Hopes raised for 'University of Suffolk'

The campus could be on the Ipswich Waterfront

Talks about a possible campus for 8,000 students in Ipswich have raised hopes of a future university in Suffolk.

Officials from the University of East Anglia (UEA) told the BBC they are in the early stages of talks about a possible campus in Ipswich.

A spokeswoman for the university stressed that there was no funding in place and "no decisions" had been taken.

The discussions have been welcomed by Ipswich Borough Council.

UEA is in early discussions about the feasibility of building a new campus in Ipswich

Moya Willson, UEA Pro-Vice-Chancellor

Philip Smart, portfolio holder for planning and economic development at the council, said: "It's a campaign many in the town are supportive of.

"It's early days as yet and proposals for extending further education have been talked about for many years.

"But if the current proposals come forward we would obviously welcome them very much.

"This is the final piece of the jigsaw."

'No decision'

Moya Willson, UEA Pro-Vice-Chancellor for external affairs, said: "UEA is in early discussions about the feasibility of building a new campus in Ipswich. "There has been no decision as yet by the university to go ahead with this plan, not least because there is no indication that money would be available on a sufficient scale.

"Any such decision would be crucially dependent on funding arrangements which the government has yet to clarify."

The government has set a target of getting 50% of 18-30-year-olds involved in higher education.

Currently, Suffolk College, in Ipswich, offers some higher education courses validated by UEA.