New name for old UK university

Leeds Beckett University, in West Yorkshire, England, formally announced its new name and launched a Chinese website for applications in Beijing this week.

The former Leeds Metropolitan University changed its name last year after celebrating its 190th anniversary.

According to vice chancellor Susan Price, Leeds Beckett is one of the largest universities in the UK by student numbers, with 32,000 from more than 100 countries around the world. Among them are 250 from China.

Price said the university has been operating in China for more than 10 years since setting up a joint degree in international trade and finance with Zhejiang University of Technology in 2004.

“That is one of the oldest UK-China higher education partnerships in China and we are very proud of that,” Price said.

She added that the university will establish a Dean's International Scholarship this autumn, which will be awarded to highly qualified students.

About 10 to 15 scholarships will be awarded in the first year, said Andrew Disbury, director of the university's international office.

"Our Chinese applicants are usually very well qualified, so I'm confident there will be some Chinese winners," he said.