Buckingham first official club partner of MK Dons

The University of Buckingham has become an Official Club Partner of MK Dons football team.

The two-year deal will see the educational institution, which has launched the country’s first independent medical school in partnership with Milton Keynes University Hospital, become the Club’s first ever Official University Partner.

MK Dons and The University of Buckingham will pair up to share knowledge, experience and ideas in a partnership that will benefit both parties.

Students will be available to enhance the Club’s performance as well as strengthening their own learning.

The University of Buckingham has increased its presence in the Milton Keynes area due to the medical school opening 18 months ago in partnership with the hospital. As part of the relationship with the Club, a limited number of student placements at Stadium MK will be made available to University of Buckingham students, with the Dons being able to gain insight from research projects across a broad spectrum.

Sir Anthony Seldon, Vice-Chancellor of The University of Buckingham, said: “I am thrilled that Buckingham is the Official University Partner of MK Dons. Last year we launched Britain’s first independent medical school in partnership with Milton Keynes University Hospital and we are delighted to build on these links as we become more closely aligned with the Milton Keynes community.

“The partnership will help to generate a pool of talent and graduates for local business and provide executive development and training for businesses in the area. This is an extremely exciting prospect for students, who will have much better access to games, benefit from seeing first-hand the expertise of the players on campus and have the opportunity to take part in some really fruitful internships and placements.

“Buckingham is the first health-positive university and sport plays a key role in promoting mental wellbeing. We want to help to drive the economic development of the area through education and opportunity, and become the university of choice for local students.”

MK Dons Chairman Pete Winkelman said: “I, and everyone else at the Football Club, am delighted to have joined forces with The University of Buckingham, a leading expert in its field.

“It is an incredible institution, which has gone from strength to strength over recent years and I can only see positive results from this partnership.

“It’s completely different to anything we have ever done before but working with such an innovative educational body will provide us with a platform to claim marginal gains that can make a huge impact in sport.”

The University of Buckingham will profit from the additional profile within Milton Keynes and students are set to be given the opportunity to benefit from exciting initiatives.