Gower College Swansea has been shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious Association of Colleges Beacon Awards for The British Council Award for Internationalism.
The AoC Beacon Awards capture and celebrate the best and most innovative practice among UK further education colleges. The aim of the awards programme is to demonstrate and promote the far-reaching impact of colleges on their students and the communities they serve. The commended and winning case studies will be used to increase understanding of colleges’ contribution to educational skills policy and economic and social development.
For 2022-23 there are 12 award categories. The awards are judged by independent assessors, with an independent Chief Assessor ensuring consistency across the categories. All initial applications are anonymous to ensure impartiality. Finalist colleges are then subjected to a visit, which allows the assessors to match the ‘evidence on the ground’ of the initiatives.
The virtual visit to the College took place on 17 January with four assessors. The lead assessor was Marguerite Hogg, Senior Policy Manager at the AoC, with Viktoriia Teliga, Senior Consultant at the British Council, Janet Stevens, Head of Strategic Marketing at the Isle of Wight College, and Ann Holland, International Operations Manager at Burton and South Derbyshire College. A packed schedule was organised to showcase the College’s international activities, with staff and students involved.
The winner will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Monday 27 February in London.
Ruth Owen Lewis, Head of International, commented “Delighted that the College has been shortlisted as a finalist for Internationalism. Internationalisation is at the heart and essence of Gower College Swansea and our approach aims to bring the world to the College, and take the College to the world, in turn internationalising the learner, the staff, the classroom and the curriculum – and creating a truly global college.”