Brighton students fast-tracked into counselling careers through new university partnership

Around 50 students studying Therapeutic Counselling at Varndean College will now be taught at the University of Brighton’s Moulsecoomb campus from this September.

The move creates a direct, accelerated route into the university’s Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy – cutting out traditional barriers between further and higher education and helping students progress more quickly into the profession.

Courses will continue to be delivered by Varndean College’s teaching staff, but students will benefit from learning in a university environment from the outset. The move will help learners build their confidence and familiarity with higher-level study as they prepare for postgraduate training.

The partnership comes at a time of growing demand for qualified counselling professionals, both locally and nationally, and is designed to strengthen Brighton’s pipeline of skilled practitioners.

Dr Megha Rajguru from the University of Brighton helped create the new partnership. She said: “We’re proud to be working closely with Varndean College to create a fast-track route into postgraduate counselling training. This new partnership has created a more joined-up education journey – keeping local talent in Brighton while helping learners move faster towards rewarding careers that make a real difference in our communities.

“Brighton has established itself as the university of choice for local learners, with more students from Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex choosing to study at the University of Brighton than any other institution. This new partnership aims to further expand opportunities for people from the city and wider region to reach their full potential.”

Lisa Watkin-Stevens, Vice Principal, Students at Varndean College, said: “This exciting collaboration with the University of Brighton strengthens progression pathways for adult learners, supporting skills development and creating clear routes into higher education.

“Through access to university facilities and learning environments, students will benefit from an enriched experience that bridges further and higher education. They will gain insight into university life, engage with peers and professionals, and build the confidence needed to progress to higher levels of study. The partnership also enables close collaboration between teaching staff, fostering the sharing of expertise and best practice to enhance learning outcomes.”

The university of choice for local learners

The new progression route builds on a long-standing relationship between the two institutions. For more than 15 years, Varndean College students have taken part in a wide range of University of Brighton activities designed to support progression into higher education, including summer schools, subject conferences and one-to-one application guidance. In the last year alone, more than 30 outreach activities were delivered specifically for Varndean students.

The initiative also forms part of the university’s wider outreach work across the city and Sussex, which saw more than 430 activities delivered in the past year to help young people and adult learners explore their options and make informed decisions about higher education.

Lisa Watkin-Stevens continued: “A key aim of this partnership is to widen participation by supporting adults from diverse backgrounds, including those who may not have previously considered university, to access counselling education and training. Our fast-track introductory course offers graduates the opportunity to explore counselling as a pathway towards postgraduate or master’s level study.

“With a strong 95% progression rate from our 10-week introductory course to the Level 4 Diploma in Counselling, we are confident this partnership will continue to grow, supporting successful progression into higher education and professional counselling careers.”