A MULTI-MILLION pound new campus, university status, and the UK's fastest growing application rate are just some of the successes of the University of Worcester's vice chancellor Professor David Green. It has been an exciting first five years at the institution for the professor, who is helping to quietly change the face of Worcester both physically and economically.

Mr Green took up his post at the university in January 2003, when it was then known as the University College Worcester.

"I was really keen to get the job because I thought this was a really good place, which could do so much more in the area," he said. "It had lots of potential and I was very pleased to be offered the job."

Mr Green studied economics at Cambridge University. He held senior academic appointments at London South Bank University and Leeds Metropolitan University, where he was dean of the Leeds Business School and professor of economics. While he led the Leeds Business School, one of the five largest in Britain, it was independently rated as the best new university business school in the country.

Subsequently, he served as pro vice-chancellor at Thames Valley University for a little over a year to assist in its recovery from a turbulent time.

He then moved to Worcester with his wife Cathy, an economist who is now training to become a midwife at the University of Worcester, and two young daughters.

When he took up the post at the institution Mr Green identified three areas for change.

"The first was to give confidence to the staff that they were doing good work," he said. "The second thing was to get the university well connected to the region, forging better links with companies, the Government and other institutions.

"The third thing was to deal with the university as a business. It needed more money and a proper investment plan.

"Underneath it all, however, was the need to provide a good service for students and the community."

And over the past five years Mr Green believes he has tackled each of those issues, seeing the university soar in popularity.

The first thing he tackled were the courses on offer to students at the institution.

"We developed the courses in consultation with businesses, staff and students," he said. "Previously, students could study almost any subject alongside any other subject as long as it fitted with the timetable. I wanted to make it more structured and enable students to study linked topics that were relevant in the world of work."

Following the course adjustments the university has a much stronger link with the business world, and many courses now offer placement opportunities.

"We had to show that higher education is relevant to the world of work," Mr Green added.

The next thing to tackle was the issue of the institution's status. University College Worcester often led to much confusion about the type of education on offer.

"People would ask which university were we a college of," Mr Green said. "How can we be a college and a university? And do we offer further education or higher education. We needed to clear up this confusion and give the institution a proper footing."

In September 2005, the Privy Council approved the university college's application for full university title and Mr Green became Worcester's founding vice-chancellor.

From then on the university thrived and last year the university's accounts reported the first ever financial surplus to exceed £1 million in its 60-year history. Income from private as well as public sources has increased sharply over the five years. Staff numbers, capability and achievement have also increased steadily with notable advances in a number of fields, including health, bio-medicine and business.

Then in October 2007, the university received planning permission to re-develop the historic but derelict site of the former Worcester Royal Infirmary to build a second campus right in the heart of the city.

"This is a huge development for the university," Mr Green said. "There has been no major building at the university since it was first developed. This will not only create a first-class facility for students but will help to raise the profile of the university and let people know that we are here."

The original 18th century hospital, where the British Medical Association was founded by Sir Charles Hastings in July 1832, will be restored and its use transformed to become the heart of a new, inclusive university campus serving the creative arts and business in particular.

The development will also include Britain's first joint university and public library and history centre. The new development is set to help drive economic and employment growth.

By 2012 the university's own overall cumulative effect will see the creation of a further 1,000 extra jobs for the West Midlands region. Its overall economic contribution to the region will increase from £3 million to £6 million a week.

The university's main St John's campus is also undergoing significant modernisation and development. In 2004, Prince Edward, the Duke of Wessex opened the university's digital arts centre and Tom Graveney, the legendary England cricketer and President of the MCC, opened the motion analysis research and rehabilitation centre.

Last year planning permission was received to create a new allergy testing centre for the university's national pollen and aerobiology research unit and to build new student halls of residence.

"We have been doing many good things and there are more to come," concludes Mr Green, who in 2006 received the annual Pride of Worcestershire award in recognition of his services to the county.