THEY came from far and wide to celebrate an event that had been dreamed about for a decade and had finally come to fruition.

Clergymen, politicians, academics and business leaders arrived at the former UCW from across Worcestershire to mark the day when Worcester could finally proclaim itself a university city.

The champagne flowed as the great and good of the county mingled in front of signs proudly displaying the university's new blue W logo, hastily put up for this reception on campus to mark the gaining of university status.

The new vice-chancellor, Prof David Green, has become the face of the successful transition.

He may have had to make his speech from a bench, but no one cared as he announced "for the first time I raise a toast to the University of Worcester", raising the biggest cheers of the night.

His two young daughters, in T-shirts displaying the new name and logo, may have looked a bit bemused, but they showed what a personal commitment Prof Green has made to the transformation from a college to a university.

Many talk of how the higher status will attract more students, particularly from overseas. Mick Donovan, principle lecturer in sport and exercise science mentioned his aim was to "raise the bar to a level that no other university can clear".

Head of arts and drama Maureen Gamble talked of this as "the catalyst to improve the city's cultural offering."

Chris Robertson, in charge of education, said she wanted to ensure that "students achieve beyond their potential".

So this was a day for optimism, for looking ahead, and dreaming of how Worcester could progress. City mayor Aubrey Tarbuck, who himself regrets never going to university, said that with time "we can be as good as Oxford as Cambridge" and did not miss the opportunity to speak of the challenges Worcester faces.

"Students have cars these days," he said. "They won't use the park and ride so we need to get the Western Orbital constructed to get them in and out. People don't want to be stuck in traffic."

The champagne was quaffed, the celebratory balloons were taken away and over the next fortnight the students will start arriving for Worcester's first university term.

"It will put a glow on the city, like having a successful football team does," said Coun Ian Imray.