Richmond announces new partnership with Guangzhou College of Applied Science and Technology (GCAST)

Richmond is delighted to confirm the successful Institutional Approval of Guangzhou College of Applied Science and Technology (GCAST), a full-time undergraduate institution approved by China’s Ministry of Education.

Founded in 2000 and rebranded in 2020, GCAST is a private university located in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. With state-of-the-art facilities, strong links to industry, and a student-centred approach to teaching, the institution shares Richmond’s commitment to applied learning and preparing graduates for professional success.

The collaboration between Richmond and GCAST began in Spring 2025, with Institutional Approval formally completed on 28 August 2025. Work now begins on the next stage – curriculum development for three undergraduate programmes in Visual Communication, Computer Science, and Accounting – which GCAST has proposed for Richmond UK Awards Programme Validation. Both teams will collaborate closely to ensure the programmes meet UK higher education standards and QAA benchmarks, while strengthening international academic and quality assurance partnerships.

The Institutional Approval Panel commended GCAST for its industry-linked teaching, empowered student community, and commitment to UK quality standards, noting the many opportunities it provides to support student growth and development.

Professor Phil Deans, Vice Chancellor & President of Richmond, commented:

“GCAST have shown exceptional leadership and academic quality throughout the validation event. They are an excellent example of taking the best of Chinese higher education and leading the internationalisation of the sector for the benefit of their students and the national and international communities they serve, and we are delighted to be entering into this exciting partnership with them.”

Kelli Wolfe, RAUL Academic Registrar, added:

“We are thrilled to be embarking on this new partnership with GCAST. The Institutional Approval Panel were extremely impressed with the strength of industry links and how well this is embedded in their curriculum design for the benefit of students’ professional development. This shows clearly in the student experience, and we are excited to nurture this new opportunity for both Richmond and GCAST’s continued contribution to our respective communities.”

The successful Institutional Approval establishes a strong foundation for programme validation and paves the way for future exchange, collaborative initiatives, and a shared commitment to UK higher education quality standards.

Find out more about GCAST: GCAST Bilingual Webpage