Education

Is Higher education a waste of Money?

The UK has a well-deserved reputation world-wide for providing high quality and well-respected higher education. There are well over 100 institutions in the UK that are permitted to award a wide variety of degrees to suit most educational aspirations.

All those institutions have degree awarding powers recognised by the UK authorities (UK and Scottish Parliament, Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies).

In addition to institutions awarding degrees, there are also several hundred colleges and other institutions which do not have degree-awarding powers but who provide complete courses leading to recognised UK degrees. Courses at these institutions are validated by institutions which have degree awarding powers.

The growth of the internet has enabled UK institutions to make information on their courses available to a global audience.

This growth and the need for more flexible provision, opening higher education up to a wider group of people means that many universities and colleges now offer their degrees through distance learning.

Recognised bodies
The UK authorities recognise those institutions which have been granted degree-awarding powers by either a Royal Charter, Act of Parliament or the Privy Council. These are known as ‘recognised bodies’. All UK universities and some higher education colleges are recognised bodies.

See a list of all institutions which are recognised by the UK authorities as having UK degree-awarding powers.