Arden University Receives Indefinite Degree Award Powers

Arden University (@Arden_Uni), the blended and online distance learning specialist, has been awarded Indefinite Degree Award Powers (IDAP) with effect from September 2021, under the Higher Education & Research Act 2017.

With six study centres in the UK and another in Berlin, Arden is one of the few specialist, distance-learning universities to launch in the last 50 years. Following a year-long review by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), during a worldwide pandemic, it has met the criteria to be awarded IDAP. A major milestone for the university, Arden previously had the authority to award degrees, but that authority was time-limited, until now.

“This is a true milestone in the development of the university,” says Carl Lygo, Vice Chancellor of Arden University.

“Although we had the authority to award degrees it was time-limited, but we always believed in our vision and mission to work towards it.”

The QAA’s year-long review concluded that Arden University is “a self-critical, cohesive academic community with a proven commitment to the assurance of standards supported by effective quality systems.”

This was backed by the Office for Students (OfS) who submitted an application to Parliament stating: “The OfS is satisfied that the provider is eligible for indefinite TDAPs and continues to meet the DAPs criteria.”

Arden University, supports over 13,000 students studying for Foundation, Degree, Master’s and MBA programmes when and where it suits them best. It delivers distance learning programmes where all of the study is done online, face-to-face or as a blended combination of the two, in our centres in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Berlin.

The Degrees awarded by Arden are highly vocational and designed to equip students with the transferable skills needed in today’s workplace. Many of the Degree and Master’s courses, which include business, law, healthcare, computing and psychology are accredited by professional bodies, while Arden is one of only five institutions in the UK to offer an online qualifying law degree.

“The IDAP is a testament to the hard work of all our former and current colleagues who have shared in the journey of creating Arden University since 2015,” says Carl Lygo. “This should strengthen not just our reputation, but the experience for our students and colleagues.”

In recognition of its continued commitment to its students, Arden was named number one education business in the 2020 Education Investor Awards. Elsewhere, 95% of Arden graduates said they were satisfied with the Arden University learning experience in its 2020 graduate survey.