The Power to Award Degrees etc. (South Devon College) Order 2025

Increased access to higher education: This order expands access to higher education opportunities by allowing South Devon College to award degrees, potentially benefiting local students and the broader community.

Autonomy for educational institutions: Granting degree-awarding powers to colleges like South Devon empowers them to tailor their programs to better meet local needs and develop innovative educational approaches. This fosters a more dynamic and responsive higher education sector.

Streamlined processes: Centralizing degree-awarding powers within South Devon College may streamline processes for students and simplify administration, compared to utilizing third party verification and credentialing institutions.

Legal basis: The Order is explicitly based on the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, providing a clear legal framework for the authorization.

Potential for quality control issues: Expanding the number of institutions granting degrees could potentially dilute quality if not carefully managed, although the Office for Students will actively monitor and scrutinize the college's conduct to mitigate the risk.

Resource implications: The college may need additional resources to support the administrative and quality assurance requirements associated with granting degrees, putting added strain on limited resources.

Lack of comprehensive impact assessment: While the explanatory note mentions no impact on businesses and civil society, a more detailed assessment could provide information on wider societal implications, including assessing the impact on existing universities and degree programs.

Risk of overextension: Granting South Devon College the ability to authorize other organizations to confer these degrees on its behalf could potentially lead to diffuse quality control standards without effective oversight.