Vice-Chancellor, Malcolm McVicar shakes hand on the deal which will see UCLan in Thailand in 2014

A new venture costing £7.5m will fulfil UCLan’s plan to build the UK’s first private university campus in Thailand.

The campus that is being established in the largest urban area of the Thai capital, Bangkok, aims to be ready in June 2014 in a bid to undertake high-impact research, work alongside employers to gain a UK award.

Students from South East Asia and across the world will be able to experience a high UK standard of education through the learning and living environment in Thailand; with a hope that the initial 800 students will build to 5000 by 2024.

An official agreement was signed between the university and Thai-based entrepreneur Mr Sitichai Charoenkajonkul on January 10 in a ceremony where both parties pledged to work in close contact to create a full-scale university campus.

UCLan’s vice-Chancellor, Malcolm McVicar, said the campus aims to extend UCLan’s “International links” and bring “World-class higher education and our view of a superlative student experience to South East Asia”.

He added: “UCLan has made huge strides in the last ten years and the qualities of innovation, entrepreneurship and enterprise remain at the heart of everything we do.

“We have students from over 120 countries and some 125 partnerships across the globe but we are now entering a new phase of exciting development which will see us build campuses outside the UK.”

The campus will offer full-time and part-time undergraduate, postgraduate and foundation degree courses in subject areas that include business, built and natural environment, engineering, creative and performing arts and languages.