Council leader aiming for university status

Wakefield needs to become a university city to stop young people leaving to study elsewhere.
Cllr Peter Box outside the new Archives building on Kirkgate, WakefieldCllr Peter Box outside the new Archives building on Kirkgate, Wakefield
Cllr Peter Box outside the new Archives building on Kirkgate, Wakefield

The leader of Wakefield Councillor Peter Box again gave his support for a city university after the Great British Brain Drain report was published which states that thousands of talented young people are leaving the district each year to study for degrees and other high level qualifications.

According to the report, Wakefield has the fourth largest number of young people outside London moving out of their area to attend colleges and universities.

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Coun Box said: “For a long time young people with ambitions to achieve higher level qualifications have needed to study outside the district.

“That is one of the reasons why we firmly aspire to become a university city and have worked so hard to bring the University Centre to Wakefield.

“We want to give our young people the opportunity to study here.”

As part of the aspiration for Wakefield to become a university city, funding was secured by Wakefield College in November 2015.

The first stage of the development is the £7m Advanced Skills and Innovation Centre, which will provide higher level provision to young adults.

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