Pioneering concept unites University and cultural giants

LJMU has a unique relationship with Liverpool’s cultural giants, creating unrivalled opportunities for students.

The University has always enjoyed strong relationships with arts and culture organisations, but to solidify these connections LJMU created three ‘embedded posts,’ with scholars in the first instance working for both the University and either Tate Liverpool, Liverpool Biennial and FACT. Due to the continued success of the scheme the University recently created a fourth ‘collaborative post’ with RIBA.

The model is unique not only in the city but across all higher education institutions (HEIs), with the academic contributing to the research strategies of LJMU and the other host institution, influencing and developing research activities in both organisations, including generating collaborative research income, as well as enhancing the existing partnership.

Advantages for students are numerous but include opportunities to carry out work-based learning and develop and create research with leading arts and cultural organisations, as well as receiving free entry to many exhibitions, including the latest offering from Tate Liverpool – Jackson Pollock: Blind Spots.

Acting Executive Dean for the Faculty of Arts, Professional and Social Studies, Professor Phil Vickerman, comments: “Knowledge transfer partnerships are very common between businesses and universities but are not conventionally between HEIs and cultural organisations, which is why we see our embedded posts as being both innovative and ground-breaking. We have always enjoyed good connections with many of the leading arts and cultural organisations and these embedded posts focus and formalise our partnerships. They are mutually beneficial to both parties and bring added value to the relationship between us and the institution. Other HEIs are very interested to learn how they can adopt a similar approach.”

In addition to the embedded posts, LJMU enjoys cultural partnerships with the Royal Court Theatre, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Tate Liverpool and the Everyman and Playhouse Theatres, Sound City, Homotopia and Light Night.

As a modern civic university with a social responsibility that extends beyond the walls of the lecture theatre, LJMU is embedded within the cultural landscape of Liverpool and partnerships with theatres, arts and music organisations are an essential part of our offer to students.

We aim to deliver not just a world-class education but one that expands students’ minds and enables them to experience the transformative effect of art and culture in all its forms.

In addition to extending LJMU’s student package and helping encourage and develop their sense of belonging in the city, the cultural partnerships also support the University’s vision to make learning and culture more accessible to the people of Liverpool.

More information about Tate Liverpool and the Jackson Pollock: Blind Spots exhibition