The Foundation
Degree Centre is an integral part of CLIPP, leading on the development,
implementation and delivery of all Aston’s Foundation Degree (FD) Programmes as
part of the university’s strategy for growth.
Our FD programmes are designed in close collaboration with industry and
commerce, to meet employer-specific needs and they entail significant
work-based learning for the employed students.
Programmes already in operation have required substantial flexibility and
innovation in the form of timetabling, part-time attendance, working with
partner training providers and other HE/FE colleges and entry qualification
requirements to meet the needs of sponsoring companies.
Foundation Degree
graduates obtain 240 credits and have the opportunity to progress into the
final year of an appropriate Honours programme.
Dr Malcolm Booth is
the Director of the Foundation Degree Centre, which has been established with
HEFCE SDF funding as one of a handful of nationwide projects that will develop
and inform best practice around employer engagement within the HE sector for
wider application in the future. Dr
Booth is committed to maintaining a responsive approach to the needs of industry
“Coming from an industrial background has given me a good understanding of
the needs and expectations of the business community that, after all,
represents the principal market for our graduates. Foundation Degrees are rapidly gaining in
popularity as a means of developing staff with potential to progress to middle
management and beyond, with a mix of technical, commercial and project
management responsibilities. They also
provide pathways into HE for students with non-standard qualifications, for
example, qualified apprentices, for whom there was no previous progression
route.”
The FD Centre will
be developing a wide range of distance learning materials and techniques in
order to maximise the learning experience for the student employees which will
be augmented by relevant periods of residential study. Consequently, the Centre will engage with
both the
Curriculum and Learner Development and
Media and Learning Technology
teams to utilise their experience in developing new materials and to inform and
disseminate new practices where appropriate.
The Centre will also
work closely with the Learning and Teaching Research team, to capture, analyse
and publish around the wealth of experiences of students, employers, training
providers and HE/FE partners in the development, delivery and attendance on new
and existing employer-led FD programmes.
Main University navigation links