New Milton Keynes degree courses will be available from September after Milton Keynes College Group secured approval from The Open University to deliver a range of higher education programmes.
The agreement, which follows a validation process led by The Open University, will allow the college to deliver degree programmes under the university’s quality assurance framework from September.
The first courses will focus on technology-related disciplines, including Foundation Degrees in Applied Computing and Games Design and Development, alongside BSc Honours Degrees in the same subjects.
The partnership reflects increasing efforts by education providers in Milton Keynes to develop local talent pipelines as employers seek workers with digital and technical skills. The city has built a reputation as a centre for technology, logistics and innovation, creating demand for qualifications aligned with business needs.
Laura Black, Group Director for Adult and Higher Education at Milton Keynes College Group, said the agreement would enable students to access higher education locally while benefiting from the Open University’s established academic standards.
“The degrees on offer will be devised and delivered by expert College staff, but they will also be supported by The OU’s sixty years in the Higher Education sector, giving students confidence that they are receiving qualifications of genuine stature,” she said.
“The OU has been over our systems and processes with a fine-toothed comb to make sure we’re meeting their exacting standards, and we’re really proud to now have that mark of approval. We’re looking forward to welcoming learners onto these new courses from this September.”
College leaders say the model will provide a lower-cost route into higher education while maintaining recognised academic standards. Students will study locally and benefit from smaller class sizes and links with employers across the region.
For businesses, the development is expected to strengthen opportunities to recruit locally trained graduates with skills in areas where demand continues to grow.
Phil Kenmore, Director of Employers and Partnerships at The Open University, said the new courses would help support the city’s economic ambitions.
“Milton Keynes has a growing reputation as a technology hub and these new programmes will widen access to higher education and provide skills for the jobs of the future,” he said.
“Our proven, high-quality approach to validating higher education courses via further education colleges has been honed over 30 years and this partnership with Milton Keynes College helps us continue this success and expand our mission to open up education for all.”
The agreement marks the latest stage in a developing relationship between the two institutions. Both organisations are involved in Milton Keynes’ Civic Agreement, which aims to strengthen collaboration between major employers, education providers and public bodies as the city seeks to capitalise on opportunities linked to the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor.
Applications for the first intake of students are now open, with courses due to begin in September.
