To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) which universities have agreed to sponsor academy schools; and which representatives from those universities Ministers in his Department have met in the past 12 months; (180342)

There are currently 16 universities which have agreed to sponsor an Academy or at various stages of developing formal Academy proposals. These are listed as follows.

Universities developing formal proposals

Brunel University

Birmingham City University (formerly University of Central England UCE)

Coventry University

Liverpool Hope University

London City University

Oxford Brookes University

Queen Mary College

Sheffield Hallam University

University of Bristol

University of Chester

University College London

University of Lincoln

University of Liverpool

University of Manchester

University of Nottingham

University of West of England

Ministers from the Department for Children, Schools and Families have met or spoken with the Vice-Chancellors of the following Universities in the past 12 months about their involvement in the Academies programme:

Oxford Brookes University

University College London

University of Nottingham

University of the West of England

Officials from the Department are in regular contact with DIUS on a range of matters, including university sponsorship of academies.