The TEC Partnership, which oversees East Riding College campuses located in Bridlington and Beverley, has announced a major milestone: the awarding of indefinite Degree Awarding Powers (DAPs) by the Office for Students (OfS). This esteemed recognition grants the Partnership the authority to create, validate, and award its own degrees indefinitely, further cementing its role as a leading institution for higher education in the region.
With this new status, the TEC Partnership joins an exclusive group—only three out of 217 colleges in England hold such comprehensive powers. It is also the first institution in the vicinity to receive this indefinite recognition for Bachelor Degree Awarding Powers, ushering in a new era for higher education in the area.
In addition to enhancing its own curriculum, this recognition enables the TEC Partnership to collaborate with other institutions, allowing them to confer foundation and full degrees. This development means that partner institutions can now design higher education courses that cater specifically to their communities while benefiting from the established educational standards and practices of the TEC Partnership.
Ann Hardy, Chief Executive of the TEC Partnership, conveyed her enthusiasm: “This is a moment of great pride for our entire community. It reaffirms that students don’t need to leave the region to obtain a high-quality, transformative degree. The TEC Partnership is dedicated to providing locally-based, employer-aligned higher education for generations to come.
“For employers, we can now swiftly design and introduce degrees that meet their specific requirements, whether tailored to an individual employer or an entire sector. The capability to collaborate and innovate in higher education and skills will greatly aid their long-term workforce planning.
“I am also delighted that we can support other institutions in developing their own higher education programmes, allowing them to offer high-quality degrees within their communities.”
The indefinite DAPs empower the Partnership with full control over its curriculum, enabling it to align every course with the specific needs of local and regional industries. By cultivating strong ties with employers, the TEC Partnership guarantees that its degrees serve not merely as qualifications, but as significant stepping stones to successful careers.
Nathan Michael, Chief Education and Training Officer, outlined the benefits for students: “This new authority allows us to enrich the supportive learning environment our students currently enjoy. It offers us the flexibility to innovate and adapt directly to the constantly evolving demands of the job market. Our focus is on providing an education that empowers individuals, strengthens communities, and propels our region’s economic growth.”
The OfS’s decision follows a comprehensive evaluation process that acknowledged the exceptional quality of the Partnership’s teaching, academic governance, student support, and industry engagement. This is further corroborated by the TEC Partnership’s Silver rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and a Gold rating for student experience.
The TEC Partnership is a consortium of further and higher education colleges and training providers, situated in Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, and North Yorkshire. It serves over 15,000 students and more than 2,500 employers, offering a diverse array of educational opportunities ranging from further education levels to commercial training, as well as higher education certificates, diplomas, foundation degrees, and degrees.
The TEC Partnership comprises:
- Grimsby Institute
- University Centre Grimsby
- The Academy Grimsby
- East Riding College (with campuses in Beverley and Bridlington)
- Scarborough TEC
- Skegness TEC
- Little Stars Nursery
- Transafe Training (located in Immingham)
- National Employer Training (serving Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and South Yorkshire).
