Accrington, Ebbsfleet or Thurrock University anyone?

The search for new university towns has begun, as John O’Leary, editor of the Times' Good University Guide, writes. But who should win?

“Today, the Higher Education Funding Council for England launched a search for 20 more deserving towns where a university centre might boost participation in higher education and benefit the local economy (experience has shown that some who currently miss out on university will take part-time courses if they are on the doorstep.)

Until recently, you really needed a cathedral if you wanted to attract a university: the 1960s vintage went to the likes of Canterbury, Norwich and York. And even the new wave of universities created in 2005 included Canterbury (again), Worcester, Chichester and Winchester.

But all that has changed since universities became the great hope for the knowledge economy, and widening participation in higher education moved up the Government’s agenda. Suddenly, High Wycombe and Ormskirk were on the list. Only last week, Wrexham joined them (the previously self-explanatory North-East Wales Institute of Higher Education has become Glyndwr University, after the 14th century Welsh hero.)

So where are we looking for our future university graduates? Amongst the towns where discussions have already taken place are Accrington, Basildon, Milton Keynes and Ebbsfleet – definitely no cathedrals there. The successful bidders will probably start off with campuses of existing universities, but could go their own way eventually. Blackpool, Cornwall, Ipswich and Southend have all taken this route recently.

What price the University of Thurrock by 2014? It’s on the list of wannabes."

The last seven universities:

Glyndwr University, Wrexham
Buckinghamshire New University, High Wycombe
Swansea Metropolitan University
University of Cumbria
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
York St John University
Edge Hill University, Ormskirk

The nine before that:

Bath Spa University
Canterbury Christ Church University
Chester University
University of Chichester
Liverpool Hope University
University of Northampton
Southampton Solent University
University of Winchester
University of Worcester

Comments

[Euler]

This is just trying to put more people who shouldn't be in further education into "universities" to give good percentage figures. There are enough phony universities already!

[Marsha]

What's the point, they're going to be crap anyway. They should have stopped building them after they had 50. Most people would be better off doing BTEC, going to work or teaching themselves, rather than spending 3 years dossing around and getting a degree in 'comedy writing' (yes, it's real).

[stephen]

@ A Student
Old doesn't necessarily mean good! More education the better!

[a student]

what i find a little crazy is that you can study subjects like philosophy or english literature or history at these brand new/ex-poly unis. Of course its a positive getting more people going to uni but these non-vocational subjects are only worth having a degree if its from a good university.

[derek]

Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. Offering degrees in dance therapy. I think real universities will survive, somehow. "experience has shown that some who currently miss out on university will take part-time courses if they are on the doorstep" Check the drop out rate before you rush to judgement on that one.

[Martin]

Never mind where, how is more important to the staff, students and the taxpayer. These new Universities must not embed the arrogance and self-serving structures and values of the old.

[newjerseygirl]

My local polytechnic went from being Hatfield Poly to the University of Hertfordshire. I suppose St Albans Abbey is less than five miles away, but otherwise all Hatfield boasts is a high crime rate, an outlet mall that's sells cheap saucepans and a roundabout with a Tesco on it. Think Thurrock sounds more glamorous than that...

[Graham Rounce]

What's so funny about Thurrock?? *I* think it's a little amusing, because I used to live there, but I'm just wondering why you do?