University of Chichester launches new college for international students
Around 1,000 are set to attend the site over the next five years
The University of Chichester has announced plans to welcome more than 1,000 overseas students over the next five years.
They will see the creation of a new international college at the University's campus in Bognor, which bosses say will 'provide greater opportunities for students worldwide to benefit from a UK education'.
It's being produced in partnership with the Holmes Education Group, a private firm running education centres across the UK, the US, Asia and Australia.
It will initially provide pathways for international students intent on gaining a UK degree in business, computing, or engineering – with plans to increase the number of courses in the future.
The University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jane Longmore, hailed the partnership with Holmes and said the launch of the college signalled a new era in the University’s long history.
"Chichester is a historic UK university which has been providing outstanding education for more than 180 years. Our friendly community of students and staff, coupled with small teaching groups, suits international students perfectly.
“Holmes are an excellent partner as they share the same values as Chichester, namely ensuring students are inspired, supported, and entirely satisfied with their learning experience.
"We welcome international students, who will not only bring an abundance of enthusiasm to learn, but also enrich the culture of our West Sussex community."
The University of Chichester has been a leading educational establishment since it opened in 1839, making it one of the UK’s oldest seats of learning.
In the last year alone, it has seen a record number of student applications, despite the challenges of the Covid pandemic, and was ranked at 29th out of all UK universities by the Guardian University Guide.
The University’s Bognor Regis campus, which will host the international college, has recently undergone major investment with the constructions of its new £35million Tech Park.
The state-of-the-art building, opened by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018, combines industry-standard workshops, computer labs, and high-tech equipment with an innovative approach to learning which takes on board input from the commercial sector.