Academic Skills Training

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쮸떴눈첵AV Business School
Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies and Science
Faculty of Education, English and Sport
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences
Centre for English as a Foreign Language
Centre for Academic Partnerships
Academy for Learning and Teaching Excellence
Culture and Community Engagement

The Culture and Community Engagement team (formerly Arts and Culture Projects) brings together university expertise with civic and sector partners, acting as a bridge nationally and locally between higher education, business and local people.

Information about the programme

Teaching hours per week: Each first year student takes three hours weekly
Timetable: 1 x two hour class according to the needs of degree subject assessments, plus a one hour Academic Skills Training Plenary lecture every Wednesday
Maximum class size: 25 students

At the 쮸떴눈첵AV, we want you to get the most out of your time with us. That's why the 쮸떴눈첵AV has created a core programme of timetabled academic skills classes, which all EU and international students are expected to attend.

We know how important it is, both during your time at 쮸떴눈첵AV and in your career afterwards, to continually develop both your intercultural and academic skills.

In Academic Skills Training Unit you learn how to write academically, such as: paraphrasing techniques, avoiding plagiarism and evidencing your critical thoughts.

In short, AST unit aims to boost competence in academic and formal language usage associated with successful participation in UK Higher Education.

Many employers and visa sponsors will look for evidence (in addition to your academic achievements) of excellent English language proficiency and career skills.

"In Academic Skills Training we learn how to write academically, how to summarise, how to paraphrase, how to avoid plagiarism. So it's very helpful."

Dominika from Poland, 1st year BA Psychology

"Writing at an academic level is very difficult. AST helped me to create my own analysis, evaluation and synthesis."

Constantin from Albania, 1st year BA Criminology

Academic Skills Training: Plenary Lectures

Wednesdays @ 5pm - Room G101, Luton

Date	Topic	Lecturer
24th September	How to achieve high grades	Paul Owen
1st October	Building your academic vocabulary	Dr Nuzhat Jafari
8th October	Evidencing your critical thoughts	Paul Owen
15th October	Effective reading strategies	Rafael Cloete
22nd October	Commonly confused words	Dr Desmond Skeel
29th October	Why is culture important in learning?	John Lapwood
5th November	Introduction to public speaking	Paul Owen
12th November	Developing your skill-set and mind-set	Richard Farquahar
19th November	Developing a growth mind-set	Dr Stella Giorgou
26th November	Communicating successfully in a crisis	John Lapwood

Academic Skills Training is designed to help you boost your course grades and become an effective communicator. This core unit consists of three parts:

TWO FORMATS every week:

1	Academic skills development session for your subject area	Check your timetable	2 hours weekly
2	AST plenary/ presentation skills workshops	G101 most Wednesdays @5pm/6pm	1-2 hours weekly

桂

Timetable of AST classes SEM1 2025/26 - Luton campus

Group	Period	Lecturer	Day	Time	Room	Unit code	Campus
AST Business UG	SEM1	Paul Owen	Mondays	9:00-11:00	G225	MAR026-1	Luton - AA
AST Computing/ Engineering PG	BLK1 /BLK2	Rafael Cloete	Mondays	10:00-12:00	online		online
AST Law	SEM1	Dr Nuzhat Jafari	Mondays	12:30-14:30	J304	LNG115-0_10AA_ LAW_2025-26	Luton - AA
AST Public Health	SEM1	Dr Nuzhat Jafari	Mondays	15:00-17:00	J304	LNG115-0_10AA_ HEA_2025-26	Luton - AA
AST Business PG	BLK1	Rafael Cloete	Tuesdays	12:00-14:00	P102	LNG115-0_10AA_ BUS_PG_2025-26	Luton - AA
AST Business PG	BLK2	Rafael Cloete	Tuesdays	12:00-14:00	J211	LNG115-0_10AA_ BUS_PG_2025-26	Luton - AA
AST Social Sciences	SEM1	Rafael Cloete	Tuesdays	15:00-17:00	G302	LNG115-0_10AA_ SOC_2025-26	Luton - AA
AST Computing/ Engineering UG	SEM1	Rafael Cloete	Wednesdays	9:30-11:30	H211	LNG115-0_10AA_ IT_2025-26	Luton - AA
AST Psychology	SEM1	Paul Owen	Wednesdays	9:00-11:00	J304	LNG115-0_10AA_ PSY_2025-26	Luton - AA
AST Bedford	SEM1	Paul Owen	Wednesdays	12:00-14:00	online		online
AST Business PG	BLK1	Rafael Cloete	Wednesdays	12:00-14:00	J209	LNG115-0_11AA_ BUS_PG_2025-26	Luton - AA
AST Business PG	BLK2	Rafael Cloete	Wednesdays	12:00-14:00	J211	LNG115-0_11AA_ BUS_PG_2025-26	Luton - AA
Enhanced English	SEM1/ SEM2	Paul Owen	Wednesdays	14:30-16:30	H305		Luton
AST Business PG	BLK1	Rafael Cloete	Thursdays	12:00-14:00	H307b	LNG115-0_10AA_ BUS_PG_2025-26	Luton
AST Business PG	BLK 2	Rafael Cloete	Thursdays	12:00-14:00	H307b	LNG115-0_11AA_ BUS_PG_2025-26	Luton
AST Nursing PG	SEM 1	Paul Owen	Thursdays	10:00-13:00	online		Luton
AST Life Sciences	SEM1	Paul Owen	Thursdays	14:00-16:00	H309	LNG115-0_10AA_ LS_2025-26	Luton - AA
AST Business PG (catch up)	BLK1/ BLK2	Paul Owen	Fridays	10am-12:00	online		online
Enhanced English U	SEM1/ SEM2	Paul Owen	Fridays	13:00-15:00	H305		Luton

The AST Plenary Lecture Programme

As part of the Academic Skills Training programme, all international students can benefit from attending plenary lectures. You will be asked to take notes during the lectures by inspirational speakers, and then write an essay on the lecture theme. Valuable feedback will be provided from which you will be able to recognise your improvements during the course of the year.

Academic Skills Plenary Lecture benefits

Targeted feedback from essays
Listening skills
Note-taking and writing practice
Observing and interacting
Raising cultural awareness
Interesting and varied topics

Find out more:

@ Your AST BREO Unit

Programme Coordinator: paul.owen@beds.ac.uk (room J301)

The Enhanced English unit will enable you to work on boosting your general English skills, such as:

Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening
Vocabulary
Grammar

Enhanced English Timetable

From 24th September 2025 onwards

Luton campus	Wednesdays 14:30 - 16:30	Room H305	Paul Owen
Luton campus	Fridays 13:00 - 15:00	Room H305	Paul Owen

Academic Skills Training / Introduction to Public Speaking Unit

Presentation Skills Workshops

Overcome your fear of public speaking and learn how to engage your audience

Wed 6th Nov, 5-7pm, room G101 (Luton)
Wed 13th Nov, 5-7pm, room tbc (Luton)
Wed 20th Nov, 5-7pm, room tbc (Luton)
Wed 27th Nov, 5-7pm, room tbc (Luton)

Find out more

E: paul.owen@beds.ac.uk
E: languagecentre@beds.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1582 489032

address

The Language Centre
쮸떴눈첵AV Business School
Vicarage Street
쮸떴눈첵AV Square
Luton, LU1 3JU
UK

telephone

Office hours GMT

Mon �� Thu
09:00 to 17:00
Friday
09:00 to 16:30

T: +44 (0)1582 489032

email

languagecentre@beds.ac.uk