TUTORS and students at Chester College Warrington Campus have got big plans for higher education in the town as the college looks to bid for university status.

The Government is set to issue guidelines over the next few months for colleges to apply for university status and Chester College's principal, Professor Tim Wheeler, says he is poised to take advantage of the major change in higher education.

The college, which now has a base at the former Padgate campus of Warrington Collegiate, recently completed an inspection for the right to award its own degrees and Professor Wheeler is confident Chester College can also comply with the new university criteria.

He said: "We are eagerly awaiting publication of those criteria. It is our clear goal to provide Warrington and Chester with their own university - one that will be worthy of the history and enterprise of both communities."

If the guidelines look at the number of students enrolled at the college, the ability to award degrees and a wide range of subjects and courses then staff are confident they will be able to fulfil the criteria.

A multi-million pound development programme is already under way with £9million being spent on improvement and renovation projects over the next three years and plans to improve the campus sports facilities and Derek Newton Theatre are the first priorities.

There has also been a rapid increase in student numbers at the Warrington campus and Chester College plans to expand the number of students on higher education courses in the town from 900 to 2,000 by 2006.

Professor Wheeler said: "Chester College's aim is to create a first class learning environment for the greatly increased number of students we intend to recruit to our Warrington Campus.

"University-level education is about personal fulfilment and improved prospects for work.

"Chester College is committed to making these life-changing opportunities available to all - particularly to those whose families may not previously have had access to higher education."

In order to help students progress as effectively as possible from further education to higher education Chester College has formed a close partnership with Warrington Collegiate Institute, which provides further courses in the borough.

The Government will be issuing the new guidelines in early autumn and the first universities could then be open by the start of the following academic year.