CHUGD 5 November 2007: Agenda item 9

Geological Society Education Committee 

Chair: David Sanderson

Membership: Bill Gaskarth (accreditation), Jim Andrews (CHUGD), Chris King (ESTA), Colin Graham/Stuart Monro (SESEF), Allan Rogers (ESEF), Hazel Rymer (OU), Justine Hope (teacher: member of ESTA).

Highlights from the meetings of 23 May and 24 October 2007

• Accreditation and core geological skills. The Accreditation Panel is currently debating whether it should define a limited number of core skills that all geoscientists should acquire via an accredited degree. The Education Committee would like to see the Panel place a greater emphasis on outputs in assessing degree programmes.

• The External Committee of the Geological Society (Mary Fowler) is taking up the case of Earth sciences as a strategically important and vulnerable subject.

• Bologna process. Several important meetings have taken place this year. The main issue for the UK continues to be 1 year and integrated masters courses. Imperial College is aiming to offer Bologna compliant integrated and stand alone masters courses for 2008/09 entry. 

• GCSE Geology. A bid to salvage GCSE Geology is being led by Chris King under the new proposed title of ‘Understanding the Earth’.

• The new Geological Society website launched on May 16 has an Education/Careers tab on the front page. Judy Lakin (Education Officer) is developing the content and would welcome feedback (judi.lakin@geolsoc.org.uk).

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• Key Stage 3 Primer: interactive web based resource for schools based upon the rock cycle– planned launch in September delayed until New Year.

• First destinations survey. An initial compilation of HESA data for 2004-05 (945 students) has been produced and further analysis is currently being undertaken.

Next meeting is in the New Year.							jra: 2 November 2007