QA Higher Education I.T. Conference 2018

What QA Higher Education I.T. Conference 2018 does

QA Higher Education (QAHE Limited) is a UK-based pathway education provider established in 2016, operating as a platform-plus-partner model that delivers foundation programmes, undergraduate degrees, and postgraduate qualifications through partnerships with six UK universities: Northumbria University, Ulster University, London Metropolitan University, Southampton Solent University, Oxford Brookes University, and Swansea University. The company operates teaching centres in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton, and Oxford, offering over 100 courses spanning business, technology (including AI, cyber security, and data science), healthcare, psychology, and project management. Customer segments include international students (primarily from Southeast Asia, India, and China) seeking pathway routes into UK degrees, UK/EU domestic students seeking flexible higher-education options, and university partners seeking international recruitment and branch-campus delivery capability.

The core offering combines on-campus lectures, workshops, and tutorials with online learning components and virtual learning environments. Programme features include live business simulations, fully online pre-sessional English preparation, Advanced Practice work-placement options, and a delivery partnership with GCHQ/NCSC for the Cyberfirst University Bursary programme (up to £24K per eligible student). Multiple intake windows (January, May, September/October) and daytime, evening, and weekend timetables accommodate working professionals. The company holds British Council accreditation, QAA review approval (all UK expectations met), APM academic accreditation, NCSC certification, and Chartered Institute for Housing accreditation.

QAHE generates revenue primarily through annual tuition fees (ranging from £8,250 for regional postgraduate programmes to £14,500 for the Newcastle International Foundation) and university partnership revenue-sharing or service fees. Distribution operates through a hybrid model combining QAHE-operated campus centres, university-partner branch campuses, a global education agent network (including ICEF partnership and the Agent Quality Framework), and direct digital recruitment. The company is structured under QAHE Limited with multiple wholly-owned subsidiaries aligned to specific university partnerships and regional operations, and operates as part of the wider QA corporate group.

Name

QA Higher Education I.T. Conference 2018

Legal name

QAHE Limited

Website

https://qahighereducation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

QA Higher Education is a UK pathway education provider delivering foundation, undergraduate, and postgraduate programmes through partnerships with six UK universities across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton, and Oxford, serving international and domestic students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Pathway Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs (EDAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Higher education pathways
• Foundation programmes
• International student recruitment
• University partnership programmes
• Postgraduate degree delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition fees across various programmes. Fees vary by location, programme level, and university partner. Postgraduate programmes in London typically command higher fees than regional campuses.
2. University Partnership Fees: Revenue sharing or service fees from university partners for programme delivery, recruitment services, and campus operations
3. Government Bursary Programmes: Cyberfirst University Bursary funding from GCHQ/NCSC for eligible students in cyber security programmes, providing up to £24K in funding

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

QA Higher Education is a pathway education provider delivering International Foundation Programmes, Pre-Sessional English courses, undergraduate degrees, and postgraduate degrees in partnership with six UK universities. Programmes span business, computing/technology, health and social care, psychology, and project management, delivered through blended learning at campus centres in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, and Southampton. The company also administers the Cyberfirst University Bursary on behalf of GCHQ/NCSC.

Product overview

QA Higher Education is a pathway education provider operating as a platform-plus-partner network model. It delivers International Foundation Programmes, Pre-Sessional English courses, and undergraduate and postgraduate degrees across multiple UK university campuses (London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle). The core offering comprises pathway programmes leading to degrees from partner universities including Northumbria University, Ulster University, London Metropolitan University, Solent University, Oxford Brookes University, and Swansea University. Programmes span Computing/Technology (including AI, Cyber Security, Data Science), Business/Management, Health and Social Care, Psychology, and Project Management. Teaching is delivered through blended learning combining on-campus and online components. The company also administers the Cyberfirst University Bursary partnership with GCHQ/NCSC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Foundation Programmes Pre-university pathway programmes preparing international students for undergraduate study at UK universities, available with varying IELTS entry requirements and extended study options.
• Pre-Sessional English English language preparation courses for students who need to improve their English before starting degree-level study, available online and on-campus.
• Undergraduate Degrees Bachelor's degree programmes across various subjects including Business, Computing, Psychology, and Health and Social Care, offered through university partnerships.
• Postgraduate Degrees Master's degree programmes including Computing, Business, Project Management, and Digital Marketing offered through university partnerships with Advanced Practice options.
• BSc Computing (with Solent University) Undergraduate computing programme with Solent University focusing on IoT, cyber security, and cloud computing, available at Solent University centres.
• BSc (Hons) Computing (with) Portfolio Undergraduate computing degree with five specialisations (Technology, IT Management, Data Science and Big Data Technology, Cyber Security Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Technology) at Northumbria University London Campus.
• BSc Psychology with Foundation Year Undergraduate psychology degree with Solent University Centres featuring practical application with psychological recording equipment including eye-tracking technology.
• Health and Social Care BSc (Hons) Undergraduate health and social care degree with London Metropolitan University, accredited with Chartered Institute for Housing, available with foundation year option.
• BSc Global Business Undergraduate global business programme with Ulster University preparing students for careers in international business across accounting, finance, marketing, HR, economics, leadership, and sustainability.
• MSc Artificial Intelligence Technology Postgraduate programme at Northumbria University London Campus focused on developing in-depth technical knowledge in AI, machine learning, and intelligent systems, available with Advanced Practice option.
• MSc Big Data and Data Science Technology Postgraduate programme at Northumbria University London Campus covering data analysis, big data processing, and data science methodologies, available with Advanced Practice option.
• MSc Computer Science and Technology (with) Postgraduate programme with Ulster University covering Big Data, Machine Learning, Statistical Modelling, AI, Data Science, and Cloud Infrastructure, with options for Business Development and Advanced Practice.
• MSc International Business Management Postgraduate business programme with London Metropolitan University developing professional skills for global business environments through live business simulation.
• MSc Human Resource Management Postgraduate HRM programme with Ulster University covering resourcing, talent management, strategic HRM, organisational development, HR analytics, and workplace EDI.
• MSc International Project Management APM-accredited postgraduate programme at Northumbria University London Campus preparing students for international project management careers.
• MSc Programme and Project Management APM-accredited postgraduate programme at Northumbria University London Campus focused on programme and project management competencies.
• International Medical Foundation Diploma Nine-month foundation programme designed with Northumbria University for aspiring medical students, with pathway to St. George's University 5-year Medical Degree.
• Graduate Certificate in Computing and Technology Pre-masters programme at Northumbria University London Campus bridging the gap for students who need additional support to meet entry requirements for postgraduate computing degrees.
• Online Degrees (MSc Cyber Security Online) Flexible online degree programmes including MSc Cyber Security (Online) and MSc Cyber Security Technology (Online) with Northumbria University, designed for those with full-time jobs or busy lifestyles.
• Cyberfirst University Bursary Programme Government programme administered by QA as lead delivery partner, providing eligible students up to £24K in funding and summer placement opportunities with over 100 tech organisations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21.6% year-on-year growth in international enrolments for Northumbria University London Campus against sector-wide 26% downturn
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered emerging, core and minor.

• Oxford Brookes UniversityemergingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025New partnership announced to offer pathway programmes at Oxford Brookes University campus. Students will be able to study Oxford Brookes programmes at their Oxford campus from September 2025.
• ICEfcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2024QA Higher Education signed a new partnership agreement with ICEF as part of commitment to quality in student recruitment. ICEF is a leading international education agency network.
• BUILA (British Universities International Liaison Association)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024QA Higher Education pledged commitment to the UK Agent Quality Framework (AQF) in alignment with BUILA and UK universities. AQF promotes shared best practice in agent management.
• Middlesex UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2018Partnership to operate two new centres for domestic students in Birmingham and London from June 2018. Initially offering Extended BA (Hons) Business Management (Healthcare) programme.
• London Metropolitan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQA Higher Education delivers business-focused degrees for UK/EU students in partnership with London Metropolitan University. Programmes include MSc International Business Management, Health and Social Care BSc, and Business Management BA (Hons). Available at London City, Birmingham, and Manchester centres.
• Northumbria UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership delivering pathway college, London Campus, and online programmes. Partnership includes International Foundation Programmes, computing degrees, project management, AI, cyber security, and medical pathway programmes. Northumbria was named University of the Year 2022 at THE Awards.
• Southampton Solent UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Solent University to deliver International Pathway College at East Park Terrace campus and Solent London Centre. Programmes include Computing, Cyber Security, Psychology, and Business degrees.
• Swansea UniversityemergingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership expanding to deliver Swansea University programmes at Birmingham campus from January 2026 and London from September 2025. Long-term strategic partnership to make high-quality, flexible degree programmes accessible.
• Ulster UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQA Higher Education operates Ulster University branch campuses in London, Birmingham, and Manchester (third campus opened). Programmes include Computer Science, HRM, Global Business, and International Business. QAA reviewed and met all UK expectations.
• St. George's UniversityemergingStrategic or Co-development PartnerQA Higher Education collaborated with St. George's University to offer International Medical Foundation Diploma pathway. Students completing the programme may apply for SGU's 5-year Medical Degree Pathway. Over 2000 students have joined Northumbria as part of SGU's MD pathway.
• GCHQ / National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQA is a lead delivery partner of The Cyberfirst University Bursary, a government outreach programme run by NCSC. Bursary provides eligible students up to £24K in funding and summer work placements with technology organisations.
• Association for Project Management (APM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthumbria University London Campus (operated by QAHE) secured APM Academic Accreditation for its MSc International Project Management and MSc Programme and Project Management programmes.
• Chartered Institute for HousingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth and Social Care BSc (Hons) programme is accredited with the Chartered Institute for Housing, boosting graduate employability in housing and health sectors.
• British CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish Council inspected and accredited QA Higher Education's London courses in academic English for adults in October 2018, covering International Foundation Programmes and Pre-Sessional English programmes.
• Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQAA reviewed Ulster University London and Birmingham branch campuses operated by QAHE in September 2016 and confirmed all academic standards and quality expectations were met.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Study Group: Global pathway education provider delivering foundation programmes and English preparation in partnership with universities; the closest UK-headquartered direct competitor to QAHE.
• INTO University Partnerships: Joint venture with Shorelight that operates pathway programmes at multiple universities in the UK, US, and Australia — comparable partner-network model delivering international foundation and degree pathway programmes.
• Oxford International Education Group: UK-based pathway and English language provider running pathway colleges and pre-sessional English for international students — directly overlaps with QAHE's foundation and pre-sessional English product lines.
• Cambridge Education Group (CEG): Owns CATS Global Schools and offers university pathway and pre-master's programmes in the UK — competing directly with QAHE for international students and partner universities.
• Kaplan International Pathways: Operates university pathway and foundation programmes in partnership with UK and US universities, serving international students seeking degree progression — directly comparable to QAHE's core business model.
• Navitas: Australia-based pathway provider running university partnership programmes (e.g., CRICOS-registered pathway colleges) — comparable business model delivering international student pathway programmes through university partners.

Broad incumbents

• Kaplan Inc. Larger diversified education and training group that includes Kaplan International Pathways — comparable scale and parent-portfolio context for evaluating QAHE within the QA group.
• QA (parent): Parent of QA Higher Education and the UK's largest B2B corporate skills provider; provides capital, shared services, and acquisitions (Cloud Academy, Circus Street) that affect QAHE's strategic positioning.

Emerging players

• Shorelight Education: US-based partner-network higher education provider (joint venture with INTO); relevant comparable for QAHE's expanding online degree and international pathway strategy.
• Bellerbys College (Study Group): UK-based college owned by Study Group offering pre-university foundation programmes for international students — competes for similar agent-referred international intakes as QAHE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/qahighereducation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qa-higher-education-i-t-conference-2018

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about QA Higher Education I.T. Conference 2018