Swansea University and QA Higher Education have partnered to deliver flexible degree programs in London from September 2025, The PIE News can exclusively reveal. The move is part of a wider strategy to serve diverse communities in UK metropolitan locations.
The announcement signals the first phase of a long-term strategic partnership to deliver programmes together across England in the coming years.
QA Higher Education currently operate successful branch campuses in London, Birmingham and Manchester in partnership with British universities including Ulster University, Northumbria University and Solent University.
The addition of Swansea University is expected to be followed by further partnership announcements soon, as QA strengthens its portfolio.
Swansea University’s pro vice-chancellor for international engagement, Judith Lamie said: “We are delighted to embark on this new venture with QA Higher Education, which heralds our commitment to expanding the reach of Swansea University’s exceptional programmes to open new doors for students and create opportunities for growth and innovation.
“This initiative also marks a significant milestone in our evolution by extending our impact to new regions within the UK and international markets and we look forward to the positive changes and successes this collaboration will bring.”
QA has experienced considerable recruitment success in recent years by creating flexible delivery modes such as evening and weekend timetables alongside blended learning.
In 2024, it supported a network more than 15,000 students across their university partnerships – attracting both international and domestic learners – by enabling access for students who might also be juggling work or other commitments.
Simon Nelson, CEO of QA Higher Education told The PIE: “We are seeing considerable growth in demand from students who are seeking more flexible ways to study.
“Swansea University’s academic excellence combined with QA Higher Education’s innovative approach to course delivery will open doors to top-tier education that is both accessible and flexible.”
We are seeing considerable growth in demand from students who are seeking more flexible ways to study
Simon Nelson, CEO, QA Higher Education
London courses will launch in September 2025 with delivery of MSc computer science.
Swansea Universty has a strong reputation in the field, where 100% of its computer science research impact was rated as world-leading and internationally excellent in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF).
Further courses from the school of mathematics and computer science, and the school of management are expected to be introduced from January 2026.
Speaking at the QA Higher Education conference in Morocco last week, Nelson told delegates about the company’s drive to be “more responsive to market changes” with university partners who are willing “to innovate with new products and services” – signalling new partnerships were imminent.
“In my time here [as CEO], I’ve been very determined to invest in the highest quality student experience,” he said. “I’m very, very proud of the partnerships we have with our universities who align with that vision.”
Both Judith Lamie, PVCi, Swansea University and Nick Miller, chief commercial officer, QA Higher Education will be speaking at The PIE Live Europe conference on 11–12 March 2025 in London. Ticket details available here.
