University strengthens links with Guernsey centre

Professor John Vinney visiting the GTA in Guernsey

Vice-Chancellor's visit underlines imnportance of BU's relationship with island-based training agency.

BU Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Vinney, has visited Guernsey in the Channel Islands to meet representatives of the GTA University Centre and reinforce the links between the two establishments.

During the visit he also met with the Bailiff, Sir Geoffrey Rowland, who holds an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University; the island's Education minister, Deputy Carol Steere; Chief Officer of the Education Department, Derek Neale; current Chief Executive of the GTA University Centre, Professor Richard Conder; and the Centreā??s chief executive designate, Fiona Naftel.

In February 2010, BU renewed its accreditation of the GTA as a University Centre for a further five years having first awarded the title in 2006. Co-incidentally the University's accreditation team was led by Professor Vinney who at the time was the Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Conder, acknowledged the significance of the partnership.

“We were delighted to welcome Professor Vinney to Guernsey and honoured that he should find time in his busy schedule to visit us at the GTA University Centre. We were no less delighted to learn last August of his appointment as vice-chancellor. He is a distinguished academic and highly regarded within UK higher education. His support for the GTA University Centre and his interest in higher education in the Channel Islands bodes well for the future of the links between our two institutions. We are very grateful to the university for facilitating the unique opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate study in Guernsey which the university’s Business School has so effectively delivered in Guernsey for more than fifteen years. We are proud to have been awarded the title University Centre which we know is not lightly granted by the university. We are committed to sustaining the highest standards in everything we do and ensure that we justify the university’s confidence in us,” he said.

Professor Vinney believes that the GTA University Centre is an important link for BU.

“In recent years, in order to ensure that we continue to build on our excellent reputation, we have been considering what Bournemouth University should look like in the future. In particular, we maintain a traditional focus on academic excellence in teaching and research, something which the GTA University Centre is very much a part of,” he said.