Blackpool & The Fylde College granted awarding powers

Blackpool and The Fylde College (B&FC) @b_and_fc is celebrating the achievement of being the only further education college in the North West and one of only three in the country able to independently award Bachelor Degrees.

The granting of degree awarding powers demonstrates the strength, depth and maturity of higher education at the College and is great news for its employer-partners.

The new three-year Bachelor’s Degree Awarding Powers (BDAP) and indefinite Foundation Degree Awarding Powers (FDAP) gives B&FC greater flexibility to respond to employer requirements.

Already known for co-creating technical and professional provision aligned to the needs of the economy, businesses across the Fylde Coast and beyond can benefit from degree level bespoke education and training.

In addition, B&FC can now validate their own one-year full-time or two-year part-time Certificates of Higher Education providing enhanced flexibility and accessibility for students. This will allow students to demonstrate their capability to study for a full degree, raise their confidence and boost their skills and knowledge, futureproofing for the post-18 lifelong long loan entitlement, set to be introduced in 2025.

Bev Robinson OBE, Principal and Chief Executive of B&FC said: “This achievement is the culmination of years of work across all those curriculum areas that have been delivering Higher Education since the 1960s.   

“It represents a significant milestone in the College’s 130-year history. We are extremely proud of this achievement for our community. Many thanks to the colleagues and students who have contributed to this.

“It is business as usual with our highly valued university partner, Lancaster University, who we have had a productive and mutually beneficial relationship with for more than 30 years. They remain our primary higher education awarding partner.’’ 

This latest awarding status comes as a result of detailed scrutiny by Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) on behalf of the Office for Students (OfS).