BPP gains university status as part of private sector education push

BPP College of Professional Studies has been granted 'university college' status, creating the first private sector university college for more than 30 years.

The new arrangement means BPP Law School is now part of BPP University College. However, the law school's name will remain the same and no changes will be made to the way it operates.

This is the first time a private institution has been awarded the university college title since Buckingham University College - now the University of Buckingham - was created in 1976.

BPP Law School chief executive Peter Crisp (pictured) told Legal Week: "From a reputational point of view this is excellent news. All of our staff, students and alumni will benefit from being a university college."

David Willetts, minister of state for universities and science, said: "The coalition Government is committed to promoting a wider range of educational opportunities, delivering a more diverse higher education system and matching the skills employers want.

"It is healthy to have a vibrant private sector working alongside our more traditional universities. International experience shows that a diverse range of higher education providers helps widen access, focuses attention on teaching quality and promotes innovative learning methods, such as web-based distance learning."

Three years ago BPP was awarded degree-awarding powers, after rival The College of Law - a registered charity - became the first non-university in England and Wales to be allowed to award degrees in 2006.

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