Building links
College’s new partnership programme
West Lothian College has signed a new international partnership deal.
Doctor Zainal Arief and Amang Sudarsono from Politeknik Elektronika Negeri Surabaya ( PENS) in Indonesia visited the Livingston college recently to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions.
The colleges are collaborating around the themes of delivering improvements around internships and placements, as well as challenging gender stereotypes particularly in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
It also hoped the partnership could lead to student exchanges, the development of joint courses and the opportunity for collaborative research.
West Lothian College principal Mhairi Harrington OBE said she is happy with the new agreement and said it will offer many new opportunities.
She added: “West Lothian College is delighted to be working in partnership with Politeknik Elektronika Negeri Surabaya (PENS), based in Indonesia as there are many areas of joint interest.
“We both have a keen interest and mission to strengthen the relationships between education and industry though high-quality work placements, research and innovation to support businesses.
“There is always much to learn from working with partners and we have been particularly impressed with the high level of technical programmes designed by PENS specifically in engineering to meet industry needs.
“The possibilities for the exchange of our students, staff, lecturers, information, discussions and activities are very exciting and we look forward to further development of our joint ideas.”
Doctor Zainal Arief said he found the first meeting at the college to be very constructive.
He added: “We found the discussion and meeting successful in implementing the concept of employer engagement for our students. We would like to thank West Lothian for their hospitality during our visit.”
West Lothian College’s Commercial and Enterprise Centre head Daniel Evans was also positive about the opportunities presented by the partnership.
He added: “This Foundation Skills Partnership, funded through the British Council, presents West Lothian College and PENS, Indonesia, with a great opportunity to collaborate in areas of common interest.
“It has been revealing to discover that many of the challenges faced by education providers, learners and employers when it comes to developing the future workforce, go across international boundaries.
“We have a great deal to learn from each other and our project together over the coming year will help us better prepare young people for the workplace in both countries. The project will pilot enhanced delivery of life skills training for young people in both Scotland and the UK, responding to feedback from employers in both countries. Both organisations are very grateful to the British Council for providing this opportunity.”