An outstanding contribution
Published: 27.10.08
The university's Community University Partnership Programme (Cupp) has won a major national award. The programme, which seeks to reduce social inequalities in communities local to the university, scooped the 'Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community' award at the Times Higher Education Awards 2008.
Cupp directors David Wolff and Professor Angie Hart (pictured right) were presented the award by David Lammy MP (in the centre), the newly appointed Minister of State for Higher Education, at the awards ceremony held in London on 23 October.
The Times Higher Education Awards aims to recognise the ground-breaking work undertaken by UK universities. Now in its fourth year, competition is fierce, with more than 90 per cent of UK universities entering in one or more categories. Brighton was one of six universities shortlisted for the award but fought off competition due to Cupp's outstanding work in the field.
Founded in 2003, Cupp has transformed relations between the university and hundreds of local community organisations, and develops solutions to real problems using university resources. Between July 2007-08 Cupp supported 15 partnership projects which involved over 300 students and its helpdesk service responded to around 200 enquiries. Through strong academic links led by two professors, the helpdesk draws on the expertise of 30 senior members of staff across 12 disciplines.
One community organisation which has worked successfully with the university is Amaze, an advice and support service for parents of children with special needs. Amaze started working with Cupp four years ago and attribute Cupp with helping the organization improve staff development and formulate funding proposals.
Kim Aumann, director of research and training at Amaze, says: "Whenever we need help and support, if the university is capable of providing us with it, we know that they will do their best to, in a way that is genuinely user-friendly."
"Reflecting on the work that Cupp has done over the years, I can see that this goes for the many other community groups they support, and I admire their tireless enthusiasm and commitment to serving the local community, even when it wasn't a very fashionable thing to do. Commitment to Cupp stretches from the Vice-Chancellor's office right across other sectors of the university community, academic and administrative alike. This institutional commitment is a key source of its strength and effectiveness."
Cupp's other successes include helping community organisations to prevent older people taking the wrong medication because they misunderstand their prescriptions and helping talented artists with learning difficulties to access university-level tuition and develop their professional art practice.
Cupp's academic director, Professor Angie Hart, says: "It's exciting to work for a university that is so visionary about community engagement, and willing to invest in it. Writing the submission and quantifying what we've done at Brighton really brought home to me the scale of our work. There's so much people are doing across the university community to try to meet the needs of our local communities whilst producing really good academic work in the process. So it really is win win."
David Wolff, director of Cupp, added: "So many community partners as well as academics, students and administrative staff across the university have worked with Cupp - without them we wouldn't have won this award - this is a team effort."
Ann Mroz, editor at the Times Higher Education, praised the university's continued financial support for their Community University Partnership Programme despite the loss of core external funding. She added: "The range of activities in the programme as well as the great engagement from both staff and students made this project stand out from the crowd."
The university's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Julian Crampton, says: "Cupp is leading the way to foster in students a sense of citizenship as well as skills for real life. We have found many opportunities to achieve mutual benefit by academics, students and community partners working together on real problems. It enhances student learning, changes the research agenda, and can bring real practical solutions."
