Applied Knowledge Exchange

Work-based Learning Academies combine academic study with on-the-job experience.

Glasgow Caledonian University is recognised as a leading light in the innovative area of work-based learning provision, offering bespoke educational programmes for both public and private sector organisations including North Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council, Howden, North Ayrshire Council and ClydeUnion.

Our work-based learning programmes can be adapted to suit your requirements and can be delivered on-site or on-campus. Modules can include areas relevant to your organisation such as Engineering modules, Project Management, International Business, Risk Management, Change Management, Organisational Strategy and Organisational Culture.

“Wherever we are, the magic we try to work is in bringing academic and work-generated knowledge together. What it allows is the space for managers to stand back and look at their own policy and practice in the light of theoretical models,” says Vince Mills, head of the Scottish Centre for Work-Based Learning at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Glasgow Caledonian University has developed a tailored Masters level programme for the Leadership and Management of Public Services. Our programmes aim to integrate the knowledge and skills generated by an organisation’s own professionals with academic theory and good practice.  An innovative feature is that the University offers associate lectureships to appropriately qualified and experienced council staff to allow them to support learning in the workplace. This means the council itself accumulates greater capacity which can subsequently be used to develop staff for the future.

We also run Masters level Human Resource Management programmes which we can adapt for your organisation, including a new Organisational Coaching MSc and a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development accredited HRM suite.

GCU's Moffat Centre offers the only MSc International Tourism Enterprise in Scotland through a flexible full-time one year study or part-time two years, plus dissertation. The course has been created to maximise opportunities and specialise in specific areas of enterprise from Tourism, Hospitality, Heritage or Events.

The Applied Knowledge Exchange can help create customised training programmes to match your specific business needs, providing the flexibility and motivation for your workforce to sharpen their skills.

For more information:

Vince Mills
Head of the Scottish Centre for Work-Based Learning, Caledonian Business School
Glasgow Caledonian University
T: 0141 273 1284
E: v.mills@gcu.ac.uk

Applied Knowledge Exchange
T: 0141 331 3189
E: appliedknowledgeexchange@gcu.ac.uk

Clients

Howden Academy

Howden, the engineering company headquartered in Scotland, partnered with Glasgow Caledonian University to create Howden Academy in 2008.

Howden Academy is an international postgraduate programme based at the University to deliver specialist operational training to hundreds of Howden’s engineering graduates from 16 countries over a number of years.

Designed by Howden engineers to share their years of specialist operational engineering knowledge and experience with a new generation of engineers, the academy uses the teaching expertise of the School of Engineering and Computing and world-class learning facilities at Glasgow Caledonian University to package and deliver job-specific training modules.

Howden Academy won a Glasgow Business Award for Excellence in Skills and Learning at the Glasgow Business Awards. Howden also picked up the Bank of Scotland Award for Most Outstanding Business and the Glasgow Business Award for Best Performing Business (over 25 employees).

ClydeUnion Academy

Glasgow-based global manufacturer CLYDEUNION joined forces with Glasgow Caledonian University to launch ClydeUnion Academy, a training centre that will support the manufacturer’s plans for growth and offer employees an opportunity to gain fully accredited qualifications while they work.

The academy offers high-quality training for employees, including a bespoke accredited MSc in Leadership and Management for the Manufacturing Sector specifically designed by Glasgow Caledonian University’s Scottish Centre for Work Based Learning to help the company achieve its strategic business objectives and support its plans for rapid international growth. 

Institution of Railway Operators

Glasgow Caledonian University also partners with the Institution of Railway Operators to offer an accredited distance learning professional development programme related to railway operational management.

Students completing the course will achieve an accredited BSc Degree in Railway Operations and Full Membership to the IRO or entry to the Honours Programme.

The education programme commenced in 2005 and gives successful students a transferable academic qualification as well as the opportunity to improve their industry knowledge, which will inevitably boost career prospects.

As part of the course, a work based learning project integrates the knowledge and skills that the student has developed in other modules into a research project based in their workplace. The next degree course will commence in October 2010.

Scotland's Local Authorities

The University has also developed a study programme for Leadership and Management of Public Services. It aims to integrate knowledge and skills generated by an organisation’s own professionals with university-based theory and good practice in relation to leadership. The Scottish Centre for Work Based Learning has been running this programme for local authority clients including North and South Lanarkshire Councils. North Ayrshire Council is also upskilling managers through shorter training modules from the Leadership and Management programmes.

Hear what Bob Cleland of Howden has to say about working with GCU: