1. TyneMet Newsroom
News Release
Media contact details:
Laura Brown | Deputy Head of Marketing | Tyne Metropolitan College | Battle Hill Drive| Wallsend | Tyne & Wear NE28 9NL
T 0191 229 5158 | E laura.brown@tynemet.ac.uk | www.tynemet.ac.uk
Opening Doors – Higher Education Gateway Unveiled at TyneMet
Since 2005, TyneMetCollege andthe UniversityofSunderlandhave beenworking in partnershipto provide Higher
Education to the region- inspiringgenerationsofpeople to advance their prospectsthrough Education. Since the
partnershipbegan, there have beennearly4,000 studentsstudying a range of 45 differentUniversityof
SunderlandHE programmes at TyneMetCollege.
The collaborationhasresultedinstrategicgrowthforbothinstitutions andtheirnewestjointdevelopmentisthe
launchof a HigherEducation Gateway.The HE Gateway is the latestPartnershipGateway tobe openedacrossthe
region,intendedtobe forHigherEducationstudentstoaccessguidance,supportandadvice includingHigher
Educationresourcestosupport theirchosenprogramme of study as well asprovidingaspace to displayand
celebrate the successof former,currentandfuture students.
Openingthe event, Steve CramCBE,Chancelloratthe Universityof Sunderland,deliveredaninspirational speech
aboutthe value of HigherEducation.Steve said:“I’mveryproudtobe askedto open the HigherEducation
PartnershipGatewayatTyneMet. Some of our graduatesstarttheirstudiesata partnercollege andtell usthe
supportand qualityteachingtheyreceive encouragesthemtoprogressontheirhighereducationjourney - withlife
changingresults.”
Participantsatthe launcheventincludedlongstandingadvocate of the College andChairof Governors,Bill Midgley
OBE, whounderlinedthe importance of bothFurtherandHigherEducationand theirvalue tosociety.
UniversityPartnershipLiaisonOfficer, NicolaHoppersaid:“The HE Gatewayprovidesstudentswithafriendly
supportive environmentwhere theycanstudyandsocialise.The Collegeprovidesagreatrange of facilitiesand
havinga dedicated,specialisedareaforHigherEducation highlights the significant,collaborativeeffortsof the
College andUniversity toprovide HigherEducationtostudentsinacollege environment.”
With100% studentsatisfaction inthe 2014 National StudentSurvey, TyneMetCollegegainedthe topspotinthe
countryfor studentsatisfactionoutranking322 othercollegesanduniversities. Thisisareflectionof the hardwork
and commitmentof the College’sstaff butalso Universitystaff insupportingand raisingthe aspirationsof our
partnershipstudents.
JonVincentsaid: “Asa FurtherEducationCollege,the openingof the HEGatewaysignifiesourpassiontogoabove
and beyondinthe educationstakes –overthe yearswe have workedcloselywiththe Universityof Sunderlandto
deliverprogrammes thathave providedpeoplewith the opportunitytoaccesscountless careerroutes and
ultimatelycontribute to widersociety.”
TyneMet’sFoundationDegreesare awardedbythe Universityof Sunderlandandhave become avaluable education
path forstudents.The partnershipisnowinthe processof embarkinguponnew projectsthatwouldsee the
expansionof HigherEducationSTEMrelatedsubjectsand those equippingindividualswithhigherlevel skillsforthe
creative industries.
The HE Gateway is a beaconof achievementforTyneMetCollege anditspartnershipwiththe Universityof
Sunderland,demonstratingadedicationtothe region inprovidingquality HigherEducationservices thatofferbroad
basedlearningtosupportanddevelopcareers.