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Local F.E. Colleges first in UK to receive foundation degree awarding powers

Two further education colleges in the region have become the first in the country to be given the right to award their own foundation degrees.

Newcastle College and New College Durham were awarded the powers after detailed scrutiny of their applications by the Quality Assurance Agency,

Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said: “ I am delighted that the first two further education colleges have now been awarded foundation degree awarding powers.

“We want to ensure that institutions offering high quality work-focused degrees can compete on a level playing field for prospective students.”

New College Durham caters to over 1,500 students in the region and offers a range over 30 foundation degrees and other higher education provisions.

John Widdowson CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of New College Durham said: “We are delighted to have been given Foundation Degree Awarding Powers which acknowledges the role that New College Durham plays in delivering high quality Higher Education and which gives the College the flexibility to develop new higher education courses to meet the needs of employers and students.”

“We will develop our Foundation Degrees as valuable qualifications in their own right that will provide the students with the necessary skills and knowledge for employment or progression on to other programmes.”

Chief Executive of NCG, who runs Newcastle College Jackie Fisher added:“ We are delighted that Newcastle College Corporation is able to award its own Foundation Degrees.

“Foundation Degree Awarding Powers create a platform for us to forge ahead with our plans for Taught Degree Awarding Powers and gives us the opportunity to provide students with degrees that will give them the powers to get jobs and progress in their careers.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .