24 September 2001 Lincoln Foundation Studies on offer in Auckland through College's campus

Two Christchurch education providers are getting together to offer an Auckland­ based opportunity for international students to prepare for entry to undergraduate university study in New Zealand.

Lincoln University and Royal English College have agreed to a joint operation at the College's Auckland campus offering Lincoln's Certificate of Foundation Studies to international students.

Moderation, assessment and the award of the Certificate will be by Lincoln University with the teaching and day-to-day administration of the programme undertaken by Royal English College staff.

Lincoln University's Certificate of Foundation Studies, introduced in 1999, is a one-year, eight-paper fulltime preparatory course for entry to undergraduate­ level university study. Entry for international students requires English proficiency at levels of 500 (TOEFL) or 5.5 (IELTS). Royal English College's initial task with the incoming students will be to prepare them to reach the English language requirement so they can then enter the Foundation Studies course on the same campus.

"The alliance with Royal English College is an exciting one, allowing us to expand the opportunity for tertiary study to a new and wider catchment," says Lincoln University's International Director, Geoff Ormandy.

"These are times of growth for the University's Foundation Studies programme. We have just made our first off-shore move, offering the Certificate in Singapore, and now domestically we are making our first move away from our base campus, into the Auckland area."

"The Certificate was deliberately designed to be flexible and portable and we always envisaged that it would be offered in off-campus locations both within New Zealand and overseas. Now we have taken our first steps in this regard."

 Royal English College is equally excited by the arrangement.

"Royal English College is very pleased to be working with Lincoln University to increase the choices available to international students," says Director Jimmy Royal.

"Our partnership with Lincoln University is based on our confidence in the quality and relevance of the programme on offer."

College Principal Chris Bradley says the Foundation Studies concept is an excellent way of preparing international students for tertiary study which may be quite different in style from what they are used to.

"Students will now have a 'one stop shop' in Auckland which can meet their English language needs and give them a university entrance qualification. It is a very significant development for the sector," says Mr Bradley.

(Lincoln University's Certificate of Foundation Studies is a one-year, eight­ paper programme which prepares students for entry to undergraduate degree studies.

The students study Computing, English Language and Communication, Learning and Study Styles, Mathematics, Accounting, Economics, Integrative Study Skills, and Statistics.

The Certificate focuses on developing students' communication and learning skills rather than solely on discipline areas and in this way it is culturally, personally and pedagogically responsive.

The programme was designed by working teams made up of both Lincoln University staff and secondary teachers).

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.