The Power to Award Degrees etc. (Blackpool and The Fylde College) Order 2025
The Office for Students, acting under powers derived from the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, issues this Order to formally authorize Blackpool and The Fylde College to grant taught awards up to and including bachelor’s level, based on having considered relevant quality and standards advice, with this authorization being effective for a fixed term commencing on 12th December 2025 and concluding on 11th December 2028, and permitting the college to subsequently authorize other institutions to grant these awards on its behalf.
Arguments For
The order formally grants essential legal recognition and authority to Blackpool and The Fylde College to award specific higher education qualifications, aligning with the mandates of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017.
The process involved consulting the relevant advisory body regarding quality and standards, ensuring that the granted powers meet established national benchmarks for higher education provision.
Granting this authorization allows the college flexibility in delivering higher education programs and potentially expanding its offerings up to the bachelor’s degree level.
The provision allowing the college to delegate the granting of these awards to other institutions enhances collaborative opportunities and broadens access to the authorized qualifications.
Arguments Against
Setting a fixed term (three years) for the authorization necessitates a review process, potentially creating administrative burden or uncertainty for long-term planning if renewal is not guaranteed.
Granting the power to delegate award-making authority to other institutions introduces dependency on the quality assurance mechanisms maintained by those third parties.
The Order inherently increases the number of bodies authorized to grant degrees, which requires ongoing regulatory oversight by The Office for Students to maintain public confidence in the value of the awards.
The Office for Students, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 42(1) and section 43(1) of the Higher Education and Research Act 20171, makes the following Order.
The Office for Students has requested advice from the relevant body regarding the quality of, and standards applied to, higher education provided by the provider, and has had regard to that advice, in accordance with section 46(1)(a) and (7) of that Act.
The Office for Students issues this legal instrument by using powers granted under specific sections of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017.
Before making this decision, the regulator sought and considered formal advice from the recognized body concerning the standard and quality of higher education offered by Blackpool and The Fylde College.
Citation and commencement
- This Order may be cited as the Power to Award Degrees etc. (Blackpool and The Fylde College) Order 2025 and comes into force on 12th December 2025.
This part names the legal instrument as the Power to Award Degrees etc. (Blackpool and The Fylde College) Order 2025.
The Order officially becomes effective on December 12, 2025.
Authorisation to grant awards
- Blackpool and The Fylde College is authorised to grant taught awards of the kind mentioned in section 42(2)(a) of the said Act for taught awards up to and including bachelor’s level.
Blackpool and The Fylde College receives official permission to award taught qualifications, limited to the scope defined for taught degrees up to and including the bachelor's level, as established by the relevant Act.
- The authorisation in article 2 of this Order is for a fixed term beginning on 12th December 2025 and expiring at the end of the day on 11th December 2028.
The legal permission granted in Article 2 is not permanent; it is valid only for a specific duration.
This authorization starts on December 12, 2025, and ends when December 11, 2028, is complete.
- Blackpool and The Fylde College may authorise other institutions to grant such awards as specified in article 2 of this Order on its behalf.
The College is permitted, under this authorization, to delegate the responsibility of awarding the specified qualifications (up to bachelor's level) to other named educational bodies acting as agents.
EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Order)
This Order authorises Blackpool and The Fylde College (UKPRN: 10000754) to grant taught awards up to and including bachelor’s level. The authorisation is for a fixed term beginning on 12th December 2025 and expiring at the end of the day on 11th December 2028. Blackpool and The Fylde College’s authorisation also includes the power to authorise other institutions to grant such awards on its behalf.
This separate note clarifies the purpose of the Order for general understanding, though it holds no legal standing itself.
It confirms that Blackpool and The Fylde College is authorized to issue taught degrees up to bachelor’s level between December 2025 and December 2028, and it may allow other bodies to issue these awards for it.
An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on businesses and civil society organisations. The instrument has no impact on the public sector.
The creators determined that a formal impact assessment document was unnecessary.
This finding is based on the assessment that the Order will not result in changes that affect businesses, third-sector organizations, or the public sector economy.