University centre praised by education watchdog

Staff and students at Wakefield College had plenty to smile about after receiving praise from a higher education watchdog.

Inspectors spent a week at the college’s University Centre in June to assess academic standards and learning opportunities for students.

And the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) published a report last week praising the centre’s professional development of staff and enhancement of students’ employability.

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Its review also commended the college’s action to get students and employers working together on various projects.

Principal Sam Wright said: “We are delighted with the findings of the QAA review team and their recognition of the hard work of our dedicated team of staff.

“We are proud of the work that we are doing to increase the higher skills levels of the residents of our local communities.

“And we are pleased that QAA recognised the fact that we seek to enhance the traditional higher education experience through strong employer links and their involvement in curriculum development and delivery, and a drive towards employability.”

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Inspectors said the college helped both academic and support staff to develop, enhancing their contribution to students’ learning.

The report read: “The college provided details of a range of mechanisms that are used to review and enhance the provision of learning opportunities. Emphasis is placed on ensuring that staff who deliver higher education are appropriately qualified, have opportunities for development and that their contribution to the delivery of higher education is recognised.”

Ms Wright added: “The work we do to develop our staff and ensure they are delivering up to date and relevant curricula is very important to us and the review team’s acknowledgement of this is something we are proud of.”

The successful review means the college can display the QAA Quality Mark, indicating to UK and international students that it meets national requirements for standards and quality.

Enrolments for new students wanting to study a university-level course are currently taking place. For more information, call 01924 789111.

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