Committed to quality: higher education providers sign up for QAA Membership

Two million students, approximately 85.6% of all students registered in the UK, are being educated in over 200 universities, colleges and other higher education providers that have committed to work with QAA as part of its new membership scheme.

Launched this summer, QAA Membership enables institutions to act collectively to develop standards and enhance quality in UK higher education.

Members benefit from exclusive access to online resources, webinars and events, all aimed at helping UK higher education providers secure standards and deliver high quality learning experiences for all of their students.

A total of 209 providers in the UK are now QAA Members. Of these:

• 141 are universities or other higher education institutions (including University of London colleges)
• 53 are further education colleges
• 15 are alternative providers.

177 are based in England, 18 in Scotland, 12 in Wales, and 2 in Northern Ireland.

136 are also members of Universities UK, and 21 are members of GuildHE. 18 of our members are also members of Universities Scotland, while a further nine are also members of Universities Wales.

Together our Members collaborate through QAA to:

• maintain the tools to deliver the highest academic quality, including current and relevant standards and frameworks, such as the UK Quality Code for Higher Education and Subject Benchmark Statements
• address sector-wide challenges, including safeguarding degree standards and addressing threats such as essay mills
• advance UK higher education’s international leadership in quality assurance and enhancement
• provide an expert and independent voice on quality and standards.

The input of our Membership Advisory Group, comprising 21 representatives of our Members institutions, means that the Membership voice is heard loudly at QAA. Their feedback will directly influence our policy and practice, ensuring that we continue to deliver what our Members want from us.

Commenting on the take up of QAA Membership, QAA Chief Executive Douglas Blackstock said: 'Moving to a more inclusive membership programme allows us to really focus on what the higher education sector needs from us.

'I'm grateful that so many universities, colleges and institutions have already put their trust in us, so soon after launching our membership offer. At QAA, we are committed to repaying that trust by delivering value for all our member institutions, now and in the future.'

He continued: 'It's humbling to know that through QAA Membership, we're part of the network that helps to support and enhance the educational experiences of over two million students across the UK.'

A full list of QAA Members is available below. We will update this list regularly as new Members join QAA.

We welcome applications for QAA Membership from any UK higher education provider. Visit our membership section for more information about QAA Membership, including how to sign up.