Types of partnership activities
We offer many forms of partnership arrangement and have several types in place with our current partners. All activities undertaken with our partnerships are informed by our Partnerships Sub-Strategy (.pdf).
Academic partnership arrangements
Academic partnership arrangements enable students to study courses at a partner institution and/or at the University and upon successful completion receive a University of Essex award.
Validation arrangements
The University, as an awarding institution, judges that a programme (or part thereof) developed and delivered by another institution or organisation is of an appropriate quality and standard to lead to its award.
Franchise arrangements
The University allows the whole or part of one or more of its own internally developed programmes to be delivered and assessed at a partner institution, leading to an award of the University.
Joint degree/award
The University of Essex and one or more other awarding institution(s) together provide a programme leading to a joint award of both, or all, institutions.
Students are awarded a single certificate.
Double degree/multiple degrees
The University of Essex and one or more other awarding institution(s) together provide a joint programme leading to awards of both, or all, institutions.
Students are awarded two (or more) certificates, one from each of the degree-awarding bodies involved.
Articulation arrangements
The University guarantees students entry to a University of Essex course, as a result of successfully completing recognised prior study at a partner institution. Under such an arrangement, the University usually agrees to recognise and grant specific credit to applicants from a named programme of study pursued in the partner institution. Unlike progression arrangements, the relevant University Department does not have the right to refuse admission to a student who has fulfilled the agreed conditions for entry.
Link agreements
Link agreements enable the admission of students to the University with or without the recognition of credits.
Dual award
The student undertakes two separate programmes consecutively at each partner in turn, leading to two separate qualifications awarded individually by two degree-awarding bodies.
Students receive two separate certificates.
Friendship/cooperation arrangements
The University agrees to promote cooperation, discussions and positive academic relations with another institution to their mutual benefit, without establishing a binding legal relationship between the two institutions.
Progression arrangements
Progression arrangements take two forms.
Progression arrangements (with no recognition of credit towards a University of Essex award)
The University guarantees students consideration for admission (but not guaranteed entry) to the first year of a University of Essex course under the usual admission criteria after successful completion of all or part of an award at a link institution. The University does not recognise the credit of applicants from the link institution, and the students enter the University of Essex course at the same point as standard applicants. All applications are judged on an individual basis and must meet the standard academic and English language entry requirements.
Progression arrangements (with recognition of credit towards a University of Essex award)
The University guarantees students consideration for admission (but not guaranteed entry) to a University of Essex course under the usual admission criteria after successful completion of all or part of an award at a link institution. The University conducts a curriculum mapping exercise before these progression arrangements begin, ensuring that the courses at the link institution align with those at the University and that applicants under the progression arrangement satisfy Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning (AP(E)L) requirements.
The University therefore recognises specific credit of applicants from the partner institution without the requirement for them to complete the standard AP(E)L process, enabling them to commence the University of Essex course beyond the standard point of entry. All applications are judged on an individual basis and must meet the standard or agreed academic and English language entry requirements.
- Types of progression arrangements (.pdf) (Essex users only).
Other forms of partnership
Other forms of partnership include:
- student exchange - students from our University are able to spend a period of time studying at a higher education institution in another country, managed by Essex Abroad
- work placement - students from our University are able to spend a period of time undertaking a work placement as part of their course in the UK or internationally, managed by the Employability and Careers Centre
- postgraduate research degrees with co-supervision at another institution - either (1) arrangements made on an individual student-by-student basis and managed by our Postgraduate Research Education team, or (2) developed with another institution for an agreed number of students to be enrolled each year and managed by our team through the process for forming new academic partnerships.
- Knowledge Transfer Partnerships - three-way partnerships between our University, a company and a graduate, designed to help companies solve strategic problems, managed by our Research and Enterprise Office
