What will happen to the Nottingham college that closed over student loan abuse accusations?

Billboards outside a Nottingham college have dropped hints about its future, following its closure over accusations of student loan abuse.

Oxford Business College (OBC), which had franchising agreements with universities that allowed enrolees to get a degree and funding while studying, closed after it was accused of failing to make sure students had the required English skills or attended their lectures.

The college’s building in St Ann’s has been empty since August last year, despite the private education provider overturning education secretary Bridget Phillipson’s legal ruling that intended to ban student from receiving student loans.

Billboards placed outside the college, which was stripped of its OBC branding before its closure, now claim it could become an AI Knowledge Park, displaying conception images of what the site could apparently look like in the future.

According to Nottinghamshire Live, the potential different uses of the land would help tackle modern-day loneliness and an inclusive space for residents.

No formal plans have been submitted relating to large-scale redevelopments indicated on the banners, however, the business has applied to Nottingham City Council in recent weeks to get permission for a cafe that was already being built on the site.

Previously, OBC’s directors said it would have to sell of its properties or find new partnerships to survive the impact of the Department for Education’s legal move, which had originally prevented them from recruiting new students.

via Google Maps

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Since then, the Buckinghamshire New University which OBC students had received degrees from, cut ties with the business after the education secretary publicly announced she was taking action over “credible concerns” about its conduct.

The private educator, which had campuses in Oxford, London, Brentford and Slough, previously launched two pivotal legal bids to try to stabilise its financial position.

It is suing the Department for Education over the de-designation, which it said had destroyed its finances and resulted in nearly all of its 5,000 students leaving.

The college has also launched a legal claim against the University of West London, another of its franchise partners, accusing the university of owing almost £7 million for a course it had taught.

Oxford Business College, the Department for Education and the University of West London have been contacted for comment.

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Featured image via Google Maps