Birmingham Newman University and West Midlands Police deepen Policing Education Partnership

Birmingham Newman University is proud to announce its deepened partnership with West Midlands Police, as senior educational representatives recently met with the Chief Constable, Craig Guildford, to discuss the upcoming delivery of enhanced academic content for the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) programme.

This significant collaboration means Birmingham Newman University is now directly involved in training police officers for the region.

The meeting focused on implementing Year 2 academic components for the PCDA, representing a major advancement in police education and professional development. Discussions also explored other exciting and exclusive pathways for Birmingham Newman Professional Policing Degree (PPD) students to gain valuable hands-on experience, further strengthening the link between academic learning and practical policing applications.

The University brings proven expertise to this partnership, having successfully delivered its highly regarded Professional Policing Degree (PPD) since 2022. Being selected as a chosen university, in collaboration with Leeds Trinity University, for this prestigious partnership is a significant endorsement of Birmingham Newman’s commitment to policing education.

The institution recently celebrated the completion of its first full PPD cohort, with all students achieving good degree classifications, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in preparing students for policing careers. Further recognition of the program’s excellence came when the university’s policing team recently won the institution’s ‘Academic Department of the Year’ award.

This initiative demonstrates the University’s continued commitment to elevating educational standards within police training and ensuring officers receive comprehensive, university-level instruction. The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship combines practical policing experience with academic study, allowing recruits to earn a degree while developing essential skills in policing.

“We are extremely proud to be delivering this academic element of the PCDA Programme to West Midlands Police Officers,” said Kate Dobson, Associate Dean. “This collaboration with West Midlands Police represents our shared commitment to excellence in police education and training. Our strong track record with the Professional Policing Degree gives us confidence in delivering outstanding outcomes for future police officers, and it’s a testament to the quality of our PPD course that we are now directly involved in training police recruits.”

The Policing Team at Birmingham Newman commences its work in July and will serve as a model for police education partnerships across the region.