London campus for Polish college

Anna Olszewska (left) and Kamil Raczynski (centre) may enrol

A Polish university is setting up a west London campus to allow Poles to study in the UK.

It is the first Polish university to set up a UK campus.

The campus, part of Lodz's Academy of Humanities and Economics, will be set up at the Phoenix High School in Shepherd's Bush from October.

Organiser Magdalena Biernat said the London branch would offer management, IT, and educational science courses in Polish and an English course.

As many as 700,000 Poles, most of them aged between 18 and 35, are believed to be living and working in the UK.

'Increased employment'

Ms Biernat said the university, which has 23,000 students in Lodz, had a reputation for "adapting to dynamic changes" in Poland and saw an opportunity in offering courses to the many thousands of Poles working in London.

"That's why we're creating this educational offer for them. And it increases their chances for employment," she said.

The courses are to be held in a room rented off the school on weekends.

One prospective student, forklift driver Kamil Raczynski, told BBC London: "I want to improve my skills to get a better job.

Magdalena Biernat says it will improve chances of getting a job

"I will feel more comfortable studying in Polish than in English. I think it could be easier for me."

Academic Tomasz Kania said: "They can work during the week and study during the weekend. We think it's a great opportunity for them."

The university hoped to have at least 60 students enrolled by October.

Ms Biernat said they would look at offering less general courses if their initial enrolment was successful. The academy in Lodz hopes hundreds of students will end up study at the campus.

Ms Biernat said there was "quite an issue" about young Polish people leaving the country to work in places such as the UK, but did not think the setting up of a UK satellite would prove harmful to Polish universities.

"Most of the people working outside of Poland decide to go back. It's not that when they leave they will live outside of Poland for the rest of their lives."