Business school investigates capital opportunities

Teesside University is taking its expertise to London in collaboration with a top fraud prevention service which will see the delivery of bespoke short courses culminating in the Foundation Degree Fraud Management.

The University has teamed up with CIFAS, the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service, to develop three new courses – Fraud Investigation, Fraud Investigation Management and Managing the Investigative Process. The courses are being delivered part-time in the capital to CIFAS members by senior academics from Teesside University Business School. Based in Bloomsbury, London, CIFAS has enjoyed a flourishing relationship with Teesside University Business School due to the expertise on offer and has now been able to extend the portfolio of training support available to members.

Suzanne Withrington, Senior Lecturer in Enterprise at Teesside University, said: 'It has taken a lot of hard work to reach the position to accredit the courses we have developed with CIFAS. The relationship has been carefully nurtured over the last four years to ensure we created a sustainable partnership that offers long term benefits to CIFAS, its members and Teesside University. 'These unique courses are delivered to the highest quality and across a range of sectors.' CIFAS has sent seven of its own employees onto the FdA Fraud Investigation Management, a two-year course which began in September 2012. This foundation degree is part-time, which makes it ideal for those in full-time employment.

Beverley Young, Head of Operations at CIFAS, said: 'When I was given the project of seeing what accredited training CIFAS could offer, I visited Teesside University. It was immediately clear that there was a natural fit between what the Business School could offer, the excellent credentials the University has in this arena and what we were trying to offer our members. 'We certainly saw the potential straightaway. Being able to offer a degree course, open to all our members, where the content related to their everyday work was very appealing.' John Peters, Senior Lecturer in Fraud & Financial Crime at Teesside University, delivers the courses in the capital. He said: 'The development of this relationship has allowed the University to develop closer ties with a significant partner in our industry. This has allowed sharing of best practice for the benefit of all parties and has made me aware of new issues and themes in fraud management. 'The ties between CIFAS and its members, who are some of the largest players within the financial services industry and beyond, also allow us to raise our own profile with those organisations.' As part of the collaboration, Teesside University has use of the CIFAS Training Suite in central London. In addition to the partnership with CIFAS, the University has forged a new partnership with Bond Solon Ltd, a leading legal training company for non-lawyers. The Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Investigative Practice has been jointly developed by the University and Bond Solon and is being delivered at the CIFAS headquarters. Suzanne Withrington added: 'The relationship with CIFAS has opened up our networks in London, and the Bond Solon partnership is an indication that our nationwide reputation as experts within the field is growing.'

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