Police Education Consortium wins national award
The Police Education Consortium (PEC) - of which the University of Cumbria is a partner – has been recognised nationally.
Recently PEC received the Institutional Partnerships Award at the 2025 UALL (Universities Association for Lifelong Learning) Awards.
This comes a year after the consortium was recognised in The Apprenticeship Guide annual awards, being named ‘Best Apprenticeship in Public Services’ award at the 2024 Apprenticeship Guide Awards.
This latest recognition celebrates collaboration with the UALL Awards shining a spotlight on innovative projects across the higher education sector.
The PEC was founded in 2017 to support the national implementation of the Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF), now known as the Police Constable Entry Routes (PCER).
It brings together four higher education institutions (HEIs) — University of Cumbria along with Middlesex University, Canterbury Christ Church University, and University of Portsmouth.
The HEI partners deliver high-quality policing education to forces including Sussex Police, Surrey Police, Thames Valley Police, and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, in collaboration with the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
The University of Cumbria welcomed its first cohort of policing apprentices in March 2020. Since then, Cumbria has played a key role in delivering both the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) and the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP). To date, the University of Cumbria has supported over 300 students through these programmes so far that are celebrated at graduation ceremonies that take place at Carlisle Cathedral.
Across the consortium, more than 3000 recruits from these forces have started their policing education journey, with impressive outcomes: 91% of DHEP students achieving Distinction or Merit, and 80% of PCDA graduates earning First or 2:1 degrees
PEC leaders thank all colleagues, students and stakeholders across the universities, including Cumbria, for their continued support for policing education and public service.