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Partnership matters

The University of Bedfordshire works in partnership with colleges, schools and employers to develop courses which meet the needs of students and the local economy.

We build strategic alliances which extend higher education opportunities to all who are able to benefit from them.  We also work with teachers and trainers in a range of organisations to help them maintain the highest professional standards. Our aims are to:

  • Develop higher education
  • Widen participation
  • Enhance vocational progression 
  • Develop professional practice

Partnership to develop higher education

The University is working with partners in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes to develop and deliver Foundation degrees and to bring higher education opportunities closer to local people.

The Bedfordshire Federation for further and higher education includes

Polhill Group

The ‘Polhill Group’ of colleges has an extensive network of programmes for staff in ‘post-compulsory’ education and comprises of:

  • Castle College, Nottingham
  • Grantham College
  • Leicester College 
  • Oxford and Cherwell College, Oxford
  • North Herts College, Stevenage
  • Tresham College, Kettering

New Partnership scholarship - £300 available to all students from our partner colleges who register at the University on an honours degree course in addition to other bursaries and scholarships which could total up to £4,100. Visit the Money Matters pages to find out more. To apply for progression from a foundation degree  to an honours degree students should submit the special application form for progression from FD/HND to BA/BSc

University Centre Milton Keynes (UCMK)

UCMK is a collaboration between four education providers in order to raise the profile of higher education and develop a long-term strategy to offer coordinated and targeted high-quality HE provision to meet local needs. The University of Bedfordshire is one of these four, along with Milton Keynes College, the Open University and the University of Northampton.

Aylesbury Vale University Centre (AVUC)

The University of Bedfordshire is one of the key partners of the Aylesbury Vale University Centre (AVUC) providing a number of health, education and social care courses, to increase its higher education provision in the county. The University already provides nursing and midwifery training at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury and High Wycombe Hospital.

AVUC is a collaborative arrangement between Aylesbury College, Aylesbury Training Group, University of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College.

School partnerships

As part of the University of Bedfordshire’s Initial Teacher Training, our School of Education works with over five hundred partner schools across the region. These schools range from small, rural schools for pupils aged four to eight, to large urban comprehensives which include sixth forms.  

The University’s partner schools provide teacher training students with a real classroom environment in which to practise and refine their professional skills.  Most of the schools have been working with us for a long time and through our partnership committee influence course development and take a full and active part in making decisions.  

Many of our partner schools employ our graduate teachers and an increasing number of school mentors were once trainees at our Bedford campus.

The partnership office produces a newsletter called Partnership News, which provides a platform for all parties to share news, views and developments and provides information for those who wish to find out more about working with the University of Bedfordshire.

Business partnerships

The ‘Knowledge hub’ is the interface between the University and business providing advice and support on business issues and entrepreneurship. Providing a gateway for business into the University’s services and expertise, the hub encourages networking, enterprise, innovation and entrepreneurial flair read more...

Health and well-being partnerships

British School of Osteopathy (BSO)

The British School of Osteopathy (BSO) is the largest and oldest osteopathic school in the UK. The University validates an enhanced undergraduate M Ost Degree which has Recognised Qualification Status. For further information, please visit www.bso.ac.uk

Partnership to widen participation

The University is committed to widening participation for groups under-represented in higher education. It pursues this goal through its own initiatives such as its generous bursary scheme and through its support for the Aimhigher project.

Aimhigher Bedfordshire and Luton is part of a national initiative to widen participation in higher education. Its task is to work with a wide range of professionals to encourage more people to enter higher education and help them succeed. The University’s Aimhigher team is currently working on projects to open up progression opportunities for ‘looked after’ children, students from under-represented minority ethnic groups, students with specific learning difficulties and other vulnerable groups.

Partnership to enhance vocational progression

The University of Bedfordshire is committed to opening up opportunities for students to progress from vocational qualifications in school or college and to achieve excellence within its own employment-focused curriculum. Its participation in local and regional vocational education partnerships helps it to fulfil this aim.

Campus Luton is a framework within which all of the individual institutions and partner organisations providing education and training to young people aged 11-19 in Luton take shared responsibility for the quality of their experience and the level of their attainment. Because all the schools work together with the colleges and the University we will be able to establish ‘all-through’ progression routes in Leisure and Tourism, Construction, Health and Social Care, and the Creative and Cultural industries.

(MOVE) - the East of England Lifelong Learning Network works in partnership with Universities, Colleges, Sector Skills Councils, Employers and other agencies to develop a wider range of opportunities for learners to gain entry to Higher Education within the East of England region. This means developing new vocational  courses where programmes do not currently exist and establishing better links between Universities, Colleges and employers to create flexible opportunities for learners to progress to Higher Education from Further Education or through work based routes.

KCC Foundation

The KCC Foundation is an academic and practice based offering post-qualifying and advanced training pathways Management and Psychotherapy. The University validates some of its courses at postgraduate level.

Update

The KCC Foundation went into voluntary liquidation with effect from 25 March 2010.

This means that the programmes provided in partnership with the University are not recruiting at present. However, where existing students have the queries below, please contact:

  • Fees paid or recovery of fees paid to KCC - KCC's liquidator who is:  Stella Davies (SPW Chartered Accountants)  Tel: 020 8371 5030
  • Progression on their academic programmes - email the Dean of Health and Social Sciences, Professor Michael Preston-Shoot E: michael.preston-shoot@beds.ac.uk
National Childbirth Trust (NCT)

The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) is the leading charity pregnancy, birth and parenting in the UK. The Trust offers specialist training in antenatal education, breastfeeding and postnatal group facilitation, all of which are validated the University. For further information, please visit www.nct.org.uk

Partnership to develop professional practice

The University is committed to excellence in professional practice. In particular, its membership of partnerships dedicated to teacher training and health and well-being provides a major opportunity to contribute to the development of professional excellence.



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