Annual Academic Year Review 2007-2008 (17th edition)
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- 4.2.2 Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP)
- 4.2.3 Aimhigher
- 4.2.4 Sussex Learning Network
4.2 Social Engagement4.2.1 Widening ParticipationThe Strategic Planning Unit has responsibility for the University’s policy on widening participation, which now forms part of its third Corporate Plan aim in respect of building economic and social engagement. This year as last, attention has focused on delivery of the additional activities covered by the University’s Access Agreement; providing evidence to OFFA about the implementation of the Agreement; and updating the web pages. In addition, the REMAS project that supports individual refugees who wish to access higher education has been independently reviewed. As a result University funding has been secured for two years to develop this work, and Barbara Bargione will be the new Refugee Access Worker. The Corporate Plan 2007-12 reiterates targets for participation, drawing on the national indicators of entrants from social classes, low participation neighbourhoods and state schools (Aim 3). The latest data available for the academic year 2006/07 shows that the University has consistently exceeded its benchmark on previous education and remains above the sector (England) average. The participation of students from lower socio-economic groups remains stable, although just below its benchmark. Whilst the participation of students from low participation neighbourhoods is above benchmark using a newly constructed measure. A new Widening Participation Manager has taken up post. Sarah Cullen will be based in the Registry but will continue to work closely with SPU on other aspects of social engagement. A key task for 2008-09 will be to prepare the social engagement strategy for University approval. 4.2.2 Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP)The Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP, www.cupp.org.uk) established in March 2003 is based within the Strategic Planning Unit and continues to be led by David Wolff. CUPP aims to enhance community access to the university and to develop partnership working with local communities for mutual benefit. 2007 was CUPP’s first year of core funding from the university after the funding from the Atlantic Philanthropies came to an end. The University of Brighton, in partnership with 8 other higher education institutions in Sussex, Kent and Hampshire, has been successful in winning 3 year funds totalling £3 million from the Higher Education Funding Council England(Hefce)for a new programme to ‘demonstrate’ community-university engagement. In Sussex, South East Coastal Communities funds will be used to ensure effective access for community organisations into the Universities of Brighton, Chichester and Sussex. Cupp has begun to develop four significant ‘Communities of Practice' with practical projects, shared learning and dissemination. These communities of practice bring together academics, community practitioners, students, service users and community members to enhance health and wellbeing and focus on: Older people; Young people and families; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT); Disability. As part of this programme we are also expanding the Cupp Helpdesk to Hastings, based at University Centre Hastings. The year saw the completion of the Equal programme which attracted £160k of research funds to the University, jointly managed by Cupp and Professor Andrew Church. This programme looked at barriers to employment for vulnerable groups. The CUPP Research Helpdesk, with support from its team of senior academics, responded to 99 Brighton and Eastbourne community enquiries in the year 07-08 (160 in 2006-07). This has slowed somewhat from previous years as organisations have developed their own capacity. Over 50% of enquiries led to a piece of one-to-one consultancy work, with the remainder being advice or referral. 10% of enquiries led to some kind of research partnership project. The Hastings Helpdesk, only a few months into its operation, has already had over 30 enquiries. Student Community Engagement is a fast developing strand of work within the programme. CUPP, in partnership with the School of Applied Social Science, manages a series of cross-university modules which offer students the opportunity to undertake a piece of community-based work as part of their accredited learning. This year a total of 308 students (2006-7: 152 students) completed the Level 2 and 3 modules offered, involving over 150 community organisations. A tutors’ group was established with a new fund during the year and they initiated 5 small (typically 1k) projects that enhanced student involvement in community activity. Brighton and Sussex Community Knowledge Exchange (BSCKE) continued into its fourth year, funded the from Higher Education Innovation Fund. During the year CUPP was successful in a bid to Hefce for a fifth year (08-09), although we are aware that this will definitely be the last year. This year BSCKE has initiated a further 8 multi-sector projects representing 15 academics from 9 different schools and 15 community partners. Projects cover: children & young people; disabled People; black and minority ethnic people; older people; LGBT. Projects typically last a year and attract funding of approximately £10k. During the year Cupp has held successful events on matching university staff to community organisations seeking trustees, research forums (2 on social mentoring, looked after children and young people), a launch of the Helpdesk in Hastings and 2 research drop ins. The collaboratively-produced book entitled “Community University Partnerships in practice”, involved 40 authors from the university and community and has been published by NIACE, edited by Angie Hart, Elizabeth Maddison and Dave Wolff. The book was launched alongside 3 other University of Brighton - Community collaborations. Its initial print run of 500 has been sold and it has now been reprinted. 4.2.3 AimhigherThe University continues to be the lead institution for Aimhigher Sussex, which involves all the HEIs in Sussex, 11 FE colleges and 28 schools. Directed by Liz Allen, it is aimed at increasing aspiration and achievements of young people in Sussex who may then apply to HE anywhere in the UK. The programme involves a range of interventions for students from year 9 onwards, in relatively deprived locations with no family history of higher education. A number of thematic projects also support students with disabilities, older learners and young people in care. Over 2007-08 the project has increased its work supporting vocational progression to higher education, within a “learner progression framework” that aims to offer a mix of core, targeted and curriculum-specific interventions. Emphasis has also been placed on partnership working between partner universities, in relation to admissions, young people in care and changes in the 14-19 curriculum. Programme evaluation has included guided sessions with Year 11 students to explore the impact of Aimhigher, and future plans include joint research with the university on undergraduate perceptions of Aimhigher and other outreach work. Aimhigher Sussex has been awarded increased levels of funding for the next three years and Brighton will continue as the lead HEI. The new 3 year plan establishes curriculum networks, two of which will be hosted by the university: Creative and Media Arts, and Engineering and Construction. Additional schools will be targeted, and there will be a new programme of key subject support for GCSE students offered by undergraduates from Brighton, Sussex and Chichester. Both these developments, alongside an increased volume of college-level, vocational interventions, are aimed at creating a more systematic engagement with learners, deepening the engagement of all partners and supporting more effective relationships between them. 4.2.4 Sussex Learning NetworkThe Sussex Learning Network has been led by the university on behalf of a partnership of stakeholders in vocational higher education across Sussex. The university led the successful bid for an initial three years of HEFCE funding, until 31 August 2008, to establish the SLN. The successes of the SLN, under the governance of a Board chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, and the directorship of Chris Baker, have led to a current bid to extend the SLN’s work and create a Centre for Work and Learning for Sussex, also led by the university. The outcome of this bid should be known in the near future. During the year the SLN has achieved significant successes in a number of key areas of activity, continuing its role as an important focus for the development and delivery of vocational higher education in Sussex. The core team of seven, supported by forty staff drawn from universities and colleges across Sussex, has worked to deliver new opportunities for learners to find out about vocational higher education, to study and to progress. Surrounding this work has been a strong programme of staff development and communications. The SLN’s information, advice and guidance work, led by Maureen Haywood, has received national recognition and is now the basis for a two-year regional project that will extend the existing ‘Learning Opportunities’ service across the South East. The new project has attracted funding from the three other Lifelong Learning Networks in the South East, the Learning and Skills Council, and SEEDA. During the year, ‘Learning Opportunities’ has provided online and paper-based information, advice and guidance to learners, potential learners, advisers, employers across Sussex. New relationships with brokers have also been established, and bespoke training on vocational higher education has been provided very successfully for Train to Gain brokers. Usage of the ‘Learning Opportunities’ website has increased to an average of 4,000 hits each month, and an average of 316 personal planning packs are downloaded each month by learners and potential learners. The SLN has continued to open up opportunities to study the vocational curriculum at higher education level. A total of 29 new courses have been developed, with a particular focus on work-based learning and foundation degrees. Of particular note this year has been the development of a work-based top-up degree, to enable learners holding a foundation degree to progress to honours level within a work-based environment. A further 73 courses across 10 universities and colleges have been supported through the allocation of a share of the SLN’s 1000 FTEs, with the final 254 of these recruited during this year. Over 300 progression agreements have now been developed, offering guarantees to support learners to progress into and through vocational higher education in Sussex. A management group has been established to maintain and implement the agreements, and a web-based directory of agreements, Sussexroutes, has been launched and promoted to learners and advisers. To support its work and promote understanding and usage of the resources developed, the SLN continued its ambitious programme of staff development. As well as six small twilight sessions with invited speakers, and a foundation degree symposium in April, the SLN ran its usual annual conference, this year over three-days, attracting upwards of 400 delegates. A number of specific events for staff involved in admissions have been well received, and are complemented by resources produced on the website and in hard copy for practitioners. The SLN’s communication function is driven mainly via the website, which continues to be a resource for the range of audiences within the university and its partner institutions, more widely across Sussex, and beyond. This year average hits on the SLN website have risen to 3,640 per day. In addition a regular electronic newsletter is disseminated to a contacts list of over 1,000, and the SLN has established and supported a number of specialist groups and networks, enabling communication on specific issues across organisational and institutional boundaries. As one of the first Lifelong Learning Networks, the SLN has taken the lead on a number of initiatives nationally. This year these have included a successful research forum, showcased at the SLN annual conference. Looking forward, the SLN will attract interest from Lifelong Learning Networks and others as it implements its plans for sustainability, and it will conclude this first period of funding with the production of a final report and publication of an e-book, with a wide range of contributors examining some of the key issues that Lifelong Learning Networks are tasked with addressing. The SLN has established a Student Network, led by Rebecca Duffy, to involve students in its work and to create a space for the learner voice. The network offers paid work experience to students on vocational courses within Sussex, in areas related to their study. The students, who are studying courses including media, web design and journalism, have produced a website containing information for vocational students, with opportunities for others to submit ideas and case studies, and to contribute via the blog. In addition, learners who have made use of the SLN’s online resources to search for courses or progression agreements are asked whether they are happy to be contacted and, if so, are followed up and asked for feedback on the service provided. This feedback is used by the SLN and partner institutions to inform service development, and this year it has highlighted some specific issues which the SLN has been able to address through the provision of staff development events. Students have contributed to the SLN’s conference, participating in and leading sessions, and Matt Herd, a second year student at the university, has worked with the SLN this year on an innovative project to create a database of foundation degree modules, creating potential for cross school and cross institutional collaboration. Directory: reg reg -> Board of Historic Resources Quarterly Meeting 16 June 2016 Sponsor Markers Diversity reg -> Port Cambeltown dated 8th April 1830 Name reg -> Contents september 2009 I. Executive order reg -> In this issue reg -> Reginald irenee vachon reg -> Index for the Register Volumes 72-108 (1974-2010) reg -> A century of ufo sightings and Close Encounters in the Midwest Download 2.04 Mb. Share with your friends:
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