First ARU Peterborough undergrads set to graduate
First cohort of city’s university students to cross the stage at Peterborough Cathedral
Peterborough's historic cathedral is the venue for ARU Peterborough's graduation ceremony on 11 July
The first cohort of ARU Peterborough students to join the city’s new university in 2022 are preparing to celebrate their graduation this week, with many having already secured skilled jobs in the local area.
Peterborough Cathedral will host this year’s graduation ceremony for ARU Peterborough students at 2pm on Friday, 11 July.
Students who have studied undergraduate degrees, degree apprenticeships, postgraduate courses and professional development qualifications will cross the cathedral stage to mark the formal completion of their studies.
“Congratulations to all our graduates on their success. This graduation ceremony marks a historic milestone for ARU Peterborough. It is a celebration of the achievements of our first cohort of students and reflects our mission to create opportunities, drive social mobility, and deliver high level skills tailored to local and national needs.
“This graduation also signals the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our university and community, as we expand our academic offer with a range of new courses available to start this September.”
Principal of ARU Peterborough, Professor Ross RentonThe first graduation is a landmark moment for the city, which until the opening of ARU Peterborough, was known as a higher education “cold spot”. The university has provided opportunities for many students to develop their skills – opportunities they might not have had otherwise.
James Johnson, 26, is to start work after graduation at local firm ParkAir as an Embedded Software Engineer. The Applied Computer Science graduate from Yaxley said: “It’s unlikely I would’ve attended university if it wasn’t for ARU Peterborough. I was 24 when I enrolled and going further afield wasn’t an option.
“Finding a local job straight after graduation means a lot. At the start, I was a little uncertain if university was right for me. This proves going to ARU Peterborough was the right thing to do.”
Faaizah Hussain, who lives in Peterborough and has studied for a BSc (Hons) degree in Accounting and Finance at ARU Peterborough, will give the Vote of Thanks speech at the graduation ceremony on 11 July.
Faaizah, who has now enrolled on a Postgraduate Certificate in Education to become a teacher, said: “I had already secured an apprenticeship and hadn’t planned on going to university until I found out about ARU Peterborough. I wasn’t keen on moving away or commuting long distances, and I didn’t realise there was a university here until my mum came across an advert and told me about it.
“Studying at ARU Peterborough has far exceeded my expectations. The one-to-one support has helped shape both my confidence and my character. University turned out to be so much more than I imagined – there wasn’t just academic guidance, there was genuine care from the tutors.
“Throughout my time here, I’ve taken on so many different roles. I co-founded a student society, was elected as a student governor, became a course representative, and worked as a student ambassador, which I absolutely loved. ARU Peterborough really gives you the platform to grow and get involved in ways that make a lasting impact on not just your own student experience, but the university’s future as a whole.”
Kazim Raffiq-Fazal, from Peterborough, has been a student ambassador during his computer science degree course and has just started a job at a Cambridgeshire software development company.
Kazim, 20, said: “I did my A-levels here in Peterborough and I knew university would be the next step for me. I went to a few open days at other institutions but I knew I wanted to study close to where I was living. I went to an open day at ARU Peterborough, met some of the lecturers and saw what the course contained, and it was everything I was looking for.
“I don’t think I would have had the same experience if I had gone to university elsewhere. Studying close to home has allowed me to spend less time commuting and I have been able to take part in more study and activities.
“In my second year I did an internship at a software company and that led to an offer to work for them after I graduated.”
ARU Peterborough is a partnership between Anglia Ruskin University, Peterborough City Council and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
“Huge congratulations to the first ever graduates of ARU Peterborough. This is both a personal achievement for each student and a landmark moment for our city.
“ARU Peterborough is transforming lives, tackling the higher education cold spot we faced, and building a pipeline of talent that meets the needs of local businesses. It’s helping people gain the skills and confidence to succeed and thrive in our local economy.
“This day is another example of what can be achieved through ambition and partnership between the City Council, ARU and the Combined Authority. And it marks just the beginning of ARU Peterborough’s growing role in the city’s regeneration and success.”
Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
“Firstly, a huge congratulations to all those who will be graduating on 11 July.
“When the concept of ARU Peterborough was created, its vision was to teach skills businesses in Peterborough are calling out for – andfor these to be skills needed for careers of the future.
“These are the very first set of graduates who will be leaving ‘job ready’. It will help ensure we retain our brightest and most hard working students, delivering confident and capable employees to our businesses and helping our city to flourish for years to come.”
Councillor Nick Thulbourn, cabinet member for growth and regeneration at Peterborough City Council