Assay Office Birmingham has partnered up with Birmingham City University to announce a prospective collaboration for an educational hub in the heart of the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter.

BCU’s department of gemmology is set to be relocation to the new Assay Office Birmingham building located at 1 Moreton Street. This will allow further development of gemmological training for the students at the School of Jewellery. Additionally, this will also be a part of a separate plan for the establishment of a centre of learning excellence for the Midlands jewellery trade.

The move is set for completion by the end of the year, hoped to provide facilities for up to 90 full and part-time gemmology students coming from Birmingham City University. They will also have access to some of the highest specification of equipment that is available for gemmological education within the United Kingdom.

With the advantage of being able to access the equipment at Assay Office Birmingham AnchorCert Gem Laboratory that tests diamonds, those students will be able to advance their gemmological research all the while combining the knowledge and expertise of subject specialist staff with a diverse, international student population.

Gaynor Andrews, Head of the School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University, commented: “This partnership will provide students with access to resources they otherwise wouldn’t have had, as well as opportunities for members of the public and those seeking further personal development to access new training courses and work placements.

“Positioning an educational resource within a working environment will also stimulate Assay Office Birmingham employees to undertake continual professional development, therefore, support an upskilling of the existing workforce.”

Additional comments we made from Assay Office Birmingham’s chief executive officer and assay master, Stella Layton: “The School of Jewellery has an excellent reputation both in the UK and internationally and we see great value in this collaboration which will be of huge benefit and contribute to the significant development of the School’s gemmological courses.

“Assay Office Birmingham has been a supporter of the School since its inception and we are please to still be working with them 125 years on.”

Assay Office Birmingham was founded in 1773. It is responsible for the testing (assaying) and hallmarking of precious metals.

What do you think of the collaboration? We think an educational hub may be just what the Jewellery Quarter needs!

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