The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is one of Preston's major success stories.
The institution was granted university status in 1992 but its roots go back to 1828 with the founding of the 'Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge'.
From humble beginnings UCLan has evolved into one of the largest universities in the UK with a student population in the region of 32,000 and a dynamic course portfolio of over 500 undergraduate programmes and 180 postgraduate courses.
In China and Hong Kong, UCLan is the leading UK university in terms of students studying on its programmes in-country. The university has also developed strong links with India, the Middle East, Malaysia, Vietnam and Nigeria.
Economic benefits
Approximately 70 per cent of UCLan’s students come from the North West and the university is playing a significant role in the regeneration of the region. As a major employer with nearly 3,000 employees, the university has an annual turnover of over £120 million and every year it indirectly contributes £300 million to the regional economy.
UCLan is investing heavily in improvements in its estate and is currently spending over £60 million on some exciting campus developments, with two projects in particular expecting to bring major benefits to the region.
Recent additions
The recently opened £15.3 million media factory will support work in art, design and performing arts as well as providing business incubation facilities for entrepreneurial graduates.
The university is also tackling the North West’s dental crisis through a £5.5 million investment which has seen the launch of a new School of Dentistry.
Both facilities received their first intake of students in September 2007.
The university has also opened the first School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Lancashire. Crucially, the initiative has been approved by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and students have already embarked on the first year of the new programme.
These initiatives represent the latest strands of our estates strategy, which in 2005 saw us complete a new £6.5 million students’ union, the £10 million Brook building for health and business and, bucking the trend nationally, a £10 million investment in science through our new Darwin building.
Research
UCLan is also strengthening its academic base and is currently spending £10 million to boost research excellence. The funds are creating 10 major international research areas including, amongst others, digital technology, diversity and mental health, investment in the Lancashire Business School, and a centre for nuclear science.
These developments are great examples of how the university is constantly evolving its research and course portfolio to tap into the needs of local, national and international employers.
Another example is the recently launched Foundation Degree in Nuclear Decommissioning – the first in the UK. The new qualification is a direct response to the Government’s pledge to spend £50 billion on the clean-up of the UK’s nuclear facilities.
Modern technology
UCLan has long been a pioneer of communications technology. The university played a major role in enabling Preston to become the first wireless city in the UK. Its WebCT virtual learning environment, enabling students to interact with lecturers and one another via digital technology, is one of the largest in Europe with a capacity for 50,000 users.
The university is now raising the bar again by enhancing its teaching practice through the creation of the largest 3D lecture theatre in Europe, where students can truly interact with their course material and lectures.
An array of subjects, including health, engineering and forensic science, are being transformed using this state-of-the-art 3D facility, allowing departments across the university to benefit from the use of rapidly developing 3D technology over the coming years.
Supporting new enterprise
The university is also making a significant contribution to the region’s economic and social development through its knowledge transfer activity.
Based on innovative partnerships between the public and private sectors, UCLan’s strategy has just secured £19 million worth of projects, all with the common aim of supporting the small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the North West. Eight million of this funding has come from the European Regional Development Fund.
Nine funded projects, which will run until the end of 2008, are being led by UCLan and will operate in partnership with other universities or local businesses with the intention of supporting local SMEs.
The projects cover a range business areas including, waste and the environment; customer management; biomechanical testing; business development; as well as marketing and web support.
The projects are designed to support more than 800 SMEs located within the eligible “Objective 2” areas in the North West, providing the opportunity for 570 jobs and 110 new businesses to be created over the next two to three years.
Projects of this nature will help secure jobs in Preston, retain our best entrepreneurs and keep the region at the forefront of new business development.
Employability
All new businesses require a highly motivated and skilled workforce and the university is dedicated to ensuring that all courses meet employers’ requirements by producing graduates who are immediately employable.
The latest government statistics back this up, stating that 95 per cent of UCLan graduates are in employment and/or further study six months after graduation – a statistic that puts us equal second in a table of North West universities and equal 32nd in the UK.
Our reputation as a university that produces graduates with the skills demanded by employers was highlighted in 2005 through the award of a £4.5 million grant from the Higher Education Funding Council.
The funding has enabled us to launch a new national centre that is improving the employment prospects of humanities students. The Centre for Employability through the Humanities (CETH) is the only nationally designated centre of its kind and helps students studying subjects such as history and English to gain hands-on experience in areas such as publishing, film production, event and project management.
Future
Looking to the future, the university plans to embed employability and enterprise as a fundamental component of all its academic provision. This is a major development which will enhance its standing as a leading, student-focused institution whose graduates are superbly equipped to thrive in the global economy.
For further details or general enquiries, visit www.uclan.ac.uk or call 01772 201201. For course enquiries call or 01772 892400 or email cenquiries@uclan.ac.uk.
Date Updated: 10/02/09