Students at heart of awards win for Super College

City of Glasgow College has won two major accolades at this year’s College Development Network (CDN) Awards.

It scooped the Marketing and Communications Award for Student Services’ Get (on-line) Ready for College, and HND legal services graduate, Violet Hejazi, won Student of the Year - making it two years’ in a row for the college in this category.

Paul Little, Principal and Chief Executive at City of Glasgow College, said:

“Congratulations to our winners and also to our nominees. Winning these student focused categories is an excellent achievement, and further recognition of the excellent practice and educational resources across our college. The CDN awards provide an ideal opportunity to showcase the first class work we are doing, and to share our experiences with fellow colleagues.”

The college’s Marketing and Communications submission highlighted the Student Services’ initiative to reinvent existing systems to engage, inform and motive new students, and get them ready for college and the new normal.

Gillian Plunkett, Director for Student Experience, said: “This is fantastic recognition for Team City in a very challenging year (2020) when all of our usual student support and engagement practices had to be radically reconstructed in a mainly online environment, to support students and student success. The team have shown innovation, excellence and creativity in their professional practice.”

Emma Jackson, Curriculum Head, Legal Services, Business and Management at City of Glasgow College, said: “Violet is an excellent example of the power of hard work and resilience. As a refugee from Syria to the UK at only 18 years old, she has had a tragic beginning, but her capability and academic potential ensures that her future is bright. Not only has she completed her HND in Legal Services with three ‘A’ grades, but she also secured a place at Stirling University place to study law. We are delighted that her achievements have been deservedly recognised.”

A key event in the sector’s calendar, the CDN Awards recognise the talent, skills and achievements of colleges, their staff and learners. They celebrate the innovation taking place in colleges across the country, and showcase the impact the sector has for its learners, communities, and the wider economy.

The college received a Commendation for the Sustainability Action category for its nomination, No PlanetB, a student led strategy to put sustainability first.

It was also shortlisted for the Innovation Award, for Aquabot – diving into underwater innovation. This partnership project with former electrical engineering student Dale Colley has developed a drone which can be remotely operated on the surface of rivers, canals or lochs to monitor water quality.

Dale, who recently won Digital Young Person of the Year at the Herald’s Digital Transformation Awards, and is currently shortlisted for the UK Energy Innovation Awards, said: “The Aquabot will provide a better understanding of what is happening within our rivers and canals. It has clear and positive benefits for the environment.”

The winners were announced at a celebration ceremony at the Radisson Blu, Glasgow on Thursday 9 December.