Been a while since I blogged and some really exciting things on in our world of public and community involvement at the University.
Earlier this week, 30 March, we hosted 270 local school children, 30 parents and neighbourhood wardens from across the City and Toller district in a schools eco learning day.
This came about from a partnership formed with Kate Armitstead, Area Co-ordinator for BMDC, the Community Partnerships team, our Access and Widening Participation team and the local wardens. The 4 schools (Princeville, Farnham, Horton Grange, and Copthorne Primary) all undertook workshops that had a theme of sustainable development, aimed to develop the learning they had already undertaken with the wardens within their schools eco programmes. We also had an eco story teller, a green artist canvas and a tour of our Ecoversity Campus.
As the University of Bradford is renowned for our eco credentials, winning The Times Higher ‘Outstanding contribution to Sustainable Development’ award 2009 & 2010, this event was a great opportunity to share some of our learning and knowledge with our local communities.
In another event on the 30th (busy day!) we heard Sarfraz Manzoor, Journalist, Broadcaster and author speak as part of the Faith and the City series on his own experience of being ‘Between two worlds’ as a British Pakistani. As with most lectures in this series, Sarfraz was thought provoking, challenging and created much debate with those who attended which included staff, students and members of the public.
Earlier this month the University in partnership with The British Council hosted a visit of Vice Chancellor’s from across Pakistan. Nadira Mirza, Director of Community Partnerships and Eleanor Clyde Evans, Head of Community Engagement at the University presented our portfolio of partnership activities to much interest and enthusiasm from the VC’s who will look to apply some of the learning in their institutions on their return. This visit saw the VC’s attend and present in a Symposium of investing in education and skills, followed by an exhibition highlighting the work of UK-Pakistan partnerships in education and the community.
We have also seen a Bradford Achievement Forum conference on the Changing Landscape of Education and a Professional Muslim Institute networking event.
So all in all that’s around 650 of our local, national and international community members engaging with the University and its knowledge and expertise over the last 2 weeks.
Next week sees a Positive Bradford involvement day at the Midland Hotel and we are all keen to see how we can contribute to this private sector led initiative on celebrating all that is good in Bradford.
We are also getting more and more excited about the British Science Festival coming to Bradford from 10-15 September and are doing lots of work to make sure our local communities are involved.
I’ll write again soon but for now I’ll sign off and get ready to put my feet up for the weekend.
Georgie