Writtle College
Writtle College has been given the power to award its own degrees. The College has been a partner of the University since 1996 and its higher education students currently receive University of Essex degrees.
The Privy Council has now written to the College to confirm that it has been granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers (TDAP), which means that, from September 2017, students will be able to study for a degree awarded by the College.
The first students will graduate with Writtle College qualifications (Higher Education Certificates and postgraduate taught Masters) during the College's 125th year in 2018, with the first Bachelors degrees awarded in 2020.
Principal Dr Stephen Waite said: “This is a significant milestone in the College's history and shows how we have grown and progressed as an institution. We have offered specialist courses for over 120 years and we are pleased that students will, in future, graduate with a degree that is awarded by Writtle College.
“We are grateful to the University of Essex for a long-standing partnership that has been successful and productive; the College will still maintain close ties to the university, which will continue to validate our research degrees.
“The TDAP process has recognised our strong governance, academic standards, scholarship and teaching as well as the environment supporting the delivery of taught Higher Education programmes.”
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Essex, Professor Anthony Forster, said: “Our higher education partnership with Writtle College has flourished over nearly 20 years and we congratulate the College on being granted degree-awarding powers. We will continue to work closely with the College during this exciting transition and through our research degree programme partnership.”
Lise-Lotte Olsen, the College’s Chair of Governors, added: “Writtle College is well-known as one of the oldest providers of specialist education in the UK and our courses at both Further Education and Higher Education levels have a strong reputation in the industries we serve.
“We offer students a university-style campus set in a 220-hectare estate, a heritage stretching back over 120 years, a close community and the highest standards of teaching on our portfolio of specialist courses, which will all continue through this smooth transition to TDAP.”
The College's degrees are currently validated by the University of Essex and students receive their awards from the University at the College's graduation ceremonies in September.
The move to gain the power to be its own degree awarding body comes after the government made it easier for specialist institutions with a smaller student community to apply for TDAP.
Writtle College is now consulting with key stakeholders, including students and staff, to determine the most appropriate name for the institution to reflect this academic development.