INTO This Week 64

Located at the junction of Kyle Street and Dobbie's Loan, the £32 million development will comprise a 3,000m² academic building catering to around 600 students, and a 305-bed student residence. There will also be an attractive outdoor courtyard and a 40-seat 'Wagamama-style' fusion cafe which will be open to the public. The complex would open in early 2014.

INTO Property Director Nigel Miles said: "Although planning permission is yet to be confirmed we are confident of wide support for the project. It promises to be yet another superb INTO student facility, offering excellent features and enhancing the architectural landscape of the city."

The project will involve a £32m investment facilitated by INTO and stands to benefit the local economy. The construction team on the project, Watkin Jones, expects to create 200 to 300 jobs locally and at least 100 staff will be employed on the site when it opens. The contribution from international students to the city through fees and living expenses will also increase.

Glasgow Caledonian Vice-Chancellor Pamela Gillies said: "This proposal represents a significant investment in the city and strongly supports the University's internationalisation agenda. The site is an important gateway to the city and represents a key part of our expansion plans... We believe that this high-quality building with real presence will enhance our international reputation."

In the planning stages of the project, Glasgow residents were consulted extensively due to the central location of the development and INTO was required to go before the city's Urban Design Panel which made recommendations and changes. In keeping with Glasgow's architectural character regionally sourced stone, slate and other materials will be used in the development. Features common to INTO's other student developments such as light-receptive atriums and eco-friendly design elements will also be incorporated.

Nigel Miles said: "It has been important to us to consult with many local interests and we have been able to accommodate many of their constructive ideas into the proposal. Development of the site will cement INTO's position in Scotland allowing us to provide a wide range of options across the INTO network, and it supports Glasgow's reputation as a desirable option for international students seeking the best in higher education."

Mr Luong Tien Thanh, who finished the Newton Programme at INTO UEA this summer, and Ms Pham Thuy Anh, who graduated from INTO Scotland in 2009, are undertaking internships with the INTO Vietnam office in Hanoi until September.

An excellent advert for INTO, the students travel the country giving presentations on their INTO programmes at agents' offices, fairs and seminars; training counsellors; and meeting prospective students and parents, all of whom benefit from their first hand experience of INTO.

So far the students have been involved in two successful British Council seminars in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Thanh Luong also joined Head of Student Recruitment, INTO UEA London and City, David Amor on a talk show on Hanoi's official TV station - a great opportunity to market INTO UEA and City courses and scholarships.

Said David Amor: "The show was focused on study abroad and we were speaking about opportunities in the UK and at the University of East Anglia specifically.

Discussion included differences between A-levels and foundation programmes as well as what students can expect from a UK education. We also talked about the consistently high success rates of Vietnamese students when studying with INTO in the UK."

Although the show will have a large viewership when broadcast in early August, Thanh Luong was keen to downplay his moment in the media spotlight. "It was OK, but to be honest I do not prefer being myself being on the TV screen or other public images. However, I did try to be as good as I can."

Nguyen Thi Huong Thu, INTO's Regional Manager in Vietnam, said: "We are pleased to showcase true success stories of INTO alumni to our agents, potential students and parents through Thuy Anh and Tien Thanh. They certainly are wonderful ambassadors for the INTO A-level Newton program and INTO Scotland."

Luong Tien Thanh will start a degree at the London School of Economics in September. Pham Thuy Anh, who finished her master's at Glasgow Caledonian University last year, is now working at as a Business Development Officer at an English Centre in Hanoi and takes part in the internship on weekends.