MP for Barrow and Furness visits town’s new University of Cumbria campus

Michelle Scrogham, Member of Parliament for Barrow and Furness, has made her first visit to the University of Cumbria’s new campus in Barrow, just weeks before it opens to students in September. 

Ms Scrogham toured the near-completed facility. She praised the project as a transformative milestone highlighting how the campus will provide local students with university-level education on their doorstep without the need to leave home. She also spoke of the campus’s potential to support economic growth, enhance local skills, and inspire the next generation. 

“The new campus is looking great and I can’t wait for it to open and for the new students to start their studies in September.

“This is more than just a campus, it is a gateway to opportunity for families across Barrow and Furness. Accessible, high-quality higher education, right here, means we can retain talent, nurture innovation, and support our local industries. I am particularly excited that we will be training our own nurses and healthcare staff through the higher-level skills that will be taught here from September.

“Barrow is about to become a university town for the first time in its history and that is going to bring so many benefits,” said Ms Scrogham, (pictured right).

Her sentiments echoed those expressed by other visitors, including Team Barrow Delivery Board Chair Dr Simon Case and members of the Brilliant Barrow Board, who have praised the university’s role in tackling the region’s long-standing educational barriers, enabling people to study without the burden of travel or relocation. The campus is the flagship initiative of the Government‐backed Brilliant Barrow Town Deal and a key project within Team Barrow’s Barrow Rising initiative.  

During her tour, Michelle Scrogham MP viewed the spaces designed to meet the evolving needs of Barrow’s workforce partners such as BAE Systems and local health trusts. The campus will provide accessible higher education through degree programmes in Engineering, Computer Science, and Adult Nursing, with more to follow, enabling local students to study close to home. Its courses are co-designed with employers to meet regional priorities in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and digital innovation. As a key part of the Barrow Rising and Brilliant Barrow strategies, the campus is set to drive economic and social regeneration by upskilling the workforce, fostering business innovation, and enhancing community wellbeing. 

Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Brian Webster-Henderson OBE said: “Our new campus brings the benefits of higher education directly to Barrow, strengthening both individual life chances and the region’s collective future. We are grateful for Michelle’s support and vision as we prepare to welcome our first cohort in September.” 

The University of Cumbria’s Barrow campus officially opens its doors to students in September 2025, with open days and enrolment information available: Barrow-in-Furness | University of Cumbria 

WATCH: Barrow and Furness MP Michelle Scrogham at the new campus on 23 July 2025