Prospective undergrads queue up to see what Bognor uni campus can offer

Some 500 potential undergraduates have applied for courses which include two new subjects for the town's campus of the University of Chichester.

There will probably be 100 places available to them in September.

A group of 180 of the 250 thinking about taking a business studies degree visited the campus, off Upper Bognor Road, last week to see what studying there would be like. About half came from within a 30-mile radius.

The occasion last Wednesday, February 18, was a taster day for the recently formed school of enterprise, leadership and management.

This is a UK first for its format in which students are kept out of lecture theatres.

Chris Dancer, the university's Bognor-based head of business studies, said: "We ran a series of workshops during the day to give the applicants a flavour of how we do things.

"It's not a traditional university lecture theatre experience where someone talks at you. We work in small workshops which is an innovative approach.

"The feedback from students shows they like it.

"The national student survey placed us fourth in the country for our business studies courses."

The new school is seen by the university as a key component of the expansion of its Bognor campus where student numbers are expected to more than double to 2,000-plus in the next few years.

The intention is to create a breed of entrepreneurs from the local area who will help to create the regeneration the town needs.

It is believed the extra students' presence on the campus will provide an immediate lift to the local area.

Another similarly popular subject starting at the campus this September is events managment with 40 initial undergraduates.

About 250 hopefuls have also applied to take this degree. This will boast a strong practical element.

Mr Dancer said the university would seek to build on its existing links with organisations such as Rox, Butlins, Goodwood and Fontwell to provide the students with the experience of getting involved with big days.

"We already work with Butlins and it makes sense to drive that relationship forward in many ways," he added.

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