New partnership will bridge the gap and open doors for adult learners at Northumbria University

Northumbria University is launching The Bridge, a flexible route into higher education for adult learners in the North East, in partnership with Cambridge Education Group.

Through The Bridge, Northumbria will offer flexible, employment-focused study to adults who don’t have traditional university entry qualifications, but who are ready to take the next step in their career.

The specially designed courses are aimed at people who may have entered the workforce directly after school, completed vocational training or an apprenticeship, or who are now ready to take the next step into a career that matches their ambition.

They are also designed to support those with working or caring responsibilities who need a study model that genuinely works around their lives.

Learners will begin their studies at foundation level and are able to undertake a full degree over a four-year period, with two fixed days of study throughout the duration of their four-year programme.

The North East region currently has one of the country’s lowest rates of higher-level qualifications – around 34% of working-age adults have studied at university, compared to a national average of 43% – and there are persistent skills shortages in digital, engineering, health and leadership roles that hold back the regional economy.

The University’s new partnership with Cambridge Education Group (CEG) directly responds to this. With 40% of Northumbria’s students coming from backgrounds that don’t usually participate in higher education, the University is already a leading advocate in the regional agenda of excellent education without barriers.

The Bridge concept has been shaped in collaboration with a range of regional agencies to address the North East skills gap head-on.

The first subjects available from November 2026 will be in Businessand Digital Technologies, with further courses planned across priority areas directly aligned to the skills the regional economy needs most, as identified in the North East Local Growth Plan, the National Industrial Strategy, and the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper.

The Bridge courses will have start dates in November, February and June to ensure students can begin when they are ready and can fit their existing commitments around confirmed study days. Students will also be provided with enhanced levels of support and guidance, reflecting the time they have spent away from education.

Teaching will be delivered from the University’s Coach Lane Campus in Benton, Newcastle.

Professor Andy Long, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University, said: “Social mobility is a key priority for Northumbria University. We work incredibly hard to open doors and create opportunities for anyone with potential, no matter their background.

“We are creating a bridge for thousands of adult learners who have been unable to access a university education before now – not because of their ability, but by their shift patterns, their caring responsibilities, financial pressures or a lack of formal qualifications – to gain the skills and experience they need to become an undergraduate student at Northumbria.

“This partnership with CEG is another excellent example of how we are empowering individuals and communities across the North East to thrive, combining a high-quality university experience with the flexibility that adult learners need.”

Cambridge Education Group (CEG) is a specialist provider with long-standing experience in delivering high-quality academic, creative and English language programmes that support learners to progress to university-level study.

Through this partnership, CEG will provide a clear and supportive route into higher education for learners who may not have previously considered university as an option, including those who are not currently in education, employment or training.

CEG, in close collaboration with Northumbria University, will support learners to build confidence and develop academic skills for success at degree-level study, widening access to a Northumbria University degree.

David Johnston, CEO of Cambridge Education Group, said: “We are delighted to partner with Northumbria University. This opportunity represents a new direction for our Services provision in the UK and reflects our continued commitment to the North East, where CEG has had a presence for over a decade.

“As someone born and raised in the North East of England, with personal and professional roots in the region, I know first-hand the talent, ambition and potential that it has to offer.”

For further detail or to apply, visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/thebridge

Further information and interviews with Professor Long and David Johnston are also available in the video below.