THE newly-formed South Gloucestershire and Stroud College is getting together with the University of Glouc-estershire and Gloucestershire College to work on a new strategic partnership for higher education in the county.

Focusing on how the university and colleges can work together to develop stronger links, the project aims to raise the quality, range and accessibility of higher education in the county.

It will start with a review of patterns of demands and access to higher education, trends and the needs of employers. The review comes just months before the introduction of higher student tuition fees.

Kevin Hamblin, principal of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, said: "The Government is supporting allian-ces between further education and higher education institutions to provide more flexible and, perhaps, cheaper degrees based within communities.

"The alliance will map out how this can happen and the courses which could be offered and the location of those courses over the next 18 months."

SGS was formed earlier this month with the merger of Stroud and Filton colleges.