Applications to Blackburn College’s University Centre rise to record levels (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Applications to Blackburn College’s University Centre rise to record levels

2:54pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Education By Nafeesa Shan, Reporter

A UNIVERSITY centre in East Lancashire is officially bucking the trend as its applications continue to rise.

Blackburn College’s University Centre has revealed that its applications have soared by 10 per cent compared to 2011.

Nationally, the University and Colleges Admissions Service, UCAS, has recorded a slump of 8.7 per cent, with 462,507 people having applied for courses beginning in September, compared with 506,388 at this point last year.

The University of Central Lancashire’s has seen applications drop to 5.9 per cent on its record breaking 2011 figures.

However compared to 2010, before the government announced it fees would increase to £9,000 per year due to plug funding gaps, its application are up by 2.4 per cent, including at its Burnley campus.

But UCLAN bosses have introduced new courses to attract more students they include a top up to honours degree from HND / foundation degree in advanced manufacturing, a Masters degree in Law, Masters degree in Education and a Postgraduate Certificate in Management, leading to an MBA.

Blackburn College principal Ian Clinton said: “ These are our best ever figures and illustrate a really positive picture.

“We believe a combination of various factors have had a positive impact, in particular our innovative 2012 finance package which, given the current financial climate, will mean all students beginning university life at University Centre Blackburn College next year will not be disadvantaged by the rise in tuition fees and will have fair access to resources that will enable them to be as successful as possible.

“We’re also seeing a rise in local students choosing to study a high quality degree nearer to home again to cut living costs.”

Director of Burnley for UCLAN Dr Martin Brown said: “The signs are again looking good with strong demand across the range of our Burnley course portfolio.

“This is a strong performance given the increase in applications in 2011 as people tried to beat the fee increase and for our Burnley Campus is significantly higher than the number of applications at this time in 2010.

“When we open our doors in September we fully expect to have filled all our 1,100-plus places for the full range of courses."