Peterborough's first university to partner with Anglia Ruskin

A computer-generated impression of ARU Peterborough.

Peterborough's first university is set to welcome students in 2022, when all courses will be delivered by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).

The £30 million institution, named ARU Peterborough, aims to give local residents opportunities to get "a top-class vocational education".

Until 2028, ARU Peterborough's curriculum will be delivered by Cambridge-based Anglia Ruskin University.

A collaboration between The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and Peterborough City Council, the university hopes to initially welcome 2,000 students. It wants to this number to reach 12,500 by 2030.

Peterborough is ranked in the bottom 10% in the UK for skills levels. To improve the city's score, ARU Peterborough plans to "redress the skills gap and improve social mobility in an area that has been a long-term higher education ‘cold spot’".

Courses will combine on-campus lessons, in-work training, apprenticeships, distance learning and outreach programmes.

The university has been in the works for decades, but there has been a long series of delays.

Mayor James Palmer said: “After decades of false starts, I am beyond pleased to be officially launching a new employment-focused university for Peterborough. 

"The university will breathe new life into the city and region, helping to empower people with the skills and training they need to find jobs and careers that will be fulfilling and rewarding."

The first four faculties of ARU Peterborough will be:

  • Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

  • Creative and Digital Arts and Sciences, Agriculture

  • Environment and Sustainability

  • Health and Education

ARU already offers health, education and social care courses in Peterborough for about 1,200 students based at Guild House.

Councillor John Holdich, Leader of Peterborough City Council and Deputy Mayor, said: “I am delighted that we are partnering with a higher education provider of the calibre of Anglia Ruskin University which has a fantastic track record."

"Establishing a university is the single biggest thing we can do to stop our talented young people from leaving to build their lives elsewhere and ensures that our businesses have a good crop of people with the skills and talent they need to apply for jobs." 

A recent Centre for Cities study declared Peterborough as the fifth most ‘at risk’ city in the UK from the economic impacts of Covid-19.  The city’s low-tech industrial base was highlighted and linked to increasing levels of administration and logistics employment, a waning high-value manufacturing sector and a falling proportion of knowledge-intense jobs.