Loughborough University has been chosen by the Department for Education and Skills to pioneer a course aimed at plugging the graduate "brain drain" in the East Midlands. The region traditionally loses two-thirds of its graduates, while local businesses face a tough battle to find the right staff.
The postgraduate certificate in continuing professional development allows students to design their own programme of study while in employment. The long-term aim is to extend it to a masters degree, which would take about three years of part-time study. It has been developed with industry and national training organisations.