California dreaming: Warwick in California

Warwick University have made plans to open a campus in California which will hold 6,000 students by 2031.

This follows on from the Business School’s campus expansion to the Shard in London in 2014.

Plans for a new overseas campus were recommended by the University Senate and approved by the University Council on Feb 12.

The project will start with developing the University’s teaching presence with a small number of postgraduate courses. Students on these courses will be offered interim accommodation.

Plans for the California campus which will hold 6000 students, photo: Warwick University

Warwick hopes to develop dedicated teaching facilities that will also eventually support undergraduate students.

Warwick is forming a partnership with the University Development Trust in order to build its campus in California. The Trust, a non-profit organisation that claims to be focused on educating the American public, has granted Warwick 600 acres of land for the new campus and funding to take forward the initiative.

Kyriakos Tsakopoulos, Co-Chairman of the University Development Trust, said: “It is thrilling that the University of Warwick, one of the premier world universities, has taken the first official step to establish a new campus in our region.

“I am confident that Warwick, which achieved astounding world-class success since its founding in England in 1965, will match that success in vibrant Northern California.”

The new campus will be located in Placer County, which is said to be one of California’s fastest growing counties.

The University’s vice-chancellor Sir Nigel Thrift said: “This is a welcome opportunity for staff and students at Warwick which draws on… [the University’s] successful strategy to develop as a globally networked university.

“A university that exists in many locations, does research in many locations, and produces globally-aware students able to thrive wherever in the world they decide to study, research and work.

“The University of Warwick in California will deliver teaching, and ultimately research, of the highest quality, further extending and accelerating Warwick’s global reach and reputation.”

The University’s Provost, Professor Stuart Croft, said: “The Senate and Council have had a series of considered and detailed discussions examining this wonderful opportunity, and I am very pleased that they have both given their support for this exciting initiative.

“…of course we have a lot of work ahead in order to create the planned campus, but it is an extraordinarily powerful plan and vision.”­­