Open College of the Arts joins with the University for the Creative Arts
I am very pleased to announce that today the Open College of the Arts is joining the University for the Creative Arts. We have been working with UCA since 2010 and they have validated all of our degrees since September 2012. During that time we have developed a culture of mutual respect which has made the choice of a formal merger a very easy one to make.
UCA has been offering art and design education for more than 150 years. Today, UCA is the second largest provider of creative arts education in Europe and is ranked first for arts education in London and the Southeast. This year, UCA was named a top 40 UK university, entering the Guardian University League Tables at position 39, with its School of Architecture ranked fifth in the subject listings. UCA was also identified as one of the country’s leading universities – and the UK’s top arts university – for teaching quality, after being ranked 14th in this category by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.
The enthusiasm at OCA is matched at UCA, with Professor Simon Ofield-Kerr, Vice-Chancellor of UCA, saying: ‘This new stage of the relationship between two established higher education creative arts providers reflects the needs of today’s students by offering more choice about how and when to study, whether you are starting out on a career in the creative arts sector or fulfilling long-held creative ambitions in retirement.’
The OCA will continue to have a Board of Trustees and it will be strengthened with the membership of two Deputy Vice-Chancellors at UCA, Alan Cooke and Professor Roni Brown. In the short term, students will see very little change, but joining the University creates opportunities. Opportunities, we will be discussing with the Trustees. For now it is a case of ‘watch this space’.
Gareth Dent
Principal
Watching this space with eager anticipation. Congrats to all involved.
Congratulations OCA! I have the sense that this is a big opportunity for OCA students and staff – widening and deepening the current, already strong, set of degree courses. Well done Gareth for leading the college in this respect, a terrific result for all.
Great news – congratulations and a big ‘well done’ to everyone involved.
Gareth and OCA Team,
Congratulations on this merger. I am sure we will all be watching for developments which I certainly hope will be positive. The fact that we are now part of a large Uni will I am sure have some good spinoffs. I look forward to a long and fulfilling relationship with UCA. Well done.
This is absolutely great news. I hope it will not impact your fee structure. Right now you are one of the few places were studying Art is kind of affordable. I am currently saving money to hopefully be able to start my Arts Degree with you early next year.
Congratulations on working towards such an excellent result. I’m trusting that this is going to be a fruitful collaboration and looking forward as well to experiencing any improvements this will bring. Mainly thinking at the moment of online library facilities etc.
Great news Gareth (and co) – surely an indication of the strides made in recent years. Looking forward to see what the future brings…
Will this give us free access to their libraries? I currently have to pay an annual fee as an external user.
Securing library access is one of the objectives of the merger. Watch this space.
Congratulations! I will certainly be watching this space wondering what the identity of the OCA will be like alongside the UCA.
Congratulations OCA, Gareth and Co!
Economies of scale would surely create a win-win situation for both institutions and hopefully for the students as well. Looking forward to the fruits of this coalition.