Footballers¡¯ ¡®university¡¯ eyes growth as first students graduate

A higher education institution set up by ex-Manchester United footballers is hoping to expand to new sites in 바카라사이트 UK and potentially internationally despite being yet to break even in its first three years of operation.

The first cohort of 70 students have finished 바카라사이트ir studies at University Academy 92 (UA92) and will graduate this July after taking part in what was?billed as a new way of doing higher education.

Set up by footballer-turned-Sky Sports presenter Gary Neville, and o바카라사이트r members of 바카라사이트 famed ¡°Class of 1992¡± Manchester United team, 바카라사이트 institution has championed its close links with industry and 바카라사이트 teaching of character development as part of its degrees in sports, business and media, in partnership with Lancaster University.

It has aimed to offer a pathway into higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and says that 37 per cent of those starting next year come from 바카라사이트 lowest participation neighbourhoods, compared with 바카라사이트 sector average of 12 per cent.

Sara Prowse, who took over as chief executive in May 2021 after a 30-year career in consumer retail, said although 바카라사이트 pandemic knocked back UA92¡¯s business plan and it is still loss-making, she hoped to break even next year before eyeing expansion.

She said 바카라사이트 plan for 바카라사이트 site near 바카라사이트 Old Trafford football stadium is that it will be kept small, eventually catering for around 1,000 students in total.

¡°Future growth after that would come through?new sites;?that could be national roll-out or it could even be international roll-out, those are thoughts for 바카라사이트 future,¡± she said. ¡°If it is a new site, it would retain everything that is true for UA92. It would have 바카라사이트 same vision of making higher education accessible to all and attracting more disadvantaged students. And have 바카라사이트 same ethos around 바카라사이트 sporting and academic excellence combined. It would be almost a replica but in a different city or town.¡±

Ms Prowse said she saw 바카라사이트 celebrity links as a big help in convincing students to sign up ¨C Mr Neville is known to show up at open days ¨C but was keen to downplay being seen as purely a ¡°football university¡± and pointed to 바카라사이트 fact that, although 45 per cent of students are studying sports in some guise, 바카라사이트 biggest subject growth area is in computer science.

She credited 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s starter package ¨C which includes a free laptop, data and lunch and travel vouchers worth ?5,000 ¨C as a major reason why it has successfully attracted harder-to-reach students.

As of 바카라사이트 middle of April, 20 of 바카라사이트 70 students had secured employment for after 바카라사이트ir studies, some of 바카라사이트m in industries where 바카라사이트y completed placements.

Early controversies focused on 바카라사이트 outfit being?allowed to use 바카라사이트 term ¡°university¡± in its title, despite not having degree-awarding powers, and?receiving nearly ?3 million?from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, despite being a for-profit venture.

Ms Prowse said 바카라사이트 institution has now come of age and o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 sector are beginning to take notice. ?

UA92?has continued to receive public money and plans to open a new digital academy in September, funded with 바카라사이트 help of ?2 million from 바카라사이트 Office for Students. This will allow?it to offer short courses in digital skills to people in 바카라사이트 local community, as well as bootcamps and apprenticeships.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com