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Accelerated Degrees: Head Start or False Start?
The practice of ‘Accelerated’ or ‘Fast Track’ two year-long degree courses has been in the news again this month, as former universities minister Jo Johnson sought to further increase their frequency across the higher education sector. However, despite having been available at certain universities for nearly 10 years, they continue to prove divisive. For some they provide a cheaper option with a potentially fast transition into employment, whilst for others they create an unnecessary burden on resources without allowing enough time for students to develop. How does an accelerated degree programme work? Typically they offer the opportunity for learners to reduce the time taken to complete a BA/BSc course (360 credits) full-time from 3 years to 2 years or part-time from 6 years to 4 years. This is done by utilising the traditional student summer vacation as a third ‘semester’ to cover an additional 60 credits (for full-time students) or 30 credits (for part-time students). So the intensity of study within a semester is not increased, instead students study continuously through the calendar year. In theory this should allow some full-time students to reduce their costs whilst at university by only needing to incur 2 years of rent and living costs and, potentially begin earning a year earlier. Should you choose an accelerated degree course? For those who like to get things done quickly accelerated degrees probably sound ideal, however, Dr Robert Boast - Executive Dean: Learning, Teaching and Student Engagement at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) – advises prospective students take caution before diving in: “Accelerated degrees are not for all students as has been shown by the limited take-up of these programmes where they have been offered. Most students see their time at university as a 3 year experience giving themselves time to develop, acquire skills and reflect on what careers they are best suited to move in to.” Lecturers and indeed the courses themselves also face potentially adverse consequences from an increase in accelerated degrees. The summer period is a time for academics to conduct research, undertake staff development and plan and develop existing and new courses which then informs and enhances the student experience for the next academic year, maintaining and improving the quality of the degree programmes. Do BGU offer two year degrees? Although accelerated degrees are not currently part of the portfolio of programmes at BGU Dr Boast adds this is always under review: “With all programme developments we always ensure that we understand what the learners require so that we can give them the best learning and teaching experience as possible. We are also looking to develop work-based learning/apprenticeship programmes with businesses, which might be more attractive to people in work who want access to degree level qualifications whilst earning.” Make sure you are up to speed Far from the finished article, the concept of accelerated degrees will continue to be honed and evolved over the next few years. Wherever your opinion on them falls, when it comes to choosing your degree, understanding the facts is of the upmost importance. Our Enquiries Team are always happy to answer any of your questions to ensure you have all the information you could need. You can find more about our current portfolio of degrees and begin your university adventure here. -
Winner Announced for BGU Care Award for Outstanding Learner
Representatives from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) attended the Lincolnshire Care Awards to present the BGU Outstanding Learner Award on Thursday 22 February 2018. The provision of care in the Health and Social Care sector is becoming increasingly demanding due to the constantly changing needs of individuals and the communities served. The Lincolnshire Care Awards (Developed by Lincolnshire Care Association) recognise and applaud the daily achievements of individuals and businesses throughout the Health and Social Care sector within Lincolnshire. They celebrate the tireless work of outstanding care workers, teams and organisations in a challenging sector. Now in their second year, the awards continue to grow, seeing a significant increase in nominations from across the sector, as well as a brand-new award recognising the contribution of support staff, for example domestic staff, transport staff and gardeners. The Awards were presented at a gala evening in Lincoln Assembly Rooms by BBC Radio Lincolnshire's Melvyn Prior. They consisted of several categories such as Community Care Awards, Residential Care Award, social care award, Leadership award as well as recognizing special achievements, rising stars and BGU’s very own Outstanding Learner Award. Education and learning is one of the key elements that ensures care is delivered in the right way, to the right people, in a timely manner. The Outstanding Learner Award recognises individuals who have made the most of their learning opportunities either in a residential or community care setting, enthusiastically embracing their learning and going above and beyond to improve their knowledge and skills. Nicki Walsh, Programme Leader for Health & Social Care at BGU, judged and presented the award and stated that she was both honoured and humbled by all the individuals nominated. She was proud to present Stacey Mason with the award, having been impressed with her commitment to continued development and training. BGU Outstanding Learner Award Finalists and Winner in full: Finalists – Linda Morris, Kimberley Care Home Renee Persinger, The Royal Mencap Society Susie Neupane, Cedar Falls Care Home Isobel Morrison, Thera East Midlands Stacey Mason, Walnut Care Winner – Stacey Mason, Walnut Care (pictured receiving her award from BGU's Nicki Walsh) Photo credit: Shaun Smith, Kamara Photography. Find out more about Health & Social Care at BGU. -
BGU Theology Students Provide Uniforms for School Children in India
A group of Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) Theology students have successfully raised enough money to supply over 100 school uniforms to pupils in India with special needs. Carried out in aid of the SDETLAND Project (www.lincswithindia.org.uk), who work with several Lincolnshire rotary clubs to support some the most deprived and disadvantaged children in the world, the students have been working hard over the past year to raise enough money to fund both the uniforms as well as their travel to visit the centre. Georgina Foxcroft, one of the students involved, was delighted to have the opportunity to support the project so effectively: “We asked the SDETLAND Project what they wanted and they said a uniform for the children would be amazing. They receive no government funding, everything they get is from donations and it was the one thing that the school really needed so we were more than happy to provide them. "Being able to take the uniforms out ourselves and meet some of the children was fantastic. It made that connection more personal and proved to us that our efforts were worthwhile.” Returning from the trip, BGU Theology lecturer Mark Plater highlighted why the hard work carried out by the SDETLAND Project was so important: “SDET do a wonderful job of caring for those who generally get left out of Indian society. Tribal people and the disabled are not well provided for by government agencies, so SDET (Social Democratic Education Trust) was developed as a charity to fill in the gaps. "They provide hostels and special schools for children of such communities, and occupational training to help them move on to skilled jobs. I am really impressed with the dedication and commitment of their staff.” Along with the SDETLAND Project, the team of BGU students visited primary, secondary, international and specialist SEN schools along with a selection of sites of religious significance across India to get a wide aspect of education and culture in the country. The students would also like to thank Lincoln business Eliza D Memory, whose daughter is one of their fellow students at BGU, for printing the uniforms. Find out more about studying Theology & Ethics at BGU. -
Bishop Grosseteste University Celebrates New Apprentices
Earlier this year Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) launched their first cohort of apprentices on Higher Management and Higher Business courses. As part of National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) BGU took the opportunity to celebrate their new apprentices as they looked back on the first month of their programme. Joining the apprentices to discuss their exciting new projects were BGU Vice Chancellor Reverend Canon Professor Peter Neil, Ben Kinross from the National Society of Apprentices as well as representatives from Lincoln Council. Speaking at the event Peter Neil said he was excited to see apprenticeships gaining a greater reputation: “It is fantastic that apprenticeships are now being recognised for their importance and relevance to professional progression. Continued personal and professional development is highly valued at BGU and I’m delighted to see my colleagues embracing this opportunity”. The new cohort of apprentices are all undertaking Higher Apprenticeships in either Management or Business with Professional Administration. As current BGU staff they are building the placements around their existing roles but Jayne Ellis, on the Business with Professional Administration Course, was keen that the idea of balancing the two responsibilities shouldn’t deter prospective apprentices: “This has been a great opportunity so I would encourage anyone else who is thinking about undertaking an apprenticeship at BGU to go for it as the support so far has been very good” BGU plan to run a full suite of different apprenticeships in the coming months, all designed to upskill people within the Lincolnshire area aiding them in their professional development and have begun linking up with local employers to offer a range of exciting opportunities. Apprenticeships offer a range of exciting benefits to potential participants including: No course fees A salary allowing you to earn while you learn An industry recognised qualification, along with valuable experience If you are interested in becoming an apprentice, either as the first step in a new career or to further your development in your current one, you can contact the Enquiries Team at BGU to discuss how an apprenticeship can change your life. Alternatively, if you are an employer keen to offer your team the chance to upskill, contact Emily Hughes, Partnership Developments Manager at BGU. -
BG Futures Football Networking
Staff from BG Futures, BG Futures tenants, Teenage Market traders, and students from BGU's Business (Team Entrepreneurship) course came together to watch Lincoln City Football Club v Cheltenham at Sincil Bank last month. The event on 13 February 2018, which was made possible thanks to the sponsorship of Lincolnshire based firm Pilgrim Foodservice and the commercial team at Lincoln City, saw over 50 individuals brave the cold for some informal business networking! The BG Futures team holds regular networking events for both BG Futures tenants and students and we would love to see some new faces at our future events. If you would like to come and join us then please email cassie.rainey@bishopg.ac.uk and we will add you to our mailing list. -
BGU Students Forge International Connections in Finland
A delegation of Business (Team Entrepreneurship) students from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) travelled to Finland last month to meet with fellow entrepreneurs from across the globe. Members of Kinetic BGU Ltd., the company run by BGU students as part of their course, began their visit with a two day workshop in Tampere with Proakatemia, a local Team Academy. In addition to presenting their projects to each other the two teams shared business advice and solutions before examining the potential for joint ventures in the future. As a result one such venture has already been put in motion and BGU student Max Bouer will begin working alongside members of Proakatemia to organise international events for students in the coming months. Following the workshop the trip culminated in a ‘Team 4 Learning’ event, which celebrated 25 year of the Team Academy Initiative. Held in the city of Jyvaskyla, the birth place of the Team Academy Initiative, the event offered an opportunity for international networking with team academies from across the globe in attendance. Beth Tidswell, Director of Kinetic BGU, heralded the trip as an immense success: “Our time in Finland was an amazing experience that is already having a positive impact on our work here at BGU. Not only did we get to surround ourselves with new ideas and information, we’ve also been asked to consult with teams in Germany who are looking to set up their own programmes like ours.” Since becoming a part of the BGU degree portfolio, the Business (Team Entrepreneurship) course has become well regarded and BGU are delighted to have been asked to host the next international Team 4 Learning meeting in 2019. You can find out more about our Business (Team Entrepreneurship) course on our website or by contacting our Enquiries Team. -
‘Innovative’ University Design up for Regional Award
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) and LK2 - a unique company of chartered architects and sports & leisure business advisors - are pleased to announce that their recent renovation project has been shortlisted for this year’s RICS East Midlands awards. The impressive £2.2m redevelopment of BGU's Constance Stewart Hall has been shortlisted for the accolade of ‘Design through Innovation’ at the upcoming award ceremony. Innovation was central to the redevelopment of BGU’s Constance Stewart Hall and LK2 needed to find a visually striking way of introducing a contemporary new extension to a historic building on the University’s campus. The vice-chancellor of BGU, the Reverend Canon Professor Peter Neil, said: “We are incredibly proud of both our 150 year history of teaching excellence and our progressive attitude which has seen us become the top university in the East Midlands for widening participation. “When it came to creating a new flexible teaching space we needed a building that would support our ambitions as well as a team who could understand this. The design by LK2 for Constance Stewart Hall perfectly captured this balance and our finished building provides students with cutting edge facilities to help them progress. We are pleased to see it rightly celebrated by the RICS”. The RICS Awards showcase the most inspirational initiatives and developments in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. Across eight individual categories, the awards are regarded as the premier property and construction awards in the country, celebrating the most innovative projects in the region and their impact on local communities. Andrew Kitchen, director at LK2, said: “We are delighted to have been recognised for our design of this iconic scheme which has transformed the cityscape. This project showcases the impact of good design in so many different ways. Acting as a ‘shop window’, the new building gives BGU’s campus greater prominence and promotes the University to the wider community.” LK2’s innovative approach to this redevelopment, has resulted in one of the project’s most unique characteristics- the architects were able to blend both new and old elements to create the illusion that the contemporary extension is sailing over the original building. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Nottingham Belfry on Thursday 3 May. Visit our new development by booking on to a 2018 BGU Open Day now. -
BGU Welcomes International Delegates
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) welcomed government officials and industry leaders from the Chinese province of Hunan as they visited campus for a tour of facilities. Exploring the BGU campus as a part of their wider visit to Lincoln on 18 April, the delegates were particularly interested in the work of BG Futures, who are dedicated to supporting small and start-up businesses, as well as the exciting projects and hard work being undertaken by BGU’s Business Team Entrepreneurship students. With many of the delegates coming from the Province’s food industry the entrepreneurial efforts of BGU students setting up their own food based companies were something of a show-stopper. Hunan is largely agricultural, making Lincolnshire an ideal location for business partnerships, and has a population of around 70 million, bigger than the entire UK. Recent focus within the Province has been on developing its machinery, steel, tobacco, food processing and electronics sectors in addition to its traditional rice and cotton growing and now industry leaders are looking to expand their international connections. Wayne Dyble, International Manager at BGU, highlighted the importance of the visit to a number of BGU’s ongoing projects around the world: “The International Team at BGU have been working incredibly hard to bring the University to the wider world. We are already engaged in projects throughout Hunan Province with Hengyang Normal University (www.hynu.edu.cn) and Hunan First Normal University and it’s fantastic to see our endeavours continue to grow with today’s visit.” You can find more information on BGU’s international projects on their website. -
BGU Students Recognised at BG Futures Employability Awards
Hardworking students were celebrated at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) on Thursday at the annual BG Futures Employability Awards. Designed to encourage students to branch out and widen their skill sets and experiences ahead of joining the work force; the Employability Award is given to those involved in extra-curricular activities while undertaking courses at BGU. Students can accrue points that decide their award level based on: Volunteering activities Attending business networking events Taking part in Employability workshops Creating a piece of written work reflecting on techniques to improve employability 12 students received the award this year; Emma Stanbridge, a final year English Literature student who passed with distinction, explained why she felt working towards the award was so important: “I felt it was really important to engage with every opportunity BGU had to offer. Working towards the Employability Award has not only helped me to articulate my employability skills, it has also given me a chance to apply them in professional contexts which is incredibly beneficial as I head to the end of my degree” Presenting the awards, Dr Rob Boast, Executive Dean Learning, Teaching & Student Engagement (blog.bishopg.ac.uk/blog/new-executive-dean), was keen to impress both his own and the University’s understanding of the hard work carried out by the students: “This award recognises a level of dedication and commitment above and beyond what is expected at degree level. It is an honour to be part of this event celebrating an inspirational group of students”. For more information on the exciting range of opportunities on offer at BGU, visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team. Bishop Grosseteste University is committed to supporting business and enterprise both within the institution and in the wider community. The BG Futures building is a 15 unit business and enterprise hub with 3 state-of-the-art conference rooms created to house emerging and start-up businesses. If being your own boss and owner of a company is something that you are seriously interested in or are looking for facilities for your existing enterprise, the Business Development Office is available to provide support. -
Bishop Grosseteste University Nominated for Lincolnshire Technology & Innovation Award
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) has been nominated for the ‘Innovation in Education’ award at the 2018 Lincolnshire Technology & Innovation Awards. The awards, held on 7 June, recognise, celebrate and reward Lincolnshire’s use of innovation and creative technology, raising the profile of innovators and tech communities across the county. BGU’s nomination is a result of the exciting and innovative steps being taken by the University’s Business and Enterprise team who have adopted a ‘heutagogical’ (or ‘learning by doing’) approach to learning on the BA Business (Team Entrepreneurship) course. This approach, inspired by the Finnish Tiimiakatemia, or Team Academy, methodology requires students to work together as a team, establish a limited company and then deliver live commercial projects. They synthesise their personal learning journey by researching appropriate theory in line with their immediate requirements as an alternative to the more common reliance on lecture-style delivery. By utilising this approach, the assignments produced by students are highly individual and give a deeper insight of ‘journey travelled’ with regard to learning, providing students with a far greater level of agency and control of their projects and their learning. Chris Jackson, Team Coach and part of the Business and Enterprise team at BGU, was delighted to see the commitment made by BGU recognised: “BGU adopting the ‘learning by doing’ approach to learning is innovative and not in line with traditional Higher Education teaching methods. It demonstrates great foresight by BGU, who as leaders in Teacher Education demonstrate that we are willing to embrace new thinking and practice in education in response to a rapidly changing world.” You can find out more information on all the innovations at BGU, including our Business and Team Entrepreneurship courses on our website or by contacting our Enquiries Team.
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