Cost, courses, opening dates and more: All you need to know about Peterborough's new Anglia Ruskin university

An exciting chapter is about to begin in the city as the new Anglia Ruskin University Peterborough is set to open next month.

The skills-based university will aim to create a local workforce capable of meeting the demands of employers, many of whom have helped to design the courses.

Over 300 employers have been consulted in the creation of the university’s courses to make sure that the skills being taught to students are directly relevant to the workplace.

Peterborough currently ranks in the bottom ten percent in the country for the number of degree-level employees in the workforce – something the university is seeking to drastically change.

When does it open?

The university on Bishop’s Road will first open to students on September 12 with teaching beginning fully the following week.

How many students will there be?

Around 2,000 students are expected to be welcomed in the first intake.

This is expected to rise to 5,000 by 2025 and there is an ambitious plan to offer courses to 12,500 students by 2030.

How big will the campus be?

At the moment, only the phase one teaching building one is complete.

The building has capacity for 1,390 people, complete with a 140-seat lecture hall, practical laboratories, teaching rooms, multi-faith prayer rooms and a library.

This building, is located on the site of the old Wirrina Car Park, and phase two, the Research and Development Centre, is expected to be completed in January.

Plans are also in place for a new Living Lab to be built on the current Lido 2024 car park and principal Ross Renton has not ruled out further expansion.

Who are the key members of staff?

Professor Ross Renton is the university’s principal.

He was appointed in January 2021 – previously he was the senior pro vice chancellor of Worcester.

He will be assisted by vice principals Dr Lucy Jones (academic development) and Jamie Jones (operations and infrastructure) as well as about 170 other staff.

What courses are on offer?

The university offers degrees, degree apprenticeships and vocational courses in a range of different subjects.

These include: Accounting and Finance, Agriculture, Computer Science, Biomedical Science, Surveying, Business Management, Mobile Game Development, Construction, Cyber Security, Data Science, Robotics, Environmental Management, Events Management, Human Resources Management, Health and Social Care, Law, Manufacturing Engineering, Marketing, Midwifery, Nursing, Primary Education, Public Health, Quantity Surveying, Site Management, Social Work, Software Development and Tourism Management.

Can I get involved?

Yes, you can still apply for courses that begin in September through ARU Peterborough’s website.

Students of all ages are encouraged to apply and even people already in jobs looking to upskill or to help themselves further their career and get promoted are expected to apply.

International students are also welcome after a successful application to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for a site licence.

Ukrainian students will be able to study at the university for the same cost as UK-based students.

What about the wider community?

Community involvement is at the heart of the new university.

Members of the community have been encouraged to head inside and ask questions – while also being able to access the site’s Wirrina Cafe.

The university will also be working closely with schools and the opening of the Living Lab is seen as a place to give members of the public the chance to connect directly with university staff.

A community open day is taking place on Saturday, August 20.

How much did this all cost?

ARU Peterborough is a partnership between the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Peterborough City Council and Anglia Ruskin University (ARU),

Phase one main teaching building is expected to cost around £31.3m.

In terms of funding, £12.3m has been put in from the mayor’s Gainshare Fund, £12.4m from the combined authority’s Business Board’s Local Growth Fund and £6.5m from Anglia Ruskin.

The university has pledged a further £3.8m of funding for any ‘contingencies’.

Peterborough City Council contributed by the provision of £1.87m worth of land.

The phase two Research and Development centre is expected to cost around £16.7m.

This is made up of £13.7 million from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, plus £3 million from Photocentric.

The phase three Living Lab is expected to cost around £28m, with £20m of funding coming from the government’s Levelling Up Fund and the remaining £8m from Anglia Ruskin University, the Combined Authority and Peterborough City Council.