THE biggest challenge facing Manchester Metropolitan University is to open up to students who live on its doorstep, says new vice chancellor John Brooks.

Prof Brooks, former vice chancellor at Wolverhampton University, is determined that MMU will become "a university of and for Manchester".

He believes that the university's reputation for research will become even stronger in the future.

But he is determined that it will not be at the expense of offering a high quality education to students living in the shadow of the university - even if that impacts on its position in national league tables.

He said: "I feel very strongly that just because you are born in a disadvantaged area you cannot have your career or life opportunities shortened because of that.

"This is about offering real and life changing opportunities."

Prof Brooks knows that could impact on the university's position in national league tables, but he says it is a risk he is willing to take. "League tables do a lot of damage," he said. "It is a risk you have to evaluate. But we are a sufficiently large and robust university to take students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

"We are a resource for Greater Manchester, but we have an obligation to work in disadvantaged communities."

Prof Brooks, who became vice chancellor in September, says he was attracted to the city because of the quality of the university and the number of students in Manchester.

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