THE UCS College Group, which caters to students coming up to higher education from Wellington and the surrounding area, has been selected as one of eight UK institutions to participate in the highly prestigious Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education.

Representatives from the College Group have been invited to Washington DC to present their insights on the role colleges can play in creating innovative healthcare solutions and training solutions that directly benefit their communities.

The Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education are part of the UK national honours system, which recognise outstanding work in UK universities and colleges at the highest level of state.

Since their inception, 337 awards have been granted, and UCS College Group has received three of these prizes, with the latest awarded for its nursing degree programmes.

Andy Berry CBE, CEO of UCS College Group, said: "This is a huge honour for UCS College Group and a powerful recognition of our award-winning nursing degree programmes, which earned us the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education.”

"We are the only College in England to be represented among some of the most prestigious education providers such as the University of Edinburgh, and I am so thrilled that we have been invited to share our pioneering model of health education on an international stage, collaborating with US academics to transform lives within our communities and beyond."

The USA exchange provides UCS College Group with an opportunity to further develop its expertise and knowledge in its healthcare programmes.

Since receiving the Queen Elizabeth Prize, UCS College Group say they have “emerged as a national leader in the transformative power of educational partnerships” and that the Group is “increasingly sought after to share its insights, shape policy, and apply its unique blueprint for skills delivery on a national and now international stage”.