Anglia Ruskin University has formed a partnership with banking group Barclays to deliver a new Chartered Manager Degree Apprentice programme.

It is one of the first of the new high-level apprenticeships which have been launched by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS).

The first cohort of 22 students started on the programme at Anglia Ruskin’s Lord Ashcroft International Business School this term.

Anglia Ruskin has been delivering a work-based degree as part of Barclays’ existing talent programme for the past eight years, and the BA (Hons) Management & Leadership will provide the degree component of the new apprenticeship which replaces the previous programme.

Barclays apprentices will therefore not only receive an degree, but also achieve Chartered Manager status from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) upon successful completion of the programme.

Vanessa Knowles, programme leader for the Barclays leadership and management programme at Anglia Ruskin, said: “Working with Barclays on this latest Government-led initiative is extremely exciting and signals a major shift in the way in which universities can engage more readily with organisations to help shape and deliver their talent strategies.”

The latest cohort of Barclays graduates from the BA (Hons) nanagement and leadership course received their degree certificates in October, and celebrated with a special event at the Houses of Commons.

Of the 39 graduates, 15 were awarded first class honours and prizes were awarded to Matthew Allen for the Most Outstanding Academic Achievement, James Page and Sophie Hoodless for the Course Ambassador Award and Alice Jones for the Spirit of the Programme Award.

Mike Thompson, director of apprenticeships at Barclays, said: “The celebration gives us the opportunity to highlight the hard work that our apprentices from across the UK have achieved over the last year. We have been constantly impressed by their commitment and diligence and are looking forward to watching their careers progress with us.”

Professor Gary Packham, Dean of Anglia Ruskin’s Lord Ashcroft International Business School, said: “We are all extremely proud of the hard work that our Corporate Education and Work-Based learning team have dedicated to the Barclays programmes.

“The BA (Hons) Management & Leadership work-based degree is a flagship course that produces high quality work, and the feedback from students about their learning and development experience is excellent.”