Work finally starts to plug city skills gap as first students begin their studies at ARU Peterborough

Students at Peterborough’s new university will today officially begin their studies.

Lectures and other classes were timetabled to start yesterday but were postponed by the Bank Holiday to mark the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Students have enjoyed a variety of activities during Welcome Week with a variety of greetings sessions, a welcome fair, food stalls and outdoor games.

The university, based in Bishops Road, has a Students’ Union with a student president still to be elected.

A student will also be elected to the university’s board of governors.

The teaching teams also began their induction sessions across the building.

The £30 million university, called ARU Peterborough, is offering 27 courses, which are principally aimed at teaching the skills needed in the workplace in the Peterborough area.

Courses range from science, health to technology with an estimated 170 companies advising on the creation of the curriculum.

It is hoped that over the next eight years the number of students will rise to 12,500.

The next couple of years will see the creation of a business-led research and development centre and a third building with a publicly accessible Living Lab and more teaching space.

Councillor Lynne Ayres, cabinet member for education, skills and the university for Peterborough City Council, said: "It is very exciting that the first students will begin studying at our dedicated university in just a matter of weeks. It's even more exciting that our city will be welcoming some of the brightest young people from across the world to study here.