Huddersfield and Aston to open London branch campuses

A further two universities have joined the growing number of UK institutions to open campuses in London with recent announcements.

The University of Huddersfield’s and Aston University’s new ventures will both be located in the city’s financial district and will both be launched in partnership with third-party companies.

Huddersfield London will offer business-focused postgraduate courses from the 2025-26 academic year onwards, while Aston University London will focus on skills and innovation from spring next year.

They join the swelling ranks of UK universities with a presence in the capital. De Montfort University, the University of Portsmouth, Nottingham Trent University and Sheffield Hallam University have all announced new London campuses in the past two years alone.

They followed at least a dozen institutions that did likewise in the previous decade, all seeking to capitalise on the capital’s attraction among international students.

Huddersfield’s campus, in partnership with international education specialist Study Group, appears to be targeted solely at the overseas market, which has become increasingly important to cash-strapped universities.

The Yorkshire institution claims that its London offering will provide “career-focused students” with links to global companies based in London and with post-study career opportunities.

Alistair Sambell, pro vice-chancellor international and dean of Huddersfield Business School, said the campus would allow international students to benefit from the university’s teaching excellence “on the doorstep of potential future employers”.

“The University of Huddersfield has a diverse community of over 3,500 international students from over 100 countries, and we look forward to providing additional opportunities from our new London campus,” he said.

Meanwhile, Aston’s hub is designed to meet the growing demand for skills in innovation and enterprise leadership, digital innovation, data science and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity management, global business and management and business analytics.

It also boasts of “unparalleled access to networking opportunities, industry insights and career-launching experiences” to ensure that graduates are “not just academically prepared but also industry-ready”.

The venture will be operated in partnership with Cambridge Education Group, a provider of higher education services.

Aleks Subic, Aston’s vice-chancellor, said: “Through our innovative omni-channel education model, we’re empowering more students with the skills needed for the global digital economy. Our degree programmes, sector-leading for graduate outcomes and employability, are designed to enable students to succeed both professionally and personally.

“Aston University London is embedded within the thriving London innovation ecosystem, providing new opportunities for innovation, enterprise and knowledge exchange initiatives involving also our partners from Birmingham and the region.”

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com