The Royal College of Art (RCA) in London has not awarded undergraduate degrees in at least three decades. That changes in September 2027, when the first students enrol in jointly awarded undergraduate programmes run with Norwich University of the Arts (NUA), more than 100 miles to the north.

Both institutions will validate the degrees through what a formal statement called "shared academic frameworks" — meaning the degree a student receives carries the authority of both universities, not just one. The first intake is due at NUA's Norwich campus. The RCA's own undergraduate study page states the partnership will cover "a wide range of undergraduate degrees" (rca.ac.uk).

An RCA spokesperson told The Art Newspaper that this is the first joint awarding partnership of its kind the RCA has undertaken, and that the college last validated undergraduate degrees at least 30 years ago (The Art Newspaper). The spokesperson described the rationale as built on "shared goals, complementary strengths, and a shared set of specialisms."

The announcement also comes with an explicit pushback against the idea that money is the motive. The spokesperson denied that the partnership is meant to boost revenue and said both institutions are in a stable financial position.

Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK — the membership body for UK universities — called the agreement "a fantastic example of the kind of innovative action universities are taking to evolve and work differently."

Less than two weeks before the NUA-specific announcement, the RCA published a separate news item dated 16 July 2026 outlining a broader "UK and Ireland-wide network of creative education partners" (rca.ac.uk). The NUA partnership appears to be the first concrete arrangement under that wider strategy.

Further details about which degree programmes will be offered, entry requirements and course content are expected later in summer 2026.