Ascentis at 50: Celebrating Five Decades of Empowering Learners Across the UK and Beyond

Ascentis is proud to mark its 50th anniversary in 2025, celebrating five decades of delivering life-changing qualifications that help learners thrive in education, employment, and life.

Founded in 1975 as the UK’s first ‘Open College’, Ascentis has remained committed to opening doors through accessible, high-quality education.

Today, they are a national awarding organisation and registered educational charity, working with colleges, training providers, and employers across the UK and around the world.

Creating Life-Changing Opportunities

Ascentis support over 218,000 learners each year in hundreds of FE Colleges and Education Providers, offering qualifications including:

• Access to Higher Education

• Functional Skills in English and Maths

• Digital Skills

• ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages)

Their approach is grounded in innovation. From developing the UK’s first born-digital Functional Skills qualifications to pioneering virtual reality environments for ESOL learners, Ascentis leads the way in responsive, inclusive education.

A Growing Global Presence

Looking to the future, international growth is a key focus for Ascentis.

• In China, more than 20,000 students have already achieved the Ascentis Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), contributing to the global demand for high-quality English language teaching.

• In Italy, Ascentis is delivering the International Certificate in ESOL (ICE), supporting English language learners with internationally recognised, high-quality qualifications.

These successes mark just the beginning of Ascentis’ international journey, as the organisation builds new partnerships and extends access to transformative learning worldwide.

Award-Winning Quality

Ascentis has received multiple national honours in recent years, including both the Awarding Organisation of the Year and the Innovation of the Year at the FAB (Federation of Awarding Bodies) Awards. These awards reflect Ascentis’ deep commitment to quality, innovation, and learner success.

Looking Ahead: The Next 50 Years

Ascentis is proud of its achievements over the past five decades, but is even more focused on the future. In the years ahead, the organisation will continue to:

• Respond to national and international skills needs

• Invest in digital and immersive technologies

• Strengthen partnerships with education providers and employers

Throughout 2025, Ascentis will mark its golden anniversary with a programme of events, awards, and opportunities to share the stories that have shaped its journey.

Get Involved

Have you worked with Ascentis or achieved an Ascentis qualification? Share your story using #Ascentis50 and join us in celebrating this incredible milestone.