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Students Help National Social Initiative Find New Funding Opportunities
Students from the Business (Team Entrepreneurship) programme at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) travelled to London last week where they took part in an assessed business challenge project for social enterprise The Ramadan Tent Project (RTP). RTP run the internationally acclaimed 'Open Iftar' event, which this year will be held in major cities around the UK. Iftar is the fast-breaking meal eaten by Muslims after sunset during the month of Ramadan. Open Iftar is an inter/non faith, inter-cultural event which celebrates diversity and welcomes anyone from any background. The first event was held in London in 2013 and since then the initiative has spread to seven cites and four continents, welcoming over 60,000 guests who are invited to join together to share food, to chat, laugh and listen to a variety of speakers on a wide range of subjects. The challenge given to students by RTP was to consider how it could develop sustainable income streams that will allow them to grow the Open Iftar initiative which is free to all who attend. They had 24 hours to research resources, contact potential stakeholders and develop solutions, which were delivered as a professional presentation the following day. Team Coaches Chris Jackson and Peter Tasi from BGU were on hand to monitor the process and progress. Chris was particularly pleased with how the students took to the task: " I have to say that we were pretty impressed with the way our guys tackled a tough task, developing four potential sources of income as well as engaging with people in the local communities by simply going out and talking with them. They also saw a bigger picture and were able to engage wider support nationally, raising over £6,000 in pledges". Peter Tasi added: "This is what can be achieved by active team work. Of course is doesn't just end here as we now have to formally assess the students on their process and how they synthesise their activity to aspects of business theory which are core to their learning". "Following their visible success with the task, they must now formalise and reflect on the process and individually present their learning experience back to us. It's not as straightforward as it seems." On the day, results were presented back to RTP CEO Omar Salha who was visibly impressed: "This is an amazing achievement and we're really grateful to have been able to engage with you in this way. Some of the impromptu visits that you have made in the short time that you were with us show us the size of the task before us." In a short space of time, students found that they were able to engage with corporations such as Disney and Virgin. These are contacts who they will now be working with to explore the full extent of possible support for RTP. Project Leader for the task was BGU student Daria Pipsenska: "This was just an amazing opportunity and took us all way outside of our comfort zones! We were able to achieve good results while working under pressure as a team and we did things we'd never done before and couldn't hope to achieve sitting in a classroom." If you’re interested in a future in international business or in starting your own company, our business courses are the perfect path to take. You can find more information on them on our website or by contacting our Enquiries Team. -
Student Volunteers use Animation to Promote Climate Change Education
Bishop Grosseteste University’s BG Futures team recently hosted a series of events as part of Student Volunteering Week (SVW) to celebrate the impact of student volunteers and encourage students to engage in civic life. As a part of these activities BA (Hons) Geography students Connor Price and Dan Knibbs engaged with the national initiative by hosting an event on animating climate change. The event challenged other students and members of the local community to create animations highlighting the importance of climate change and green thinking. Speaking at the event Dan discussed why he and Connor put the event together: “I wanted to run the workshop as this is something I am extremely passionate about and believe that the importance to reduce plastics in the oceans is crucial for marine life sustainability. Therefore, by running this workshop, it hopefully has educated a number of people on how they can change their lifestyles to reduce their impacts on the marine environment.” Cassie Rainey, BG Futures Administrator, praised the two for creating an event that brought different groups together in support of an important initiative: “This event saw students, teachers, and the local community come together to learn from Connor and Dan and was both engaging and informative. The hands-on activity of creating an animation meant that the learning aspect was almost subliminal and for this reason in particular I’m excited for them to deliver this to children. Not only do I think the children will really enjoy it they will learn about how to get involved on an incredibly important issue” Becky Goodman Enterprise Development Manager at BGU added her excitement at the potential impact on the Lincoln community created by the event: “It was great to support Connor and Dan to put on this event and I am excited to see how they build on this with their Programme leader Sarah Hemstock as they roll this event out to The Diocesan Board of Education and their partner schools” Connor and Dan will also be including this learning activity in the International Symposium on Climate Change and the Role of Education which is being held here at BGU on the 12th and 13th of April. Contact Sarah via email sarah.hemstock@bishopg.ac.uk. The mission behind SVW is that ‘When learners are supported to tackle social challenges, learn about issues and connect with each other, both communities and students benefit’. If you’d like to become involved in volunteering, or to find out more information about BGU’s Volunteering Award speak to a member of the BG Futures team. -
Students Experience the Magic of Amazon on Behind the Scenes Tour
Students on the BA Business course at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) recently enjoyed a trip to LBA2; one of Amazon’s latest Fulfilment Centres at Doncaster. The core goal of the trip was to see first-hand the magic that happens after customers click ‘buy’ on Amazon.co.uk and how the highly organized logistics allow Amazon to deliver for their customers. Through the behind the scenes tour the students were also able to gain an insight into the operations of this global business and discover how Amazon look after their employees in terms of health, safety, wellbeing and welfare. Becky Goodman, Module leader on the BA Business Project Based learning module, highlighted the importance of taking learning outside of the classroom: “Site visits such as this are instrumental in aiding the learning and development of our students; it is key that their learning experiences extend beyond the classroom, and we are thankful to Amazon for providing our learners with such a fantastic opportunity to see how a truly global business operates first hand.” If you’re interested in a future in international business or in starting your own company, our business courses are the perfect path to take. You can find more information on them on our website or by contacting our Enquiries Team. Any businesses who would like to work with our learners to share their knowledge and expertise can contact BG Futures, BGU’s Careers, Employability and Enterprise team, by emailing bgfutures@bishopg.ac.uk -
BGU awarded British Council Funding to strengthen China Partnership
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) is delighted to announce that, following a highly competitive application process, it has been awarded £30,000 through the British Council’s ‘Generation UK’ initiative. This initiative aims to help 80,000 students from the UK boost their employability, enhance their long-term job prospects, and develop a global mind-set through study and work experience opportunities in China. BGU’s project will provide opportunities for students and staff to engage in partnership visits to Hengyang Normal University (HYNU). Delegations from BGU first travelled out to HYNU in July 2017 and in September 2017 colleagues from HYNU visited BGU to collaborate and formalise the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding. Securing this funding represents an important next step forwards in the development of the partnership. BGU’s project is led by Dr Steven Puttick, Head of Programmes: Secondary, FE & Research Education, who spoke of his excitement on the potential of the project: “I am delighted that BGU have been awarded these funds which represent a significant investment that recognises the growing international reputation of the institution. We are really looking forward to developing our collaboration with colleagues at HYNU, and are excited about the opportunities this will help us to create.” The project is one part of the broader Lincolnshire – Hunan twinning partnership, and will also enable BGU to significantly build on these relationships. Following the award Dr Nick Gee, Head of the School of Teacher Development at BGU & a Visiting Professor at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University, praised BGU’s growing international profile: “This funding recognises our flourishing international reputation within South East Asia, where we now have multiple partners offering fantastic learning opportunities for our highly successful TESOL provision.” BGU International manager Wayne Dyble added: “This funding will provide us with the opportunity to develop a sustainable relationship with HYNU and importantly gives students an excellent opportunity to enhance their cultural awareness and knowledge of China as a country and provide added value as they develop graduate attributes which will be invaluable to their careers in a global marketplace.” BGU have a global outlook on education, and our courses offer unprecedented opportunities to Teach & Travel. You can find more information about all of these, including our BA in English Language and Teaching and MA Course in TESOL on our website, or by contacting our Enquiries Team. For further information on all the international activities taking place at BGU visit our news page or contact our International Department to find out what exciting opportunities are available to you. -
Psychology Lecturer Accepted onto Prestigious ISSID Board
Psychology Lecturer Accepted onto Prestigious ISSID Board Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) are delighted to announce that Dr Alyson Blanchard, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, has been accepted onto the board of the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences (ISSID). Founded in 1983, ISSID fosters research on individual differences in temperament, intelligence, attitudes, and abilities. The aim of the society is to investigate the major dimensions of individual differences in the context of experimental, physiological, pharmacological, clinical, medical, genetical, statistical and social psychology. It further aims to seek the determinants, causes, and concomitants of individual differences, using concepts derived from these disciplines. Having been published several times in the Society’s official journal, Personality and Individual Differences, Dr Blanchard was invited to begin reviewing potential articles submitted to ISSID. Following the success of this increased involvement Dr Blanchard was asked to stand for a place on the Society’s board. Following the announcement of her acceptance Dr Blanchard discussed the exciting prospects it could offer: “I was really pleased just to be asked to stand for a place, so to be accepted onto the board is incredible and real accolade at this stage of my career, especially given the Society’s reputation and history. Studying personality traits from an evolutionary perspective is my main area of research meaning the prospect of increasing my engagement with ISSID is very exciting” Many of our academics hold positions in international societies and are regularly invited to present at conferences and events around the world, you can follow all their travels on our news page and find out how you can start your own adventures on our course pages. -
Students reflect on “inspirational” Thailand trip
Students and staff from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) visited the University’s partner institute in Thailand to undertake some teaching and learn about Thai language and culture. -
School of Teacher Development Primary Team undertake research in Copenhagen
Dr Emma Clarke, Aimee Quickfall and Shaun Thompson of the School of Teacher Development Primary Team have visited the University College of Copenhagen (UCC) this week as part of their ongoing research on the well-being of teacher trainees. The visit was organised with the help of Sabine Lam, the international coordinator at UCC and Erasmus funding. Aimee told us about the collaboration, "Working with colleagues at UCC has been a fantastic experience. We have been made very welcome on the Carlsberg Campus and everyone we have spoken with has given us new insights and ideas." Emma, Shaun and Aimee collected data from students, lecturers and newly graduated teachers who are now embarking on their first teaching job. Participants have been interviewed on their perceptions of well-being on their training programmes, as well as being asked to identify challenges and resources that impact on well-being. They have also engaged in drawing timelines of how their well-being, challenges, resources and other personal factors have changed over time. Emma commented on the findings so far, "It is exciting and illuminating working with international peers, students and teachers. Specific key themes are now emerging which we aim to use to develop a larger research bid to enable us to continue with this exciting project." The team are looking at examples of good practice in European teacher training, including Finnish, Swedish, Dutch and Danish contexts as a comparison with data collected in the UK. The aim is to inform ITE programme planning and delivery, as well as sharing findings with partnership schools and other colleagues engaged in training teachers. Shaun, regional partnership lead for Primary ITE commented, “Despite many similarities in the issues facing teachers and schools throughout these European countries, the research has provided us with valuable insight into some pertinent challenges and resources relating to well-being, and more importantly, how to maintain the balance. Hopefully, we can now draw upon some of these and consider them within our own ITE programmes, as well as supporting our school partners, to ensure that well-being remains a key priority within education.” If you would like to find about more about the teaching training courses that BGU offer please visit our postgraduate training courses. -
Exploring the treatment of problematic sexual interests across different countries
Helen Elliott, lecturer in Counselling at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), has collaborated in a new publication exploring the "Psychological treatment of problematic sexual interests: cross-country comparison". The paper, published in the International Review of Psychiatry journal, reviews the use of psychotherapeutic approaches to treat individuals who have committed sexual crimes and/or have problematic sexual interests (PSI); including types of psychotherapy used, descriptions of preventive and reintegration programmes, and highlighting specific theoretical controversies. It also features contributions by experts from Canada, the Czech Republic, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, who participated in an International Consensus Meeting held in Prague (2017), summarizing treatment programmes in their countries. Discussing the findings of the publication, Helen highlighted the potential benefits and difficulties of international comparisons: “The comparison revealed some general findings: each country has variability between its own programmes; most countries have different programmes for people who are in custody and who are in the community; the state-directed treatment programmes are primarily focused on criminal individuals, while non-criminal individuals are treated in preventive programmes and/or in special clinics or are untreated; the presence of PSI in patients is acknowledged in most programmes, although specific programmes exclusively for individuals with PSI rarely exist. Studies on effectiveness are difficult to compare due to methodologic, political, and cultural differences. Further communication between more countries to share knowledge about successful treatments and preventive approaches is needed, especially enhanced international collaboration between researchers and clinicians to verify the effectiveness of current clinical and experimental program.” You can find more information on our BA Psychology and Counselling degree course by visiting our website, contacting our Enquiries Team or by joining us on one of our Open Days. Klapilová, K., Demidova, L., Elliott, H., Flinton, C., Weiss, P., & Fedoroff, P., (2019), Psychological treatment of problematic sexual interests: cross-country comparison, International Review of Psychiatry. doi: 10.1080/09540261.2019.1591353 -
Lecturer leads on behavioural diversity at European business event
Chris Jackson, Senior Lecturer and Team Coach in the Business and Enterprise Department at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), represented the University at the recent Academic Adventures event at Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) in Finland. Traveling as Part of the Erasmus+ programme, Chris delivered two sessions on the importance of behavioural diversity in learning teams and took part in sessions that discussed how BGU use the Team Academy model of 'learning by doing' in our own BA(Hons) Team Entrepreneurship programme. The event was attended by delegates from across Europe who were keen to explore how self-determined or 'project-based' learning can be used in disciplines other than business, including HR, Physiotherapy and Teacher Education. This is in response to some academic institutions moving away from subject-specific delivery and embracing different models of learning. Returning from the Academic Adventures event Chris commented: "The response from delegates was very positive. This was largely due to the fact that delegates were able to hear first-hand from students and team coaches as to how the methodology is implemented and then acted upon. Just as at BGU, the process of the business course learning is that students have to design and run their own business projects - they're expected to earn as they learn!" "However, Team Academy methods aren't restricted to learning about business within higher education. Other disciplines may well want to explore business or enterprise elements, but then it's possibly more about adding value and difference than making money. "The way that this process works in academia is that projects are designed and executed by students in ways that address a particular issue. As the process evolves, they identify gaps in their knowledge - they discover what they don't know. The thing is, this differs from project to project and student to student, making the individual learning very relevant. As projects progress, learners are encouraged to underpin their experience with relevant academic theory - their experienced combined with their academic learning provides observable and assessable criteria." Finland are world-leaders in education and BGU have been using methodology closely aligned to the Tiimiakatemia model of business learning for four years. If you’re interested in a future in international business or in starting your own company, our business courses are the perfect path to take. You can find more information on them on our website or by contacting our Enquiries Team. -
BGU collaborate with Czech University to support the student experience
Academic staff from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) visited the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University (MUni), situated in the city of Brno in the Czech Republic, to explore opportunities for supporting student experience. The visit built upon a collegiate partnership between MUni and BGU, which focuses on academic and professional standards, improving student experience and opportunities for sharing good practice in learning and teaching. Dr Claire Thomson, Head of the Centre for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT), and Caroline Meredith, Academic Lead for Flexible and Distributed Learning, facilitated a workshop for MUni colleagues, to explore evaluative frameworks for student experience, retention and attainment. Colleagues discussed strategies to develop students’ positive engagement with University life, which aligns to BGU’s Graduate Attribute framework. Claire shared evidence of CELT's substantial student engagement and enhancement work over the past eighteen months. This includes many examples of good practice in engaging students in academic and personal development activities, student wellbeing initiatives and student-focussed conferences, all of which contribute to students’ identity as successful learners who belong firmly in BGU’s learning community. This responds to research findings, in which students’ sense of belonging and their self-image as successful learners have been shown as crucial to student retention and achievement (What Works? Student retention and success; Thomas, Hill, O’Mahony and Yorke, 2017). Colleagues also had detailed discussions around the programme-level annual monitoring process at BGU, and compared it to the evaluative framework being developed at MUni’s Faculty of Education. A highlight of the visit for Claire and Caroline was an excursion to the elementary school at Bosonožská. They met senior staff, observed some learning and teaching and enjoyed a traditional Czech school lunch with teachers and children of the school. Colleagues examined and discussed the embedding of Professional Standards in curriculum design at BGU, and discussed ways this could be developed at MUni. MUni staff plan a return visit to BGU in 2020, to share approaches and strategies for the assessment of placement experience with students in Lincolnshire schools. If you would like to become a part of BGU’s growing international community, visit our website, speak to a member of our Enquiries Team or join us on one of our Open Days to find out how to take your first steps.
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