…his is not only a problem for students who are already working and want to complete their degrees as quickly as possible but also for those who come to the college for bridging provision, to prepare them for a full degree, and who would rather use the holidays to catch up with the rest of their cohort than permanently lag behind. The Higher Education and Research Bill provides an opportunity – which may not come again soon – to consider greater fu…
…le skills such as communication and time management. A former SPUR student commented: “The level of personal commitment required under the scheme is somewhat demanding and daunting. However, the end result is very gratifying as it gives students the sense of achieving something big which they would not have achieved on their own.” Supervisors applying to SPUR must state how their research will be utilised to develop curriculum in one or more of fo…
…er. Universities UK’s report, published this week, provides constructive recommendations for how government can provide clarity on the policy in the longer term and how employers and universities can grow the numbers of apprentices at degree level. Case studies: Degree Apprenticeships Manchester Metropolitan University Through the Higher Level Apprenticeship model, MMU has offered a long-distance work- based learning route for chemical scientists…
…has developed links with around 50 charities, voluntary organisations, and community partners, and undertakes a range of projects – some integrated into the curriculum, others through community engagement. At the Dental Education Facilities, stage 2 undergraduates studying for a career in dental health (dentists, nurses, hygienists and therapists) treat patients under the supervision of a trained dentist. In 2015, 267 students delivered 88,210 cli…
…er, a barrier to the use of this therapy is in encouraging clinicians to become confident and competent in using this approach. The company set up a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of South Wales to develop a bespoke, online academy of wound management called the Larval Academy. The content and platform were designed to meet the learner’s needs in each market and can be adapted for medical legislation in different countries. Thr…
…reat experience that will stay with them long after they may have left the company. For me there are two things we need to focus on: 1) To be successful in a modern economy we need to utilise all of our talent, and 2) Businesses need to change how they find, recruit and retain the very best talent to achieve this. Of course it is not just about the employer. In the 21st century the need for businesses and education providers to collaborate has nev…
…constructive and positive space for debate and new ideas. Summary of the recommendations from the report: An HE Bill should be introduced as soon as possible; this should be a priority for whatever Government is in power after the 2015 General Election. Our view is that there should be a single regulatory body for all HE providers in England, commissioning the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) to undertake quality assurance across the system. The ris…
…to alternative (private) providers next year (2014-15), there is almost no comparable information about these providers’ satisfaction, retention or employability rates. We hear mixed messages: that these things take time, that legislation lags behind, that some providers fervently want to take part, that others are too small. The principle remains – the sector should move with all speed towards parity of information from different providers. Other…
…ility and Child Poverty Commission’s recent report, makes some ambitious recommendations about how to promote social mobility in the UK, which should be welcomed. It highlights how education, including higher education, has the ability to transform lives and says that a degree is one of the best guarantees of stable employment and economic security over a lifetime: with an earnings boost of £100,000. In fact we know from recent research, from the…
…role universities can play in their regions beyond their research mission. Competition for funding often means that the extent of complementarity and cooperation between universities, research centres, and indeed business, is underplayed. Witty is right to focus on this issue and his proposal for Arrow Projects seems to draw lessons from previous initiatives such as the Catapults. Collaborative projects such as this must draw together our best tal…
