UNIVERSITIES on the south coast are the most popular with Guernsey students. Number one in the top 20 was Exeter, where 53 undergraduates started courses this academic year.

The top seven were all on the south coast and Durham was the only representative of the north of England.

‘Students focus on universities on the south coast for a variety of reasons,’ said lifelong learning manager Alun Williams.

‘Students come back to the island and tell of their great experiences and prospective students become interested that way.

‘Winchester University is a good example of word of mouth making a big difference. We have had a huge increase in the number of students going there in recent years.’

Winchester was represented at the Higher Education Fair held at the Grammar School on Tuesday and its student recruitment advisor, Laura Klabis, said word of mouth had been a major factor in its success in recruiting students from Guernsey.

‘It has helped, particularly with our performing arts and primary teaching courses,’ she said.

‘I also suppose that Winchester, from a prospective Channel Island student’s point of view, could be like a home away from home because it is a relatively small university and has a supportive community feel to it that students from Guernsey are perhaps used to.’

She added that the university was always looking to improve facilities.

‘We want to help improve the student experience and I hope our continued improvements will make more and more come to Winchester.’

Statistics released this week also show that students from Guernsey are studying a wide variety of subjects at university.

Mr Williams added: ‘Our education system deserves a lot of credit because we have such a diversity of subjects being studied by our students. We need young people with a wide variety of skills to meet the requirements of employers in the island.’

Creative arts and design is the biggest area, with 14.5% of students studying for such a degree. But courses range from veterinary sciences to social studies and Mr Williams believed locals understood the importance of gaining a degree.

‘We need to get across the message that more people are staying on for post-16 and higher education and there is a real diversity of opportunities available to young people.’