University Academy ’92 prepares for inaugural graduation

Manchester’s UA92, the groundbreaking higher education institution co-founded by Lancaster University and the Class of ‘92, will celebrate its inaugural graduation ceremony on Sunday 10 July.

The higher education institution, which aims to make higher education accessible to all, will underline its founding principles of accessibility, social mobility and inclusivity in a celebration of its first cohort of graduates, 24% of which received a First Class Degree. 

The ceremony will also thank graduates for being the first at the campus which opened its doors the first week of their study in September 2019. 

Founding members from the Class of ’92, including Gary Neville and Nicky Butt as well as representatives of Lancaster University, will also attend the Graduation.

Gary Neville, Co-Founder at UA92 commented: “We have been blown away by the level of energy, determination, and commitment our students have displayed over the past three years. Their pioneering spirit in selecting the distinctively different concept of UA92 earmarked them as something special, and they have exceeded all our expectations. Watching them graduate will be up there as one of my favourite moments ever.” 

Sara Prowse, CEO of UA92 said: “We’re proud of each and every one of our 62 graduates and it’s a tribute to their determination and hard work that our results are so strong.”

“Higher education is a huge investment of a student’s time and money and we were acutely aware that this pioneering cohort placed a great deal of trust in us; it’s rewarding to see how each and every one has flourished and developed in these three years and we know they will both aim high and succeed in their onward journey. This graduation really is history in the making.”

Based in Old Trafford, Manchester, UA92 opened in 2019 and currently has around 400 students enrolled in degree and higher education courses across business, sport, media and digital disciplines.

Last year it secured a £2m funding grant from the Office for Students to support the development of a world leading digital learning academy at the UA92 campus. The Digital Academy, which opens in September,  will offer enhanced and cutting-edge learning and will increase UA92’s student capacity for digital students almost tenfold – from 65 to 634.