Type Higher education Founded 1976 | Active 1976–1994 Headquarters Bedford, United Kingdom | |
Location Bedford, Bedfordshire
England Similar Hereford College of Education, La Sainte Union College o, Garnett College, Bedford College - Bedford, Queen's University of Ireland | ||
Bedford College of Higher Education was a higher education institution in Bedford, England, specializing in teacher training.
History
Until 1976, three separate institutions offered tertiary education in Bedford: Bedford College of Physical Education in Landsdowne Road (Physical Education training), Bedford College of Education in Polhill Avenue (initial teacher training), and Mander College of Further Education in Cauldwell Street. In 1976 these combined to become Bedford College of Higher Education.
In 1994 the higher education areas merged with the De Montfort University (based in Leicester) and the further education part became Bedford College, Bedford (but still awarding HNDs and Foundation degrees). The teacher-training colleges left De Montfort in 2006 and merged with the University of Luton which changed its name to University of Bedfordshire.
The Landsdowne campus was sold off in 2007 and remaining higher education provision focussed on the Polhill site. The University of Bedfordshire is now the largest provider of secondary physical education teachers in the UK.