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Layout 2 - University of Central Lancashire

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Artist’s impression <strong>of</strong> UCLan Cyprus campus.<br />

Being world-class in everything we do is our<br />

stated intention so I am delighted to open this<br />

year’s message with some fantastic news, just<br />

received from Quacquarelli Symonds, the<br />

compilers <strong>of</strong> the prestigious QS World <strong>University</strong><br />

Rankings. In order to highlight our excellence<br />

across the board, the <strong>University</strong> put itself through<br />

a rigorous quality analysis known as the ‘QS Stars<br />

Development Road Map’.<br />

I am pleased to report that overall the <strong>University</strong><br />

has been awarded four out <strong>of</strong> the maximum<br />

five stars, while in the sub-areas which make up<br />

our overall grading, we have been awarded the<br />

maximum <strong>of</strong> five stars for teaching, infrastructure,<br />

internationalisation and engagement.<br />

QS define a four-star university as: ‘highly<br />

international, demonstrating excellence in both<br />

research and teaching. The institution provides an<br />

excellent environment for students and faculty’.<br />

This result is a ringing endorsement <strong>of</strong> all we have<br />

achieved over the last ten years and is further<br />

evidence <strong>of</strong> our world-class credentials, helping to<br />

strengthen the UCLan brand at home and abroad.<br />

Independent endorsement <strong>of</strong> our educational<br />

provision is important. The world <strong>of</strong> higher<br />

education continues to change as we find<br />

ourselves moving into an expanding global<br />

market that requires us, as educators, to provide<br />

graduates with the skill set to meet the needs <strong>of</strong><br />

not just local business, but increasingly, the needs<br />

<strong>of</strong> international business. If our students are to<br />

succeed in the global jobs market, a superlative<br />

experience, which includes an international<br />

dimension to their studies, has to become a<br />

standard part <strong>of</strong> our <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong>fer.<br />

Demand for higher education, particularly in Asia,<br />

is rising rapidly and as the economies <strong>of</strong> China,<br />

India, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam and other Asian<br />

economies all strengthen year-on-year, there will<br />

be a sustained increase in demand for graduates<br />

and postgraduates. It is clear that a transformation<br />

is taking place in the location <strong>of</strong> world economic<br />

and political power and, although Europe and<br />

North America will still remain vitally important,<br />

we have to recognise that the growth <strong>of</strong> the new<br />

economies will change the pattern <strong>of</strong> world<br />

economic activity and world politics.<br />

The combination <strong>of</strong> our students’ needs at home,<br />

coupled with the demand for UK higher<br />

education from abroad, are the key reasons why<br />

we have announced exciting plans to launch two<br />

new campuses overseas. One will open in<br />

Bangkok, Thailand in September 2014 while<br />

another, at Pyla in Cyprus, will open its doors<br />

much sooner in the autumn <strong>of</strong> 2012.<br />

These two campuses are part <strong>of</strong> a goal UCLan<br />

has been moving towards for decades.<br />

Our commitment to international collaboration<br />

has seen us develop <strong>of</strong>fices in China, Vietnam,<br />

Pakistan, Nigeria and India. In the case <strong>of</strong> our<br />

Chinese <strong>of</strong>fice in particular, we have been<br />

working there for over 20 years. We have<br />

students from over 120 countries and some 125<br />

partnerships across the globe. Almost 5,000 <strong>of</strong><br />

UCLan’s 35,000 are on courses <strong>of</strong>fered through<br />

worldwide partnership arrangements.<br />

International collaboration is not new to us.<br />

Our campuses in Bangkok and Cyprus are part <strong>of</strong><br />

a gradual evolution <strong>of</strong> UCLan’s overseas<br />

relationships and the two locations have been<br />

carefully selected to act as hubs in what we see<br />

as key growth areas. Our Bangkok Campus will<br />

welcome students from across South East Asia<br />

and further afield. Similarly, Cyprus acts as a<br />

gateway between Europe, North Africa and the<br />

Middle East, so we hope to be able to attract<br />

students from these areas to study with us.<br />

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