Search results
-
BGU Academics return to Thailand
Academics from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) returned to Thailand earlier this year to continue their overseas consultancy with the Thai government on improving teacher development. Professor Chris Atkin and Dr Nick Gee, Head of School of Teacher Development, participated in a workshop hosted by the British Embassy in Bangkok to build on recommendations for initial teacher training first presented to Thai government in August 2016. Other participants included representatives from the University of Ulster, the University of Leicester and the University of Aberdeen. Supported by the Thai Minister for Education (who championed BGU’s original recommendations) and the UK Foreign Office the event covered a number of training ideas to aid teachers in understanding the impact of their work on students and communities. It also marked the launch of a new competency framework for teachers in South East Asia. In addition to launching the framework the workshop offered an updated review of initial teacher training in Thailand and looked to encourage further opportunities for collaboration between BGU and the Thai Education Sector. The event in Bangkok was incredibly well received and as a result BGU have been asked by two Rajabhat universities to send out representatives to provide teacher training courses. Having led the original review in 2016 Professor Atkin was delighted to see the project have such a positive impact: “The success of the initial review has placed BGU at the heart of educational policy reform in Thailand. It is a distinct honour to have our experience and expertise as providers of teacher training so emphatically recognised by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Thai government. “It is a responsibility we do not take lightly. At the heart of successful education are highly trained teachers. We look forward to continuing our part in supporting trainee and experience teachers across Thailand.” Supporting educational reform in Thailand is just one part of BGU’s activities in South East Asia. Following the initial review in 2016 BGU Vice Chancellor, Revd. Canon Professor Peter Neil, visited Thailand last December. During the visit he exchanged a memorandum of understanding with Phranakhon Rajabhat University in Bangkok and met with members of the Teachers’ Council of Thailand as well as colleagues from the country’s 38 Rajabhat universities. You can keep up to date with all of BGU’s projects in Thailand and across the world on our news page. Find out more about Teacher Training at BGU. -
BGU Sports Students Run Tag Rugby ‘Megafest’ Alongside the RFU
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) students worked alongside the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and a number of Lincolnshire schools to put on a Tag Rugby ‘Megafest’ for 200 primary school pupils from across the county. Run by BGU Sport, Coaching & Physical Education students with organisational support from Jenny Elsom (Priory City of Lincoln Academy & BGU graduate) and Michelle Mamby (Pembroke Priory - School Games Organiser with the Youth Sport Trust) the all-day event offered skills workshops in the morning followed by competitive games in the afternoon. Both sessions were designed to not only get children active and engaged in sport, but also to build wider skills in including team work and communication. Seb Adams, a 2nd year Sport, Coaching & Physical Education student currently on a Sport Promotion & Leadership placement with the RFU, explained why offering such events for children was an important aspect of their course: “Children can lose opportunities to experience new sports as they reach secondary school. To be able to offer them a chance to take part and have fun with rugby surrounded by expert coaches is fantastic for both their mental and physical development.” BGU works alongside a number of sporting organisations as a part of the Sport, Coaching and Physical Education course including the RFU who are directly involved in the practical delivery of the rugby coaching modules. David Cotton-Betteridge, Community Rugby Coach for England Rugby, has been working with the BGU sports students as part of the Young Ambassador Programme which targets potential coaches. He was pleased to see the students bringing the sport to a new generation of players: “It’s been great to work on this event with the student coaches here at BGU. The Megafest is a fantastic opportunity for children to experience and most importantly enjoy rugby, the day was a great success and we’re already looking forward to next year”. If you are interested in pursuing a future in sports education and coaching you can find more information about Sport courses at BGU on our website or by contacting our Enquiries Team. -
BGU Bringing Dangerous Ideas to Lincolnshire
This June Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) and Creative Rebel CIC are looking to change the lives of the people of Lincolnshire with The Emporium of Dangerous Ideas. The Emporium of Dangerous Ideas is a learning festival with a difference. It’s spread across time and space, running from the 9th to the 15th of June across Lincolnshire. Unlike most festivals, it isn’t hosted in one place. Instead the activities and events will occur in a range of locations across Lincoln and the surrounding areas. The purpose of the Emporium is to offer people a chance to really challenge themselves to think differently and to push their own boundaries to enable them to innovate, create and learn but in a variety of different contexts, spaces and places. ‘Dangerous Ideas’ doesn’t mean any kind of physical or mental harm, instead the dangerous idea can be doing something you haven’t done before, taking a chance on an event or activity that challenges you to learn something new or try something different. It’s an exciting way of creating a region-wide conversation about how we think, act, work and live together and what we might want to think of doing differently. Dr Elinor Vettraino, one of the ‘Agents of Danger’ organising the Emporium and Programme Leader: Business and Enterprise at BGU, “I am excited to be curating the Emporium in Lincolnshire along with Andy Farenden who curated the fantastic TEDxBrayfordPool event in November last year. We are hoping that this will become a yearly event and will grow and develop into a festival of learning that is inspired and owned by the Lincolnshire community.” The Emporium is packed with events designed to challenge participants culminating with the ‘Bright Club’, where academics and teachers from across the county will be given training by professional comedians before performing their own stand-up routine. Spaces are already filling up fast but if there are any Lincolnshire individuals, groups or communities who have missed out on an event, the team at the Emporium will be provide all the support needed to hold a Dangerous Ideas event of your own. Anyone with an event they’d like to try can get in touch with their idea through the contact tab on the Emporium’s website. Whether you’re attending an event or running one, the agents want to hear from you, if you think you’re dangerous enough that is! -
Nightmare Creatures to Haunt BGU at 2018 Monster Conference
There is something alluring about monsters. From the dark corners of our imaginations to books and films they terrify and fascinate us in equal measure. But where did this cultural obsession begin and why has it continued for so long? For many the answers lie with Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ and this June the Monster Conference will seek to examine the legacy of Shelley’s classic work as well as how the Monstrous continues to capture our imaginations. Hosted by Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln the interdisciplinary conference approaches Monsters and the Monstrous through the contexts of Education, History, Literature and Society, including panels on Monsters in Literature written for Children and Dramatic Adaptations as well as Architecture, Science & Technology and Art. Monstrosity and the Monstrous apply, in the first instance, to social and cultural threats; i.e. to behaviours and (visual) qualities which are deemed socially and culturally unacceptable because they are perceived as amoral or unimaginable. The conference will explore the relevance of these concepts and to see how academic research intersects with popular culture. Through its keynotes and panel discussions, this conference wants to further engagement with the different incarnations of Monsters in contemporary research and teaching. The conference will include a screening of the award winning monster movie ‘The Host’ (2006) by the acclaimed South Korean director Joon-ho Bong, as well as a Monster Story Telling Competition, which will involve BGU students. BGU regularly hosts conferences that are open to all who’d like to attend, you can find more information about the exciting events coming up on our Events Page. -
RAF Centenary celebrated at BGU Annual History Lecture
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) marked the centenary of the RAF at the BGU Annual History Lecture earlier this month. Professor Richard Overy presented the lecture titled ‘The RAF in Two World Wars’ on Wednesday 2 May in BGU’s Hardy Lecture Theatre. The lecture explored the history of British air power in two World Wars, focusing on the creation of the RAF in 1918 and the extent to which the circumstances of its birth dictated the direction air strategy would subsequently take in the Second World War. Dr Andrew Jackson, Head of Research at BGU, said: “A very sizeable audience from Lincoln and the wider county came to hear Richard Overy speak to us about the story and significance of the RAF. “It was very fitting to hear and think about the history of this service in its centenary year, given the RAF’s very close and strong associations with the county.” This year’s lecture was given by the world-renowned historian Professor Richard Overy. Richard is the author of more than 26 books including The Bombing War: 1939-1945 (2013) and The Birth of the RAF, 1918: The World’s First Air Force (2018). In 2001, in recognition of his contribution to the history of warfare, he was awarded the Samuel Elliot Morison Prize by the Society for Military History. The BGU Annual History Lecture was originally established to mark the work of a historian at BGU, Jim Johnston. Dr Johnston was a pioneer in the use of probate inventories. However, the main reason why a memorial lecture series began, following his death in 2007, was because he was an exceptional teacher. This annual event has also come to celebrate the contribution of another former History lecturer, Dulcie Duke, by BGU’s Old Students’ Association. The occasion marks the work of current BGU students, and includes the awarding of the Dulcie Duke Prize for the best History essay, supported by both the OSA and the Lincoln Record Society. This year the award was given to BGU History student Danielle Sarsfield. Find out more about History at BGU. -
BGU Showcases Health & Social Care Innovation to Health Education England
Last week representatives from Bishop Grosseteste University’s (BGU) Health & Social Care Team had the opportunity to showcase their innovative work to Sir Keith Pearson and Ian Cummings; Chair and Chief Exec of Health Education England as part of an event with United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust. Held at Lincoln County Hospital, the purpose of the event was to discuss health and social care developments in the county. Key organisations and providers from across Lincolnshire were invited to demonstrate workforce transformation and partnership working across the county whilst Education Partners, including BGU, had the opportunity to showcase new course developments for the health and social care sector. BGU has been working hard to forge innovative new paths within Health & Social Care education, from new trailblazing courses to exciting studies, making this event an excellent opportunity to bring all those efforts to the public eye, as Dr Graham Basten, Head of School of Social Sciences at BGU, explains: "Having the opportunity to outline the journey that BGU has been on to grow our Health & Social Care provision was fantastic. Being able to showcase the incredible work in diabetes done by Nicki Walsh (PL for HSC), cancer care work done by Gianina Postăvaru and blood interpretation in clinical practice by myself was a real privilege. “We outlined our BA and MA in Health & Social Care and the foundation degrees available at Grantham and New College Stamford, along with our two new MSc programmes in Primary Care (info.bishopg.ac.uk/msc-primary-community-care) and Mental Health in Learning & Teaching (info.bishopg.ac.uk/msc-in-wellbeing-in-learning-and-teaching). We also discussed our role with LORIC and the new Centre for Rural Health and Care (roseregeneration.co.uk/national-centre-for-rural-health-and-care) based in Lincoln in partnership with UHLT. “The positive feedback from all the guests suggested that BGU is certainly providing a significant role in improving the complex health and social care outcomes in Lincolnshire and the wider East Midlands" You can find more information about our suite of Health & Social Care courses on our website or by contacting our Enquiries Team. -
BGU supports Mansions of the Future arts programme
A new cultural programme supported by Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) is bringing celebrated national and international artists to Lincoln. Launching this week, Mansions of the Future is a new cultural platform bringing a variety of art forms to Lincoln. The theme will explore culture, power and democracy in Lincoln. A new cultural centre will open in Lincoln’s Cornhill Quarter on Friday 11 May, a space which will offer opportunities for the public to collaborate directly with artists. Local artists and creative people can apply to occupy the studio space for free. Information on how to apply can be found on the Mansions of the Future website. Dr Andrew Jackson, Head of Research at BGU, spoke of his excitement over what the programme could offer the city: “Bishop Grosseteste University is very excited to be supporting ‘Mansions of the Future’. This programme will see world-class artists and events coming to Lincoln through 2018 and 2019. “It will be one of the most radical and impressive set of arts activities that the city has seen. We look forward to the involvement of BGU and its staff and students, and it is a great opportunity for local venues, groups and practitioners over the months ahead.” The programme commences this week when artist Kathrin Böhlm occupies the new cultural centre and asks the people of Lincoln ‘What culture do we want?’ There will be a series of free maker-workshops where the public are invited to work together. Visual artist Bridget Smith will present her work ‘Now It Is Permitted’ on hoardings and billboards across the city. The installations will include statements from invited artists, writers, musicians, playwrights and filmmakers. Later in May Bonnie Wright, famous for playing Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter films, brings her short-film ‘Medusa’s Ankles’ to the city. The premiere will be uniquely displayed as a free public installation in a hair salon on Sincil Street. The film explores the shifts in power and visibility of middle aged women. 2019 highlights include actor, playwright and director Steven Berkoff staging his Lincoln-inspired play ‘Ritual in Blood’ with local amateur actors. Mansions of the Future is supported by Arts Council England’s Ambitions for Excellence fund, Bishop Grosseteste University, the University of Lincoln, Lincoln City Council, Lincolnshire County Council, Lincoln BIG and Lincoln Cathedral, along with other members of the Lincoln Cultural and Arts Partnership including Visit Lincoln, The Lincoln College Group, Open Plan and Lincolnshire Co-op. -
BGU seminar aims to revolutionise Health & Social Care
The final session in a series of Health & Social Care seminars in conjunction with United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust will take place at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) tomorrow afternoon. Led by BGU’s own Lincolnshire Open Research & Innovation Centre (LORIC) and titled “Are you prepared for the 4th Industrial Revolution?”, the session will examine current and upcoming changes to technology and industry before opening up for discussion on how these innovations could be applied within the Health & Social Care sector. Previous sessions have covered a wide spectrum of topics including ‘Collaborative Leadership in a Complex World’ and supporting evidence-based Health & Social Care in Lincolnshire. The final seminar will utilise LORIC’s unique viewpoint as a centre of innovation to encourage discussions around how to enhance the Health & Social Care sector. The event will be held in Room 1 of BGU’s Hardy Building at 5.30pm tomorrow Wednesday 9 May and will be attended by a broad spectrum of professionals and students from across Health & Social Care attended the seminar including representatives from charities, acute and community health trusts as well as students from BGU's undergraduate and postgraduate Health & Social Care programmes. Attendance is free with light refreshments provided, for further information and to book please contact: Simone.Seychell@ULH.nhs.uk -
Monster Storytelling Competition Winner Announced
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) welcomed pupils from the Sir Donald Bailey Academy to announce the winner of BGU’s Monster Storytelling Competition. Part of BGU’s Monster Conference, the competition challenged BGU students to write monster stories for children across three age groups: 0-5, 5-7 and 7-11. As well as writing the monster stories, students taking part also had to submit a video performance of them. Winners in each category, along with an overall winner, were then picked out by the pupils from Sir Donald Bailey Academy (one of BGU’s partner schools). Chloe Pearce, a 3rd Year Primary Education undergraduate student, was crowned the overall winner. Her utilisation of props in her video to act out her story made her the clear favourite with the children who really felt the story had been brought to life. Looking back on the competition, Chloe explained why she wanted to take part: “I really enjoy writing stories for children. It is so important that they have opportunities to read growing up.” In addition to attending the prize giving, held in the Cornerstone Library at BGU, the Sir Donald Bailey pupils were also provided with a selection of books to read across the afternoon. Ruth Pearson, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education, highlighted the importance of this experience and why she and her colleagues felt it needed to be included: “At BGU we believe it is incredibly important when fostering a love of reading in children to give them experience of being in a library and show them the wonders that libraries can offer them” The storytelling competition forms part of BGU’s Monster Conference; an interdisciplinary conference exploring the work of Mary Shelley. The conference continues on the 31st of October with a live reading of Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’. You can keep up to date with the Monster Conference and all the exciting events taking place at BGU on our website. -
BGU Academic Leads on ‘Outstanding Early Years Provision’
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) is delighted to announce the launch of a new book by Dr Pat Beckley, Senior Lecturer in the School of Teacher Development at BGU, that is set to lead the way on the provision of Early Years education. ‘The Philosophy and Practice of Outstanding Early Years Provision’ examines the philosophical and theoretical foundations of early years practice supporting practitioners as they reflect on the collective and personal rationales which motivate and inform their work with young children. Chapters on subjects including ‘Wellbeing for Life in Early Years’ and ‘The Multicultural Classroom’ explore the theoretical underpinnings from a variety of perspectives, before translating them into effective strategies for application in a range of early years settings. Written and edited by Dr Beckley, the new book features contributions from leading Early Years professionals including chapters by other members of the BGU Teacher Development team – Ami Montgomery, Senior Lecturer and TESOL Course Leader and Aimee Quickfall, Head of Programmes for Primary and Early Years – along with a chapter written by Emma Revill; one of BGU’s school based mentors. Drawing on sound expertise the book is divided into four easily navigated sections which explore key issues including the creation of enabling environments, leadership in the early years, the opportunities and challenges presented by diversity, and the value of creative approaches. Its ultimate aim is to deepen the reader’s understanding of the concepts and ideas behind everyday practice. ‘The Philosophy and Practice of Outstanding Early Years Provision’ is essential reading for students and practitioners who wish to improve current and future practice by gaining insight into the philosophical foundations which underpin outstanding provision. BGU will be hosting a launch event for the book on campus on Monday the 9th of July at 4.30pm. If you would like to attend please contact Jonny Richardson, BGU PR Assistant. If you’re interested in a future in Early Years provision or Teaching there are few institutions that can provide a better experience than BGU. You can find information on our range of education based courses on our website, or by contacting our Enquiries Team.
Explore BGU
Browse our wide range of degree courses and find the perfect one for you.
Open days are the best way to find out what BGU has to offer.
Download your copy of our prospectus to find out more about life at BGU.