Edge Hill Awarded University Title

Staff and students at Lancashire?s Edge Hill are celebrating after receiving official confirmation of the title Edge Hill University. The former college of higher education has a 121-year history of providing education and training, from its roots as a women only teacher training college, through to its present status as Britain?s newest university.

Vice-Chancellor Dr John Cater said: "My grateful thanks and sincere congratulations go out to all of our staff, students and supporters. We have an outstanding reputation for the excellence of our programmes, our state-of-the-art campus, the support we give to students and the employability of our graduates.

"Edge Hill has been performing as a university for some time now and we look forward to continuing our mission to make higher education accessible to many."

Edge Hill was quoted by the Times Higher Education Supplement as offering one of the best bursary and support packages for students starting courses this year under the new funding arrangements.

"We have committed around 60% of our new income to support less well off students throughout their studies, considerably more than other universities," Dr Cater added. "And feedback from final year students in the first national student survey was really positive, especially those studying law and criminology who voted us best in the country for teaching and learning. This year we are bucking the trend with applications up by 9% with Performing Arts, Sport, English, Teaching and Health enjoying big rises."

Edge Hill achieved taught degree awarding powers in November 2005 and is now making plans to hold its own degree ceremonies, along with naming a chancellor.

"These are exciting times for our staff and students and our stakeholders in health, education and in business," added Dr Cater.

"The challenge now is to ensure that we do not simply become 'another university? and that we take the lead from the likes of Warwick and York universities, which did not exist two generations ago, by developing into a nationally recognised and progressive institution.

"I would like to see Edge Hill as one of the top five universities in the North West within the next decade."