Academic Partners Programme Birmingham City University

1. Academic Partners ProgrammeBirmingham City University Amy Jessop Kerry Gough

2. Student Academic Partners • Student Academic Partners: • The Scheme • The Pioneers • The Projects • Student Academic Partnership: School of Media • School of Media: Projects with Kerry Gough • Medi@te: Student Council for the School of Media • Media Mentoring Scheme • Media Events Organisation: Screen Cultures Research Group • Student Partner Experience: Amy Jessop

3. Student Academic Partners:The Scheme • Developed by Professor Stuart Brand, Director of the Centre for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT) • With Birmingham City Student’s Union • Students and staff working together • Learners become proactively integrated into the fabric of their learning and research communities • Impact upon the learning and teaching agenda at BCU

4. Student Academic Partners:The Pioneers • Winner Times Higher Education Award 2010 • ‘Outstanding Support for Students’ • Aaron Porter, President, National Union of Students  • “The leadership and role of the Students' Union underpins the project and is a truly outstanding example to others across the UK - delivering on its core mission to enhance the learning experience of students whilst at university.”  • Professor Stuart Brand, Director of CELT, BCU • “The SAP initiative is an example of how we are working in close and effective partnership, actively encouraging our students to become part of the learning process.” • Professor Mary Carswell, Pro-Vice Chancellor, BCU • “This is fantastic recognition to our core commitment of putting students first... What made our submission really stand out is the fact it’s a partnership between the University and its Students’ Union.”

5. School of Media: The Projects • Production Hub: Hayley McCaffrey and Caroline Officer • In-house site for Media Work Experience, Placements and Paid Work • Media Student Placement Survey:Jeannyfar Gelpecke and Sue Heseltine • Evaluation of the School Placement Programme from a student perspective, with a rationale for future programme development • Media Employability 2.0: Mark Ashfield, Vanessa Jackson and Dave Harte • Evaluation of Media students’ use of social media an a professional context • BCU Hack: Nick Moreton and Jon Hickman • Cross collaboration project between BCU departments utilising web and new media tools, fostering talent pool • The Postgraduate Experience: Leonie Bruckner and Annette Naudin • Recording the postgraduate experience with a view to future entrepreneurial curriculum development

6. Course Director: Sue Heseltine • “Involving students in the improvement of the student experience should have been obvious but the results have been surprisingly revealing. Our SAP has helped us to see things from a completely different perspective and she has been inventive and proactive in finding potential solutions to the challenges she identified. It has been a really useful learning experience for me and for other staff and should provide an improved source of information about placements for future students.” • Sue Heseltine: Course Director, BA Media and Communications, BCU

7. School of Media: Projects with Kerry Gough • Media Mentoring Scheme • Second Year Entrant Programme – Jade Rance • International Student Mentoring Scheme – Vassi Mancheva • Teaching Support Mentoring Scheme – Rachel Simmonite • Medi@te: Student Council for the School of Media – Trina Chavda • Media Events Organisation: Screen Cultures Research Group – Amy Jessop • Media Quiz Night @ Bar 42

8. School of Media: Adding Value • Student Academic Partnerships: • New funding environment • Increased public interest in the ‘cost’ and ‘value’ of Higher Education • Increased competition and necessity to remain competitive • Importance of student experience = focal • Students as community, but also as consumers • Allows contribution of students towards their own education • Student-led efforts to monitor and improve education • Adding value for both consumers and community • Partnership with students fosters collegiate climate

9. Media Events Organisation Project: Amy Jessop and Kerry Gough • Amy Jessop and Kerry Gough: Working Together • In association with the Screen Cultures Research Group at Birmingham City University (Est. Sept 2011) • Development of research culture within the School of Media • Linked to teaching and curriculum development • Formulation of student steering group • Planning for research events • Develop event ideas; planning, promotion, execution • Weekly contact: meeting to discuss plans and develop ideas and materials, exchange via email and blog • Formulated the Screen Cultures Event Organisation Brochure • Lasting impact on the School of Media

10. Screen Cultures Research GroupTwo Events: Sept 2011 • Animation Explosion • Wed, 14th September • Birmingham City University • Animation across multi-media platforms • Breadth of application of animation practice • Dialogue between animation practitioners and academics • Future of funding? • In Association with Animation Forum West Midlands • Sponsored by Society for Animation Studies • Online Mainline • Thurs, 15th September • Birmingham City University • Digital culture and innocuous pervasion of everyday culture • Examine organisation of communication and mediation of cultural moment • Business organisation and online industry connection • In Association with Interactive Cultures

11. Staff Academic Partner: Kerry Gough • Added value of working alongside our students is immense • Actively increase value of student experience • Germ of an idea through to creative and innovative development • Staff gaining an ‘education’ • Uncertain, changing times • Listen to our students and learn a little... • Enhance the employability of our students • Partnership improves student and staff satisfaction • Working together to achieve common goals

12. Student Academic Partner: Amy Jessop • Becoming involved with the SAP scheme • Events organisation as exciting new challenge • Able to see personal input in a project from start to finish • Excellent practical experience • Developing skillset from tutor - working in a partnership • Combining learning with presenting own skills • Preparation for working environment – working on new projects, proving adaptability in unfamiliar environment • Gaining important work experience whilst studying in final year

13. Academic Partners ProgrammeBirmingham City Universityhttp://www2.bcu.ac.uk/docs/media/celt/SAP_Brochure_Spreads.pdfhttp://www.bcusu.com/virtualstudentsunion Amy Jessop Kerry Gough