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Academic partnerships

At Birkbeck, University of London, we are proud to enable and enhance higher education that transforms lives and communities, as established and maintained within our Academic Partnerships Strategy 2026-2031.

Our partnership goals

Academic partnerships are a method of supporting Birkbeck's mission to provide flexible and accessible education for diverse learners, beyond London, in the locations in which they live and work. Within London, they will enable us to deliver a broader range of subjects, particularly those with a vocational element.

While noting the risks associated with subcontractual arrangements, our partnerships will reflect our values of academic excellence, student inclusion, academic innovation, collaboration and public engagement.

Birkbeck is committed to financial sustainability in all its activities, however opportunity for our students to succeed and impact their communities is our key goal in establishing subcontractual partnerships.

Gordon Square, Birkbeck

Alignment with strategic principles

At Birkbeck, existing and potential partnerships resonate with our strategic principles:

  1. Advance Birkbeck's mission and strategic priorities in honour of over 200 years' impact, through partnerships that widen participation, support lifelong learning and increase access to flexible higher education.
  2. Enhance the student experience by delivering high-quality, research-informed and professionally relevant education, supported by inclusive and flexible modes of study.
  3. Strengthen academic excellence and innovation through collaborative curriculum development, knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary working.
  4. Extend Birkbeck's reach and reputation regionally, nationally and internationally through partnerships with organisations that share our commitment to academic quality, equity and social impact.
  5. Support employability and progression by building relationships with employers, professional bodies, colleges and industry partners that create clear pathways for learners.
  6. Promote responsible internationalisation by developing global partnerships that align with Birkbeck's academic strengths, ethical standards, commitment to mutual benefit and local impact.
  7. Maintain high standards of governance, quality and compliance through rigorous approval, monitoring and review processes that protect the student experience and institutional reputation.

Types of partnership

Birkbeck recognises that higher education comes in various forms, and an academic partnership may have various types of collaboration. You can read full details of how Birkbeck collaborates in our Collaborative Typology document (Word), and a summary of that document as follows:

  • Franchise/subcontract: Partner delivers 50% or more of a programme designed and quality assured by Birkbeck. Students are registered directly with Birkbeck.
  • Validation: Partner designs and delivers a programme that leads to a Birkbeck qualification, subject to academic quality assurance. Students are registered directly with the partner.
  • Supply of academic resources: Partner contributes specialist subject curriculum to less than 50% of a programme designed and quality assured by Birkbeck. Students are registered directly with Birkbeck.
  • Joint/dual degrees: Collaborative programmes with another degree-awarding institution, leading to qualifications awarded by each institution.
  • Articulation/progression agreements: Students progress from a partner's programme to Birkbeck at specified entry points on specified programmes. Credit transfer may be recognised.
  • Student mobility/study abroad/exchange: Opportunities for students to experience discrete periods of learning at partner institutions, often with recognition of credit.

Our valued partners

Following rigorous risk-based due diligence, ongoing monitoring and periodic review, the following list shows our current collaborative partners, enabling Birkbeck quality awards to be accessed by learners across the globe.

Interested in collaborating with Birkbeck?

Initially, all prospective proposals will be welcomed via a submitted expression of interest form (Word) sent to collaborative-provision@bbk.ac.uk.

We will review all proposals carefully and respond with next steps.