Grocer launches university

To reach out to its staff wanting to get their degrees, U.K.'s Asda is launching a three-year degree course in distribution or retail for 30 of its staff. Staff would attend 12 days of classroom workshops, work-based assessment as well as online studies, learning about merchandising and managing people. The program, run with Middlesex University, would culminate in a Bachelor of Arts degree. Asda's executive people director said in a report that the retailer created the program knowing that rising post-secondary education costs has meant many of its staff haven't been able to attain university degrees. She added that through the program, the retailer hopes to create "the future leaders of Asda." Morrisons also launched a university program last year that would see 100 staff studying leadership and logistics together with the Logistics Institute at Hull University. To read more, go here.