College Connect: January 2023 Degrees with UCAB

Welcome to College Connect, a blog by our Team at Askham Bryan College. Tune in and read about the college’s activity and engagement with our partnerships, projects, and community involvement.  

With the UCAS deadline fast approaching, students are evaluating their options for their next steps in academia. Our Higher Education Academic Registrar, Yvette Foulds-Davis, shares her thoughts about degree study in land-based education and its importance.

What is a degree’s worth?

What is a degree in a land-based subject worth? When planning my own career choices this is something I asked myself and after 20 years in the land-based sector, my answer is….  When it depends on the future of our economy and our environment, a land-based degree will mean more than you think. And here’s why…

The past year has brought seismic changes to the world we live in war, pandemic, carbon emissions, trade deals, and food supply concerns.  These changes affect dependencies in the UK and worldwide, pushing an immediate call to action for a more sustainable existence. Training future leaders who will lead food production and help contribute to the conservation of our world’s resources is our mission.

How we can shape higher education in land-based education

Askham Bryan College began nearly 75 years ago as a horticultural college and has since grown to be one of the largest land-based educational providers in the UK for college-level and degree study.  Our higher education offer, University Centre Askham Bryan (also known as UCAB), allows our work-ready students in further education-level to continue their studies. Our students develop specialised skills and knowledge that will prepare them for highly-skilled employment, research opportunities and the chance to positively impact the pressing issues we face.

In early 2022, Askham Bryan College was granted Foundation Degree Awarding Powers (FDAP).  FDAP allows the college to create and tailor programmes and autonomously award its own named degrees up to, and including, Level 5 in the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications for students studying with UCAB. This enables us to broaden our provision in specialist subjects as our Higher Education team has taken careful consideration into understanding the land-based industry to develop relevant degree programmes. As the only land-based college in the UK with FDAP, we are committed to delivering the tailored degrees that will readily prepare our students for careers in rapidly evolving industries vital for local, national and global supply and economic growth and the protection of our planet’s natural resources and wildlife.

Receiving FDAP firmly acknowledges our position in land-based provision regionally and nationally, strengthening Askham Bryan College’s reputation as a high-quality provider of higher professional and technical education. Our established engagement with industry partners drives forward curriculum and partnership developments so we can teach and develop a workforce that will help these businesses grow, lead and prosper.

In addition to FDAP, we also recently opened our £1.4 million Institute of Technology facility which ties directly into our validated foundation degrees. Further development to the college’s foundation degrees will be created in line with the college’s future developments and investments and informed by and tailored towards, industry demand. We are equally excited to be part of BioYorkshire, along with partners the University of York and FERA Science.

Casey Woodward, Founder and Chief Executive of AgriSound, leads a business that focuses on pollination science and has worked closely with the college on its agriculture and animal science programmes. He says, “Finding people prepared to work in the agricultural sector who are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed has been a challenge for a long time. Askham Bryan College has developed a modern, forward-looking curriculum and works with industry to ensure that graduates have the right skills to excel in land-based careers… and to help deliver the next generation of agriculturalists.”

Why you should pursue a degree programme with us

Let’s not forget to mention, studying at UCAB has its rewards!  Our campus is located near the beautiful city of York. Rich in heritage, and attractions, and close to the stunning Dales, Moors and Wolds, we offer a setting that will provide a brilliant environment when you join your degree journey with us. Once that journey is completed, UCAB graduates celebrate graduation at the splendid York Minster.  The event is steeped with tradition and ceremony, the York Guard leads the procession of robed academics and joins our graduates who are then recognised for their achievement as they progress on to careers in industries that focus on biodiversity, food security, conservation, sustainability and the environment.

Adam Bedford, Regional Director of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) North East sums it up as he stated for our 2022 degree graduation ceremony: “It has never been a more important time for young people to be equipped with the qualifications, experiences and skills they need to enter the changing world of food and farming.”

We couldn’t agree more; preparing for the future is a degree’s worth.

The UCAS deadline is January 25th. Click here for more information about applying.