HARLOW College is set to benefit from a £10m boost that will be used to build a higher education centre.

The cash award is part of a £20m injection given to Anglia Ruskin University, of which Harlow College is a partner, aimed at improving skills and raising the east of England's higher education provision.

With the new facility likely to be in place by 2008 the number of students at the college could increase from 900 to more than 3,000 by 2012.

College principal Colin Hindmarch said: "We want to see this centre put to good use, delivering higher education programmes, most of which will be foundation degrees driven by the needs of industry.

"There will need to be significant buy-in from local employers to make this venture work."

The plan is that the new campus will allow students to work closely with local industry, helping to grow the regional economy.

Anglia Ruskin University vice-chancellor Professor David Tidmarsh said: "This is a major step towards the creation of self-sustaining university centres, which will help to widen higher education participation and underpin the economic growth and change planned within the region."

The cash, which has been agreed in principle, was pledged by the Higher Education Funding Council and the England East of England Development Agency.