UCLan has ambition for Burnley

5 October 2017

Local council welcomes University plans to expand and increase student numbers

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is drawing up ambitious plans to expand its operations in Burnley and Pennine Lancashire.

The Provost of UCLan’s Burnley Campus, Dr Ebrahim Adia, confirmed that UCLan is looking at options which would lead to a “significant expansion” of student numbers in the town.

UCLan aims to build on its success since setting up the university centre in Burnley in 2009. The expansion would create increased opportunity for local people to access a wide range of higher education courses, and would have positive knock-on effects in the town with the increased spending power that will result from growing student numbers.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Mike Thomas said: “It’s a very exciting time for us to be growing our presence. The council is tremendously dynamic and the business community is well-organised and focused on growth. We’re looking forward to working with people and businesses across the borough to help provide the skills and innovation needed to drive this thriving local economy.”

"It’s a very exciting time for us to be growing our presence."

Burnley Council leader Mark Townsend welcomed UCLan’s commitment. “UCLan’s impact on Burnley has been very positive, and their vision for the next few years will bring further benefits. There is a strong connection between educational provision and the way that Burnley is developing jobs and new industries. One example of that the borough’s latest flagship business park, Vision Park, where there are units for office, research and development and light industrial uses. It is based right next to the Burnley College and UCLan Campus, so that tenants can benefit from access to programmes being run by the educational providers to support their growing business.”

Over the coming months, UCLan will continue talks with the council and other organisations to look at what properties might be brought into use through the expansion, and to set timetables for offering increased numbers of student places over the coming years.