say the least!

I don't see any out of the box thinking here. Designing and producing cars is what car manufacturers do. Laying off people to increase profit also comes into play, especially at Lotus. Sponsoring an F1 team that is known as Renault is a great deal for Renault who sell them the engines.

As I say I am on the outside looking in. Presently it doesn't look pretty. I'm sure there are plenty at Lotus that say I don't either!

Such is life.

As you know I have identified a campus in California. This campus would serve North America. The estate agent is CB Ellis Richards.

Here one of their UK consultants explains his view of the Regional Grant Fund... Maybe someone at Proton or Lotus should speak to them...

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Private Universities UK America and Malaysia

The 3 continents of Asia Europe and America are now served by private Universities in England Malaysia and America.
I have noted that in England there is some negative discussion.
Guardian Article:

Britain is to have its first new private university for more than 30 years, it was announced today...


BPP, which offers business and law degrees at 14 sites across the country, will become a university college with immediate effect.
The move – approved by the universities minister, David Willetts – signals the government's desire to expand the number of profit-making private sector institutions in higher education.
 
Provided that the institution meets the highest Educational standards I don't see a problem. Malaysia has withdrawn licences from institutions that fail. This is correct.
 
I see no reason why we can't achieve the required standard set by the various Ministries of higher education.