Scots first as university opens London site

A SCOTTISH university is to open a base in London to take advantage of its lucrative market in overseas students.

Post-graduate courses in business and finance will be taught at the satellite branch of Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU).

While many English and international universities have bases in London, GCU would be the first Scottish university to open a centre there.

University chiefs are negotiating a ten-year lease on a property in Spitalfields and hope to have the centre open this year. They aim to recruit 100 students by September, rising to 300 in future years.

Professor Pamela Gillies, the principal and vice-chancellor, said the university planned to extend the curriculum in subsequent years to offer courses in public health, retail and the environment.

The base, to be known as GCU London, will be staffed by lecturers already working at the university and visiting professors.

The move, which will cost a minimum of 1 million, was given the green light by the university court after a full business case for the proposal was examined.

In an e-mail to staff, Prof Gillies said: "The university is pursuing the establishment of an outreach centre in London, branded GCU London, which will enable us to enhance our profile and allow us to compete successfully in the global educational market.

"We intend to offer a suite of specialist post-graduate programmes in the areas of business, finance and risk, retailing, construction, and health, which will act to raise our profile in one of the most highly-attractive educational environments in the world."

Funding for the initiative will come from the university's surplus and not from grant funding.