March 2003
Lead Stories

Major Boost to University Expansion

The University of Bradford has successfully applied for funding to expand its student base from September 2003.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has supported the University's growth plans by allocating an additional 372 places with increased funding building up to £1.8m per annum from 2005/6.

The funding will allow additional students to enrol onto the University's Foundation Degrees in Health and Social Care and Engineering Technology.

University of Bradford's Professor of Lifelong Learning, Geoff Layer, said: "These courses are radical new initiatives which reflect the University of Bradford's role as providing vocational higher education and its record as a leading University in widening participation and supporting students to succeed in their future careers."

These new courses are designed to provide a curriculum which provides:

• Key skills to support the development and integration of learning
• Learning in the workplace to ensure employment relevance
• Up-to-date subject content

The Foundation Degrees are offered in partnership with Bradford College with a number of the modules provided by the College and the remainder by the University. Each Foundation Degree is based on a common set of core modules with specialist modules for a particular route and a series of options. This design enables both choice and specialism within the curriculum.

The Foundation Degrees are designed to be studied on either a full- or part-time basis. The inclusion of workplace learning within the curriculum makes the preparation for employment more focused and the curriculum enables the development of transferable skills.

Successful completion of the Foundation Degree enables progression to an Honours degree with a need only to study for another year on a full-time basis.

As well as the above courses Foundation Degrees are being launched in:

• Crime Prevention and Community Safety
• Community Health Development
• Teaching Support
• IT User Support
• IT and Information Systems
• Enterprise in IT
• Early Years n Sales
• Service Sector Management

Bradford College's Head of Applied Human Studies, Karen Birch, said: "The College is excited at the prospect of further collaboration with the University in the delivery of the Foundation Degree in Health & Social Care, as it will allow us to build on our well established relationship in this field to enhance and improve the educational opportunities for the people of Bradford."

The new degrees are part of the Government's agenda for higher education and have been developed in partnership with employers. In the health sector there will be an additional 240 places for a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care in partnership with the National Health Service University. This will enable staff working in the health sector to update and improve their skills and will focus on a combination of learning in the workplace and in the classroom.

The Foundation Degree in Engineering Technology, which starts in September 2003, has been developed in close collaboration with key employers, training providers and a network of local colleges. Their help in designing the course ensures that the Foundation Degree is directly relevant to the technical needs of industry.

The Foundation Degree will be delivered at accessible venues across the North of England, developing progression routes for industry-based learners undertaking, for example, Advanced Modern Apprenticeships. The courses have been set up at Bradford College, Bishop Auckland College, South West Durham Training Ltd., and Wakefield College.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Jeff Lucas, said: "The University was at the heart of the Foundation Degree initiative when it was launched two years ago and this award, which is above the average for the sector, demonstrates confidence in our mission as a progressive University."

19 March 2003

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