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HEFCE boosts higher education in Suffolk

At its meeting on Thursday 24 February, the Board of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) endorsed plans for the expansion of higher education in Suffolk and agreed to provide a grant of up to £15 million to University Campus Suffolk (UCS).

The UCS proposal is a joint venture between the University of East Anglia and Essex University. In developing the proposals, UCS has worked very closely with other partners including Suffolk County Council, Ipswich Borough Council, Suffolk College and the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) the Learning and Skills Council, and the other further education colleges in the county. This exciting project will allow the development of new university campus in Ipswich teaching more than 3,500 students, together with the establishment of a county-wide network of HE centres based primarily in the FE colleges. A key element of the proposal is to expand the number of higher education places in the county initially by 1,200 to 1,500 over the next 3 years, with the longer term aim to have around 7,500 students by 2014 across the county.

Sir Howard Newby, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said;

'This major development in Suffolk will create important opportunities for more young people in the region to experience higher education. As one of the few counties in England without a university, we believe that this development is highly significant. The UCS project will have a positive effect on the economic and social life in the county, which is particularly important at a time when rapid population expansion is expected'.

For further information, contact Carol Macaskill at UCS on 01473 883003.

Notes

1.    The UCS is a collaborative project with the universities of East Anglia (UEA) and Essex, Suffolk College, Lowestoft College, West Suffolk College, the Learning and Skills Council, the East of England Development Agency, Ipswich Borough Council and Suffolk County Council.

2.    HEFCE has already given £250,000 towards a feasibility study for the UCS project.