“I'm delighted that Bradford College has been recognised for the great work we do supporting STEM

Tuesday, 11 July 2017

Bradford College is one of the largest further and higher education colleges in England to achieve the prestigious STEM Assured status. The college has a long-established history and tradition in scientific and technical education that dates to its foundation year in 1832 as the Institute of Mechanics. The college has made significant investments in its education and training infrastructure to invigorate and strengthen its science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) provision in line with the current and future economic and employer needs, locally and regionally. The college’s newly introduced STEM strategy has highlighted a new direction of travel that reflects the growing skills needs in new and emerging technology areas and practices.

Evaluation of learner journeys has led to new curriculum developments in the areas of electronics, advanced manufacturing and robotics; digital technologies and creative media; pharmacy, dentistry and clinical skills; and sustainable construction and smart infrastructure, amongst others, as well as strengthening students’ interpersonal and professional skills.

The college’s national and international partnerships with employers and other educational providers and stakeholders have been a central theme for the realisation of its ambition to serve the needs of its communities.

Andy Welsh, CEO of Bradford College Group said: “I'm delighted that Bradford College has been recognised for the great work we do supporting STEM. Education and employment are at the heart of what we do, so it is important that we can demonstrate just how well we prepare our students for careers with STEM employers. We employ STEM industry specialists as our teachers, and they do a great job of making their subjects come alive in a way that enthuses already interested students.

“Between the academic years 2014-15 and 2015-16 our overall STEM recruitment increased by nearly 20 per cent and that is an upward trend we are committed to maintaining.”

Prof Sa’ad Medhat, CEO of the STEM Foundation said, “STEM Assured has independently benchmarked the STEM capability of Bradford College and assessed its approach to delivering valuable STEM education and training programmes. Bradford College has demonstrated a clear commitment to investing in facilities and teaching staff, informed by an ongoing horizon-scanning of skills needs and emergence of new technologies and practices. The development and delivery of industry-relevant cross-curriculum STEM provision was reflected in the positive experience expressed by many of the students, teachers, employers and other external stakeholders that were interviewed during the STEM Assured validation process. This provided a strong indication that the college’s STEM strategy is heading in the right direction. So, many congratulations to Bradford College team on achieving the STEM Assured standard and award.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

STEM Foundation

The STEM Foundation (formerly the New Engineering Foundation) is an incorporated charity that was established by Professor Sa’ad Sam Medhat in 2004 as an independent educational charity, professional body and “do-tank”. Guided by an Advisory Panel drawn from industry, academia and regulatory and policy agencies, the STEM Foundation supports improvements and innovations in science, technology, engineering and Mathematics education by providing: Continuous Professional Development (CPD), Quality assurance in STEM related subjects, Innovation and STEM transformational strategies, Research and advocacy and Knowledge & Technology Exchange. We work closely with the Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (IKE) and engage with over 500 companies to help us shape and inform the future of STEM provision. The Foundation has raised over 7M GBP to support enhancements in STEM education, which have positively impacted over 600,000 students, 2500 lecturers and 250 educational providers.

Bradford College

Bradford College is an award-winning education institution based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, with a national reputation for excellence.
It has delivered quality Further and Higher education and training for more than 180 years and are one of the biggest Further Education colleges in the country. The college is also one of the largest providers of Higher Education outside of the university sector. In total, the student body is more than 20,000 strong. The college has a strong professional and vocational focus to provide its alumni with tangible employment opportunities and prepare them for the working world.

The college boasts fantastic facilities, industry-experienced staff and a vast range of career-focussed courses designed to provide our students with a set of skills, understandings and personal attributes to be successful in their chosen career. The Bradford College campus has recently undergone a multimillion-pound state-of-the-art renovation. Our multimillion-pound estate includes the new 50M GBP David Hockney Building, the 10M GBP Advanced Technology Centre (ATC) plus the 20M GBP Trinity Green campus that provides industry-standard workshops and equipment.

PRESS CONTACTS

Bradford College
Rebecca Smith
r.smith@bradfordcollege.ac.uk
01274 433158

STEM Foundation
Michelle Medhat
michelle.medhat@stemfoundation.org.uk
Mob: 07720 286633