University of Portsmouth partners with exam body Pearson to offer 'alternate route' to degrees

Exam awarding body Pearson has partnered with the University of Portsmouth to allow Pearson Approved Centres around the world to offer BTEC Higher National Diplomas, equivalent to the first two years of a UK undergraduate honours degree, plus a final top-up year within their institution.

This integrated degree partnership will see students being able to study BTEC Higher Nationals in many sectors, including Business, Engineering and Computing.

Once they have qualified, they will hold both a BTEC Higher National Diploma, as well as an undergraduate honours degree from the University of Portsmouth.

Chris Chang, deputy vice-chancellor for global engagement and student life at the University of Portsmouth said: ‘As a progressive and dynamic university with an outstanding reputation for innovative teaching, we are always looking to make Higher Education accessible to all.

‘We are honoured and excited to be collaborating with Pearson as they share our desire and enthusiasm to deliver excellence in education. By expanding into this sector, we are now able to offer students an alternative route to getting higher-level skills that can directly open a pathway into the workplace.’

Freya Thomas, SVP vocational qualifications and training at Pearson added: ‘The University of Portsmouth share our commitment to provide students with the skills to achieve their potential. We are delighted to be partnering with them to provide BTEC Higher National students with an accessible route to gaining an internationally recognised degree.’