The Isle of Wight College has been recognised among the winners of the Association of Colleges’ Beacon Awards – the most prestigious awards in further education. 

The awards celebrate the best and most innovative practices among UK further education colleges and are used as an opportunity to highlight the outstanding colleges and practices that deserve recognition and who will go on to inspire others as well. 
 
At a ceremony held in Westminster earlier this week, the Isle of Wight College was announced as a joint winner of The British Council Award for Internationalism alongside Burton & South Derbyshire College. The Isle of Wight College was also runner-up in the Widening Participation category.

The college won the international award for its successful collaborations, including a support programme for those who are suffering from mental health issues, enabling students to access the agencies and support they need, in addition to partnering with international students overseas. 

Delighted with the news, Isle of Wight College Principal, Debbie Lavin said: “The college has run a successful international programme for many years and it is great for the college to be recognised at these national awards. It is nice for our mental health first aiders to be able to cascade best practice training with their counterparts in other countries."
 
The news has also been welcomed by Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely who said: “I would like to congratulate Debbie Lavin and her team at the Isle of Wight College, on their fantastic achievement. This award recognises the hard work and dedication of the staff at the college, they should all be very proud.
 
“The Isle of Wight College is really going places thanks to the excellent leadership it has benefitted from. The college has also been identified as a site for targeted Government investment which will help it to upgrade its buildings and facilities as it continues to grow and develop. I look forward to seeing this investment take shape.”