The awards were announced over two days (15-17 November) at AoC's Annual Conference and Exhibition in Birmingham by John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, and Lord Willis of Knaresborough, President of the AoC Charitable Trust.

The fourteen categories, which included The Edge Award for Practical Teaching and Practical Learning and The LSIS Award for Efficiency through Effective use of Technology in FE and Skills, celebrated the high quality provision offered by FE colleges across the country.

South West College, in Co. Tyrone, was the only FE institution to receive two awards, The AQA Award for College/School Partnerships as well as The AoC Create Award for College Engagement with Employers for its support to local businesses through its Innotech Centre, Northern Ireland's first business support centre.

Roger Marriott, AoC Beacon Awards' chief assessor, described the commitment of the winning colleges to address the needs of students as "outstanding", while the chair of the Awards, Dame Patricia Morgan-Webb, encouraged them "to really make the most of this opportunity to celebrate their achievements and invigorate the sector as a whole through the dissemination of their outstanding teaching and learning practices".

The colleges will be presented with their awards by Skills Minister John Hayes at national ceremony due to be held in London on 8 February 2012.

The Award-winning colleges are:

The AQA Award for College/School Partnerships
Award winner: South West College

The AoC Create Award for College Engagement with Employers
Award winner: South West College

The Association of Colleges Award for Inclusive Learning
Award winner: West Cheshire College

The Association of Colleges Award for Procurement, Collaboration and Shared Services
Award winner: City of Bristol College

The CoLRiC Award for the Effective Integration of Libraries/Learning Resources Centres in Curriculum Delivery
Award winner: Northampton College

The City & Guilds Award for Staff Development
Award winner: West Nottinghamshire College

The Edge Award for Practical Teaching and Practical Learning
Award winner: Exeter College

The Jardine Lloyd Thompson Benefit Solutions Award for Health and Community Care
Award winner: Fareham College

The LSIS Award for Efficiency through Effective use of Technology in FE and Skills
Award winner: Preston College

The LSIS Award for Leadership of Innovation in Curriculum Development
Award winner: South Birmingham College

The OCR Award for Skills
Award winner: Walsall College

The Pearson Award for Widening Participation to Lifelong Learning
Award winner: Ruskin College

University of Southampton Award for 14-19 Widening Participation
Award winner: South Birmingham College

The Welsh Assembly Government Award for Overcoming Deprivation
Award winner: Cardiff and Vale College

Apostolos Kostoulas

(Pictured: Skills Minister John Hayes)