A COLLEGE has joined an elite league of fashion and arts universities.

Blackburn College has teamed up with the University of the Arts London, Europe’s largest arts league, with close to 19,000 students from more than 100 countries.

The partnership with some of London’s most prestigious fashion and arts schools will propel the careers of Blackburn College’s student in these fields.

Established in 2004, UAL brings together six esteemed arts, design and fashion colleges founded in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

They include Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martin’s, Chelsea College of Arts, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon College of Arts.

It means that students on Blackburn College’s key courses are guaranteed an interview when they apply for courses at UAL colleges.

Most of the UAL agreements are with colleges or universities in the south of England so the college said it was thrilled to secure the deal.

Blackburn College’s curriculum area manager for creative arts, Andrew Piper, said: “Blackburn was the first to sign the agreement and we will meet the other colleges to share ideas and good practices.

“We pride ourselves on our relationships with such establishments and 43 per cent of our UAL students last year achieved an overall distinction against a national average of 19 per cent.”

Angela Drisdale-Gordon, from London College of Fashion, along with other specialist staff will come to Blackburn to help students meet UAL requirements and help with mock interviews and set assignments.

Andrew said: “The good thing about UAL is that they are focused on employment and they have formed partnerships with designers and high street stores as well as having a great alumni.”