Education and training services

Tender description

NHSBT was seeking a single university with whom to work in partnership in order to co-develop and co-deliver an MSc in Applied Transfusion and Transplantation Sciences. The programme needed to offer the flexibility for the students to be awarded a qualification at postgraduate certificate, diploma, as well as a full masters in accordance with the accredited requirements. The curriculum needed to be at the cutting edge of developing sciences including areas such as genetics, clinical genomics, bioinformatics, and advanced cell therapies. Work on the course content and delivery should have commenced in 2019. The first student enrolment should have been in Autumn 2020. NHSBT was seeking a single university with whom to work in partnership in order to co-develop and co-deliver an MSc in Applied Transfusion and Transplantation Sciences. The programme was to be co-developed and quality-assured to ensure it was accredited appropriately. The programme needed to offer the flexibility for the students to be awarded a qualification at postgraduate certificate, diploma, as well as a full masters in accordance with the accredited requirements. The programme was to be co-delivered by NHSBT and the University so that the expertise of both organisations could be fully utilised to ensure the high quality of the programme. The curriculum needed to be at the cutting edge of developing sciences including areas such as genetics, clinical genomics, bioinformatics, and advanced cell therapies. Work on the course content and delivery should have commenced in 2019. The first student enrolment should have been in Autumn 2020. Regular revision of the course to ensure it was up-to-date with current practice throughout the term of the contract was required. All students enrolling throughout the initial contract term were to continue until completion of such postgraduate qualification with their planned end date (both full- and part-time). The programme needed to attract and recruit full-time and part-time students from the UK and Internationally. The learning delivery model proposed by the University was to reflect this student cohort. Flexible learning approaches including a blended learning model (mix of distance learning and on-site learning with a small, yet meaningful number of face to face sessions) was to be considered. If the University proposed a blended learning approach, delivery was to take place at an agreed location which could include NHSBT venues, the University, and, where appropriate, the student’s place of employment. The University was to be the legal entity responsible for the programme. The University was to offer a fully ‘managed service’, meaning that it was to be responsible for the whole student journey and student support services. The University was to be responsible for all aspects of the quality and regulatory compliance of the programme. The University was to have a strong pre-existing portfolio of teaching in Applied Transfusion and Transplantation Sciences, Healthcare Science or equivalent. NHSBT were to work in partnership with the University for an initial 4-year contract term.