'Centre of Excellence’ Recognition
The BDS is now offering a ‘Centre of Excellence’ Recognition to all Colleges offering courses in the field of Fashion, Graphic Design, Interior Design and all other Design disciplines in addition to existing Display, Point-of-Sale and Exhibition design.
Following receipt of our ‘Newstalk’ over the past year, you will be aware that, apart from being a Membership organisation, the British Display Society delivers its own courses through Colleges and further education.
We are now pleased to offer you the opportunity for your courses to have professional underpinning by awarding you BDS recognition status, thus giving your students a head start when entering the work force with professional credibility.
What are the benefits?
• A BDS qualification or certificate of recognition gives any student professional credibility. Design is a highly competitive market and this will be an essential addition to any portfolio. Having BDS recognition is similar to an industry kitemark, BDS qualifications are recognised as a seal of approval.
• The BDS Centre of Excellence recognition is a confirmation of your quality of Course content, instruction and facilities.
• OFSTED looks for ‘the effectiveness of partnership in promoting learning and well being’. This endorsement of your course proves that you are looking to improve the outcome for your students and investing in their future.
• Following recognition, a student may then apply for BDS membership. As the designatory awarding body for the Display / P.O.S. / Exhibition Design fields of practice we can enhance professional standing by the granting of a designatory affix. So you can be sure your students are starting on a pathway of professional accreditation. Students who have completed and passed a BDS recognised course will be entitled to use the affix CERT.BDS.
• The College and Student will have the use of a BDS logo to display on stationery and publicity material.
• The College will be listed on the BDS website with their recognised course.
How does a College apply?
The BDS would make an inspection visit to your College to confirm the standard of delivery of your course. During that visit the BDS would wish to see workshops, design and display equipment, student’s work, studios, and student placement records. Subsequently, it would be taken on trust and good faith that these standards are maintained for our continued endorsement.
Click here for an application form
What are the procedures?
Once the College has been approved as a BDS Centre of Excellence, we will provide a ‘BDS Centre of Excellence’ certificate to the college. The BDS will also supply a letter template so that the College can issue a confirmation letter to each student that passes their course. This will be a great addition to the student’s portfolio on leaving the course and will confirm they have completed a course approved by the BDS to meet work placement and professional standards.
How much does it cost?
• The College pays one fee only of £285 for a BDS assessor to visit/view the premises, facilities and student’s work. In addition, travelling and sustenance expenses will be charged accordingly, the exact amount will depend on the distance from our South-East office.
• The individual student would pay a once only fee of £20, on completion of their course, which will give them;
• A CONFIRMATION CERTIFICATE THAT THEY HAVE STUDIED AT A BDS CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
• THE USE OF THE AFFIX CERT.BDS
• USE OF BDS LOGO TO DISPLAY THEIR STATIONERY AND PUBLICITY MATERIAL
The College would collect the student’s fees and send to the BDS
Please contact us and we will be pleased to discuss this opportunity with you.
Tel: 0208 856 2030, send an application form or
Email: