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LONDON CALLING
It may be just two years old but Staffordshire University’s satellite campus in London is already set to double in size. Horizon magazine discovers the secrets to its success. The clue is in the name; Staffordshire University has been based in the county of Staffordshire since its early origins as a school of mining in 1906. However, in late 2018 the University decided to set up a satellite campus elsewhere in the country. The Here East campus, based in Stratford, East London, at the site of the former broadcasting centre for the 2012 London Olympic Games, was born. Staffordshire University London has proved to be such a success that it is already expanding in physical size, student capacity and in the range of courses offered. By this autumn the £3.5 million expansion will introduce a host of new and exciting facilities. The campus is already home to students studying a selection of some of Staffordshire University’s most sought-after courses. The expansion will pave the way for exciting new courses in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and
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Informatics, professional technologies such as FinTech, Virtual Production, Cybercrime and Fraud, and Digital Forensics and Investigation. The campus will be nearly 22,000 sq. ft., based across three units. Director of Staffordshire University London, Matt Brindley-Sadler, explains the decision to effectively double the size of the campus. “There are pockets of investment and industry excellence dotted around the country and different sites were considered for the satellite campus. The north east was considered at one point, but it was decided that London would probably be the best strategic fit. “The inaugural cohort in computer games design and
esports joined in September 2019. They’re a pioneering cohort who will be going into their final year of study next year. A small cohesive group of about 30 students.” In September 2020 an Undergraduate course in Cyber Security and a Masters in Esports were added, which meant the total number of students leapt by more than 130. Applicant numbers for courses starting in September 2021 are already more than double the number received in the previous year.
