BLACKBURN College bosses are confident a new £14million university centre will stop the brain drain in East Lancashire.

Principal Ian Clinton said the 120-plus courses would keep students in the area and create a highly skilled workforce for the future.

And he has revealed plans for a new independent university in Blackburn could open in a decade’s time and attract thousands of students to the area. The new state-of-the-art uni-versity centre is set to open in September and is expected to attract businesses which are looking to start up and expand because of the increased skills of people who live here.

The new dean of the university centre Helen Mathers, who is in charge of the 3,500 students who will move from the old higher education building in Feilden Street to the new four-storey high building off Barbara Castle Way, said the development would benefit local people.

She said: “Having a university centre on our doorstep is a perfect solution for those students who traditionally would have moved away for university and now are unable to because of financial or family commitments.

“On average students can run up debts up to £25,000 before they embark on a career.

“It’s imperative that everyone has the chance to receive a higher education.”

The new centre, which has been part funded by the North West Regional Development Agency, is one of just a few university centres in the country which has been allowed to increase student numbers.

There will be an additional 500 students who can enrol onto the new and existing courses. New ones include journalism, writing for creative industries, sustainable construction and complementary medicine.

The centre will host degrees accredited by Lancaster University and the University of Glamorgan.

University bosses are also waiting for clearance to enable them to create and validate its own bespoke courses, which would open more doors to create qualifications businesses specifically request.

Mrs Mathers and Mr Clinton aim to get the the university centre in the top 25 per cent in the country for graduates achieving 2.1 and first degrees, the highest classes of degrees.

Last year they achieved 58 per cent and were ahead of universities such as the University of Central Lancashire, Manchester Metropolitan University and Liverpool John Moores University. This year they hope to achieve 60 per cent.

Sir Bill Taylor, chair of governors for Blackburn College, said: “Every degree we offer potentially has a good salary of £30,000 a year, on average the sub region currently brings about £400 a week which is around £19,500 a year.

"But with increased salaries people will want to live in bigger houses, children will be better off, there will be a better life situation. We want the opportunity to improve the environment and family situations.”

Mr Clinton said: “If people go away to university students don’t tend to go back to where they were born or where they went to school.

“The university will enable us to retain skills in the area and will encourage business to invest and expand in East Lancashire. ”

“Local employers need more graduates and those who train locally are more likely to work locally.”

Mr Clinton added: “Going forward, an independent University for Pennine Lancashire is an aspiration of many stake holders and major players in the area, including business, local government and education but in a recession it is unlikely that anything will be realised for ten years.”

College lecturers including Mrs Mathers are working on a £100,000 research project to predict what learning in Pennine Lancashire will look like by 2030 and see a new university as a key part.

Colleges bosses say they are also working with Blackburn with Darwen Council, Pennine Lancashire and the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce to regenerate the area.

Mr Clinton said: “University education is extremely important, especially in a borough like Blackburn with Darwen, where there is a lot of deprivation.

"A new university centre in the area will provide high quality education and ultimately, a better standard of living.

“It’s imperative that everyone has the chance to receive a higher education.”