The four FE Colleges in County Durham and Durham University recently formalised a groundbreaking partnership to expand education opportunities and drive economic growth in North East England.
The Durham Learning Alliance is a partnership between East Durham College, New College Durham, Derwentside College, Bishop Auckland College and Durham University.
Over recent years the partners have worked together on expanding employment and apprenticeship opportunities, piloting T-level placements and improving progression routes for post-16 education.
The Alliance has now been formalised with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Meeting education and skills needs
The MoU celebrates what the Alliance has already achieved while setting a three-year vision for how it can be further developed to meet local, regional and national education and skills needs.
Each institution has pledged to continue working together across seven key areas.
These include workforce development, establishing clear pathways into higher education and seeking to minimise unproductive competition while maximising the strength of the Alliance’s collective offer.
Successful collaboration
One of the Alliance’s successful collaborations involved ten T-level students from the colleges undertaking work placements at Durham University.
Eight students completed placements in the University’s Computing and Information Services while two worked in the Department of Chemistry.
The students gained valuable work experience, support and mentorship and there are plans to expand the T-level placement programme across other University departments.
There are also plans to pilot a mentoring scheme for female T-level students in areas where women are traditionally underrepresented such as engineering, digital and technical services.
Making a commitment
The MoU was signed by our Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen O’Brien and leaders of each of the colleges.
The signing took place at the University's Collingwood College and was attended by guests including college governors, local dignitaries, MPs and former students of the colleges who are now studying at Durham University.
