University College Falmouth and the University of Exeter welcome 525 new students to Penryn this week with the opening of the second phase of the Tremough Campus and the launch of nine new degrees ranging from Law to Digital Animation.

Jointly managed by the University of Exeter and University College Falmouth, and part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) initiative, these latest arrivals will see the student population at Tremough rise to around 2600 demonstrating the popularity of Cornwall as a first-class higher education choice.

"The launch of the second phase of the Tremough Campus offers a really broad range of options for students from within and outside the county to study for a high-quality degree in the unique environment of Cornwall," said Professor Keith Atkinson, Provost of the University of Exeter's Cornwall Campus. "Applications to study with the University of Exeter at Tremough were up this year by 164%, which shows just how quickly the Campus has become a desirable student destination."

This second phase of development at the flagship Tremough Campus includes University College Falmouth's new £7m state-of-the-art photography centre and digital animation studio, together with enhanced media facilities, where new BA(Hons) degrees in Marine & Natural History Photography, Press Photography and Digital Animation will be offered for the first time. The University of Exeter is launching Cornwall's first Law degree as well as degree courses in History, Politics and the first undergraduate degree in Cornish Studies.

"University College Falmouth is delighted to offer art, design and media students yet more reasons to choose Cornwall as a higher education destination," commented the College's Principal, Professor Alan Livingston. "As well as enviable new facilities at Tremough, the College is also launching new degrees in Fashion Design, Performance Sportswear Design and Public Relations at our Woodlane Campus in Falmouth, which opens up a whole range of exciting possibilities in terms of students working together across disciplines."

Thirtysix new academics, many of them leaders in their field, are coming to Cornwall to teach and carry out research as a result of the new development. The Campus is attracting academics of international calibre coming from as far afield as Israel and the USA. It is also bringing people of Cornish origin back to the county, including Professor Melanie Williams who is returning to her ancestral home to head-up the University of Exeter's new Law department.

Dr Ian Tunbridge, Chief Executive of CUC said: "The new facilities at Tremough and across the Combined Universities in Cornwall partnership are helping record numbers of people to fulfill their study ambitions in the county. Our job now is to ensure that as many of them as possible are able to build successful careers or start their own businesses locally, thereby helping to build a new economy for Cornwall based on high level skills and knowledge. We will also continue to ensure that Cornwall's businesses are able to tap into the outstanding new facilities and the pool of specialist expertise being developed in the county."

The new two-storey building, which includes four double-height photography studios, was constructed by South West-based Leadbitter Construction. It has been designed to have a minimal impact on rural Tremough, and features a wild flower roof and other external finishes to help it blend into the landscape.

Many of the new students will live in state-of-the-art student residences on the Campus, thanks to a new £11million student accommodation village. Built by construction company Midas, this new facility brings the total number of student rooms at Tremough to 800.

The CUC partnership is now working with SWRDA on plans for a series of new initiatives to support Cornwall's people and economy under the Convergence programme, including further developments at Tremough. University College Falmouth and the University of Exeter are awaiting news on their funding bid for the third phase of the Tremough Campus. The University of Exeter plans to build an Institute that will be a site of international excellence for research into all aspects of the environment and sustainability. Linking research with businesses, policy makers and legislators both locally and globally the institute will set the agenda in this area of great current interest. University College Falmouth has submitted ambitious plans for a Design Innovation Lab - a physical and virtual space that will foster innovation through collaboration; undertake applied research programmes that are strategically relevant to Cornwall; comprise live projects that translate applied research into benefits for Cornish business; and enable work-based learners to access postgraduate skills development.