UCS attracts students from around UK

STUDENTS considering setting up home in Ipswich to study at the town's new university campus today gave its recently unveiled Waterfront building the stamp of approval.

People from around the country and from as far as Ireland and Scotland converged on Ipswich to view University Campus Suffolk, including the soon-to-be-completed flagship building, and to hear about the courses it offers.

The university is preparing to welcome more than 4,000 students in September for its second intake and Richard Lister, its director of planning and resources, said there were high hopes of building on its early success.

He said students had responded well to an open day held on Friday.

“The open day went really well and the response from everyone has been really good,” he said.

“We've had more people visit than ever before and we've got a lot more to show them.”

The university now has three complete halls of residence, with 580 bedrooms to offer.

The long-awaited UCS Waterfront building - the latest addition to the skyline on the former industrial docks - will open in September, marking a key stage in the birth of the town's new university campus.

The six-storey building will have two state-of-the-art lecture theatres seating 140 people in each, supported by three classrooms seating 80 people and six seating 60 people.

Laura Boyle, from Canterbury in Kent, visited the open day and said: “The Waterfront building is very impressive, and it looks lovely set along the docks.”

The university has held a number of open days over the last two years but Friday's was the busiest yet.

Claire Marrington, UCS student recruitment and marketing officer, said: “We've got over 4,000 students expected in September, and they'll be able to use the new building, which is very exciting.

“We always get good feedback for our courses, but the Waterfront campus is the big thing for this year.”

The open day, for prospective students only, held various talks and workshops including subject and department talks and a talk on student finance.

Nicola Turner, a 34-year-old student from Ipswich, said: “The talks were very informative and told me everything I needed to know.”

Popular courses at the university are English, media, film studies and midwifery and there are still places available.

Richard Lister said: “Today has been a sign that we're beginning to attract people from much further a field, we're now competing on a national stage.”

The university is holding another opening day for students during clearing on Saturday, August 16.

Are you one of UCS' first students? What do you think about Ipswich's new university campus? Write to: Your Letter, The Evening Star, Press House, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

Nicola Turner, 34, from Ipswich, is a mature student applying to study BA Hons Early Childhood Studies. She will be doing her course part-time as well as working in the town.

She said: “Today has been really good. I considered doing an Open University course but I thought here would be better so I had the support of other students.”

Julie Kynaston, 43, from Ipswich, was just looking for information and browsing possible courses but found the open day “very encouraging”.

Jasmin Cowdroy, 17, from Folkestone in Kent, is hoping to study English with media and film studies. She said: “The prospectus was very good and I like the idea of the Waterfront building.”

Laura Boyle, 17, from Canterbury, Kent, is interested in studying the university's unique nutrition course, which isn't commonly offered at universities around the country.

She said: “The course looks really interesting and informative, and different.

“I've also heard good reviews for the accommodation, it seems to be very good value.”

Charlotte Roles, 17, from Hartley, Kent, said she heard about the University through her school and the website.

She said: “The open day has really helped me, I was clueless before.

“My tutor was also very approachable to ask questions after the talk.”