UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 04 JULY 2013
Birmingham City University and Birmingham City University Students’ Union have been recognised for their leadership in partnership work.
The Higher Education Academy (HEA) and NUS have jointly awarded the ‘Students’ Union and Institution Partnership Award’ to Birmingham City University and its Student's Union.
This award recognises and celebrates institutions and their students’ unions, associations or guilds that have developed strategic approaches to partnership and working to effect change and enhance the student experience.
Judges said about the success: “The pioneering approach implemented by Birmingham City University and its Students’ Union has embedded partnership as a key strategic driver for both organisations and helped establish a shift in culture - placing the values of student engagement at the heart of all activity on campus.”
Paul Chapman, Head of Engagement at Birmingham City University Students’ Union, said: “Students and staff talking together clearly isn’t rocket science, but giving a framework and a culture can really help to get people talking.
“But what was vital to the success of the project was not underestimating the input students have, they really helped us to take the risks that ensured the project moved forward.”
The accolade was announced at the HEA’s annual conference held at the University of Warwick. Paul accepted the award with Luke Millard, Learning Partnerships Manager at the University’s own ‘learning lab’, the Centre for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT).
Professor Philippa Levy, Deputy Chief Executive of the HEA, said: “These awards have highlighted just how power partnership can be in making a real difference to learning and teaching.
“The quality of submissions was very high, and it was exciting to see the volume and range of partnership working between staff, students, institutions and their student associations across the four nations of the UK.
“Everyone who has worked on these projects, not just the winners and highly commended, but all who submitted, should be proud of their achievements.”
The winning and highly commended submissions will be showcased through the HEA website.