Mr Affan K. Al Akhzam, Chief Executive Officer at ICEM signs the new contact with UCLan Pro Chancellor and Chair of the University Board David Taylor

A Preston-based university has agreed a multi-million pound deal in the Middle East.

The University of Central Lancashire is to provide courses in Oman and Qatar during the next five years.

Previously students studying in Oman had to visit Preston as part of the programme, but the new deal means they can study there for the entire course in engineering.

The deal is said to be worth around £6.5 million to the university.

UCLan is also branching out into Qatar to deliver fire safety engineering management courses.

Students at the Ras Laffan emergency and safety college, which cost £302 million to build, will be accredited by the university.

Related: Watch first look at £200m UCLan masterplan for Preston campus

Preston-based students will also have the opportunity to visit the Middle East buildings.

Pro Chancellor and Chair of the University Board David Taylor, who led the visits to Qatar and Oman to agree the deals, said: “The extension of our partnership with ICEM is a real milestone and evidence of its past success, while the new relationship with Qatar Civil Defence will complement this and the University’s other global partnerships, such as those in China and Mauritius.

“What’s more these initiatives will result in enormous benefits for students. For instance, they’ll have access to world-class facilities, they’ll be taught by academic staff with wide ranging industrial experience and they’ll benefit from collaborative research which will feed into the teaching curriculum.

“The programmes will generate graduates who are highly trained and highly employable, both vocationally and academically, ready to apply their skills to national and global challenges.”

The Middle East deal represents the first major international expansion for the university since its loss-making Thailand, Cyprus and Sri Lanka deals.

In January 2014 it was revealed the university would lose £3.2 million following the collapse of its Thailand campus.

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