Twenty people have been offered places to study at Bristol's University of the West of England in the six months since a new centre was set up to help asylum-seekers, migrants and refugees.

This success will be celebrated at the official launch of the centre, known as UWE's Refugee and Migrant Support hub, on Human Rights Day this Thursday.

The hub is the first of its kind at a university in the South West. It aims to provide a single point of access to academic and educational opportunities for scholars at risk.

It has set up a sanctuary education fund to provide limited financial assistance in some cases and has also received funding from Bristol Legacy Commission to help six postgraduate refugee students.

Manager Dr Ibrahim Seaga Shaw said: "The hub is already making a significant contribution to promoting workforce diversity in important sectors such as the NHS as three of the six students offered places in the School of Health and Social Care are doing midwifery, radiotherapy and mental health nursing, areas experiencing a huge under representation of black and ethnic minority staff."

The hub launch will be marked by a workshop at the Pierian centre in Portland Square, St Paul's, and a debate at the Watershed, where speakers will include UWE assistant vice-chancellowr Professor Geoff Channon and Bristol race equality campaigner Paul Stephenson.

UWE vice-chancellor Professor Steve West said: "The university prides itself on providing opportunities to all in the UK. This new initiative will offer much needed focus and support for refugees and migrants."