Nigel Duncan awarded OBE for services to Further Education
The Principal of Fareham College, Nigel Duncan has been presented with his OBE by Her Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle for his services to Further Education, during a career spanning nearly 40 years. After a number of years as a part-time lecturer in Birmingham, Nigel started his full-time career in Further Education as a lecturer at Solihull College of Technology in 1981. Following this he moved on to hold senior posts at Lowestoft College, as Director of Faculty for Vocational and Technical Studies, and West Herts College as Director of Curriculum. Nigel joined Fareham College in 2005 as Vice Principal Curriculum and Corporate Development, before being appointed Principal and Chief Executive of the College in March 2012. Over the next few years, Nigel led Fareham College to win the prestigious TES Best FE College Award in 2018. The steps to this prime position included Fareham College opening a Centre of Excellence in Engineering, Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Training (CEMAST), a leading centre in the UK for apprenticeships and technical qualifications and being judged ‘outstanding’ at its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2017. This Autumn, the College is to open a £4.1m Civil Engineering Training Centre (CETC) created to deliver more than 1,600 civil engineering and groundworks apprenticeships during the next five years. Accepting his award, Nigel said, “Today has been a day I will never forget. This award is a huge honour and one I simply would not have received were it not for the amazing support of my family, friends, and the fantastic colleagues I have had the opportunity and privilege to know and work with over the years.” For more information about Nigel and his OBE please visit https://www.fareham.ac.uk
Iraqi education leaders visit UK College of the Year
Fareham College, the Times Educational Supplement (TES) FE College of the Year, welcomed education leaders from Iraq as part of a programme by the British Council to develop effective leadership through sharing good practice. Spending a week at Fareham College, the delegates met with teaching staff and senior managers, and were able to view the industry-ready facilities and experience the teaching that have earnt it the status of top further education college in the country and an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted judgement. As part of the visit, the delegates were given a tour of the local area, visiting Gunwharf Quays and the Spinnaker Tower, and enjoyed lunch at the College’s award-winning restaurant, Avenue 141, with the Mayor of Fareham, Councillor Susan Bayford. Nigel Duncan, Fareham College Principal, said, “This has been a thoroughly enjoyable and informative experience for us all and we look forward to further developing relationships between our educational institutions.” Speaking on behalf of the delegates, Aziz Abed Abbas Abulwez from the Bagdad Institute for Science and Technology added, “We have really enjoyed working with the staff at Fareham College, the time has gone very quickly. Thank you so much for your hospitality, advice and respect.” Following their time at the College, the delegates travelled to London to present their findings at a meeting of all the Iraqi delegates that participated in the programme. www.fareham.ac.uk