THE council is in talks with a university to increase the number of higher education places on offer in Swindon.

Buckinghamshire New University has expressed an interest in expanding into the town and work has begun on drawing up a formal agreement.

Swindon is the largest town in the country without a university and has a poor rate of young people who go on to higher education.

There is political will from all sides to address this problem and a HE strategy has been drawn up but as it stands there is no money from central government to build a new university.

Swindon College and New College both offer higher education places and Oxford Brookes University already has a campus in Ferndale Road which is attended by students from Swindon.

Unifest, an event held by the council in October to raise the profile of HE in Swindon, resulted in several universities expressing an interest in moving into the town.

Most only wanted a modest expansion which would not have met the council’s aim to increase provision but Buckinghamshire New University is keen to expand on a much wider basis.

A Memorandum of Understanding is being drafted which will commit both parties to working together more closely in the coming years.

Exact details into how or where Buckinghamshire will provide spaces are not yet known but talks have begun with the landlord of an unknown site into the possibility of developing a HE Campus in partnership.

A report, set to be scrutinised next week, says: Meetings with HE provider partners, including all current and possible future providers, have now been held.

Buckinghamshire New University has expressed strong interest in helping Swindon significantly grow its HE provision.

“The others were looking for a more modest, organic growth that would not, by itself, meet the council’s aims.

It may be possible to have some new HE courses up and running for 2015/16 and a major increase in provision the following year.”

It goes on to read: “A project looking at the space needs for an HE campus in Swindon has been completed and a potential option established, as required by the actions authorised by the council when the HE strategy was approved.

“Informal discussions have been held with both the current occupiers and the landlord of the potential option for an HE centre.

Over the coming weeks and months the council and Buckinghamshire New University will ensure the agreement is signed before working together to apply for the funding needed to develop the campus.