Dundee College
Excellence in Articulation and progression to HE
Dundee College is the lead partner in collaborative projects in computing, nursing
and life sciences, funded through the Tayside and Fife Articulation Hub (TAFAH).
College and university staff have worked together very effectively to develop a
number of initiatives which enhance learner employability skills, support articulation
and provide useful continuous professional development opportunities for staff.
They support the recently established moa partnership agreements which will
increase the number of guaranteed degree-level places at either the University of
Dundee or the University of Abertay Dundee for college learners within Tayside
region.
A range of imaginative approaches are supporting these initiatives. The Computing
and Vendor Exchange (CaVE) pilot programme with Dundee University enhances
the employability skills of university students by offering them vendor qualifications,
delivered at Dundee College. In turn, college computing learners attend some
lectures at the university and experience degree-level study at first hand, which
helps them greatly when they move on to university. In another project, staff from
Dundee University and Dundee College have redesigned the programme in HNC
Care and Administrative Practice to ensure that it articulates seamlessly with the
second year of the Degree for Nursing. This has involved developing additional
programme elements which bridge identified gaps in HNC provision and
implementing a process for joint recruitment and selection. Opportunities for joint
CPD with staff from both institutions are already underway, with models for this being
disseminated nationally. Within the last year, staff at Dundee College and Dundee
University have piloted a partnership delivery model entitled Life Science Articulation
Plus, with HNC Life Sciences learners undertaking a SCQF level 7 module in
biological sciences delivered by staff at Dundee University. This has enabled
college learners to enhance academic and research skills, experience large lectures
and gain a better understanding of degree-level study. In turn, college life sciences
staff have delivered a SCQF level 8 module in Commercial Life Science Skills to
second year Dundee University students to ensure that they acquire relevant
laboratory and business skills. A number of college programmes have established
associate-degree partnership arrangements with the two universities, including in art
and design and sport. As part of their associate-degree programme, learners on HN
programmes in Sport attend the University of Abertay Dundee one day per week.
This has improved their academic skills and understanding of the demands of
degree-level study, and resulted in successful articulation for many learners.
These projects have had a very positive impact on learner performance and
confidence and on their preparation for further study. They are enhancing greatly
the attractiveness of college-based pre-degree study within the region. Staff have
also benefited by building relationships, learning from each other through
work-shadowing programmes and adapting their approaches so that transition for
learners is as smooth as possible. As regionalisation becomes fully established in
Tayside, all institutions are committed to building on the success of these initiatives
and undertaking further collaborative projects across the curriculum.