Common use of Collaborative working Clause in Contracts

Collaborative working. Bath Spa University has been proactive in a number of regional partnerships that have worked to develop initiatives that encourage participation in higher education, some for over a decade, including the Aimhigher West Area Partnership and its precursor projects, the Western Foundation Degree Consortium and the WVLLN. We are also a founder member of Universities South West, a regional partnership of 13 higher education institutions in south west England. The University’s commitment to partnership working through greater collaboration with regional higher education institutions, local further education colleges and others is one of seven key themes in the University’s Strategic Action Plan 2009/10 to 2011/12. The University’s objectives will continue to be set firmly within national policies for education, and as we await the 2011 Higher Education White Paper, we will be seeking opportunities for collaborative working to contribute to Government educational policies, particularly those concerned with improving opportunities, accessibility and social mobility for people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The University’s foundation degree provision is mainly delivered through the Wessex Partnership with six further education colleges and two private providers. This strategic partnership underlines the University’s regional role and provides learners from under-represented groups with an opportunity to study a higher education programme at a local college. The evidence from HESA performance indicators consistently shows that foundation degree provision through the Wessex Partnership is attracting higher proportions of young entrants from low participation neighbourhoods, mature entrants, and mature entrants from low participation neighbourhoods than the University’s first degree programmes. Appendix 1 of the University’s Access Agreement 2011/12 describes the outreach activity associated with supporting our partnership institutions and foundation degree students. Expenditure from additional fee income will continue to support the costs associated with maintaining and developing the Wessex Partnership.