Cardiff and Vale College’s work to develop non-racist curriculum modules for the further education sector has been recognised at the Association of Colleges prestigious UK-wide Beacon Awards.
Known as the ‘College Oscars’, the Beacon Awards celebrate the best and most innovative practices among UK colleges. CAVC made it to the final two in the Jisc Award for Effective Use of Digital Technology in Further Education, narrowly losing out to Hull College.
In 2022 the Welsh Government announced that it was committed to ensuring Wales will be an anti-racist country by 2030 – the first country to make this commitment. A key part of its Anti-Racist Wales Action plan has been to develop an anti-racist further education curriculum.
The curriculum is in the form of a metaverse – the first anti-racist virtual world. This innovative development, led by Cardiff and Vale College on behalf of the Welsh Government, provides an accessible and immersive learning experience developed and produced in collaboration with ethnic minority experts from schools, colleges, universities and third parties.
Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James-Evans said: “We are delighted to have been one of just two UK colleges to be shortlisted for the Beacon Award for Effective Use of Digital Technology in Further Education.
“CAVC is at the heart of the most vibrant and diverse region in Wales and we are strongly committed to an anti-racist agenda. We have been proud to lead on this unique and innovative investment in the Welsh curriculum and reaching the finals of the Beacon Awards shows the national and international interest in this project.”