Every university, college or other body that is authorised by Royal Charter or by or under Act of Parliament to grant degrees and every other body for the time being permitted by these bodies to act on their behalf in the granting of degrees, is a recognised body within section 214(2)(a) or (b) of the Education Reform Act 1988 (“recognised body”).

Degrees granted by recognised bodies are “recognised awards” and section 214(1) of the Act, which makes it an offence to grant or issue any invitation relating to certain unrecognised degrees and awards, does not apply to them.

This Order lists the name of each body which is not a recognised body but which either— a provides any course which is in preparation for a degree to be granted by such a recognised body and is approved by or on behalf of that body; or b is a constituent college, school, hall or other institution of a university which is such a recognised body.

The Order updates and replaces the list of bodies contained in the Education (Listed Bodies) Order 1999, which is revoked. It adds a new list, at Part III of the Schedule, of institutions offering courses leading only to foundation degrees. (A number of institutions included in Part I offering courses leading to a degree also offer courses leading to a foundation degree.) It omits a number of institutions previously within the list, which have been authorised to award degrees under section 76 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 (c. 13), and under section 48 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992 (c. 37), and are now listed in the Education (Recognised Bodies) (Wales) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/1661(W.157)). It also omits a number of other institutions previously within the list but which are no longer validated by a recognised body, adds a number of institutions which have become listed bodies by virtue of new validation arrangements and incorporates other minor amendments and name changes.