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Duncan Lawson
Newman University, United Kingdom
Most universities in England have some mathematics support provision – one of the key aims of such provision is to assist students in making the transition into higher education. Although mathematics support began in some universities in the early 1990s, this provision was primarily ad hoc and localised. The position of mathematics support within the higher education sector began to change significantly from 2005 onwards when sigma, a collaboration between Loughborough and Coventry Universities, was designated as a Centre of Excellence for Teaching and Learning (CETL) by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Since 2005, sigma has developed into a community of practice involving colleagues delivering mathematics support at a range of universities across the country. The sigma network has grown out of sigma (CETL), involving many colleagues from beyond the original two universities. This paper will record the evolution from an institutionally-based centre to a nationwide network with international influence.
During the period since 2005, sigma has had an excellent track record in securing external funding for the on-going development of mathematics support across the sector. Its latest funding from HEFCE was for a three year programme, running from 2013 to 2016; this programme had several goals including the establishment of a sustainable community of practice in mathematics and statistics support. As this programme is now almost complete, the paper will also outline the progress that has been made and indicate how the sigma network expects to function in the future with no substantial external sources of funding.
Professor