In trying to answer the question, what sort of experiences/curriculum can prepare us for the complexities that life has to offer, we reached the conclusion that we have to take the whole of our lives into consideration.

Whole life’ learning embraces the ideas of ‘life-long learning’ (the journey from cradle to grave), ‘life-wide-learning’ (the multiple experiences at any point in a person’s life) and encompass formal and informal learning in the classroom, on work placement, in paid or unpaid part-time work, in co-curricular settings and many other aspects of life. These contexts constitute a learners ‘life-wide curriculum’.

In July 2008 the University published its first Student Experience strategy and invited SCEPTrE to
‘Develop the idea of a “life-wide curriculum” as an important part of our understanding of a complete education’.

SCEPTrE’s response has been to develop proposals for a Surrey Award that would publicly recognise student’s commitment to making their own education more complete through the things they do outside their academic programme to develop themselves personally and professionally.

In February 2009 SCEPTrE was given approval by LTSG to undertake a Feasibility Study. The Careers Department and USSU are key partners in the development work.

[SURREY AWARD IDEAS PAPER]