The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has agreed that BPP, a private provider of higher education can use the business name of BPP University College of Professional Studies Ltd.

Commenting on the announcement, Professor Ruth Farwell, Vice-Chancellor of Buckinghamshire New University and Chair of GuildHE said :

“The change of name is a major step in recognising the diversity of the higher education sector.  BPP successfully completed the rigorous assessment procedures which enabled the approval of the award of taught degree awarding powers by the Privy Council.

“The GuildHE higher education institutions that have been through the same QAA scrutiny and assessment process for the grant of research or taught degree awarding powers know how demanding that process can be.  All credit is due therefore to BPP for achieving the grant of taught degree awarding powers and for securing the change of name.

“GuildHE believes strongly in the importance of ensuring a healthy mix of public and private providers of higher education so as to meet the needs and interests of a range of different students, and our membership is a testimony to this.

“The key point is to ensure that students get a good experience wherever they choose to study and that they can rely on the quality of provision and the standards of awards.

“It is important also that students understand the differences between the different kinds of institution and where they can find relevant information.

“We look forward to further discussions with BIS on the use of university and university college title so as to ensure a clear policy framework is in place for the future.”

For more information, please contact:
Alice Hynes, Chief Executive Officer, tel. 020 7387 7711
alice.hynes@guildhe.ac.uk

Notes for Editors
1. There are currently eleven higher education institutions in membership of GuildHE who have achieved taught (and in some cases research) degree awarding powers and who have been granted the right to use the title of University College by the Privy Council. Some are specialist,  others deliver a wide range of higher education programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level, including taught and research programmes. Publicly funded higher institutions with over 4,000 student on higher education programmes can apply to the Privy Council for the award of university title. However, current restrictions on student numbers in the publicly funded sector limit capacity for growth.

2. GuildHE is a recognised representative organisation within the higher education sector. 

3. GuildHE are among the most dynamic and fastest-growing institutions in higher education. For a list of GuildHE institutions, please click here