Coventry University is to open a campus in Wrocław, Poland, its first international campus, with courses due to begin in September 2019.
The university said it seeks to meet demand for flexible learning – whereby students can study whilst working part-time, helping them to fund their studies.
“For the first time a renowned foreign university has made significant commitment to a Polish city”
“There’s a real appetite for the kind of education that we’re able to offer through our flexible learning model, whereby students can study while they work and upskill themselves without necessarily having to commit to a full-time degree,” Coventry University vice-chancellor John Latham said.
“Students from Poland and central Europe place a great deal of value on a UK education, and we’d want to emphasise that they will be more welcome than ever at British universities, including our own.”
He added the new campus will offer students a flexible and career-friendly local alternative to earn a British degree in a subject in demand.
The university has been present in Wrocław since 2016, through a partnership with Wrocław University of Science and Technology.
Around 300 students are expected to enrol in full and part-time undergraduate courses which Coventry has identified as in-demand in the Lower Silesia region of Poland. These include IT and cybersecurity, business, engineering, and hospitality & tourism.
“It’s likely that our portfolio of courses will expand over time to offer a wider range of subjects to match the needs of employers in the region,” a spokesperson from the University of Coventry told The PIE News.
The campus will occupy existing buildings in the city in western Poland, where Coventry University degrees will be taught in English.
The spokesperson added that Coventry remains fully committed to its partnership with Lazarski University, where students can earn a degree awarded by Coventry.
Coventry has agreements to offer students partial study in the UK or the opportunity to earn a degree outside of the UK with universities in over 30 countries.
Wrocław mayor Rafał Dutkiewicz said Wrocław has been aiming to be involved in the international exchange of knowledge for years.
“For the first time in history, a renowned foreign university has decided to make such a significant commitment to the life of a Polish city and to open a campus with us,” Dutkiewicz said.
“We are convinced that both Wrocław residents, as well as Coventry University – recognised as one of the best and most innovative in Europe – will benefit from this.”
Around 800 Polish students have studied at Coventry’s five other campuses over the past three years. The university anticipates students in Poland will be able to take part in exchange opportunities with its campuses around the UK.
The university has two campuses in both London and Coventry, and another in Scarborough, in the north of the UK.