Which is the first time a private institution has gained the ‘university college’ title since Buckingham University College was created in 1976 – now the University of Buckingham.

It is understood that BPP in its new guise wants to expand into health and teaching degrees, on top of the law and business degrees it currently offers.

The profit-making university sector is growing rapidly in the US (BPP’s parent company is Apollo Global, a US company) – and this announcement looks like rallying call for private providers in the UK. BPP already has degree-awarding powers which it received in September 2007.

However, whilst this might be seen as a boon for choice in the universtiy sector at a time when public funds are stretched, not everyone is jumping for joy:

“Today’s news could mark the beginning of a slippery slope for academic provision in this country,” she said.

“Encouraging the growth of private providers and making it easier for them to call themselves universities would be a disaster for the UK’s academic reputation. It would also represent a huge threat to academic freedom and standards.”

“Private providers are not accountable to the public and do not deserve to be put in the same league as our universities,”

~ Sally Hunt, leader of the UCU lecturers’ union, feeling a little threatened perhaps.

The jury’s out.