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Coventry University helps LABA Valencia make history with first venture to deliver UK creative degrees in Spain
LABA Valencia's campus
University news / Business news
Wednesday 11 February 2026
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Coventry University has strengthened its commitment to the arts with a landmark collaboration with LABA Valencia, School of Art, Design and New Media - the first venture of its type to enable UK creative degrees to be delivered in Spain.
Under this link‑up, LABA Valencia will deliver Coventry University‑validated degrees in art, design, audio-visual and creative industries.
After several years of joint work, LABA Valencia has secured the required national accreditation, meaning graduates from approved programmes will now receive Coventry University degrees that are positioned to be recognised across Spain. This recognition may also support access to postgraduate study, national scholarships, visas for international students, and participation in Erasmus and other EU mobility programmes, depending on the requirements of each scheme.
The approval follows a three-year evaluation by AVAP (Agència Valenciana d'Evaluació i Prospectiva) to ensure LABA Valencia met Spanish Government and EQAA quality standards. LABA Valencia’s inclusion in the RUCT (Registro de Universidades, Centros y Títulos) marks the formal registration of its programmes. This pathway is enabled by Royal Decree 640/2021, which provides the framework for foreign higher education institutions to obtain official status for certain programmes in Spain.
LABA Valencia currently delivers four of Coventry University’s College of the Arts and Society-validated programmes: BA (Hons) Photography, BA (Hons) Digital Media, MA Photography and MA Illustration and Animation. The first cohort to benefit from this accreditation will graduate this academic year, with plans for further collaboration underway.
Coventry University’s story in the arts stretches back to our origins in the Coventry School of Design and has shaped generations of creative practice. That heritage drives our commitment to the future - investing in innovation across disciplines like Digital Media, Photography, Illustration and Animation.
LABA Valencia shares that vision. Their leadership in contemporary arts education, coupled with this new accreditation, will help us champion global firsts, deepen our specialist provision and equip students with the skills and technologies they need to transition straight into the creative industries.
Shaun Hides, Dean of Coventry University’s College of the Arts and Society
Two standout examples of this collaboration’s impact are BA (Hons) Photography graduate Juliette Roy Batanero (2025) and BA (Hons) Digital Media graduate Luciana Lince.
Juliette received the prestigious Liu Shiming Art Foundation scholarship, which enabled her to exhibit in New York, and she is now completing a master’s in Cinema at LABA Firenze on a full scholarship.
Luciana’s final project - a planner for creatives - has been published and is now sold by Gràffica, the leading design magazine in Spain and Latin America.
This milestone underlines why collaboration sits at the heart of Coventry University’s global mission. Collaborating with LABA Valencia expands our student mobility across Europe, strengthens our academic footprint and accelerates access to scholarships and exchange opportunities. Spain’s long-standing leadership in arts and culture makes it a natural home for our global education and we are committed to building high‑quality collaborations that deliver real impact for learners worldwide.
Jasmine Samra, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Partnerships) at Coventry University
For LABA Valencia, this is a fundamental step, both in consolidating its relationship with Coventry University and in strengthening its reputation as a school of excellence in Spain, one of the world's most creatively vibrant and attractive countries for international students. The combination of the renowned excellence of the British education system, Spain's creativity and Valencia's high quality of life - a city chosen as the world's best for international students in 2022 and 2024 - makes this collaboration between LABA Valencia and Coventry University an ideal environment for all international students seeking to develop their skills in the various fields of the creative industries.
Cristina Casanova, Director of LABA Valencia, School of Art, Design and New Media
This achievement is part of Coventry University and LABA Valencia’s wider collaboration with the world's lifelong learning company Pearson. LABA is a Pearson Education Centre, with Pearson delivering the first two years of the degree programme and Coventry University completing the academic pathway in the final year.
Find out more about the College of the Arts and Society and LABA.
