In a practice which is becoming more prevalent amongst British universities, University College London is to open a department overseas. The School of Energy and Resources will open in Adelaide, South Australia next year. This is the first example of a British university opening a campus in Australia, although the University of Nottingham has campuses in China and Malaysia, and Imperial is working on the new King Abdullah University in Saudi Arabia, along with a diabetes centre in Dubai.

UCL's Vice Provost, Michael Worton, said that "Transnational education is changing the way that students and professionals now study and develop their skills". The new department is expected to provide for sixty masters students. The premier of South Australia, Michael Wann, also welcomed the move, and believes the scheme will give greater weight to Adelaide's and Australia in general's attraction to international students.

UCL's website describes it as "London's Global University", which can be justified with this new international venture - although it is still not a university.

British universities are increasingly looking to open campuses overseas in order to expand their international reputation, while tapping into talented individuals who may be unable or unwilling to study in UK.

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