University launches new degree courses at Yorkshire college

HUNDREDS of extra students could soon be taking Staffordshire University degrees – while sitting in classes more than 80 miles away in South Yorkshire.

The £1 million plans revolve around opening a university centre near Rotherham, where there is a chronic shortage of higher education provision for teenagers and adults needing to improve their skills.

Staffordshire University would award the degrees and could even employ some of the teaching staff.

But it would operate as a separate institution, rather than as a satellite campus, and the site would be owned by other partners.

University officials today stressed the proposals won't deprive Staffordshire's school and college leavers of badly needed degree places on their doorsteps.

The bid to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) would target a different pot of money.

But with Hefce announcing £449 million worth of general university cuts for next year, Staffordshire University could be expanding its degrees in other parts of the country, while being forced to make cutbacks at home.

Nationally, as many as 200,000 students could miss out on university places this autumn on the back of the savage reductions in funding.

Universities are facing a 1.6 per cent cut in teaching money, a 15 per cent drop in cash for capital projects, and 0.75 per cent less for work to attract disadvantaged youngsters into higher education. Only research budgets will stay the same.

Hefce has also revealed there will be seven per cent less money for special programmes and initiatives, although Staffordshire University is confident the South Yorkshire project will be successful.

Gill Howland, executive pro-vice chancellor of Staffordshire University, used to work in the Dearne Valley and suggested the university be involved in the project.

She believes it builds on Staffordshire's strong track record for helping to regenerate Stoke-on-Trent, through the new University Quarter, and in attracting more learners who have previously shied away from higher education.

The university centre partnership also involves Dearne Valley College and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. They plan to refurbish an empty building alongside the college and turn it into the new higher education base.

Ms Howland said: "While there is a high number of people who are ready to benefit from higher education, there is insufficient provision in the area.

"A university centre would help to realise people's aspirations, as well as driving up achievement levels and economic success."

Staffordshire University already offers courses elsewhere, including:

Foundation degrees, which are linked to the workplace and are delivered through colleges across Staffordshire;

Programmes abroad, offered in partnership with institutions in China, Singapore and Malaysia;

Distance learning via the internet.

But the Dearne Valley project is the first time the university has looked at providing full honours degrees in England at a site away from its Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford and Lichfield campuses.

The university centre would offer a variety of courses and could open in 2011. Within three years, the target is to attract 600 students.

The project is also being championed by Government minister John Healey, who is a South Yorkshire MP. He said there was "a convincing case" for it.

He added: "More people are going to university, but our participation rates still lag behind the rest of the country."

Councillor Roger Stone, leader of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, said: "It's fantastic news. One of the things we are trying to achieve is making more jobs available for school and college leavers, and the more education that is available to them, the better chances they are going to have."