10.10.06
College celebrates close partnership with university

Cornwall College furniture studies lecturers Stewart Jenkins and Richard Buckingham have shown off their fine craftsmanship this week by presenting the University of Plymouth with a new ceremonial mace. The mace was commissioned by the Dean of the University of Plymouth Colleges, Dr Ian Tunbridge.

"The mace was originally a medieval weapon which was relegated to a ceremonial role as long range weapons were developed," said head of furniture studies, Owain Harris. "We now we see it as a symbol of the very close partnership we have with the University of Plymouth. It's been a great challenge to create this mace, which can now be used as part of our formal cap and gown graduation ceremony at Truro Cathedral."

The mace is made from ash donated by the Lost Gardens of Heligan, who work very closely with the furniture studies department at Cornwall College Camborne. It will be used at a host of graduation ceremonies across the South West for all of the further education colleges that are a part of the University of Plymouth's Faculty of Partner Colleges.

"There are two reasons why we commissioned this piece," said Ian Tunbridge of the University of Plymouth. "The first is a very practical requirement, as often we can get double booked for graduations and ideally every ceremony would like their graduation procession led with a ceremonial mace; it makes it more formal, official and enjoyable for the students who graduate. More importantly though, I see it as a statement about the University of Plymouth's Partner Colleges, we cover everything you could possibly wish to study across the group. It's fantastic that one of our partners has the skills and facilities to produce a new mace themselves and who better to do so than Cornwall College, our biggest and longest standing partner."

The mace will lead the Cornwall College graduation procession on November 4th at Truro Cathedral, to which over 600 graduating students have been invited. It is set to be the largest graduation ceremony the College has seen since its partnership with the University of Plymouth started, with graduates collecting degrees, foundation degrees and certificates.

CEO and Principal of Cornwall College, John Latham added: "We've come a long way since we joined forces with the University of Plymouth to provide higher education courses in Cornwall. What started as a small offering of several HNCs has now become over 100 university courses from foundation degrees to postgraduate study at our campuses across Cornwall. As part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative we have also seen a major investment in new facilities and resources for our degree students which will help support the continued growth of our higher education provision in the future."

For further information please contact Lucy Thornton, Cornwall College on 01726 226553 or email lucy.thornton@cornwall.ac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2 through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). Cornwall College is a partner in the CUC.

Editor's notes:

Cornwall College has eight campus sites in Cornwall, including Duchy College and Falmouth Marine School and offers the widest range of academic and vocational courses in the county, including higher education from teacher training to masters programmes.

Cornwall College is the only college in the south west to offer some unique degree qualifications including a BA(Hons) in Counselling, BSc(Hons) in Social Work plus very specialised foundation degrees for business and industry such as Lean Manufacturing and Processing and Public Sector Business.

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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