---
title: "Embedded International Pathway College"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04d441"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04d441"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04d441.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04d441.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER"
published: "2026-05-18"
---

# Embedded International Pathway College

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04d441

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## Summary

The University of Ulster has engaged in a selective procurement process through the competitive procedure with negotiation, aiming to establish an Embedded International Pathway College (IPC) on its Belfast campus. This initiative falls under the industry category of education and training services, specifically focusing on higher education services. The University is looking for an experienced partner to manage and operate the IPC, which will offer educational programmes to international students. The contract, with an estimated value of £66 million, commenced term negotiations in April 2026, with the first student intake expected in September 2026. The final procurement stage has been completed, with Oxford International Education & Travel Limited being the successful awardee of the contract for £187,307,000. The procurement process incorporated a standstill period in compliance with Public Contracts Regulations 2015, providing an opportunity for any objections to be raised before final contract entry.

This contract presents significant opportunities for businesses in the education and training services sector, particularly those with expertise in running international pathway programmes and recruiting international students. Firms that can contribute innovative educational solutions and effective global marketing strategies will find this an attractive opportunity to expand their operations and partnerships within the UK educational landscape. The collaboration between the University of Ulster and a private partner is expected to significantly boost the international student population, thereby enhancing the educational offerings of the University and aligning with its internationalisation strategy. Businesses with a track record of delivering embedded college services and driving student recruitment and satisfaction are well-positioned to thrive in this cooperative endeavour.

## Notice

Embedded International Pathway College

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Ulster University wishes to enter into a contractual arrangement with an experienced third party provider to establish an embedded International Pathway College ("IPC") on its Belfast campus to deliver educational study programmes to international students to equip them with the skills/qualifications required to enrol on an undergraduate or postgraduate course at Ulster University. This presents an exciting opportunity for a suitably experienced and innovative partner to enter into a contractual agreement with Ulster University to realise its ambitions for the IPC. The partner will be responsible for the operational running of the IPC, delivering programmes, promoting the college, recruitment of international students, administration of admissions and providing teaching services. The IPC will support the University's ambition to significantly increase the number of international students. To achieve this vision, it is envisaged that the IPC will be established in partnership with a private provider; be physically embedded in Ulster University's Belfast campus; and be established such that the IPC students will have appropriate rights and access to the University's facilities such as library, laboratories, studios, classrooms and student accommodation. It is intended that the relationship will facilitate a successful collaboration between the two entities, creating a true partnership with the shared ambition of maximising the success of the IPC. To realise this, the parties will enter into a contractual arrangement, the exact terms of which it is anticipated may form part of any negotiations undertaken during the procurement process. The key objective of this competition is to run a competitive procurement process for the University to select a private partner with whom it can enter into the contractual arrangement to set up and run an IPC on the Belfast campus. The exact programmes to be provided at the IPC will be developed by the successful tenderer in collaboration with the University, driven by market demand and business intelligence. It is anticipated, however, that the IPC will provide Foundation Year, International Year One and Pre-Masters programs leading to further study at the University on undergraduate degree and master's programmes in a range of disciplines across the four faculties: (a) Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; (b) Business; (c) Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment; and (d) Life and Health Sciences. It is anticipated that the first cohort of students will be recruited for September 2026 intake. The appointed partner will contribute expertise in successfully delivering embedded colleges for other further education institutions and the drive, determination and innovation to ensure that the IPC in Belfast is marketed and promoted successfully and effectively to the global student market, and fully aligns with Ulster University's internationalisation priorities. The University will contribute the teaching and administrative facilities required to operate the IPC; support for the partner to maximise the IPC success; and seeking to create a true partnership to optimise benefits for both parties.

Options: The estimated total contract value stated above in Section II.2.6 reflects the maximum possible contract period of 240 months, but the contractual arrangement will comprise an initial term of 120 months, which period shall commence on the date on which the first cohort of students commence their courses at the College, followed by such number of extensions (of not less than 12 months' duration each) at the option of the University as the University requires, subject to the initial term and all extensions not exceeding in aggregate a period 240 months.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045318-2026 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Competitive procedure with negotiation |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 May 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 19 Feb 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 14 Apr 2026 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £66,000,000 |
| Lots value | £66,000,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £187,307,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER |
| Locality | COLERAINE |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT52 1SA |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN0C Causeway Coast and Glens |
| Local authority | Causeway Coast and Glens |
| Electoral ward | University |
| Westminster constituency | East Londonderry |
| Delivery location | TLN Northern Ireland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | OXFORD INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION & TRAVEL |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 80 - Education and training services

### Codes

- 79600000 - Recruitment services
- 80300000 - Higher education services
- 80400000 - Adult and other education services
- 80490000 - Operation of an educational centre
- 80500000 - Training services

## Release History

- 18 May 2026 at 11:32 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045318-2026
- 17 Jan 2025 at 14:06 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001716-2025

## Notice URLs

- http://www.ulster.ac.uk
- https://e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.shtml

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04d441. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04d441.json.