Falmouth University has accepted more Cornish students than ever before for first year entry in the coming academic year.

Cornish applicant numbers were the highest so far for the university, and more than 300 young people from the county will start a course in September, an increase of more than 19 per cent compared to the 2015/16 intake.

Falmouth University has said it is committed to increasing access to higher education and developing a "talent pipeline" in the county by recruiting local students onto innovative and industry-facing courses, so they can secure jobs or start up their own businesses after graduation.

The rise in Cornish student numbers is an important step in achieving Falmouth University’s target of recruiting 25 per cent of its students from Cornwall by 2020, as this year’s cohort make up 16 per cent of the total intake.

Vice-chancellor and chief executive of the university, Professor Anne Carlisle, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming so many students from Cornwall to our campuses this year. Falmouth University is proud to be ranked as the UK’s number one arts university and to provide a world class higher education to young people from Cornwall, in Cornwall.

“We will continue to work closely with partners in education and business to raise aspirations among local students and to provide exciting training and opportunities.”