THE Barrow-born academic who returned to the county to help establish its own university says that’s been the most important job of his managerial career.

Professor Peter Strike, who retired as vice chancellor of the University of Cumbria in July, received this year’s lifetime achievement award at the CN Group Education & Learning Awards, honouring his 50-year involvement in higher education.

For the final five years he dedicated himself to the county of his birth, helping the new University of Cumbria in its goal of offering the life chances and opportunities higher education gave to him.

Professor Strike said: “It seems like only five minutes ago that I was at Barrow Grammar School with my A-levels, heading off to the brand new University of Sussex. It was exactly 50 years ago that I went – I didn’t know it then but I do now, it was a brilliant choice.

“The new university was created by the Harold Wilson government. Then 10 per cent of 18-year-olds were going into HE. Now it is closer to 50 per cent and it needs to be higher in my view. I have no doubts of the value of university education. It provides us with life-changing experiences.”

Addressing the 200-plus guests who gathered at Carlisle Racecourse for the Golden Apples, Professor Strike added that the university was now on “good financial ground” and that it was “here to serve the county for a very long time”.

He said: “It is important for Carlisle and Cumbria that it should continue to develop the opportunities of higher education provision for young people and not so young people here.

“It has been a huge pleasure to be involved in the first steps of its journey.”

Professor Strike, a renowned scientist, has not left the institution altogether.

He has gone back to his roots of teaching to inspire future generations of scientists who are among the first to benefit from the university’s £3.5m investment in laboratories and facilities at its Fusehill Street campus in Carlisle. New degree and other higher level courses in science are also being developed as a result of the investment – innovation which helped the university scoop a Golden Apple for Technology in Learning.

Judges were impressed at the way it is responding to meet a national need for graduates with specialist science skills and offer opportunities for local learners.

Trailblazing Ulverston school among the winners at Golden Apple education awards

Sickness outbreak shuts school