Solent University Partners with Dubai's Exeed College

Southampton Solent University has announced a significant new international partnership with Dubai-based Exeed College, marking another step in the institution’s drive to expand its global presence and deliver career-focused higher education to students across the Middle East.

The agreement will enable Solent degree programmes to be delivered online throughout the region, giving learners greater access to British qualifications without the need to relocate. University leaders say the collaboration is designed to broaden opportunity, strengthen international connections and equip students with the skills and global outlook that employers increasingly demand.

The partnership was finalised following a recent visit by representatives from Exeed College to Solent’s East Park Terrace campus in Southampton. During the visit, both sides discussed curriculum delivery, student support arrangements and the shared ambition of providing high-quality, industry-relevant education that responds to regional labour market needs.

Professor James Knowles, Vice-Chancellor of Southampton Solent University, welcomed the agreement. “We are proud to strengthen our partnership with Exeed, building on a shared commitment to innovation, opportunity and student success,” he said. “This collaboration will provide students with meaningful international and industry-focused experiences, helping them to develop the skills and global outlook that employers increasingly value.

“Partnerships such as this are vital to the future of higher education, enabling us to broaden opportunity, strengthen international connections and deliver lasting impact for our students and communities.”

Exeed College, based in Dubai, specialises in professional and higher education programmes tailored to the needs of working professionals and ambitious students across the Middle East and beyond. By combining Solent’s academic expertise and British degree-awarding powers with Exeed’s regional knowledge and delivery infrastructure, the two institutions aim to create flexible learning pathways that fit around work and family commitments.

Online delivery is expected to be a central feature of the new offer. Students will be able to study towards Solent qualifications remotely while remaining based in the Middle East, reducing both the financial and logistical barriers that can prevent talented individuals from accessing UK higher education. The model also allows Solent to reach a far larger pool of learners than would be possible through traditional campus-based recruitment alone.

The announcement comes at a time when UK universities are actively seeking sustainable international partnerships. With changing patterns of student mobility, growing demand for flexible and online study, and increasing competition for international enrolments, collaborations of this kind are seen as an important way to maintain relevance and diversify income streams. For Solent, the Exeed partnership forms part of a broader strategy to build lasting relationships in key markets and to ensure its programmes remain accessible and career-relevant.

Both institutions emphasise that the collaboration is underpinned by a commitment to academic quality and student success. Programmes delivered under the partnership will be subject to Solent’s quality assurance processes, ensuring that standards remain consistent with those applied on the Southampton campus. Support services, including academic guidance, careers advice and student wellbeing provision, are also expected to form part of the delivery model.

The partnership is likely to focus initially on subjects that align with regional economic priorities and Solent’s existing strengths. While full details of the first suite of programmes have yet to be published, the university’s track record in areas such as business, maritime, creative industries, health and sport suggests these fields could feature prominently. Career-focused education has long been a hallmark of Solent’s approach, and the new arrangement is intended to extend that ethos to a wider international audience.

For students in the Middle East, the opportunity to earn a British degree online through a recognised UK university partner is expected to prove attractive. Many learners in the region balance professional responsibilities with study and value qualifications that carry international recognition while remaining compatible with their existing commitments. The partnership also offers the potential for networking and industry engagement that can enhance employability in competitive job markets.

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From Solent’s perspective, the collaboration supports its ambition to become a more globally connected institution. By working with a trusted regional partner, the university can develop a deeper understanding of local education needs, cultural contexts and employer expectations. This knowledge can, in turn, inform curriculum development and help ensure that graduates are well prepared for the realities of the international workplace.

The announcement follows other recent international activity by Solent and reflects a wider trend among UK universities of forging strategic alliances with overseas education providers. Such partnerships are increasingly viewed as essential for long-term sustainability, allowing institutions to share expertise, reach new students and contribute to the global exchange of knowledge and skills.

As the partnership moves from announcement to implementation, attention will turn to the practical details of programme launch, student recruitment and ongoing quality monitoring. Both Solent and Exeed have indicated that they intend to build on the foundations laid during the recent campus visit, with further discussions expected in the coming months.

In an increasingly interconnected higher education landscape, collaborations that combine academic credibility with regional insight and flexible delivery models are likely to play a growing role. Southampton Solent University’s new partnership with Exeed College represents one clear example of this approach in action, offering students in the Middle East a pathway to British higher education that is both accessible and career-oriented.

The university says it remains committed to expanding opportunity for learners wherever they are based, and views international partnerships as a vital means of achieving that goal. With the Exeed agreement now in place, Solent is positioned to strengthen its presence in a key global market while continuing to deliver education that prepares students for success in a rapidly changing world.