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26 Jul 2010 08:42:16
The value of an education at the University of Bedfordshire as a gateway to a better job was underlined this week as the University celebrated the graduation of hundreds of its students in Luton.
The first of its ceremonies on Tuesday (21 July) was broadcast live on the BBC Radio 5 Live Victoria Derbyshire Show which discussed the subject of graduate employment.
Vice Chancellor Professor Les Ebdon CBE said the University was working hard to enhance the employment prospects of those completing their degree courses. Last year, at the height of the recession, the unemployment rate among University of Bedfordshire graduates dropped from six per cent to five per cent, he said. According to latest figures 92 per cent of Bedfordshire graduates are either in work and/or further study.
Interviewed by Victoria Derbyshire, Professor Ebdon said: “We did a lot to help students last year and we are doing the same again this year. We have special events coming up to help our graduates polish their performance in job interviews, teach them how to go out and find jobs, apply for internships and get advice on their career options.”
Several students who are graduating this summer were also asked for their impressions of the jobs market, including Nicola Norton who has recently converted part-time work experience with the Whitbread group of companies into a full-time job as a deputy manager at Premier Inns. Nicola, who secured her role only a week after graduating with a Business Management degree, stressed the importance of gaining work experience to back up any job application.
Faced with a large deficit in the public finances, the Universities Minister David Willetts spoke on the show about the need to find “imaginative ideas about how we get a better system of financing higher education in the future”. He said any solution would need to provide confidence for the long term funding of universities and involve a formula for students to pay more for their higher education once they had graduated. He said he wanted to find “a fair settlement that everyone accepts is fair”.
The graduation ceremonies at St Mary’s Church were occasions of colour and ceremony as the success of graduates in all main faculties was recognised and celebrated. It was a day when each student was encouraged to reflect on the milestone they had reached and to savour their achievements.
Nine honorary degrees were also awarded during the ceremonies which took place over four days. They were: TV presenter Pam Rhodes who has been the familiar face of Songs of Praise for the past 23 years. Pam was presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Arts in recognition of her contribution to journalism and charitable works.
James Kent, a pioneering digital forensics expert and Director of 7Safe’s Digital Forensics & e-Discovery consulting units was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science.
The distinguished Fleet Street journalist, broadcaster and writer Geoffrey Goodman was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts. Entrepreneur and businessman Jan Telensky was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration while Derek Ludlow CBE, chairman and owner of the Ludlow group of companies was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his outstanding service to the University.
The award of Honorary Doctor of Arts was made to Peter Clifton who is head of the BBC’s multimedia journalism and Roy Woods, a pioneer in the field of electron microscopy and a member of the science department at the University, was awarded an Honorary Master of Science.
Sue Farr, a public relations and marketing expert
who oversaw the re-launch of Radio One and created BBC’s Proms in the Park, was
awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration. And James Shera, Director of Intercultural
Education for Warwickshire Education Authority, was recognised for his
contribution to fostering educational links and relationships between the UK
and Pakistan.
Victoria Derbyshire's interview with Vice Chancellor Professor Les Ebdon:
To see interviews with University of Bedfordshire graduates, click here.
To see photos from the Luton campus graduations click here.
