Northumbria University has a wide range of Educational Provision with Others within the UK (EPWO) and Internationally (TNE). Details of our partners can be viewed here.
All partnerships and programmes are approved through the Approvals Framework in accordance with the Principles for Approval of Northumbria Awards.
Partnership Approval
Partner Institution Review is the process through which the University considers whether a potential partner shares similar values to those of Northumbria. It is undertaken in association with the potential partner and is designed to enable both organisations satisfy themselves that collaboration will be harmonious, fruitful and beneficial to future students and the organisations themselves.
New partnerships are approved by Academic Board, normally for a period of six years, after which they will be renewed if continuation is desired.
These documents give details of Northumbria's Collaborative Programmes, both UK and international.
• Partnership Collaboration Information
Developers of new programmes at partners are asked to be mindful of existing links with partner institutions. Please contact Quality and Teaching Excellence via email for further information.
For the purpose of partner staff approval a template Curriculum Vitae for Collaborative partner teaching staff can be found here.
Further information for Northumbria staff is available here.
Types of Partnerships
Articulation is a process whereby students are granted entry to a Northumbria programme at any point other than the normal start point of the programme by gaining credit against Northumbria programme modules via their previous or current study (referred to as Advanced Entry).
Commonly known as 2+1 arrangements (other combinations are possible) where a student studies for two years at another institution and enters Northumbria University for a further year to qualify with a Northumbria degree. Northumbria reviews the curriculum of a specified programme(s) at another organisation and judges if it (or a specified part) provides an appropriate basis, and is of an appropriate academic standard, to allow advanced entry on a standard and regular basis to a programme leading to a Northumbria University. Arrangements normally involve credit accumulation and transfer, so that credit achieved for the approved study at the first institution is transferred to contribute to the programme and award completed at Northumbria.
Degree apprenticeships are the latest model to be developed as part of higher apprenticeship standards, seeing apprentices achieving a full bachelor’s or master’s degree as a core component of the apprenticeship. Degree apprenticeships combine both higher and vocational education and fully test both the wider occupational competence and academic learning, either using a fully-integrated degree co-designed by employers and Higher Education Institutions, or using a degree plus separate end-test of professional competence.
- Process
- Form
- Higher Education Institutions Fact Sheet
- Apprenticeship Standards
- Degree Apprentice Handbook
Recognises a specific organisation to provide additionalsupport for Northumbria distance learning programmes.
DL support typically falls into one of two categories:
1. Distance Learning Support Centre (DLSC) providing generic support: specified organisation provides venue and access to computers / learning resources. Organisation may also act as recruitment agent.
2. Distance Learning Academic Support Centre (DLASC) providing additional academic support: as above + organisation provides additional specified academic/learning support for a named Northumbria distance learning programme as specified by the Faculty.
The standard period of approval is 3 years
A Dual Degree programme (Masters or Bachelor) refers to a period of combined study period (180-240 credits for Masters and 360-480 credits for Bachelor, at Northumbria and another HEI leading to two degrees being awarded individually, attesting the successful completion of two separate programmes (with distinct programme learning outcomes) at Northumbria University and at the partner HEI. Although there may be overlap and efficiencies in course-taking, each institution retains responsibility for its own degree.
The first type of Dual Degree arrangement is:
(a) Dual Degree programmes which require a minimum 60 credits of study at each partner for Masters/120 credits of study at each partner for Bachelors.
The second type of Dual Degree arrangement is:
(b) Dual Degree programmes which do not require mobility or study of Northumbria credit.
Type (b) is designed to be set up only in locations with a “developing” HEI infrastructure or as an extension of relationships with former Franchise partners and where there are legal/cultural objections to the development of Joint Programmes leading to Double Degrees. Such Dual Degree programmes need not involve the study of any Northumbria credit (either Distance Learning or Northumbria Delivery at the partner HEI) since the “dual-ness” of the programme consists in shared design, approval, assessment and assurance. In practice this is similar to the Validation process whereby Northumbria recognises the quality and standards of programmes delivered and designed by partner as equivalent to its own.
A Dual PhD Degree (by Cotutelle) refers to the joint supervision of a research student by supervisors at Northumbria and another HEIs from a different country and leads to the award of two doctoral degrees, attesting the successful completion of the requirements of the doctoral programme at Northumbria University and at the partner HEI.
A Joint Doctoral programme is a structured programme where all the elements of doctoral education are run jointly and the organisational structure and evaluation processes are managed on the basis of full integration of the partners. A Joint Doctoral Programme is characterised by an institutional level partnership agreement and, for each participating student, by an individual cotutelle agreement (regulates enrolment, supervision and the assessment of the doctoral degree thesis).
Joint doctoral programmes lead to joint doctoral degrees (a single certificate or diploma), double doctoral degrees (two diplomas) or multiple doctoral degrees (more than two diplomas).
Further information can be found on the Graduate School web pages.
A Joint programme (Masters or Bachelor) is an integrated international study programme (180-240 credits for Masters and 360-480 credits for Bachelor) with an integrated curriculum with a single set of programme learning outcomes leading to a (double/multiple or joint) degree which is delivered by a consortium of Northumbria and at least one other HEI.
The first type of Joint Programme arrangement is:
(a) Joint programmes which require a minimum 60 credits of study at each partner for Masters/120 credits of study at each partner for Bachelors.
The second type of Joint Programme arrangement is:
(b) Joint programmes which do not require mobility or study of Northumbria credit.
Type (b) is designed to be set up only in locations with a “developing” HEI infrastructure or as an extension of relationships with former Franchise partners. Such Joint programmes need not involve the study of any Northumbria credit (either Distance Learning or Northumbria Delivery at the partner HEI) since the “joint-ness” of the programme consists in shared design, approval, assessment and assurance.
Staff mobility provides an opportunity for staff to spend a short period in another institution (normally overseas), learn about new cultures and share expertise with contemporaries in teaching, research or administration.
Staff mobility can have an important role in capacity building with partner institutions and can provide an important staff development opportunity for the individuals concerned.
For further details, please click here.
Student mobility is an opportunity for students to work or study abroad whilst undertaking their degree programme – whether undergraduate or postgraduate.
Student Mobility can be both incoming and outgoing in the form of Bilateral Exchange or one-way Study Abroad. Northumbria has Bilateral Exchange Agreements in place for sending its outgoing students to partner institutions in Europe (via Erasmus) and non European countries (International Exchanges).
Study Abroad programmes are one-way (incoming only) fee paying programmes.
For further details, please click here.
Validation is the process by which the University judges that a programme of study developed and delivered by another institution, without degree awarding powers, is of an appropriate quality and standard to lead to a Northumbria University award.
If you wish to engage in this activity with Northumbria University please email us.
