The quality of teaching and learning at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) has been rewarded with a new contract which will see the university become the main provider of Community Justice education in the whole of the UK.
The university has been awarded the contract by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service for its gold standard reputation in the delivery of the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) for over 18 years.
The latest contract will see the Community Justice provision expand exponentially, delivering training to probation officers of the future across London, the Southeast, Wales, the Midlands- and beyond.
Kim Sadique, Associate Professor in Community & Criminal Justice, Head of CCJ Division at DMU said: “The contract award is one of the largest educational contracts signed with DMU. We were awarded the contract because we have a long-held gold standard reputation for delivery of Community Justice programmes in CCJ Division.
“We are now the main provider of Community Justice education, delivering the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) to around two thirds of England and Wales.
“The team worked so hard to prepare and submit the tender and are working even harder in delivering to the learners on these programmes.”
She added: “I am immensely proud of all that the team have done, and continue to do, to support the training of Probation Officers.”
James Mole, Head of Probation Learning Delivery at HM Prison and Probation Services, said: “We are very pleased to be able to continue and build on the strong working relationship we have developed with De Montfort University in delivery of the PQiP Programme.
“The team has worked incredibly hard to place themselves in a great position to deliver as the largest academic provider of the PQiP Programme in the country.
“Strong working relationships have already been developed in the new areas they’re working with and I look forward to seeing them continue to grow over the course of the contract.”
Current student Jake Hillier, who started on the PQiP course in November 2021 gives the course high praise with his experiences so far.
He said: “The tutors at DMU have been so supportive and helpful, always replying quickly to any queries and providing valuable feedback on assignments.
“I was quite apprehensive given I had been out of academic practice for almost 10 years before I decided to train to become a Probation Office, I had doubts in my own ability but so far the course has been great.
“Conversations are always very open and engaging, the subject matter is both challenging and thought provoking, it’s great to be part of a course with such a high reputation.”
Posted on Friday 29 April 2022