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Bath Spa University Strengthens Ties with the Community in Universities Week
Bath Spa University will be playing a full and active part in Universities Week, which is an exciting national campaign to highlight the crucial role of higher education in our society and the UK economy.
Universities Week, from 14 to 20 June, aims to engage with the public about higher education's often unsung and unheard success stories.
Bath Spa University Vice-Chancellor Professor Frank Morgan commented: "This splendid initiative fits well with the range of actions that Bath Spa University is taking to build on the many good aspects of its relations with the city, but also to deal with the occasional negative ones."
From 12 to 16 June The University's School of Art and Design will open its doors to the public for its 2010 Degree Show, demonstrating the talented work of students in a diverse range of disciplines including painting, sculpture, ceramics, fashion, graphics and digital design.
On 16 June Bath Spa University will be hosting an Equality Forum. Run by Bath Spa's Human Resources department jointly with the University of Bath, the event is an opportunity for local businesses to consider and challenge some of the invisible barriers which lead to inequality.
The forum, to be held on Bath Spa University's Newton Park campus, is intended to be both enjoyable and informative and to encourage debate on equality issues, promote better understanding and increase the links between the city's universities and the community.
On 17 and 18 June the Bath Spa Widening Participation team will be running aspiration-raising campus visits to Newton Park for young people in Years 9 to 11 from two local secondary schools - Merchants Academy in Bristol (on 17 June) and Writhlington School at Radstock (on 18 June).
On 14 and 15 June the team will also be holding Primary School Days at Newton Park for children from Bath schools St Philips Primary (on 14 June) and St Martins Primary (on 15 June). These events are the third in a programme of three sessions, where the idea of a university is introduced to pupils in Years 5 and 6. Activities are designed to raise awareness of, and aspiration to, higher education and help break down cultural stereotypes.
Undergraduate student ambassadors will be supervising the children in a range of activities in a university environment. These will include completing their 'University Big Books' and a tour of the campus in the form of a treasure hunt and making mortar boards. The day ends with a mock graduation ceremony, where each pupil will be presented with a certificate of achievement.
In the first two sessions of the Primary School Days programme, held in school and also led by the Bath Spa student ambassadors, the pupils explored the differences between school and university and were introduced to the qualifications needed for particular careers.
On 15 June Bath Spa University will hold an Open Evening, also at Newton Park, for anyone wanting to find out more about becoming a teacher. The event provides an informal opportunity for potential teachers to talk to Bath Spa lecturers and current students to find out more about the teaching profession and PGCE training courses.
For more details about Universities Week and events run during it by Bath Spa and other universities go to: www.universitiesweek.org.uk
Press Release Issued 03 June 2010.
