EDINBURGH, February 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Scottish-based Edinburgh Napier University today announced key milestones in its strategy which include plans to attract more Indian students with the appointment of an India-based director and the opening of a new office in the country. It has also announced it will change its name from Napier University to Edinburgh Napier University, a move to strengthen its growing popularity amongst international students including those from India.

The University has appointed Ashwini Kumar in a new role as director of its Indian operation and will open its first Indian office in Hyderabad later this year. Edinburgh Napier has nearly 15,000 students with approximately one third of these coming from outside the UK. Its presence in India goes back to 2006/7 with more than 90 India-based students graduating with Edinburgh Napier qualifications last year.

There are now currently around 190 students studying Edinburgh Napier programmes, delivered with partners in India, and over 500 who are currently studying at the University's campuses in Edinburgh. There were 3365 students from India studying with Scottish universities in 2006/7. Over 15 per cent of these were at Edinburgh Napier University, making it Scotland's most attractive university for Indian students. Recent figures(1) also show the University has the most non-UK students of all Scottish modern universities.

The name change - from Napier University to Edinburgh Napier University - is designed to reflect its growing status amongst international students and highlight its place in the Scottish capital, a key centre of excellence in higher education.

At today's launch Edinburgh Napier University Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor Joan Stringer said: Over the next five years we want to build on our position as Scotland's leading university for graduate employability and further deepen our already strong relationships overseas including India. I am delighted to announce the appointment of Ashwini Kumar in a new role as the University's director in India. We are also looking forward to opening our first office in Hyderabad later this year. These moves will enable us to further develop our excellent relationships in India and help us build on the programmes we can offer students on the Subcontinent.

Notes to Editors

(1)The Higher Education Statistics Agency 2008

For further information, including an Indian student case study, please contact Bill Shaw, BIG Partnership on +44-131-555-5522, bill.shaw@bigpartnership.co.uk

For further information, including an Indian student case study, please contact Bill Shaw, BIG Partnership on +44-131-555-5522, bill.shaw@bigpartnership.co.uk