May 2023
CLARIFICATION FOR FUTURE CANDIDATES TO
THE BUFORA ITC
The
BUFORA Investigators’ Training Course has been very busy during the last few years,
and I would just like to offer some more information about how enrolment to the
ITC works, from initially emailing BUFORA to enrolling on to the course.
After a
potential candidate has contacted BUFORA to express interest in the ITC, I will
invite them to call me at a mutually convenient time, to talk with them about
the course and their knowledge of the UFO subject. This call will usually take
about 30 minutes or more depending upon questions they may have.
I will
then give them the next enrolment date for the course and ask them to email me
and let me know if they are interested in enrolling.
When I
have received their email confirming their interest, I send further information
about the course, which will include a list of credible authors, the BUFORA
Code of Practice for their signature several articles for their preparation prior
to enrolling on to the course, an Investigator’s questionnaire with their
personal details (which will remain totally confidential) and other information
that is relevant to the course
The ITC takes
a minimum of 9-10 months to complete and
requires commitment and suspending various beliefs and familiarity with the
subject from the internet , media and various UFO documentaries , movies and
discussion from UFO forums etc. This
will give a candidate the ability to start from a ‘blank page’, which will
serve them well as they progress through the course of six modules and an
examination paper.
The
standard marking from their BUFORA Tutor will be conducted by extensive
commenting to their responses within each module. This will give them an
in-depth understanding of the reality of the UFO subject and the central
recurring theme of the human condition, our perceptions, our beliefs, our
memories and how these all come together to try to define our interpretation of
a sighting or high strangeness experience.
We have
been very busy with the current influx of candidates enrolled on to the ITC in
addition to numerous new enquiries coming into BUFORA for enrolment on to the
course.
In view
of the huge interest, I would just like to let readers know that the next ITC
enrolment will be January 2024.
On behalf
of the BUFORA NIC, I would like to express how much myself and my colleagues
are enjoying tutoring this course.
It is so
true that we are all students and teachers at the same time learning much from
each other.
With my
best wishes to each of you.
Heather
Dixon
BUFORA
National Investigations Committee
BUFORA
ITC Tutor
May 2023
-----------------------------
The BUFORA Investigator Training Course (ITC) is open to any member of the public, 18 years of age and over, who wishes to do investigative work in ufology. Information follows on BUFORA NIC (National Investigations Committee) policies with regard to training potential investigators. This is a course on investigative procedures and not a course on ufology per se. Candidates are expected to have some knowledge of the history of ufology, of current trends and theories and to have done some reading on the subject in general.
To investigate for BUFORA, it is mandatory that you enrol on and pass the ITC. Below are details about this course should you wish to investigate sighting reports that come into BUFORA.
The course consists of six modules and an examination. The modules, accompanied by guidance notes, give a very good grounding in what can be seen and misidentified in our skies. These include technological, astronomical and atmospheric phenomena. In addition, information is given in the course as to how photographic or video footage reports should be followed up and whether further specialist photographic investigation is warranted. The examination is based on a high strangeness case.
It is important that you conduct as much investigation and research as possible with each module as your comments, in addition to any definitive answers, are significant in an assessment of your completed assignment.
Each module should be completed and returned to the tutor for marking within four weeks, whereupon you will be sent the next module together with your completed module and any remarks made. In the event that four weeks will not afford you enough time should you have other commitments, a request must be made to your tutor for an extra two weeks to complete the specific module. Nowadays, the course is mostly administered electronically by email, but can be done equally by post if required.
After you have passed the ITC, and as a Provisional Investigator, you will be forwarded reports that may come in for your area. These will not include high strangeness cases. In order to gain full accreditation as an investigator, you must submit two case reports to the Investigations Co-ordinator for assessment. If these are evaluated to the standard required you would be upgraded to Accredited Investigator (AI) and become a full voting member of the BUFORA NIC.
The fee is £60.00 and if you decide to enrol on the course, please contact us at enquiries@bufora.org.uk to obtain payment details. The course fee is non-refundable under any circumstances. All proceeds go towards funding research and field investigation.
The course is challenging and will require a degree of commitment but we hope that you will also find it enjoyable and rewarding. Like most endeavours in life, you will get out of it exactly what you put in.
BUFORA also organises occasional NIC meetings and training days to which all qualified investigators and trainees are invited.
Below is a brief summary of the modules and their content:
MODULE 1 – SOURCES:
How and where people report UFO sightings; advertising yourself as an investigator; dealing with official organisations (e.g. police, media etc.); prioritising reports; initial contact with witnesses; training exercise – sighting in Cumbria.
MODULE 2 – ASTRONOMICAL IFOs (identified/identifiable flying objects):
Getting help from astronomers and official bodies; astronomy software for PCs; stars, planets, moon, satellites, meteors, space debris; training exercise – three UFO reports with probable astronomical solutions.
MODULE 3 – ENVIRONMENTAL IFOs:
Weather data, and how to find it; sun, clouds, ball lightning; insects, birds and other biological stimuli; crop circles; training exercise – three cases where environmental IFOs may have stimulated UFO reports.
MODULE 4 – TECHNOLOGICAL IFOs:
Commercial aircraft (day and night sightings); military aircraft including UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles); balloons and kites; airships; laser and searchlights; contact with the MoD; training exercise- three cases indicative of technological IFOs.
MODULE 5 – CLOSE ENCOUNTERS:
Ground marks and traces; equipment and vehicle malfunction; physiological effects; hypnotic regression; training exercise – sighting account where physical effects to witness and environment are reported.
MODULE 6 – PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE:
Photographs versus eyewitness testimony; hoaxing and hoaxing methods; obtaining images and camera details; copying video footage; photographic IFOs; training exercise – sighting report with photograph.
EXAMINATION:
Composite UFO report containing commonly reported motifs, but loosely based on real activity. Completed BUFORA sighting questionnaire included. Designed to test candidate’s application of logic, instinct, thoroughness, common sense, observational skills and initiative.
If you have a query, please contact Heather Dixon STHeatherD77@aol.com for further information.
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