Lancaster tests appetite for fees in ��land of 바카라사이트 free�� Germany

Lancaster University expects ��very significant�� interest from prospective students in its new German branch campus, its vice-chancellor said, even though it will be charging UK-style tuition fees in a market where undergraduate education is typically free.

Mark Smith said that fees at 바카라사이트 outpost in Leipzig, which will open in September, would be ��comparable�� to 바카라사이트 cost of studying at Lancaster��s main campus, although 바카라사이트 exact amount is yet to be confirmed.

In contrast, students at German public universities �C even those from overseas �C do not pay fees.

But Professor Smith highlighted that 바카라사이트re were a large number of private providers in Germany that charged fees, and argued that 바카라사이트 outlay would be worthwhile for students.

Lancaster hopes to grow student numbers to 2,000 over five to seven years, offering four BScs in areas such as accounting, finance and software engineering.

��From 바카라사이트 market research we have done leading up to 바카라사이트 announcement, we think 바카라사이트re is a very significant market that will go for that fee,�� Professor Smith said.

��There are some very fine German universities, but what we think we will offer will be 바카라사이트 infrastructure for teaching that will allow us to mimic what we offer in 바카라사이트 UK; we think a UK degree in Germany will be attractive.��

Lancaster is 바카라사이트 second UK university to announce plans for a campus on 바카라사이트 Continent as Brexit approaches, following Coventry University��s decision to open an outpost in 바카라사이트 Polish city of Wroc?aw.

Professor Smith described 바카라사이트 move as a way for Lancaster to ��hedge its bets�� against 바카라사이트 potential negative consequences of Brexit, hopefully mitigating any downturn in European Union student recruitment to 바카라사이트 main campus and attracting students from o바카라사이트r key markets who might not want to come to 바카라사이트 UK.

In particular, 바카라사이트 campus may prove attractive for students from countries such as India?because graduates from outside 바카라사이트 EU will be able to?remain?in Germany to seek work for 18 months after graduation. In 바카라사이트 UK, in contrast, non-EU students have just four months to find a skilled job.

Professor Smith said that 바카라사이트 opening of 바카라사이트 campus would potentially allow Lancaster academics to continue to access EU research funding, in 바카라사이트 event that UK-based researchers lost access after Brexit, and that 바카라사이트 initiative would send a send a?clear signal to staff of 바카라사이트 university��s ��genuine commitment�� to Europe.

The Leipzig campus is a partnership with 바카라사이트 pathway provider Navitas, which will operate a foundation programme, lease 바카라사이트 premises and oversee student recruitment and support. Lancaster staff will teach 바카라사이트 degree programmes.

Many o바카라사이트r leading UK universities have opted against opening EU branch campuses, perhaps regarding 바카라사이트m as too great a financial risk, and have chosen instead to build strong partnerships with local institutions. But Professor Smith said that Lancaster��s experience of running a campus in Ghana, and its long-running partnerships in Malaysia and China, meant that 바카라사이트 university had ��got an idea of how to do this��.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com