North-East Students to embark on a once in a lifetime visit thanks to Turing Scheme UK

Fifty students from four colleges in the north-east of England are to head to Miami next year, with an incredible opportunity to experience life at Miami Dade College in the USA.

Thanks to Turing Scheme grant funding, students studying sport and physical activity qualifications will be offered the chance to immerse themselves in the vibrant environment of Miami Dade, an esteemed educational institution known for its high-quality academic pathways, rich cultural and athletic programmes and its diverse student community.

The consortium of Bede Sixth Form, Gateshead, Hartlepool Sixth Form and Sunderland Colleges, in collaboration with the National Junior Colleges Athletic Association (NJCAA), Miami Dade and AoC Sport, came together with the shared goal to offer a unique, international sport and education experience. The project aims to empower students from disadvantaged areas, enabling them to enhance the current skills they are learning and develop the necessary knowledge and behaviours for sustainable career options and progression routes.

The Turing Scheme is the UK government’s programme to provide funding for international opportunities in education and training across the world. It supports Global Britain by providing an opportunity for UK organisations from the higher education, further education, vocational education and training and schools sectors to offer their students, learners and pupils life-changing experiences to study or work abroad. With a core aim of driving social mobility, the scheme has a specific focus on experiences for students from areas of disadvantage.

In response to the announcement, Patrick Jordan College Principal, Bede Sixth Form College expressed their enthusiasm, stating,

“We are absolutely thrilled to be part of the Turing Scheme. The funding provided will allow our students to take part in the life changing opportunity to visit Miami Dade College and the fabulous facilities they have to offer. At Bede Sixth Form, we are passionate about broadening students’ horizons and offering new experiences to them – this opportunity will undoubtedly have a profound impact on their personal and academic journey”.

Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega said

“As Miami Dade College stays committed to changing lives by providing the pathway to opportunity through education, the College looks forward to expanding our impact and welcoming students abroad who can learn and grow at MDC. Known as Democracy’s college, our institution is excited to open our doors to the global community where students can immerse themselves in our academic resources, rich culture and innovative programming.”

Rachel Walker, Policy & Projects Manager at AoC Sport, added

“We are delighted our members and their students are set to benefit from this fantastic project. The USA sports sector is one of the largest and most diverse in the world, generating billions of dollars and attracting some of the best players, coaches and workforce opportunities. Miami Dade College offers students the opportunity to experience these sports at junior college and university level.

Many of the students involved will not previously have had the opportunity to travel abroad. We hope this link will create a blueprint for future international work with NJCAA, providing a wide range of opportunities for different cohorts of students wanting to increase their knowledge of the global labour market, learn new skills and experience different cultures.”

The itinerary for the visit to Miami is set to include a range of education and employability focused activities, collaboration on a project with Miami Dade’s students, peer-to-peer coaching, work with local charities and sports teams and a selection of cultural experiences. Students will also get the opportunity to visit a university to get an insight into progression pathways and training available at graduate level.