Teesside University Advance

Start your studies with an Apple iPad, the Future Facing Learning toolkit, a keyboard case and up to £300 credit for learning resources.

Teesside University Advance eligibility

Teesside University Advance is available to all new entrants (UK students) enrolling on Year 0 or Year 1 and direct entrants onto Year 2 as a full-time undergraduate degree student for the academic year 2023/24 on a Teesside University course leading to an award of at least 360 credits delivered at Teesside University’s Middlesbrough or Darlington Campus. It excludes direct entrants onto Year 3, students repeating Year 3 or progressing to Year 3 with reduced credit after repeating Year 2 study.

Device

Eligible students receive an Apple iPad installed with Microsoft Office 365 software, an iPad compatible keyboard and up to £100 credit per academic year (up to a maximum of £300) for learning resources to spend on our Advance online portal.

Deploying a single device means that we have consistency with the devices we use in the learning environment. It also means that the University can provide technical support for their everyday use.

If you are a part-time student in classes alongside full-time students or direct into Year 3, you are eligible to borrow an iPad and keyboard on a semester-by-semester basis throughout your studies with us. This gives you access to the same device and toolkit as a full-time student throughout your time here.

Direct entrants on to Year 3 are eligible for £100 credit to purchase learning resources from the Advance online portal, subject to eligibility criteria. Please refer to the terms and conditions for full details.

Toolkit

The iPad is enhanced by Teesside University’s Future Facing Learning toolkit – a collection of software apps available on each iPad. The toolkit is used inside and outside the classroom to support you in preparing for professional life.

Microsoft Office 365 is at the heart of the toolkit – particularly Microsoft Teams which is a collaborative working space that allows you to develop skills that will benefit your career – teamwork, project management, digital literacy.

Some of the apps, such as Socrative and Padlet, are specifically designed to help you actively engage in the learning experience, allowing you to provide feedback and ask questions in an online environment.

You also have access to the MyTU, the Teesside University student portal which provides vital information on your studies – email, calendar, campus map, PC finder, library loans, print credit – and our virtual learning environment, Blackboard for your course materials. All of the apps within the toolkit can also be used on other devices both on and off campus.

Enhanced learning

Our academic staff have taken part in our Future Facing Learning digital development programme – supporting them to embed the toolkit within their learning and teaching.

Here are some examples of how this will benefit you.

• Lecturers are developing ebooks for you, our students, to use to guide you through the methodology you need to succeed.
• If you study forensic photography, you are able to connect through Microsoft Teams, filling in a crime scene report and sharing notes while also being able to digitally go through the floor plans of the crime scene rooms you are examining.  
• As a radiography student you use the iPad in simulation labs, bringing real patients into the teaching world so that you can pinpoint any body parts that you need to better understand.
• In some classes, you are able to save the lecturer’s PowerPoint onto your iPad and move through it at your own speed while still being part of the class.
• The University is rolling out lecture-capture technology which can be also accessed through Blackboard.

Inclusivity

The Apple iPad has customisable features to benefit all users. This includes the ability to change the display settings and customise how you can interact with your Apple iPad. The Microsoft Word app can read aloud your documents and allows you to easily change text size and page colour to suit your reading needs.

Training

We provide you plenty of support, if you need it, so that you can make the most of your iPad and learning toolkit. We offer training sessions during your induction, drop-in sessions, a dedicated help desk and online resources. We are keen for you to make the most of the technology available to enhance your learning.

Support

Microsoft has supported the development of the Future Facing Learning programme – many of our academics have been awarded Microsoft Innovative Educator and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert status. This formal accreditation means that they are recognised as part of an international community of educators who are developing innovative practice in using Microsoft technologies in education.

Adobe Creative Cloud

You benefit from access to the full suite of Adobe Creative Cloud apps and services to use across all your devices – along with training and support – so you can produce, collaborate and share your work from anywhere, anytime. Teesside University is Europe’s first Adobe Creative Campus, recognising the importance of building digital literacy capabilities across all curriculum areas and courses as part of our Future Facing Learning initiative.
More about our Adobe Creative Campus

How to apply

You don't need to apply - you will be given your Advance package on campus when you enrol for your course.

Advance Scheme (Student iPads) Terms and Conditions 2022-23
Advance Scheme (Student iPads) Terms and Conditions 2021-22
Advance Scheme (Student iPads) Terms and Conditions 2020-21
Advance Scheme (Student iPads) Terms and Conditions 2019-20
Advance Scheme (Student iPads) Terms and Conditions 2018-19

Advance Scheme Loan Student iPads Terms and Conditions