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Annual Report of the Board of Continuing Education for the academical year 1999-2000

Introduction

1. The purpose of the Board of Continuing Education is to make the University, and the standard of excellence it represents in education, learning, and research, available for the benefit of the wider community, locally, nationally, and internationally in ways which complement the University's full-time provision.

2. The year 1999-2000 was a successful one overall for the Board's work. As indicated in Appendix B to this Report (see paragraph 8), the number of enrolments across the Board's programmes during the year was 13,477 and the number of courses provided was 738 as against 13,443 enrolments and 744 courses in 1998-99. The steady increase in numbers in recent years has therefore continued and provides a clear measure of the strength of demand for continuing education at university level. It also indicates the ability of continuing education to respond to changing need and circumstance.

3. During the year the Council received the report of the Committee on Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning which it had set up in 1998-99. The Board welcomed the report as a comprehensive, positive, and forward-looking review of the totality of the University's commitment to continuing education. The Board especially welcomed the Committee's conclusion that continuing education and lifelong learning are complementary to and supportive of the University's commitment to residential teaching and research and that while the University has a national and international role, it also has an important role in reaching out to its immediate community. The Board were pleased to have the opportunity of providing comments on the detailed conclusions and recommendations of the report and look forward to tangible results.

4. Detailed discussions took place about the future of the Board's Programme for Industry. Agreement was reached in principle that the Programme had now developed to the stage where it could be established as a free-standing entity, independent of the Board. The Board considered this to be a valuable example of the way they had been able to foster and develop a new approach to continuing education for industry and to help secure its place in the University.

5. Summary accounts for the financial year ended 31 July 2000 are given at Appendix L, and an analysis of reserves at Appendix N (see paragraph 8). The very successful International Summer Schools 1999 and an exceptionally good year for conference work at Madingley Hall enabled the revenue account to show a satisfactory surplus of £119K (1.8%) overall on a turnover of £6,618K, despite small deficits in both Public and Legal Programmes. On the capital side £69K was expended on a security system for Madingley Hall and £123K on equipment replacement and new software. A special distribution from the Amalgamated Fund increased the interest earned on balances to £299K, and further progress was therefore made towards achieving the Board's capital fund targets, in particular those relating to the kitchen refurbishment (scheduled for 2000/2001) and the Learning Resource Centre at Madingley Hall. During the year agreement was reached with the central bodies on a new method of determining the Board's Chest allocation, based on the FTE students returned to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), with a deduction to meet university central overheads. The method, which will result in an 8% cut in the grant to the Board, comes into effect in 2000-01, and has led to an extensive review of costing and pricing for the Board's various activities.

6. The Report would be incomplete without reference to all the help and support which the Board, its staff, and its students have received from individuals and institutions within and beyond the University. The Board are most grateful to all who share its aims and contribute to their missionary purpose. They owe a particular debt of gratitude to Sir David Harrison, who retired as Chairman at the end of the year. They noted with sadness the death of Dr Ron Snaith, who was a member of the Board.

7. The paragraphs below describe the Board's activities during 1999-2000. Details of the number of students, the range of courses taught, projects, and other activities are set out in the appendices to the Report (see below). The Board's work is organized in the following way and an outline of the main activities of each area is given in each section of the Report:

• Lifelong learning in the community (Public Programmes)
• Lifelong learning world-wide (International Programmes)
• Lifelong learning for the workplace (The Programme for Industry; Legal and Professional Studies)

8. Detailed information about the Board's work is provided in the following appendices:

Note: Appendix A and Appendix C are published at the end of this Report. Copies of the other appendices listed above may be obtained from the Board of Continuing Education, Madingley Hall.

Lifelong learning in the community: Public Programmes

9. The work of the Public Programmes Division is to provide lifelong learning in the community. It covers the provision of courses for individual learners who wish to expand and deepen their knowledge across the curriculum and is characterized by openness of access, flexibility of provision, and the freedom for students to use it to meet their individual needs.

9.1 During 1999-2000, 458 courses were provided for 7,639 students. The majority of courses carried credit towards undergraduate-level certificates or diplomas. The programme consisted of the following courses:

9.2 The following documents were either completed or revised and issued during the year:

9.3 Local and Regional Provision: Extension Programme. The Extension Programme attracted 2,358 students to 132 courses with an average class size of 17.9 students, as against 2,343 students in 1998-99 and 125 courses. Fewer students attended 20-week courses but there were considerably more students on 10-week courses. The programme continued to attract new students, thereby widening the student base, and at the request of students and Local Centres, supplementary courses were added to the programme during the year. Classes were held at a number of new venues includ-ing Baldock (Archaeology) and Long Melford (Art History). Links with museums continued to be fruitful, both within the University and around the region. Successful courses were held at the Fitzwilliam and Sedgwick Museums and Kettle's Yard, and in Saffron Walden, March, and Wisbech.

Within the ACE Programme in Cambridge, 1999-2000 showed an increase in the number of students attending, with 319 students attending 27 courses. The number of students working for credit also increased to 40% which was a 10% rise on the previous year. The programme of courses was designed to complement the Certificate courses in Cambridge and a number of students attended the courses to gain credit towards their desired qualification. A number of ACE students were also studying in Cambridge with other institutions. Consequently the age and background profiles of ACE students were quite different from the students who attend courses around the region.

9.4 Local and Regional Provision: Certificate and Diploma Programme. The Certificate and Diploma programmes saw a healthy enrolment of 695 students in 1999-2000 (697 in 1998-99). The maintenance of this level of enrolment, especially in the light of the sustained growth in the previous years (409 in 1996-97, 562 in 1997-98) was particularly encouraging, given the reduction in the number of courses on which these students enrolled compared to the previous year. A total of 57 courses ran from a programme of 73 courses planned, compared to 70 courses from 84 planned in 1998-99.

Further integration took place between the Certificate and Extension programmes, in order to provide students with greater opportunities to work towards specific awards if they wished. In combination with the development of additional subject pathways, this increasing integration represented the primary development of the Certificate programme at present.

9.5 Residential Programme (Madingley Hall). During 1999-2000, the Residential programme continued to provide a wide range of courses which offered opportunities for concentrated study of particular subjects and also opportunities for students to accumulate credit towards their chosen study pathways. An increasing number of students used the Residential programme to augment their credit from Certificate courses and a number of students used the Residential programme to complement study with other institutions, for example, the Open University.

The 'Reading Classical Greek' and 'Reading Latin' courses attracted record numbers and it was possible to offer bursaries to students on these programmes. The Board was most grateful to the Classical Association for providing a grant for 'Reading Greek' students and to the Friends of Classics for providing a fund for those wishing to study Latin.

Of the 3,373 students who attended 194 courses during the year, 74% gained credit. Tutors on the Residential programme continued to develop innovative assessment methods, which have been commended by the panel of External Moderators, and increasing numbers of residential tutors participated in the programme of staff development offered by the Board. During the academical year 1999-2000, 129 tutors taught for the Board, 69% of whom were current university lecturers and 37% of whom were Cambridge University lecturers. Other specialist lecturers were drawn from institutions, including the British Museum and the National Maritime Museum.

9.6 Degree Courses (Master of Studies). The enrolment for the two Master of Studies courses remained comparable with the previous year. Of the nine students enrolled on the second year of the Master of Studies in Modernism: English Literature, 1890-1939, eight gained the degree, three of those with distinction. Nine students were admitted to the Master of Studies in Modernism: English Literature, 1890-1939 for 2000-02, one of whom has rejoined the course to take the second year. Nine students taking the Master of Studies in English Local History successfully completed the first year. Approval was given for the new Master's Course in International Relations in collaboration with the Centre of International Studies, to be offered from October 2001.

9.7 Continuing Professional Development: HM Forces Programme. 1999-2000 was the first year in which courses were offered to HM Forces under the provisions of a new contract with the Ministry of Defence. In practical terms this made no difference to the planning and delivery of the seven courses contracted for, but it significantly changed the course accounting procedures and added to their complexity. In addition to the seven courses on Strategic Studies, Airpower, and Unix topics, two courses were offered, specifically designed for senior officers from the three services. The nine courses attracted 177 participants and each course received excellent feedback, which was disseminated amongst the three services and the tutorial staff on each course.

9.8 Continuing Professional Development: IBM Programme. The five-week programme for international IBM managers took place in June for the thirty-third year. It was attended by 33 participants.

9.9 Fenland and Community History Project. The Board was successful in gaining funding from the HEFCE, through the Four Counties Group, for widening participation in higher education among groups of older learners in Fenland from February 2000 to August 2002. Two part-time project workers set up an initial programme of three accredited, ten-week, day-time Oral History courses at new centres in Fenland (Isleham, Littleport, and Soham), to run from January 2001.

Lifelong learning world-wide: International Programmes

10. International and joint programmes and enrolment. The International Division ran twelve programmes, with a total of 168 courses, compared with twelve programmes and a total of 162 courses in 1999. (Six additional courses were cancelled due to low enrolment.) Total enrolments (at 1,240) were down some 2% on 1999 (1,264), although still considerably higher than in all years up to and including 1998. Change in enrolment was not uniform across the Summer Schools: five programmes showed a decrease in numbers from the previous year, five increased in size, and two remained largely the same. The increase from 59 to 78 for the Science Summer School in its second year was pleasing, whereas the 27% and 21% falls for History and Medieval Studies respectively gave cause for concern.

10.1 Conference representation. The Division was represented by presentations at the annual conferences of NAASS (North American Association of Summer Sessions) and EAIE (European Association of International Educators) in November, continuing to heighten its profile and update staff on developments in short-term study abroad world-wide.

10.2 Student profile. Students attending the International Summer Schools came from 66 countries. Some 24% came from the European Community, 52% from the USA (reflecting several newly-established relationships, as well as long-standing relationships, with particular institutions), and 24% from the rest of the world, including 8% from Japan and 3% from Australia and New Zealand. Some 162 (14% or 1:7) had attended our programmes before. 55% of students in 2000 were current undergraduate or graduate students and 12% were teachers or lecturers; 38% had university degrees, including 17% with M.A. or Ph.D. Degrees; 67% were female.

10.3 Teaching profile. Some 120 different lecturers contributed one or more whole courses (of between 5 and 24 lectures) to our programmes. A further c.120 senior guests (from within the University of Cambridge and from farther afield) contributed one or more guest lectures, the majority of which formed very well-received series of plenary lectures for the Art History, History, English Literature, Shakespeare, Medieval Studies, and Science Summer Schools. The main International Summer School was enhanced by plenary lectures from leading Cambridge figures whose wide-ranging subject matter fell into either or both of the designated categories: 'Achievements and disasters, the past 1,000 years'.

10.4 Evaluation students. Academic standards were again high, but, mirroring the slight decrease in enrolment, fewer written papers were submitted for evaluation: 669 in 2000, compared with 714 in 1999, and 541 in 1998. Guidance and support for evaluation-takers was provided both in written material and through briefing meetings (now a regular feature of the academic programme). Seven students completed the intensive 'honours option', undertaking six papers and attending supervisions over a period of six weeks.

10.5 Scholarships. In recognition of our increased commitment to scholarship support, the Board awarded scholarships to twelve students, to attend one of the programmes. Students this year came from Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgystan, Estonia, Armenia, Georgia, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, and Canada.

10.6 Extra-curricular elements. These elements of the Summer Schools included very fine concerts, as well as ceilidhs, jazz dance and disco, and an extensive programme of weekend excursions and course-related field-trips. In recognition of the year 2000, two very successful garden parties, for over 720 and 400 guests respectively, were held in the University Botanic Garden.

10.7 Summary. A team of recent Cambridge graduates lent considerable support to the permanent team of seven in their handling of the second largest Summer School so far, and responses from students and course directors were, on the whole, extremely positive.

Lifelong learning for the workplace: Legal and Professional Studies

11. The year saw a small decrease in student numbers and a change of emphasis in some programme areas. The number of police courses reduced markedly, due to financial constraints and in-force training. Conversely, there was a rise in other areas, particularly the Diploma in Notarial Practice. [Statistics are given in Appendix I, copies of which may be obtained from the Board of Continuing Education.]

11.1 With regard to Magistrates' Training, the Board continued to offer, with the Judicial Studies Board, courses for newly elected Bench Chairmen. A small number of 'in-house' short courses for individual magistrates' courts, demonstrating a continuing interest by the magistrates' courts, was also provided.

11.2 In Continuing Professional Development for the legal profession (CPD), a programme of seminars was offered in the region for the solicitors who are members of the Cambridgeshire Legal Training Consortium. A small number of courses were also provided as part of an open CPD programme.

11.3 The Diploma in an Introduction to English Law and the Law of European Union continued in Central and Eastern Europe. Over 300 students were registered at universities in Poland and Bulgaria during the year and at Charles University, Prague.

11.4 The annual International Summer School in English Legal Methods was very successful, with 101 students from a wide range of countries whose legal systems are not based upon common law. The Pennsylvania Bar Association's Summer Study Conference also took place in July.

11.5 Diploma/Degree Courses (Master of Studies). During the year fifteen students obtained the Diploma in Applied Criminology and Management (Prison Studies), and eleven students were approved to proceed to the M.St. in 2000-01. Sixteen students were awarded the M.St.

During the year twenty-nine students obtained the Diploma in Applied Criminology and Police Studies, and four students were approved to proceed to the M.St. in 2000-01. Seven students were awarded the M.St.

11.6 With regard to new courses, the first Certificate courses in Community Policing were successfully completed by thirteen police officers and a new Diploma in Notarial Practice was offered, and attracted 100 students.

Lifelong learning for the workplace: The Programme for Industry (CPI)

12. The past year offered many challenges to CPI, despite which it retained a trajectory of growth and development in a number of areas of interest and concern. During the year a change of orientation and a change of Director took place. It was decided that the interests of the University and external clients could best be served by establishing CPI as a body independent of the Board of Continuing Education. The Director of CPI, Dr C. J. Padfield, accepted a long-term secondment to create a Corporate Liaison Office (formerly the Reach-Out Office); Ms P. Courtice took full responsibility for CPI.

12.1 Over the last year the strategic intention of CPI has been to build a series of high-level external partnerships to enable managed growth and diversity of involvement. The result has been valuable work with the Prince of Wales' Business Leaders Forum, the Open University, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and the Institute of Directors. This form of development is planned to increase in the years ahead, and is matched by an evolving number of internal partnerships with Departments and Faculties of the University.

12.2 Projects, new and continuing, managed by CPI, fell within a number of boundaries as follows:

• the management of diversity
• corporate social responsibility
• business sustainability
• innovation and futures thinking

12.3 Whilst maintaining an interest in conventional delivery techniques, interest in the process of learning has led CPI to test new and innovative approaches to reaching participants on programmes. As well as trialling on-line collaboration and facilitation techniques, CPI also became involved in a number of partnerships to research and develop new approaches. Plans include joint bids to develop new initiatives with the Department of Manufacturing Engineering; the Institute of Public Health at Addenbrooke's, the Open University, and the Pharma NTO.

Madingley Hall

13. The year under consideration was a successful year for the Hall in its work of creating a learning community for the Board's students and of supporting the educational mission of the Board. Students and conference delegates alike continued to find the facilities, quality of service, and ambience of the Hall highly satisfactory. There was an overall increase in usage.

13.1 A total of 616 events (615 in 1998-99) took place (including non-residential events) during the year. Residential occupancy increased by 2% to 13,891 bednights (13,563 in 1998-99), representing an overall residential occupancy rate of 61%. Non-residential days increased by 4% to 11,038 (10,585). Expressed in percentage terms 61% of the residential usage of the Hall was for the Board's courses and 39% for conference work, much as in previous years.

[Further information about the occupancy of the Hall is given in Appendix N, copies of which may be obtained from the Board of Continuing Education.]

13.2 The occupancy figures and the number of courses and events indicate the amount of activity which took place in the Hall. However, the Board was pleased to be able to support the Vice-Chancellor in hosting a lunch at the Hall for the President of China during his visit to Cambridge in October 1999.

13.3 Conference work remained at a satisfactory level (39% of usage) and helped to generate the income required to fund the running costs of the Hall and grounds, including staffing, maintenance, student services, and capital improvements.

13.4 No major building or refurbishment work has been carried out at the Hall since the three-year building and development programme completed in 1995. This programme dealt primarily with the teaching and accommodation areas of the Hall. An improvement scheme for the kitchen at the Hall was considered during the year. In view of the need to ensure that the kitchen met modern legislative requirements and complied with the Catering Code of Practice and, in addition, had the capacity to cope with expanding use, plans were drawn up for a full refurbishment. Work on the refurbishment is planned to begin in December 2000 and while the Hall will remain operational throughout the period of the refurbishment, it is expected that use will be restricted.

Appendix A: Publications

Caley, L.

'Fostering Effective Learning at Work', BERA Conference proceedings (2000).

'Workbased Learning in a Traditional Context', in Work based Learning, Boud, D., and Solomon, N. (eds.) (Open University Press).

Caley, L., and Hendry, E.

'Best Practice Frameworks for Work-related Learning' (DfEE 2000).

Hicks, C.

Editor, Stained Glass (Journal of the British Society of Master Glass Painters) XXI (1998-99).

Howes, G. A. K.

Review: David Thistlethwaite, 'The Art of God and the Religions of Art', Art and Christianity Enquiry Bulletin 20 (October 1999), pp. 8-9.

Kalnins, M.

D. H. Lawrence in Italy and England, Donaldson, G., and Kalnins, M. (eds.) (Macmillan 1999).

'Play and Carnival in Sea and Sardinia', in D. H. Lawrence in Italy and England, Donaldson, G., and Kalnins, M. (eds.) (Macmillan 1999).

Reviews for Notes and Queries:

J. M. Coetzee, Dominic Head (September 1999).

The Cambridge Companion to Modernism, Michael Levenson (September 2000).

Lord, E.

Investigating the Twentieth Century. Sources for Local Historians, Tempus Books (November 1999).

Malone, C.

'The Neolithic in Italy: a review', Journal of World Prehistory (2000).

Oosthuizen, S.

Co-editor with Tony Kirby, and contributor, An Atlas of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire History, Centre for Regional Studies, Anglia Polytechnic University (2000).

Probably the Shortest Introduction to Assessing Adult Students in the World, University of Cambridge, Board of Continuing Education (2000).

Sheail, G. M.

'Relief and Landforms', in An Atlas of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire History, Kirby, T. and Oosthuizen, S. (eds.), Anglia Polytechnic University (2000).

'Geology', in An Atlas of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire History (see above).

Woodman, F.

'Alice Chaucer and her Beaufort Kin', Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Newsletter (1999).

Review of 'Rochester Cathedral, 640-1540', McAleer, J. P., in Antiquity, 74, 285 (September 2000).

Appendix C: Students awarded Certificates and Diplomas in the academical year October 1999 - September 2000

Certificate of Continuing Education

Certificate of Continuing Education: Wolfson Course 1999-2000

Certificate in Film Studies

Michael Pride

Certificate in Community Policing 1999-2000

Certificate in Historic Building Conservation 1997-99

Certificate in English and European Law 1998-99

University of Warsaw

Certificate in English and European Union Law 1999-2000

University of Warsaw

Certificate in Sustainability Learning Networks 1998-99

Certificate of Higher Education

Certificate of Higher Education in Archaeology

Isabel Knipe

Certificate of Higher Education in English Local History

James Scannell

Certificate of Higher Education (Counselling and Groupwork) 1997-99

Certificate of Higher Education (Ecology and Ornithology)

Jane McLaughlin

Diploma of Adult Education and Professional Development 1998-99

Barbara Boose Harte

Diploma of Adult Education and Professional Development 1999-2000

Diploma in Applied Criminology and Police Studies 1999-2000

Diploma in Applied Criminology and Management (Prison Studies) 1999-2000

Diploma in Professional Skills for Solicitors

George S'aid

Diploma of Inclusion Management

Level M

Level 3

Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling and Groupwork 1997-99

Diploma in English and European Union Law 1997-99

University of Gdansk

University of Silesia - Katowice

University of Nicholas Copernicus - Torun

University of Adam Mickiewicz - Poznan

Charles University - Prague

Diploma in European Community Law 1999-2000

University of Ljubljana

Diploma in English and European Union Law 1999-2000

University of Warsaw

Advanced Diploma in English Local History 1998-99

Advanced Diploma in Counselling (University Counselling Service) 1997-99

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Cambridge University Reporter Special, 9 April 2001
Copyright © 2001 The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge.