A new website has been launched to reach out to thousands of former students from Swansea University with the long-term aim of boosting inward investment into the area.

The college hopes the interactive website will become a focal point for people who studied at the seaside campus.

The university has registered thousands of students

The first phase of the site went live earlier this month, and already hundreds have registered.

Since 1970, the university's alumni office has records of 46,000 graduates who have attended the college so the potential audience for the site is vast.

The website has been developed in partnership with the Welsh Development Agency and Swansea Council.

It has been seen as a marketing tool to attract people back to south west Wales.

The on-line facility enables former Swansea students around the world to keep in touch with their alma mater and with each other.

Subscribers will be able to rediscover and then network with other alumni, and even take part in real and virtual reunions

Professor Robin Williams

The second phase of the site will see a buddy board in the style of the Friends Reunited site.

The university's alumni office is carrying out an international drive to contact all past students to inform them of development.

"The university is now developing an alumni programme that will transform its alumni association and create an enduring link between them, their old campus classmates and their former teachers," said Swansea vice chancellor Professor Robin Williams.

University news

He said the new website would offer a number of opportunities for graduates to tap into.

"For example, subscribers will be able to rediscover and then network with other alumni, and even take part in real and virtual reunions," he said.

"They will be able to find out about job opportunities, seek support on setting up and growing their business, and keep abreast of news about the university, business and leisure in the Swansea Bay area, wherever they are in the world."

Since its launch the website has attracted more than 800 ex-students to register.