University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is one of the largest universities in the UK with a student and staff community approaching 38,000, over 350 undergraduate courses and in the region of 250 postgraduate programmes. 

Located at the heart of Preston, UCLan was awarded university status in 1992 but its roots go back to 1828 and the founding of the ‘Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge’. UCLan has further campuses at Westlakes in West Cumbria (nuclear and energy related research programmes), Burnley and Cyprus. 

The University has a strong reputation in a diverse range of research fields. In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise a total of 17 research areas contained work considered world-leading or internationally excellent. 

A focus on employability is at the heart of all we do. Over 90 percent of our graduates are in employment or further study six months after graduation and many are helping to make a real difference to economies and people’s lives across the world. With the help of UCLan’s business incubation facilities, more than 1000 UCLan students/graduates started a business or became self-employed in last five years. In the last 12 months alone the University supported the launch of 191 of these start-up ventures - the second highest in the UK. 

UCLan has a strong global outlook with students and researchers from over 100 countries and partnerships with 125 international institutions. UCLan was also the first modern university in the UK to be included in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings. In 2013 QS awarded UCLan the full five stars for its approach to ‘Internationalisation’ with a proven track record for specialising in all aspects of international educational provision. 

With a focus on providing an outstanding student experience, UCLan has invested over £100 million in recent years on new buildings and facilities. These include the £13-million Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre and the £12.5-million JB Firth building to house the University’s renowned forensic science, chemistry and fire courses. The Preston Campus also boasts Europe’s largest 3-D lecture theatre and a 24-hour-access library. UCLan’s £5.3 million Allen building includes some of Europe’s most advanced facilities for students studying within the School of Medicine and Dentistry. 

The University aims to attract students from a broad range of backgrounds who are looking for a combination of academic excellence combined with innovation, research-informed teaching and real world practicality.