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Foundation Degrees

Foundation degrees were introduced in 2001 with the objective of contributing to the reduction in skills shortages at the associate professional and higher technician level, to contribute to the widening participation agenda and promote collaboration between employers, Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) and Higher Education (HE) providers.

Foundation degrees are intermediate level higher education qualifications within the National Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (NFHEQ) and have a number of features that make them distinctive from other awards at this level.

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Our resource database currently contains 18 resources in the foundation degrees section, listed in summary form below. To view the full descriptive record for each resource click the '[View full description/Comments] ' link after the title.

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Full list of 18 resources from the foundation degrees section listed below.

Case study : London South Bank University and EDF energy (networks branch)

Other title: Paul Sandford and Ray Pettitt: Building collaboration for an engineering foundation degree in power distribution

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This case study details the development of employer engagement with a new foundation degree at London South Bank University (LSBU)’s Department of Electrical, Computing and Communications Engineering (ECCE). The degree has been developed in collaboration with EDF Energy and aims to address the shortage of technically trained engineers in infrastructure companies which provide electrical power distribution in London and beyond.
Author(s): Paul Sandford, Dr Ray Pettitt

URL(s):
• http://www.engsc.ac.uk/downloads/case-study-pettitt-sandford.pdf…

Case study centred teaching materials for a Foundation Degree in Chemical Technology

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Engineering Subject Centre Mini-Project funding allowed the development of these case study materials to link teaching with the required learning outcomes of an actual problem faced by Vopak, one of four employers sending students on a Foundation Degree programme at Redcar and Cleveland College in 2006/7. The materials, now freely available for use by the educational community, include a description of the scenario, a diagram to illustrate the problem and a set of problems/calculations to be solved by the students.
Author(s): David Craddock

URL(s):
• http://www.engsc.ac.uk/heinfe/mp/Redcar.asp

Engineering Subject Centre report : foundation degrees in engineering

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This report describes a survey carried out by the Engineering Subject Centre in collaboration with Foundation Degree Forward (fdf). The report includes a presentation and analysis of the findings of the survey and looks at key issues such as widening participation and skills.
Author(s): Marvin Gresson

URL(s):
• http://www.engsc.ac.uk/downloads/resources/foundation_degrees.pd…

Employer-College Partnerships: Developing a Materials Foundations Degree

Other title: UKCME Case Study

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This is the second of a series of case studies that look at the outcomes of the Supported Change Programme developed with Departments across the Materials community. This report on the Foundation Degree programme delivered by the Metallurgy and Materials Section of Bradford College exemplifies just what can be achieved through committed and well-organised collaboration between academic staff, employers and employees.
Author(s): Mr Adam Mannis, Mr Ian Taylor

URL(s):
• http://www.materials.ac.uk/pub/case-bradford.asp

ACBEE case study : Foundation Degrees for Construction

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This ACBEE case study describes a Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Construction at the University of Central Lancashire. The development of the programme was in association with the University of Northumbria at Newcastle and six partner colleges. The development consortium includes representatives from industry, the NTO's and the Chartered Institute of Building. The project has highlighted the development of new technologies to support students at distance in the provision of learning resources and student support systems.
Author(s): Andrew Platten

URL(s):
• http://www.cebe.heacademy.ac.uk/learning/acbee/pdf/UCLAN%20_Andr…

Assessing the needs of further education colleges in the management of intermediate and higher level engineering and technology programmes

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This research paper from the New Engineering Foundation provides an overview of current practice in FE college engineering departments, particularly in respect to their involvement with higher level training.

URL(s):
• http://www.neweng.org.uk/uploads/reports/Understanding-the-Needs…

Briefings for learning providers : foundation degrees work based learning

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This is a briefing paper from Foundation Degree Forward (fdf) for learning providers about foundation degrees and work-based learning (WBL). It includes a brief introduction and definition of WBL, two case studies, concluding comments and a selective further reading list.
Author(s): Foundation Degree Forward (FDF) (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.fdf.ac.uk/files/INBRIEFEmployerEngagement.pdf

Employer engagement in engineering foundation degrees : final report september 2007

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This is a report examining employer engagement in Engineering Foundation Degrees (ENGFDs). It looks at the links between employers and providers in the design and development of the ENGFDs; best practice links; barriers to employers engaging with ENGFDs. The research was commissioned by Foundation Degree Forward (fdf) and the Engineering and Technology Board (etb).

Author(s): Engineering & Technology Board (Corporate Author), Foundation Degree Forward (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.etechb.co.uk/_db/_documents/rpt-Employer_Engagement_i…
• http://www.etechb.co.uk/research.cfm

Employer engagement : briefings for learning providers (foundation degrees)

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This briefing paper about employer engagement on the website for Foundation Degree Forward (fdf) is designed to provide advice and information which will help collaboration between employers and learning providers.
Author(s): Foundation Degree Forward (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.fdf.ac.uk/files/INBRIEFEmployerEngagement.pdf

Foundation degree forward

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Foundation Degree Forward (fdf) aims to work with partners to provide a national network of expertise to support the development and validation of high quality Foundation Degrees, taking into account the needs of students, employers and other stakeholders. The website provides information, case studies and contacts.

Author(s): Foundation Degree Forward (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.fdf.ac.uk/

Foundation Degree qualification benchmark

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This is the Foundation Degree qualification benchmark, October 2004, QAA 065 10/2004. Foundation Degrees were introduced by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) in 2000 to provide graduates who are needed within the labour market to address shortages in particular skills. Foundation Degrees also aim to contribute to widening participation and lifelong learning by encouraging participation by learners who may not previously have considered studying for a higher level qualification. A qualification benchmark describes the distinctive features of an individual qualification at a particular...(more)
Author(s): Quality Assurance Agency (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/foundationDegree/benchmark/FDQB.asp…

Foundation Degrees website

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This is the Foundation Degrees website from Foundation Degree Forward (fdf). It has sections for students, employers and providers.

URL(s):
• http://www.findfoundationdegree.co.uk/

Handbook for the review of foundation degrees in England 2004-05

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This is an online handbook about Foundation degrees. The Quality Assurance Agency was commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to undertake a second review of a sample of foundation degrees in England in the academic year 2004-05. It incorporates minor revisions to reflect feedback from participants in the first review (QAA, 2002) and the further development of the award. The review programme for 2004-05 covers a range of institutions, subjects, size of programme, modes of study and attendance patterns.
Author(s): Quality Assurance Agency (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/foundationDegree/handbook/handbook0…

Learning from reviews of Foundation Degrees in England carried out in 2004-05

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This report presents an overview of the findings from a programme of reviews of Foundation Degrees (FDs) in England in 2005, commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and conducted by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. The review programme sampled 68 FDs. The FDs reviewed are listed in Annex 1.

Author(s): Quality Assurance Agency (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/foundationdegree/learningfrom05/

Overview report on Foundation degree reviews

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This report (QAA 039) presents the findings from the reviews of Foundation degrees (FD) in England, conducted by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education during 2003. The overview is based on confidential reports from the reviews. The reviews will contribute to the separate evaluation of the FD also commissioned by HEFCE. It aims to investigate the features of the FD as set out in HEFCE's Foundation degree Prospectus 00/27, chiefly:
· quality of student learning experience;
· whether each programme is likely to meet the standards of a FD award;
· Foundation...(more)
Author(s): Quality Assurance Agency (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/foundationDegree/overview/Foundatio…

Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies : SEMTA

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This is the website for SEMTA, the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies. It is an employer-led, UK wide charity owned by industry. It is licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and regulated by the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) to enhance UK productivity through improvement in its sector skill base. SEMTA includes broad engineering information such as aerospace, electrical engineering, electronics and mathematics.
Author(s): SEMTA (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.semta.org.uk

Sector skills councils' foundation degree frameworks

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This is a web page on the website of Foundation Degree Forward (fdf.) It sets out the Sector Skills Councils' frameworks for foundation degrees and provides further links.
Author(s): Foundation Degree Forward (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.fdf.ac.uk/page.aspx?id=25

SURF WBL

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This is the website for SURF WBL, a collaborative project from Staffordshire University, Burton College, Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology and Stoke-on-Trent College. The project produced e-supported materials for foundation degrees and work-based learning (WBL). This main site contains information relating to the project including reports and links to software. A related Evaluation site holds learning objects. Materials can be downloaded from the JORUM website. The project was JISC funded under the eXchange for Learning Programme.
Author(s): Staffordshire University et al. (Corporate Author)

URL(s):
• http://www.staffs.ac.uk/COSE/SURFWBL/

Definition:

A new, intermediate level, vocational higher education qualifications which combine academic and work-based learning through close collaboration between employers and universities.

Related Links:

External Links :

Foundation Degree Forward

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