Stow College has taken the first steps in a collaboration with the University of the West Of Scotland (UWS) to provide students with new routes of access to further and higher education.

The deal, which was signed in June, is in place so that the two institutions can share their knowledge, resources and experience and provide seamless transition opportunities between both Further and Higher Education awards for current and future students of Stow College and UWS.

The two institutions have signed up to a Memorandum of Agreement, which outlines the areas of partnership as Engineering & Science, Creative and Cultural Industries and Computing. The two will also collaborate in the international field, which will include a recent partnership Stow has made with Rostov-on-Don State University of Civil Engineering in Russia.

The Creative Industries collaboration offers a unique partnership in the West of Scotland and could mean a Skillset bid for Media Academy status as well as offering the potential for the development of a new, and unique UWS degree programme in the field of Musical Theatre.

Staff from the two establishments are working together to share learning experiences and examples of practise excellence while collaborating on research and vocational initiatives with the goal of improving overall standards of both institutions.

Robert McGrory, Chief Executive & Principal of Stow College, commented: “By signing this memorandum agreement with the University of the West of Scotland we are fulfilling our promise develop a centre of learning excellence that provides our students with innovative and diverse solutions. We look forward to working with the University of the West of Scotland, and anticipate this new relationship will enhance the educational offerings of both of the institutions.”

Professor Seamus McDaid, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of the West of Scotland commented: “The University is delighted to be signing this Memorandum of Agreement with Stow College. Stow College has been a partner of the University for more than a decade now. This event reinforces the University’s commitment to working with colleges across the sector to extend learning opportunities for all across the west and southwest regions of Scotland. We are very excited by this agreement and look forward to developing new initiatives with Stow College.”

For more information on Stow College go to www.stow.ac.uk. For more information on the University of the West Scotland, go to www.uws.ac.uk.