Welsh FE Body Shortlists 13 Colleges for 2006 Awards

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The association of further education colleges and institutions in Wales, fforwm, has short-listed 13 colleges for the 2006 edition of its annual awards.

fforwm says that the records of the short-listed colleges vying for honours indicate that the quality of applications submitted this year is very high. “This demonstrates that colleges are pushing the boundaries and continually developing their provision, never standing still.”

The Winners Will Be”¦?

The short-listed colleges are Coleg Ceredigion, Coleg Glan Hafren, Coleg Gwent, Coleg Llandrillo Cymru Coleg Menai, Coleg Sir Gâr, Deeside College, Gorseinon College, Merthyr Tydfil College and Neath Port Talbot College. Pembrokeshire College, Yale College and the College Ystrad Mynach are also included in the list.

The colleges are divided into seven categories and a winner will then emerge from each category to clinch an award. These categories include e-learning, innovation, basic skills and key skills. Others are equality and diversity, sustainable development as well as vocational area curriculum initiative. The seven categories of the 2006 awards, fforwm says, reflect developments in the general learning environment, and a number of specific teaching and learning opportunities that are obtainable through out colleges in Wales. They are also in line with the strategic aims of the Welsh Assembly Government.

A Central Event

“The awards are a very important event in the FE calendar and are central to fforwm’s role in spreading good practice within the sector,” says fforwm’s Corporate Affairs director, Mike Jones. He added: “The awards recognise outstanding achievement, highlight the breadth of provision in FE institutions and acknowledge collaboration between institutions and other organisations.”

Mike Jones says fforwm is impressed that influential bodies have shown strong interests to sponsor the wards. Independent panels of experts, he went on to comment, will judge applications, while short-listed colleges will be expected to make presentations to a panel of judges and they will receive a site visit. The names of winners will be made public at the awards ceremony, which will hold at fforwm’s annual conference on 8 June 2006.

The fforwm awards, each year, witness a very high calibre of competitors and contests are usually very keen. This creates the chance for the FE sector in Wales to demonstrate excellence and share good practice. These qualities are expected to be showcased this year, given the quality of applicants, and fforwn’s commitment to excellence. And as the national organisation representing the 25 Further Education colleges and institutions in Wales, much is expected.

Musa Aliyu

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