UK Oxford and Cambridge universities on Thursday gave a boost to vocational qualifications by agreeing to accept candidates studying one of the six controversial new diplomas. Their decision to consider pupils who have studied the diploma in engineering is good news for ministers who have struggled to win acceptance for the qualifications – designed as a more work-relevant alternative to A-levels.
Geoff Parks, director of admissions for Cambridge and an engineering lecturer, said the advanced engineering diploma “may prove to be a better preparation” than the typical spread of A-levels a student would take before an engineering degree.
