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Bell College of Technology has won its bid to become a higher education institution, the first Scottish further education college to move into higher education since incorporation in 1993.

Henry McLeish, Scotland's minister for enterprise and lifelong learning, has approved the change of status. Bell has been an anomaly within further education, running nothing but advanced courses since 1988. It runs more than 60 sub-degree courses, with Strathclyde and Hertfordshire universities and the Open University Validation Services validating more than 20 degree and postgraduate courses.