HEFCE to support closer working between higher education and police

28 Jan 2015 03:11 PM

HEFCE is contributing to a new initiative to support more effective responses to cutting crime.

The Home Secretary has yesterday announced a new £10 million Police Knowledge Fund to support education and research collaborations between police forces and higher education institutions.  

The fund will be jointly financed by the Home Office and HEFCE, and will be administered by HEFCE via its Catalyst fund. Its scope and aims have been established in partnership with the College of Policing.

The fund will encourage the police to join forces with experts from academic fields such as criminology, economics, neuroscience and computer analytics to better understand why crimes are committed, and to use that evidence to develop new and innovative ways of policing, and more effective responses to crime.

HEFCE’s Chief Executive, Madeleine Atkins, said:

‘We are delighted to be working with the Home Office and the College of Policing on the new Police Knowledge Fund. We look forward to helping to establish long-term partnerships between policing and higher education which can deliver a recognised body of knowledge, evidence and expertise on policing and crime reduction, and have the potential to generate innovative solutions.’

Notes

1. Read the Home Office announcement

2. The Catalyst fund enables HEFCE to deliver our strategic aims for higher education across research, teaching and knowledge exchange. HEFCE will contact universities and colleges with information on how to apply for the Police Knowledge Fund in due course.