ParliLinc

The University of Lincoln has once again been selected to deliver the Parliamentary Studies module in cooperation with the UK Houses of Parliament. Lincoln is one of 24 universities which will offer the innovative and unique Parliamentary Studies module in the next academic year.

The aim of the module is to provide students with a detailed knowledge of how Parliament works in both theory and practice. It is approved by and taught in collaboration with the UK Houses of Parliament, with teaching delivered by parliamentary staff and experts from the School of Social and Political Sciences at Lincoln.

This is the second time that the UK Parliament has sought collaborators to teach the Parliamentary Studies module. The module has been delivered at a number of universities since 2013/14, and the contracts with existing universities expired this summer. Parliamentary Studies has been delivered at Lincoln for the past three years and Lincoln was delighted to be selected through a competitive process to continue delivering the module.

Commenting on the announcement, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt. Hon John Bercow MP said:

There can be no better time to learn about politics – how Parliament operates and to hear from the people who work there – than right now when the topic is on everyone’s mind. Our Parliamentary Studies module brings the procedures of the House of Commons and House of Lords to life, providing a wonderful complement to on-campus teaching with a range of resources and services aimed at engaging students and university staff. I am so pleased that we now have 24 universities involved in the scheme – four more than previously.

Rt. Hon. the Lord Fowler, the Lord Speaker, commented:

Having been a keen supporter of the parliamentary studies programme for several years, I am delighted that it is going from strength to strength, and that its further expansion will mean that many more students throughout the UK will be able to participate. The programme has already resulted in a significant increase in the teaching of parliamentary studies and I gladly offer it my continued and enthusiastic support.

Dr Andrew Defty who coordinates the module in the School of Social and Political Science said:

The School of Social and Political Sciences is proud to be selected to deliver the Parliamentary Studies module in cooperation with the Houses of Parliament. At a time of dramatic political change when decisions made at Westminster are playing such a central role in shaping Britain’s future, this module provides students with an in-depth understanding of parliamentary procedures and practices and provides our students with interesting and exciting opportunities to learn about Parliament from the people who work within it.

The selection of Lincoln to deliver this module also reflects the School’s growing reputation for producing high quality and impactful research on Parliament. We are also proud of our established links with Parliament with several alumni sitting in the House of Commons and many more working across Whitehall and Westminster. This module will help to ensure Lincoln continues to provide our students with valuable opportunities to learn about the political process and make a positive contribution to public life during their time here and long after they have left.

More details of the module can be found here and under the Parliamentary Studies at Lincoln tab on the ParliLinc site.