International Charter

The AoC (Association of Colleges) International Charter is for colleges that have made a commitment to quality assurance and employed an ethical approach to all areas of their international activity. They have also shown commitment to making the global agenda an ‘agenda for all’ – staff, students and the local communities served by the college.

The college received the first at the AoC International Conference in London on 12 May 2011. It was the first to be quality-assessed for the AoC International Charter in a pilot review intended to pave the way for other colleges. Warwickshire College and Loughborough College are the only two colleges to be receiving the charter to date.

Vice Principal Strategy, Mary Heslop, said: “We are delighted to receive this accreditation which shows the college’s commitment to quality in international provision, providing an excellent experience for students academically, pastorally and socially.

“The assessment looked at, not just our provision for international students, but our overall approach to globalisation – developing all our students as global citizens. We are part of a global economy; the college is equipping our students with global skills for employment, to live in a multicultural environment and respect other cultures.”

Warwickshire College was commended for its rigorous recruitment practices, which ensure it recruits genuine students. It works closely with the academic areas, upholding minimum entry requirements for overseas students as well as home students, ensuring quality.

The college was also commended for its good range of activities that support cultural integration and for listening to its learners through representatives who listen to students’ suggestions and incorporate them into programmes.

John Mountford, International Director at AoC said: “Warwickshire College takes its commitment to quality very seriously and is now in the advantageous position of having had its international work quality assessed, which assures international students of a quality experience. The college has a long history of working internationally and the AoC were impressed by its whole-college approach to international work. Warwickshire College is a blueprint for good practice which other colleges can follow. It is distinguishing for the sector as a whole.”

The AoCIC is endorsed by the British Council, who said: “The British Council endorses this important step change in embedding quality improvement for international work in the FE sector within this integrated framework which addresses equality and inclusion for international students, as well as community engagement and diversity in the wider college. This has to be the way forward for embedding a global perspective within a college.”