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BGU Continues to Craft New Educational Partnerships in India
Dr Steven Puttick, Head of Programmes (Secondary, FE, Research Education) at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) has been busy in India visiting partners, cultivating international opportunities for BGU students. In particular, BGU’s developing relationship with Amity University’s Institute of Education will lead to exciting opportunities for international and comparative education for BGU and Amity students to collaborate, in addition to a range of other partnership activities. Part of the visit involved meeting applicants for the exciting new offer for International students on BGU’s Physics and Maths PGCE courses. High achieving Indian graduates in Mathematics and Science will be offered a limited number of places on BGU’s Secondary PGCE course. Following successful completion of the PGCE course, these graduates will be supported by a partner Academy chain to gain employment as Maths and Physics teachers in the UK. This fantastic opportunity presents the ‘brightest and best’ Indian graduates with the chance not only of studying at an historic UK teacher training institution but also of securing employment following the course. For further details of this opportunity, and to register your interest please contact Wayne Dyble. For more 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. -
Students and Staff travel through time and see the Pope on Rome trip
Students and staff from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) jetted off to Rome to delve into historical, cultural and religious sites relating to their subject specialisms. -
Students begin their journey to keep General Practice Nursing ‘Fit for Purpose’
The first cohort of students on the new PG Cert In General Practice Nursing at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) began their academic adventure last week. -
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. -
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. -
Students Explore Religious Experiences Across Lincoln
PGCE Secondary Religious Education students from Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) took their learning outside of the classroom spending a day visiting local Jews and Muslims at their respective worship centres. At the Lincoln Central Mosque the students were guided round by Imam Moulana Zaman, Head of Education and General Manager of the new mosque, who explained how the Muslim community had developed in Lincoln and discussed what the community hoped to achieve with the impressive new building. In the afternoon the students then visited the upstairs synagogue in Jews House, Steep Hill. Richard Dale, from the local Synagogue Management Committee, talked about the history of Jews in Lincoln and explained in an informal manner what it is like to be Jewish in contemporary Britain. He encouraged the group to attend one of their bi-weekly services at the synagogue, followed by food, and emphasised that visitors are always welcome. Mark Plater, Subject Leader for PGCE Secondary Religious Education at BGU, lead the trip and praised the opportunities it provided the students: “The day was a great opportunity to experience and learn more about modern lived religious experience first-hand. Our students will now be able to feed these experiences back into their future teaching. We are very lucky in Lincoln to have a diverse religious community and we are grateful to both the Lincoln Central Mosque and the Synagogue Management Committee for being so welcoming” If you’re interested in a future exploring and discussing religion then our Theology courses and RE teaching pathways could be for you. Visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team today for more information. -
Lecturer’s Artwork Forms Part of Exhibition Celebrating Velázquez’s ‘Las Meninas’
Artwork by Dr John Rimmer, Senior Lecturer in Secondary PGCE Art at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) has been included in a collaborative exhibition ‘Enough is Definitely Enough’ celebrating the impact of Velázquez’s masterpiece ‘Las Meninas’. Whilst some art historians reflect the view that everything, or perhaps even nothing, has been said about ‘Las Meninas’, artists have long been actively influenced by the centuries old painting by Velázquez; with their responses, in turn, offering influence back to enable new readings. Now over 40 artists have come together to build upon previous interpretations by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Richard Hamilton, Francesco Goya and Eve Sussman. Dr Rimmer’s contribution will be his new video 'Three Hundred and Sixty Degrees of Desperation'. With the artworks made for ‘Enough is Definitely Enough’ there is potential for new relationships with Velasquez's original painting to open up. ‘Enough is Definitely Enough’ runs from 30 March to 13 April 2019 at General Practice in Lincoln (25 Clasketgate) and regardless of whether you are an art expert of simply an enthusiast all are welcome. The exhibition will be open Friday and Saturdays 11am - 4pm and is free to the public. BGU have been training high quality teachers for over 150 years so when it comes to education there is nowhere better to study. You can find more information on the wide range of innovative PGCE courses offered by BGU on our website. Or contact our Enquiries Team to find out how to begin your journey into teaching. -
Raising Standards of Early Years Provision and Care
Dr Pat Beckley, Senior Lecturer in Primary at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), was invited to speak and participate in a meeting at the Hallam Centre in London, organised by Inside Government, to discuss issues involved in raising standards of Early Years provision and care. Dr Beckley presented key findings of the book she has recently edited, Philosophy and Practice of Outstanding Early Years Provision and Supporting Vulnerable Children in the Early Years. The presentation highlighted the importance of working in partnership with all those involved in the care and education of young children, including parents, carers and the professionals around the child, to create a holistic approach for each child. The presented findings raised how particularly important this holistic approach could prove in changing circumstances, where challenges for parents, carers and young children who are vulnerable present themselves. Comparisons of learning and development in differing cultural contexts and approaches were raised along with why similar key factors in settings, such as knowledgeable practitioners and leaders with a shared vision, promoted successful outcomes for children. Settings in different contexts in England were used as examples to illustrate the outstanding pedagogy and practice observed. The philosophy that guided the settings was considered and how this had evolved through collaboration with a range of stakeholders. Photographic examples of how this was implemented in practice were shared, such as through creativity, bought and natural resources, exploration, investigation, indoor/outdoor learning and areas supporting time for children’s thinking. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1943) was used as a reference guide for settings and how the unique philosophical ethos of each setting would strengthen responses when striving to raise standards. The complexity and commitment of the role of the practitioners working in early years was emphasised. The subsequent discussions following the presentations were lively and raised concerns about workload, training, valuing Early Years practitioners and funding issues. Dr Beckley explained why these areas are so important: “The birth-eight age phase represents a crucial stage in young children’s development, influencing individual wellbeing and life chances. It is vitally important that informed decisions on issues are made to promote and enhance the early years’ sector and those who work in it, to give all children worthwhile experiences as a foundation for their lives” Chairing the meeting was Professor Leon Feinstein, Director of Evidence, Children’s Commissioner for England and participants included Ruth George, member, APPG Childcare and Early Education and Jonathan Broadberry, Head of Policy and External Relations, National Day Nurseries Association. 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. -
Visiting professor shares teaching practices from across the continent
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) welcomed Professor Catalina Barragán from the University of Almería in Andalusia who was visiting the UK to find out more about the systems and processes which underpin the English primary school system. Teaching is a highly respected profession in Spain, with most primary teachers staying in the profession until they retire, and the English primary school system is held in an equal high regard. As part of her trip Professor Barragán visited two locals before spending time with BGU’s PGCE students to experience their training. This was a rewarding experience for both groups and Professor Barragán noted the focus given to teaching standards by all of the PGCE trainees whose seminars she had attended being particularly impressed by their professional manner and the genuine commitment to a career in teaching they communicated. Based on her experiences in Spain and her time exploring English primary education and teacher training, Professor Barragán’s was able to identify a number of key areas where English and Spanish practices differ, along with others where both nations followed similar approaches: “I found the emphasis given to the core subjects, reading, writing and maths, in the first years to be very different from schools in Andalusia. For example, in Almería and Andalusia as a whole there is much more focus on integrating the study of a modern foreign language from the earliest years, and this is often integrated in to the whole curriculum so that areas like maths or science can be taught in English. “In addition I was interested in the use of Teaching Assistants in classrooms as this is unknown in both my region and Spain as a whole. Schools employ trained teachers to support groups of children with special needs or linguistic diversity. In England there is also an impressive focus on outdoor learning which does not get such an emphasis in Spain.” “However I have found that in both countries there is a shared focus on the need to teach strategies to recognise and support the emotional well-being of children, including a recognition of the valuable role of parents, and the need to develop effective anti-bullying strategies.” While at BGU Professor Barragán worked closely with Dr Mark Larrad, Senior Lecturer in Primary, whose own research is focused on the different approaches in Andalusia and England to the training of teachers. Both are hopeful that her time at BGU will lead to further collaboration between the two institutions possibly including exchange visits for trainee teachers, joint research and shared practices. If you’d like more information on how to begin your adventure in the world of education, visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team today to find out more about our range of PGCE and Primary Education courses.
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