UCMK represents a creative partnership between Milton Keynes College and four local universities - the University of Bedfordshire, the University of Northampton, the Open University and Oxford Brookes University.

Milton Keynes College is the lead partner. It is one of the fastest growing Colleges in the UK, with over 3,000 16-18 year old students, and is a lead provider of vocational education and training in the city. It is an accredited TQS business college, working with over 6,500 employer sponsored enrolments per year.

The University of Bedfordshire was granted university status in 2006 and has campuses in Luton and Bedford. This growing institution has some 16,000 students. The University of Bedfordshire currently validates the majority of our Degree courses.

The University of Northampton grew out of University College Northampton and achieved full university status in 2005. It has two campuses in Northampton and has some 10,000 students.

The Open University began in 1969 as a groundbreaking experiment to open access to university education to a wide audience. It has proved remarkably successful and now attracts some 180,000 students worldwide. Although it has a national and international reach, its headquarters are based in Milton Keynes, a few minutes drive from UCMK.

Oxford Brookes University began life as Oxford Polytechnic and was granted independent university status in 1992. It is based in the city of Oxford.

UCMK Degree students enjoy full membership both of UCMK and of whichever partner university awards their Degree.