Funding Boost for Students

Edge Hill University has received the country's fourth highest percentage increase in funding income from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) for institutions of its type.

The University will receive a 12.4% increase on last year's funding allocation - the highest in percentage terms in Merseyside and Lancashire - compared with a sector increase of 5.3%.

Edge Hill recently announced an unprecedented increase of 39.9% in student applications - well above the national increase of 6.4%. This Hefce funding boost will support the growth in student numbers for Edge Hill, which is the newest and fastest growing university in the region.

As one of the country?s largest providers of teacher education Edge Hill also derives funding from the Training and Development Agency for Schools and to support its growth in training for health professionals receives funding from the NHS.

Steve Igoe is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Resources): "We continue to experience growth in all areas of the University. We envisage significant growth this year in our Arts and Sciences faculty which has seen applications rise by over 49% year on year. This Hefce funding allocation provides further positive recognition of the work of the University and its mission to address key government objectives, particularly in enhancing access to higher education and in training future health-care and education professionals."

A significant funding award was made to support the Greater Merseyside and West Lancashire Lifelong Learning Network which provides progression routes into higher education for those studying vocational courses. Edge Hill is the lead institution for the network which was launched in 2006 and has offices based at its Liverpool learning centre, Silkhouse Court.