Welcome to our ARU Peterborough campus

Peterborough is steeped in history with the iconic Cathedral at the heart of our identity and at ARU Peterborough we’re making our own mark on the future of our city.

Our new, accessible campus is located next to the Embankment, just a short walk away from the city centre. Peterborough’s excellent transport links mean there are many of ways getting to the campus, whether you live locally or are commuting in.

Our new building includes facilities and services to ensure everyone feels comfortable and included.

We also understand that going to university isn’t just about getting a qualification but the whole student experience. It’s about making friends, building relationships, developing new skills and trying things you’ve never done before. Check out what the city of Peterborough can offer you.

Our campus

In September 2022, our brand-new building, University House, welcomed its first students. We offer a wide variety of undergraduate courses and degree apprenticeships. These have been designed in collaboration with regional, national and international employers. ARU Peterborough students will graduate with the skills ready for the workplace.

Key highlights at University House:

• Industry-standard facilities – Clinical suites, Midwifery skills lab, Engineering project room, Computing and Gaming rooms and a Primary Education room.
• A variety of quiet and collaborative study spaces including our Reading Room.
• Multi Faith and Muslim Prayer Rooms.
• Our Wirrina café offers a variety of food and drinks for staff, students, and visitors.
• No step access and two lifts means everyone can enter and move around the building with ease.
• Cathedral Terrace provides a relaxing space with views towards the Cathedral. It is already a popular spot for staff and will be loved by students as they take a break from studying.

Sustainability and the environment

Peterborough aims to become the 'UK’s Environment Capital’. This means the city will strive to be able to work ‘within the resources of our planet’. At ARU Peterborough, we too believe in a healthier, fairer and more sustainable future which is why our campus has been designed with the environment in mind. We have a green roof to increase biodiversity and control rainwater run off rates. This enables natural ventilation and brings more daylight into the heart of the building. We also encourage the use of public transport by working with local travel providers and installing sufficient cycle storage alongside our building.

Students will be able to take part in activities and voice their ideas to help improve sustainability across our campus.

Expert teaching and support

Our supportive tutors have a wealth of experience, knowledge and expertise to enable students to get the most out of their course. Find out more about who will be teaching you at ARU Peterborough.

Students will have access to a range of health and wellbeing resources both onsite and online. We also have Student and Library services and Students' Union on campus.

Visit us in Peterborough

Interested in discovering Peterborough for yourself? Come and explore what the city and our campus can offer you.

Sustainable design and net-zero carbon emissions by 2030

• Incorporate energy efficiency measures and best practice design to reduce the inherent energy demand and associated CO2 emissions of the development.
• Incorporate Low and Zero Carbon (LZC) technology solutions to decarbonise the energy supply and provide further CO2 reduction with a roadmap to zero carbon, such as air source heat pump systems to transfer heat from outside to inside the building.
• Incorporate recycled materials and materials with low embodied energy impact, locally sourced A and A+ rated construction materials (as defined by the Green Guide to Specification), wherever possible.
• Incorporate water efficiency measures and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), such as green roofs and swales for the disposal of surface water or low water capacity toilets and push button type taps.
• Incorporate measures to encourage sustainable transport, by minimising car park and incorporating additional secured cycle parking.
• Incorporate measures to mitigate the effects of climate change, such as provision of solar shading and allowance for cross ventilation throughout the building to stop overheating and provision of attenuation and protection against overland flooding.

Timelines and milestones

What next for the ARU Peterborough development?

Over the longer term, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority will continue the development of the university in Peterborough. This will happen in three phases over the next ten years.

• Phase 1 (September 2022–August 2025): this phase of the project sees the first group of students taught on campus at the Embankment site, and off-campus through blended learning, distance learning, face to face on company premises and through local outreach centres.
• Phase 2 (June 2021–June 2023): this phase will be a Research and Innovation Centre in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials Research (a new building) used for educational Research and Development.
• Phase 3 (September 2025–August 2028): this phase will consist of two buildings for further expansion of learning and teaching with a growth in postgraduate activity as well as growth and expansion to the curriculum offer in Phase 3.