24th November 2009

Exeter College is celebrating after being named as an Association of Colleges Beacon Award winner. The Awards, which this year celebrate 16 years of rewarding outstanding teaching and learning in further education Colleges, were announced at a ceremony hosted by comedienne and author Shappi Khorsandi at the AoC’s Annual Conference in Birmingham on November 17.

Exeter College won the CoLRiC Award for the Effective Integration of Libraries/Learning Resources Centres in Curriculum Delivery for its ’24/7 Learning Resources for the Web 2.0 World’ initiative. The Award recognises good practice in the use of libraries and learning resources centres.

The College developed a one-stop portal which allows students to access a wide range of resources. The portal uses audio, video and web-based material for students to use any time, any place to support their learning. Students log-in to the portal and all instructions and resources are ready for them to use for a particular subject. Students can also take advantage of features such as further reading, web links and discussion boards related to the subject they are studying.

Over 2,500 learners access the facility and 85% of full-time courses have packages of resources that are available online at all times. This portal has proved critical to the successful delivery of courses at Exeter College.

The UK-wide Beacon Awards provide national recognition for excellence and innovation as well as acknowledging the talents of staff at all levels. They highlight the breadth and quality of education in the College sector.

Chair of the AoC Beacon Awards, Dame Patricia Morgan-Webb, said: “Beacon winners blaze a trail in finding new ways of doing things; they contribute to social justice and are instrumental in local economic and social re-generation, essential during these turbulent times. Whilst the winners this year are located all across the UK, what they all share are the key traits of innovation, creativity, responsiveness and a collaborative approach. I am delighted on behalf of the AoC Charitable Trust to reward the contribution that these Colleges make; they are the pillars of our communities.”

Richard Brine, head of Exeter College’s Information and Learning Services, said: “We are delighted that our work has been recognised in this way and the whole college is excited to win this prestigious Award. The innovative portal is a result of close collaboration between our in-house technical, web design, learning resources and teaching teams, and provides a unique online experience for our students. We’ve already had some great feedback from staff and students that the portal has made a real difference to how they view learning. Now we can celebrate that our work has passed external scrutiny with flying colours, and this gives us further encouragement for our programme of continuing innovation. “

Eddie Brittain, AoC Beacon Awards Lead Assessor said: “Having seen the Awards programme expand in the past 16 years, I am heartened, not only by the number of nominations and the engagement of the sector, but also by the degree of excellence that my fellow assessors and I witnessed when we spent time in these centres of learning. By presenting these Awards, the AoC showcases best practice, innovative development and continuous improvement, creating beacons that other Colleges can look to for help, inspiration and encouragement.”

Exeter College will host a local celebration event in the New Year and will be presented with their Award by the Rt. Hon. Kevin Brennan MP, Minister of State for Further Education, at a national presentation ceremony due to be held at Westminster in February 2010.