Association of Colleges

The AoC Beacon Awards Programme

The AoC Beacon Awards, launched in 1994, recognise and are designed to promote the interdependence of Further Education Colleges, business, professional and voluntary sector organisations to their mutual advantage.

The aim of the programme is to highlight the breadth and quality of education in Colleges throughout the UK and increase understanding of Colleges' contribution to UK educational skills policy and economic and social development.

The closing date for this year's applications is Wednesday 7 July 2010.

The Awards:

• Recognise imaginative and exemplary teaching and learning practice in Colleges
• Draw attention to provision which encourages and supports learners to approach challenges positively and creatively
• Support learning and continuous improvement through the dissemination of Award-bearing practice

The Programme represents partnership in action by providing significant benefits for the major players involved:

• An Award acts as a development grant to help realise the full potential of a project based in a College of further education.
• An Award serves to promote the business needs and interests of the sponsor

The dissemination of exemplary practice represented by the Award-winning projects is a major purpose of each year's AoC Beacon Awards Programme. Project Profiles of each year's winning Colleges are written up and are available on the AoC web site approximately a year after their announcement.

In 2009, using the futures map at the end of 'Celebrating Colleges', the Association consulted with Colleges, sponsors and assessors to devise a new format for the Awards to ensure that they continue to capture and celebrate the creative and innovative ways in which the sector meets the needs of its local and regional communities and ensures continual social and economic regeneration.

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For further information, contact Alice Thiagaraj, Manager of AoC Charitable Trust, by email  or by phoning 020 7034  9917.