Kendrick Mortimer
Areas of Interest
BusinessHonorary Award
Honorary Doctor of the University, 1998Biography
Ken Mortimer joined Ford Motor Company in the 1960s and has since been successful in a number of roles within the field of Human Resources and Education & Training. His association with Anglia Ruskin began in the late 1980s and he went on to play a pivotal role in the development of the relationship between our University and Ford. As Manager of Education Programmes, Ford of Europe, he was in a unique position to foster the co-operation and collaboration that enabled both institutions to profit from the partnership. He was also responsible for obtaining sponsorship for the Ford Chair in Automotive Systems. Throughout his career he has always been keen to foster relationships between industry and education, and he is a firm believer in the benefits of lifelong learning. Ken has served as Chairman of the EUROMOTOR Board - the premier automotive training network bringing together universities and motor vehicle manufacturers.
Ken worked on a number of Government committees and was a member of the NCVQ for some time. Since retirement he has served on the Councils of the University of East London and the University of Bath. For seven years he was the Chair of Council of Swindon College and he is a serving member of Council of the City and Guilds. For several years he was an HR consultant to the Department of Health. He continues his interest in vocational training as a consultant to the City and Guilds where he accredits courses for their senior awards including over 25 universities and has advised on Anti-Terrorism and Prison Chaplain training. Ken has accredited courses in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Trinidad. He has honorary doctorates from four universities and Visiting Professorships from Nottingham, Bradford, Anglia Ruskin and UEL. In his spare time he is the secretary and a bass singer with the Marlborough Choral Society.
In 1998 Kendrick Mortimer received the honorary degree of Doctor of the University.
Citation
"The Senate of Anglia Polytechnic University has great pleasure in recommending the award of an Honorary Doctor of the University to Kendrick Mortimer, Manager, European Education Programmes of the Ford Motor Company, for his significant contributions to the University in terms of research, learning development and business opportunities.
The award to Ken Mortimer reflects one central part of this University's mission - namely the nourishment of innovative and thriving partnerships with the business community in this region, and thence, a contribution to economic development, employment and a highly educated and motivated workforce. Without Ken Mortimer and his like, this mission would not be realised.
Ken Mortimer has been a Ford man for nigh on 33 years. His arena has always been in human resources, moving through general personnel work, recruitment and selection and industrial relations (with some interesting experiences in the Halewood plant in the 1980s!) through to his undoubted niche which is education and training (very broadly defined). His association with Anglia commenced in the late 1980s and the University was pleased to award him a Visiting Professorship in Co-operative Education in 1992. He also holds one from the University of East London in Continuous Professional Development and another from the University of Bedford in Quality Management.
Professor Mortimer was closely involved in the design and development of the Automotive Engineering degree for Ford engineers and first recognised the potential value of Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning to upgrade graduate skills of practising engineers. The initial pilot was set up between APU and Ford in 1991 and since then over 300 Ford engineers have achieved degree qualifications on the Automotive Engineering programme.
Building on the early success of this programme, Professor Mortimer was one of the prime movers in helping APU to secure funding from the Department of Employment for the extension of the University's ASSET project in Social Work into an engineering context. His input to the Steering Group and Management Group for the project was particularly valuable because he was able to draw on his broad experience in training and development to contribute to the work of the project. Professor Mortimer was also closely involved in the accreditation of a range of Ford in-house training programmes in the HR and IT areas. His insight and understanding of the issues involved helped to overcome many of the difficulties encountered at the interface of the two very different cultures of manufacturing industry and academia.
Professor Mortimer has played a pivotal role in the development of the partnership between APU and Ford which has evolved through a close working relationship between staff in both organisations and he has ensured that APU has been involved in the development and expansion of Ford Education and training programmes. He was instrumental in bringing the Ford Global Deans Conference to APU and over 80 delegates from all round the world attended the conference at Danbury Park Conference Centre. Professor Mortimer is always ready to support and promote APU's role at all levels and attends events such as professional body accreditations, HEFCE assessments, promotional activities and conferences.
As Manager, Education Programmes Europe, at the Ford Motor Company based at the Warley Office; he has worked closely with staff at APU in various Schools for nearly ten years and has been a tireless supporter of the University. From the Ford side, Professor Mortimer initiated the developments of the BEng (Hons) Automotive Engineering, BSc (Hons) Logistics, MSc Value Management, Anglia's European MBA and has supported the work now being conducted on the new MSc Simultaneous Engineering based on four centres across Europe. He has also been instrumental in recommending senior managers in Ford, with the appropriate background and experience, to undertake a work-based negotiated Master's programme with APU and there are currently 20 senior managers on the programme. He has also been responsible for obtaining Ford sponsorship for the Ford Chair in Automotive Systems.
In addition, he was the company's architect for the EDAP project - the Employee Development Assistance Programme - whereby every Ford employee is encouraged, with financial assistance, to undertake personally relevant study programmes; a most enlightened innovation.
Professor Mortimer is also a redoubtable figure in national and international circles, especially in the pursuit of flexible lifelong learning policies (where he has addressed a number of Industry and Higher Education Committees of the Houses of Parliament), and on the whole question of educational partnerships which is close to his heart. He is Chairman of the EUROMOTOR Board - the premier automotive training network bringing together on a European basis, European universities and motor vehicle manufacturers; he represents Ford on the Policy Committee of the Council for Industry and Higher Education. In short, there can be few external stakeholders in HE who have had such a profound effect on universities in Europe globally, but especially in Europe.
In his spare time Professor Mortimer is Chair of the Trinity Drama and Music Fellowship which regularly performs concerts in the area, and recently won several awards.
May I therefore, Vice Chancellor, in view of Ken Mortimer's outstanding contributions to lifelong learning; his international status in co-operative and corporate education; and especially for his success in creating with us a definitive example of a working partnership between a university and a multi-national corporation, invite you to confer on him the Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University."