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This news archive began life in support of the initial Cornwall Campus Project and the original choice (now defunct) of Penzance as the campus location (arrived at through a fair and honourable contest at the time), The following more recent news items while heralding a new beginning to further education in Cornwall are also an extended epilogue for the original project and this unofficial record of events. News may appear here occasionally but the primary purpose of this web site is now that of a historical record of the initial project. For current information on the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative (CUC) see the official site at http://www.ex.ac.uk/cuc/. OTt has no connection with any persons or bodies directly involved in the now defunct University of Cornwall Initiative or its successor, The Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative (CUC). These documents are provided solely as an information service in the public interest.

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LATEST NEWS

9th September 2002

The following news item by Clare Morgan appeared in today's Western Morning News:

Cornwall Gets University Cash

The FINAL major piece of funding that guarantees the building of Cornwall's first university has been secured.

The £44.8 million is the last piece in the jigsaw for a project which an economic impact study has estimated will generate £32 million a year for Cornwall's gross domestic product (GDP) and create an extra 1,000 jobs.

The funding is officially due to be announced this morning. Falmouth and Camborne Labour MP Candy Atherton said: "I am absolutely delighted. We are already seeing the benefits of the embryonic university and this final funding will see the transformation of the economic and social fortunes of the Falmouth and Penryn area."

The CUC is regarded as the key project for Objective One in the county. Those driving the scheme through have high hopes that it will encourage graduates to stay and work in Cornwall, increasing employment and the overall wealth of the county.

The South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) has demonstrated how important it believes the CUC is for the county by contributing £12.78 million to the £44 million package, of which £10.6 million will go towards building the university hub at Penryn, with the remainder earmarked for future CUC development.

Drawings for phase one of the £40 million main campus building at Tremough, Penryn, have already been released. The roof of part of the 20,000-square-metre campus has been designed as a fully accessible series of landscaped terraces stepped down the side of the hill and will be planted with local species, grasses and shrubs.

Stephen Bohane, head of operations for SWRDA in Cornwall said: "This is SWRDA's biggest investment in Cornwall to date and is a measure of how important we regard the CUC as a catalyst for economic regeneration across the county."

1st August 2002

The following news brief appeared in today's The Cornishman:

University Boost

THE Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project is to receive almost £10 million of Objective One money to spend at the six Cornwall College sites across the county.

The funding will enable Cornwall College to deliver a range of higher education facilities to complement those that will be offered at the CUC's main campus at Tremough near Penryn - where work on the £40 million main campus building is expected to begin shortly.

The latest investment will create eight new buildings with the latest teaching, computing and scientific equipment.

8th May 2001

The following is a summary of a news report that appeared in today's BBC News Online:

Cornwall to get a university

Cornwall is to get its first university in a drive to keep local talent in the region.

At present, about 90% of young people in Cornwall who take up places in higher education leave the county and do not return.

The first intake of students is planned for the autumn of 2003.

The government has pledged £19m towards the scheme, which is also being supported by the European Structural Fund.

The Education Secretary, David Blunkett, said the university represented an opportunity for people of Cornwall to take up the challenge of lifelong learning and improve their skills and job prospects.

"A low proportion of the workforce has vocational, professional or academic qualifications," Mr Blunkett said.

"The new higher education places - which will be made available across the county - will serve local people of all ages and help to raise aspirations within the region.

"This innovative project will encourage closer links with industry and business within the county, and the growth of industries that rely on highly trained staff," he said.

The full text of the above report can be found at
BBC News | EDUCATION | Cornwall to get a university

See also Ready to rock, "Cornwall hopes its university-in-waiting will kickstart its ailing economy, reports Donald MacLeod" in The Guardian, Tuesday May 15, 2001 and Funding agreed for Cornwall University, first published on Monday 14 May 2001.

[QuickIndex]

News Archives

1999
10th June University - say no to second best Editorial Comment and A university for Cornwall - Survey shows student demand
13th May Enough potential students for a university
1st April University to the fore
1998
12th November Call for unity in bid for university for the county - Penzance bid failed because of lack of county support
22nd October Gaining university will 'take cunning'
2nd July 'Second best not good enough' say campaigners and Team of people to be set up to spearhead university project
24th/25th June Battle on for a proper university Editorial Comment - United front boosts hopes for university - City Wins in Fight for Special Funding - Second best option on university Editorial Comment and Boost for county's hopes of university provision
11th June John Payne fights on
4th June Campus: It's no again to buying Trereife
28th May University still remote possibility says local MP - 'Let's look for money first this time and then look for the site'
21st May Our starter for nothing! Editorial Comment - End of the dream [Frustration and anger as Exeter University pulls the plug on Trereife campus] - Other sites in the county are back in the race [Commitment to the expansion of higher education] - Decision defended - Letter to the Editor from Sir Geoffrey Holland - What they said about the university decision - Councillor's bid to reverse the decision and Blunkett back campaign for new university
7th May Women 's trust pledges over £2m to university - MP and Sir Geoffrey in renewed bids for campus
6th May Cornish campus in line for £3m - Women's group offers cash ahead of talks to settle dispute over university
30th April Vice chancellor backs call for joint university effort
23rd April Finding the way forward on University of Cornwall Editorial Comment and Bury the hatchet call
9th April Unified approach to university bid Editorial Comment and College heads back Trereife - 'We are agreed that the case for a university in Cornwall is proven'
2nd April Trereife campus 'best way forward' - Remarks in light of major report on university
19th March Time for unity in bid for a university of Cornwall Editorial Comment and University: Penwith to keep cash back in coffers for the time being
13th March 'Commit yourself on University' Penwith tells Holland - Council takes tough stand on watered down scheme
12th March Top businessman backs university
26th February Campus cash under scrutiny - Exeter insists that it is still confident
12th February Further delay in funding
29th January University: Comments 'wild and irresponsible'
15th January 'Ineptitude' attack on leading university objector
8th January MP slams Luddite view of campus bid
1997
18th December University campaign is stepped up by MP
4th December MK slams county neglect
20th November UK mail-shot for university plan - Every authority in the country to receive letter
13th November Apology on university - Minister's reply to MP George
6th November MP George calls on university critics to come out in the open
30th October University support growing by the day says MP
includes
University College for Cornwall Petition
23rd October Top level investment for university campaign urged
16th October We're at the crossroads, says George
2nd October University: More time needed claim
11th September University meeting with Commission
24th July What more do you need?
includes
Sir Geoffrey Holland's response - in full - to Millennium Commission's decision not to fund university
21st July New pledge for Cornish campus
17th July Our starter for nothing
12th July Campus Cornwall's plight can 'unite all'
11th July News of Millennium Commission rejection breaks.
Early 1997 Decision not before Spring.

[QuickIndex]

Cornwall Campus Design

This section is retained for historical interest. It is also a reminder of what might have been had there been within Cornwall (and outside) more co-operation and less division.

Drawings and designs for the new campus, produced by architectural consultants Robert Rummey Associates and the Architects Design Partnership were first published at the end of October 1996 in the Western Morning News and The Cornishman. In November 1996 a two day public exhibition of drawings and designs took place with representatives from both the architectural and academic sides of the project on hand to answer any questions.

The photograph below is one view of the architecture's model of the central area of the site. The plans show more facilities to the east and north. The view is from the east, the bridge in the bottom left corner traversing the A30 Penzance to Land's End road.

Site model

Two further versions of the same image are available, both specifically 'tuned' for screen display...

The photograph is reproduced by kind permission of

Robert Rummey Associates
Masterplanners, Environmentalists, Designers, Landscape Architects
The Armoury
48a High Street
Sevenoaks
Kent TN13 1JG
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)1732 743753
Fax/Messages: +44 (0)1732 743178
http://www.rummey.co.uk/

[QuickIndex]

Other Relevant Sites

University of Exeter Vice-Chancellor of Exeter University, Sir Geoffrey Holland, headed the original project and is a partner in the current Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative (CUC).
Camborne School of Mines Information about the Camborne School of Mines.
Information about the University of Plymouth

[QuickIndex]

Addresses

The Cornishman Cornish Weekly Newspapers Ltd
Buriton House
Alverton Street
Penzance
Cornwall TR18 2QP
Tel: +44 (0)1736 362247
Fax: +44 (0)1736 350436
Email: cwn2@eurobell.co.uk
Web Site http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/
Western Morning News
17 Brest Road
Derriford Business Park
Plymouth
Devon PL6 5AA
Tel: +44 (0)1752 765500
Fax: +44 (0)1752 765535 (editorial)
Web Site http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/
The St. Ives Times & Echo The St. Ives Times & Echo
High Street
St. Ives
Cornwall
Tel: +44 (0)1736 795813
Fax: +44 (0)1736 795020
e-mail: times@echo.clara.net
Editor's e-mail: editor@echo.clara.net

[QuickIndex]

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