Award for partnership work with student records firm
The University of Chichester’s Apprenticeship Team has won an award for its partnership work with software firm Tribal at its Empower 2025 awards.
The ceremony was held on Tuesday 8 July in Sheffield, and the awards recognise those who make a significant contribution to the higher and further education sectors.
The Working in Partnership award was handed to Chichester for ‘the strength of long-lasting relationships that deliver results, highlighted by their recent Ofsted inspection recognising the depth and quality of their collaborative approach’.
The University uses Tribal software for student record-keeping, and the award was for its work with the Apprenticeship Team which has been using Tribal’s MAYTAS software.
The University and Tribal have worked together to enhance the student experience for apprenticeships, and this new approach was highlighted in the University’s recent ‘good’ rating by Ofsted for its apprenticeship provision.
Kristian Low, Employer Relationships Manager (Apprenticeships) at the University of Chichester, said: “We’ve worked with Hannah Cobbett in IT and with Tribal to test what’s possible and to really make it more useful for the students. It is enabling apprentices to be more interactive with their course, they are doing regular self-assessments, progress reviews with their employer, the system works with them.”
On the award win, he said: “It’s always nice to have that reassurance that we’re doing things the right way and having an impact.”
Andy Carpenter, Business Systems Specialist at the University of Chichester, explained that the institution has worked with Tribal since 1994, so the partnership has been, and continues to be an important one.
He said: “Student record keeping sits at the heart of everything a student does with us, from application to graduation. And through our partnership, we’re getting advice from the people who build the software to get the most out of it and improve the student experience.
“It’s nice to get recognition that what we’re doing is good for them as a company.”
Mark Pickett, Chief Executive Officer at Tribal Group plc, said: “I was delighted to award the University of Chichester’s Apprenticeships team our 2025 Working in Partnership Award earlier this month. Working in partnership is not just a strategy — it is a value that underpins long-term success, mutual growth, and shared vision.
“Their recent Ofsted inspection recognised their work and is a testament to the strength and depth of the collaborative relationships developed across the University. It’s great to see how our technology (MAYTAS) plays a vital role in building and maintaining partnerships, particularly when it serves to connect people, streamline operations and enables the apprenticeships team to manage complex learner journeys while maintaining a personal touch.”
