A university campus has opened in a town with one of the lowest higher education progression rates in the country, and those behind it believe the outpost could be “pivotal” for the future regeneration of the area if they can get the community on board.
Earlier this month, the University of Cumbria’s new Barrow campus welcomed its first cohort of students, who are enrolled in engineering, mechanical engineering and health degrees, along with continuing professional development courses.
show the town has fewer school leavers attending university than anywhere else in the country, with only 13 per cent of young people continuing on to higher education courses after sixth form.
Brian Webster-Henderson, Cumbria’s deputy vice chancellor, said simply opening a campus is unlikely to change that on its own.
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“Just thinking people are going to run through the doors and be grateful that you're there – it's just not going to happen. It makes you rethink your model of higher education and your model of engagement.”
Some of the degree programmes will start with just a dozen or so students, which Webster-Henderson told 探花视频 was an intentional move.
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“We started off small deliberately, because it’s Barrow, and there’s no accommodation, and Barrow is going through major changes and investment. The plan is to grow the offer in Barrow as the investment grows, to help Barrow become a better town.”
The opening of the campus means that Barrow has become a university town for the first time.
The new outpost comes shortly after a new medical school run by Cumbria and Imperial College London opened its doors to its first students.
“We are not really interested in growing for growth’s sake, but we are interested in growing in a way that meets the needs of our local and national populations,” added Webster-Henderson.
“We’ve really got to focus on what the needs are of the economy.”
Most of the funding for the campus has come from a ?220 million government investment into the area as a defence hub, with the rest from the university and partners.
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BAE Systems employs a third of local workers through its submarine building hub but Webster-Henderson said the company is wary of dominating in the region.
“We need people to be diverse in what their options are and so actually helping people believe that university education could be for them is a significant part.”
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The Barrow Rising partnership leading the town’s regeneration has unveiled a 10-year strategy for how it plans to spend the investment.
“There’s a multi-systems approach to utilising the funding and transformation in Barrow itself over a 10-year period, with an expected increase of about 30,000 people over the next 10 years so [it’s] a huge initiative,” said Webster-Henderson.
“I think education being fundamental to that is pivotal. Education is threaded all the way through, so attracting new people into Barrow, making Barrow a better town that has good cafe culture, good cinemas, good shops, good housing, and actually making Barrow a university town.”
Simon Case, chair of the Team Barrow Delivery Board, said the opening of the University of Cumbria’s Barrow campus was “a truly defining moment for the town”.
“This is a landmark in Barrow’s transformation into a vibrant, university-anchored town where people choose to live, work and thrive.
“More than that, it stands as a blueprint for how place-based partnerships can deliver real, lasting impact, showcasing how towns like Barrow can help shape a stronger and more resilient future for the nation.”
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