Degrees of joy among students

Sep 7 2007 By Will Oliphant, Birmingham Mail

STUDENTS and staff are celebrating after Newman Higher Education College in Bartley Green was awarded university status.

The Privy Council gave the college the power to award degrees after a review and recommendations from the Quality Assurance Agency.

It means that the college, which has 2,500 students a year, will now become a university college, but for the time being its degrees will continue to be issued by the University of Leicester.

Principal Pamela Taylor said: "We are delighted to have been awarded taught degree awarding powers as this reflects both the unequivocal quality of our degrees and the high level of work carried out at Newman.

"The quality that exists here has been consistently high, which has been highlighted in the recent National Student Survey.

"Achieving this goal marks the beginning of a new phase for Newman as a university college.

"We have gained formal recognition for being a higher education institution that delivers good quality teaching and support.

"It will also ensure that we continue to grow and develop in new and important ways." ..SUPL: