GCU scoops Herald award for Academic Support Team of the Year

GCU's School of Health and Life Sciences

Glasgow Caledonian Unviversity (GCU) has won an award in the third annual Herald Higher Education Awards. The School of Health and Life Science's Learning Development Centre won the category for Academic Support Team of the Year.

The team are extremely proud, committed and passionate about the work they do to help students from all backgrounds succeed at university, with evidence of impact on the student experience, progression and retention, programme development and assessment.

The Learning Development Centre recently helped develop the certificate, diploma and BSc. programmes hosted by GCU and the Scottish Ambulance Service into an MSc-level programme for the Ambulance Academy. This is a unique contribution to higher education as this is the only provision of technician and paramedic academic training within Scotland.

The team has also demonstrated success in a number of  projects designed for targeted support, including pre-entry ‘bootcamps’ for new students.

GCU's submission was up against Robert Gordon University, the University of Glasgow, and the University of Dundee. The awards, in association with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), were launched to recognise the outstanding achievements of colleges and universities.

Supported by Universities Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), City of Glasgow College and technology provider Jisc, the awards comprise 15 categories that look at how institutions develop innovation in teaching and research.

Last year, GCU scooped the Enhancing Student Learning Award for 'Chaotic Environment', the simulated learning experience, delivered to GCU student nurses undertaking the Learning Disabilities Nursing Studies programme.

Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland congratulated all the finalists who won through from a strong field of 115 entries. He said: "The judging panel knew from the outset that it had a challenging task ahead, but the quality and range of entries is a reflection of the excellent and diverse work taking place throughout Scotland's university and college sector." The awards took place on Thursday, July 6 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow.

Dr Fiona Kennedy, Assistant Head of Department, Learning Teaching and Quality, said: “We are a highly motivated team, committed to development of our work and advancement of the field of academic development but most essentially to the development of the potential of all our students.”