Goldsmiths College, University of London, is aiming to double its postgraduate population to bring its proportion of graduate students to 50 per cent. And it is embarking on a multi-million-pound building programme to accommodate the extra students.
A strategic plan for the period 2001-06 says that one of the college's basic aims is "increasing our postgraduate orientation while maintaining broad stability in undergraduate numbers.
"We will look to a doubling of postgraduate numbers during the planning period, and to an eventual proportion of 50 per cent of all degree students being at postgraduate level."
The college's director of finance, Ian Turner, said Goldsmiths was below optimum size and the postgraduate side was best placed for growth. He said:
"Demand for places on our postgraduate programmes is way beyond supply." And he said postgraduate courses in areas such as media and communications and design were particularly in demand.
Mr Turner added that the college expected a downturn in demand for undergraduate places.
The college recently received £2.4 million from the Higher Education Funding Council for England's Poor Estates Fund and £1.3 million from the Science Research Investment Fund. The money has been earmarked for an arts complex costing £5.4 million that would cater for 370 extra students. The new facility should be completed in September 2003.
Further phases could see the total cost of development soar to £25 million. These include a "gateway" building aimed at regenerating the surrounding area.
The college needs funding council approval to proceed with its plans to expand postgraduate numbers.
"We will build on the fact that they have funded this new build, which gives us the capacity to expand," Mr Turner said .
Royal Holloway, another University of London college, also aims to increase its postgraduate population, from 20 per cent of all students to 25 per cent.
The proportions of postgraduate students at London colleges are:
* London School of Economics - 53 per cent
* University College London - 36 per cent
* Goldsmiths College (projected) - 50 per cent
* Goldsmiths (current) - 30 per cent
* Imperial College - 29 per cent
* King's College London - per cent
* Royal Holloway (projected) - 25 per cent
* Royal Holloway (current) - 20 per cent.