New City College announces partnership with Queen Mary

The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding, aims to create new education pathways and address skills gaps on a local, national and global scale.

Under the agreement, both organisations will explore a foundation degree pathway for UK students into Queen Mary’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Other collaborative opportunities will also be considered, building on their shared missions to broaden access to education.

Dr Philippa Lloyd, vice principal for policy and strategic partnerships at Queen Mary University of London, said: “The signing of this memorandum of understanding is the first step in establishing a long-term, anchor partnership between Queen Mary and New City College, one of the country’s most influential further education groups.

“I am excited to see the partnership grow and help more people across East London and beyond reap the benefits of continuing their education.”

Queen Mary’s 240-year legacy centres on providing opportunity to all students with the potential to succeed, while New City College focuses on widening opportunity, strengthening community impact and partnering with higher education.

Dr Alison Arnaud, principal of New City College’s Tower Hamlets and Hackney campuses, said: “Further to many years of positive and productive work together, I am delighted that New City College and Queen Mary are now establishing this formal partnership.

“With initiatives designed specifically to benefit local people and open up opportunity across the UK and beyond, this partnership resonates firmly with our strategic aims and commitment to our local communities.”

The proximity of both institutions to Whitechapel, along with Queen Mary’s recent purchase of a large piece of land in the area, offers further potential for jointly developing new pathways into various careers.

This latest collaboration extends Queen Mary’s ongoing efforts to work with local partners in support of learners who wish to follow alternative educational routes.

New City College is the UK’s largest further education provider and is rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, while Queen Mary University of London is part of the Russell Group and internationally recognised for research and teaching.