deborah.wain@doncastertoday.co.uk

THE borough’s bid to be home to a university has taken a step forward after Doncaster College’s higher education provision impressed inspectors.

Representatives of watchdog the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) rated the centre’s courses highly in a report published today.

Inspectors conclude there could be confidence in the college’s management of its responsibilities for the standards of the awards it offers and the quality of its learning opportunities.

Their report also states that reliance can be placed on the accuracy and, or completeness of information the college publishes about itself and its undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

The college has already written to John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, to enter the race to establish one of the 20 new universities planned across Britain under his University Challenge project.

Among areas singled out for praise in the report were the college’s relationship with the University of Hull which currently validates the majority of degrees, a “strong relationship” between staff and students and effective monitoring procedures.

The QAA also gives the thumbs-up to the way the college has responded to an academic review of higher education courses in dance, drama, performing arts and music in 2006 which resulted in criticism of some areas.

However inspectors made a number of recommendations for improving higher education provision further including fully implementing staff development policies and increasing student involvement on strategic committees.

Principal Roland Foote said this week: “This is the perfect news ahead of our bid to become one of the 20 new universities set out by the government.

“This report highlights the hard work college staff have put in over the past few years.