A UNIVERSITY campus has been awarded for their commitment to student development. 

Wiltshire College & University Centre's (WCUC) Lackham Campus, a specialist land-based campus, won the Team Achievement Award in the The Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) annual awards earlier this year. 

The team were presented with their prize at a special event on campus at the beginning of the academic year. 

IAgrE highlighted the quality of high-specification equipment and facilities available to students looking to pursue a career in the land-based sector at WCUC.

In 2021, a £9million refurbishment project was completed at the site which included the creation of several new facilities to support land-based teaching, such as a modern AgriTech Centre and a robotic dairy unit.

In their citation, the IAgrE said: "The recent £9million investment into facilities includes a working robotic milking unit with downstream transfer to refrigerated bulk tank storage. Situated alongside the working dairy, state-of-the-art lecturing facilities provide students with up-to-date information on how technology influences herd performance.

“All these initiatives were only possible with the hard work, determination, and commitment from all those involved with the management and student development at Lackham.”

Lackham campus is set in 500 acres of Wiltshire countryside and offers a wide range of courses including agriculture, animal care, equine, horticulture and land-based engineering.

Executive director of Chippenham and Lackham at WCUC, said: “We are delighted to have won the Team Achievement Award and received such positive recognition from The Institution of Agricultural Engineers.

“We pride ourselves on providing students with the best possible opportunities at our Lackham campus and strive to deliver all the necessary knowledge, skills and experience required to start a career in the land-based industries which are so important within the region.”

The IAgrE is a registered charity that brings together academics, practitioners and industry to share knowledge and promote professionalism in the advancement and application of technology in the land-based sector. 

They are a professional membership organisation with grades for all those working in, or with an interest in agriculture and the environment.