Croydon College and Roehampton University have announced a new partnership to offer a timely nursing degree amid a massive demand for more nurses.

On Wednesday (July 15), both educational institutions said that they would be welcoming applications for a BSc Adult Nursing degree starting from September 2021 in a "new state of the art nursing suite at Croydon College."

A joint statement from the college and university pointed out that many students from Croydon College went on to study at Roehampton and said the new course would "deepen" that relationship.

"It has been a long-held ambition of the College to bring a Nursing Degree to Croydon, to better meet the needs of the local economy, and the community it serves," a spokesperson said.

"This year in recognition of the current public health crisis, the College is, from September, opening a new University of Roehampton Study Centre on college premises.

"This will give progressing Croydon based students enrolled on Roehampton degrees the opportunity to start their studies remotely, in a safe and supportive educational setting," they added.

The announcement of a new nursing course available in South London was timely amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

There is also an ongoing, significant shortage of nurses in the UK at present.

According to the Royal College of Nurses, there are around 40,000 vacancies for nurses in the UK as of 2020.

Caireen Mitchell, Principal and CEO of Croydon College, lauded Wednesday's announcement:

"Croydon College is proud to be partnering with the University of Roehampton, building on a strong relationship with a University that is already a popular choice for our students, who will see the benefit of being able to study locally as part of a London based campus," she said.

“Croydon College is committed to providing the communities we serve with the opportunity to access further and higher education locally, continuing to support the needs of our residents and employers and enabling both to thrive," she added.

Professor Jean-Noël Ezingeard, vice-chancellor at the University of Roehampton, praised the pair's "shared values" on Wednesday:

“Partnering with Croydon College, which shares our values and aspiration for their students, will enable us to provide excellent higher education to the people of Croydon and support for its businesses, education and health sectors, sporting and creative industries," he said.

Further details of the new partnership, according to the statement, include:

•A scholarship programme for Croydon College students to study other degrees at the University of Roehampton, providing further opportunities

•Future plans within the partnership will also include provision of degrees in wider areas of study, including those that support the creative industries

•Both organisations will also collaborate on a range of activities, including sharing best practise in education and student support