Lancaster University welcomes plans to create a University of Cumbria

Lancaster University has welcomed the announcement by the Higher Education Funding Council for England ( HEFCE) to take forward plans which are intended to boost University education in Cumbria.

Lancaster is one of the partner institutions working to provide Higher Education opportunities for people in Cumbria, and also validates all of the degrees offered by St Martin’s College, another of the collaborative institutions.

The news was also welcomed by Cumbrian Sir Chris Bonington Lancaster's new Chancellor, pictured here at the opening of InfoLab21.

Lancaster is already working in the county to develop a degree in engineering to be delivered to people in Barrow by Furness College. This degree - which has been designed in consultation with the main industries of Barrow, in particular ship building - will equip students with the mechanical and electrical engineering skills to work in their local industries and address a skills shortage in the area which is threatening the continuation of traditional industries.

Additional degree programmes will now be developed as part of the planning for the expansion of University Education in Cumbria.

Professor Derek Seward, Lancaster University’s Director of Regional Outreach, said: “Lancaster University is committed to expanding the higher education opportunities for the people of Cumbria and will continue to develop courses that are directly relevant to increasing the economic prosperity of the region as well as those that enrich the intellectual landscape. As a university which is rated in the top-ten in the UK we believe we have an important role to play in helping to shape the future University of Cumbria.”

The University , through its department of Continuing Education (DCE) and Centre for Training and Development ( CETAD) has a very strong presence in Cumbria, in particular addressing the needs of business. For example the new MA in Developing Professional Practice is designed for middle managers or professionals in a wide range of roles in private, public and voluntary organisations in Cumbria.

Through the Open Studies courses delivered in Cumbria a wide range of subjects are offered including Information Technology, Science and Literacy.