Peterborough is to get its first university campus as Anglia Ruskin University develops links with Peterborough Regional College.
Programmes in Peterborough will focus on health, enterprise and research.
The university plans up to four similar ventures in the region. David Tidmarsh, Anglia Ruskin's vice-chancellor, said: "Higher education provision will be delivered on a joint basis but with quality control to meet Anglia's requirements. It's a new model."