October 27, 2014 9.53 am This story is over 126 months old

University of Lincoln launches new Children’s University

Passports to education: The University of Lincoln is giving children passports to an exciting educational project after the launch of its new Children’s University.

The University of Lincoln is giving children passports to an exciting educational project after the launch of its new Children’s University.

The Lincolnshire Children’s University’s (LCU) first cohort was welcomed at the EMMTEC building at the University of Lincoln on October 24, with around 100 guests in attendance.

Children from Branston Junior Academy near Lincoln, which signed up to the project, showed their street dance routines.

Through the initiative, children between five and 14-years-old use a Passport to Learning to ‘travel’ to different learning destinations such as museums, farms, and businesses.

The locations provide high-quality accredited activities and experiences, and the children earn ‘stamps’ for their passports at each.

Other activities such as lectures and language clubs can also earn travel stamps.

Each hour of activity earns a stamp in the passport, with 30 hours earning children a bronze award, 65 hours a silver, and 100 hours for gold.

At each milestone they have a cap and gown graduation ceremony at the University of Lincoln.

The LCU is part of a constantly expanding network of Children’s Universities managed by The Children’s University (CU) Trust.

The LCU project is a collaboration between Lincolnshire County Council, Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Bishop Grosseteste University, the Lincolnshire Youth Council and local schools and businesses, led by the University of Lincoln.

Other organisations, such as the Lincoln Drill Hall and the Showroom, will also work with the children.

Emile van der Zee, manager of the LCU and principal lecturer at the University of Lincoln, said: “The idea is to signpost children to activities which take place outside the normal school day and enhance their education.

“They are all voluntary, and all link back to something they could go on to do at university. All local Children’s Universities have a link to higher or further education institutions and we’re delighted to help bring one to Lincolnshire.

“We will be starting with a small core of schools and other organisations at the end of October, and we already have expressions of interest from more than 15 other schools and several other organisations to join us in January.”