The University of Bradford has netted millions of pounds' extra cash to recruit more students on new 'vocational' degree courses.

The funding will build up to £1.8 million a year from 2005, to boost the numbers who can enrol for health and social care and engineering technology degrees.

The cash has been awarded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in what university chiefs say is a better-than-average deal for the sector.

The foundation degrees can be studied part-time and include built-in workplace training.

"These courses are radical new initiatives which reflect the University of Bradford's role providing vocational higher education," said Professor of Lifelong Learning Geoff Layer.

The foundation degrees are offered in partnership with Bradford College, with different modules being taught at each centre. Once students have completed the foundation degree they can convert it to an Honours degree by completing an extra year of study.

Foundation degrees are also being launched in:

l crime prevention and community safety

l teaching support

l early years

l sales, and

l IT user support.

Pro vice chancellor Professor Jeff Lucas said: "The university was at the heart of the foundation degree initiative when it was launched two years ago, and this award, which is above-average for the sector, demonstrates confidence in our mission as a progressive university."

Karen Birch, head of applied human studies at Bradford College, said: "We are excited at the prospect of further collaboration with the university in the delivery of the foundation degree in health and social care, as it will allow us to build on our well-established relationship in this field."

In the health sector, there will be an additional 240 places for a foundation degree in health and social care.