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UEL students win top award in recognition of pioneering Education Partnerships

Wednesday 11 March 2009

Teaching assistants at the Cass School of Education at the University of East London (UEL) will be celebrating at City Hall tomorrow in recognition of winning a London Education Partnership Award for innovative engagement with employers.

At an event organised by the Greater London Authority, forty students who have successfully completed a Foundation Degrees for Teaching Assistants with a view to possible careers as teachers will be awarded certificates in recognition of their hard work and success in helping to build lasting education partnerships between schools in Barking and Dagenham, the Barking Learning Centre and UEL.

Mary Karpel, Programme Leader at UEL's Cass School of Education said: “I am delighted that we have won this award and the enthusiasm, energy and effort of our students has been central to our success.

“We are in an area of London which currently has low rates of participation in higher education, so it’s vital that teaching assistants pass on inspiring messages about educational aspirations and achievement to their own children and the children they work with in local schools.”

Wes Streeting, the National President of the National Union Students (NUS) will also be speaking at the event. He said: “It’s great to see how progressive institutions like the University of East London are building innovative partnerships with schools, colleges and employers that are helping break down traditional barriers to higher education and enabling people from all backgrounds to fulfil their potential and progress in their chosen careers.”

The programme which is based at the Barking Learning Centre won the 2008 London Education Partnership Award for Cross Organisational Partnership Working and Impact.

Ends.

UEL Press office contact: 0208 223 6239 or 07595 056245

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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