Eight years ago Rob Ewin didn't have many qualifications but had a dream of becoming a police officer.

Thanks to the University of Cumbria he's now a serving officer with the county's police force and on course to complete his PhD.

He is four years into his PhD studies and hopes to complete it next year.

The 28-year-old could become one of the first to receive a doctorate from the University of Cumbria as it seeks to be granted research degree awarding powers.

Rob was among the first students to embark on a foundation degree in policing with the university in 2009 as it developed a partnership with Cumbria Constabulary.

This week Appleby-born Rob, in his officer's ceremonial uniform, told The Princess Royal about the opportunities the university had given him.

Her Royal Highness visited the University of Cumbria's Fusehill Street campus on Wednesday.

The university is celebrating its 10th anniversary and the launch of its new strategic vision, which sets outs its aims for the next three years.

Rob, a detective sergeant in Carlisle, said: "I've done royal visits before through uniformed duties at work but never been presented like this.

"She was wonderful and was very challenging, in terms of her questions, and she didn't take in any fools."

Rob first began working as a volunteer with the police before joining as a civilian employee.

His career and experience has included stints working in the control room, in the community safety unit, in Carlisle CID and now in a public protection role helping vulnerable victims of crime.

He said: "I always wanted to be a cop. I'd done my GCSEs and did computer aided design and things like that at the Appleby Heritage Centre.

"I then began volunteering with the police and one of my first jobs was to call victims of crime and ask them about the involvement they'd had with us."

Later, working in a civilian post, Rob saw an advert about training through the university.

"I called [the course contact] Maureen Taylor, who was here then. I told her I didn't have any A-levels and I didn't know what Ucas points were but I asked her if I could come to university," he said.

It was a life changing decision and now Rob is one of the university's 110 PhD students and among the 75 per cent of them who are studying part-time and holding down a full-time job.

Professor Diane Cox, the university's director of research and head of graduate school, spoke to the princess with Rob.

Professor Cox said: "Rob is an example of the part time study, full time real world practitioner research we have going on here at the university."

The princess also found out about the university's collaborative work to train health professionals, embark on innovative educational research with local schools, as well as its links with the county's only prison at Haverigg and other organisations including Carlisle Cathedral and the city's Tullie House Museum.

One of the university's key areas for future growth is STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths).

Princess Anne is known to have a keen interest in seeing the development of women in science and engineering.

Dr Elspeth Lees, the university's head of science, natural resources and outdoor studies, said: "We're proud of what we've achieved here to date and know we've got some distance still to go but it is an absolute pleasure to ask the princess to take notice of the work we've undertaken and the impact of such work."

The princess spent more than 90 minutes at the campus.

As her visit came to a close, the princess enjoyed a performance by student vocal group Voces UoC before unveiling a plaque to open the £3.5m STEM facilities.

The princess gave a short address, commenting on the importance of the university's role in the county and its opportunity to "build history".

The princess also praised the university for its links to industry which help to develop courses to plug skills gaps identified by employers.

She said: "You show the signs of doing that really well.

"It is a pleasure to join you at an important part of your process."

Professor Mennell said the princess had been "engaged" and "knowledgeable" during the visit.

The vice-chancellor added: "She was very interested in where we are looking to position ourselves in emerging industrial strategies and that Cumbria does have world class assets like STEM."

The Princess Royal visited the Carlisle campus just days after the university's new influx of first-year students had registered for courses.

Welcome Week activities continue for freshers.