Blog – Page 2 – University Alliance

Delivering one of the world’s first Degree Apprenticeships in Midwifery
July 17, 2023
- Blog
Professional and technical universities educate approximately 1 in 3 midwives and specialise in innovative provision such as degree apprenticeships. In our latest ‘Innovators’ blog, Sue Lawrence, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery at the University of Greenwich writes about how her institution innovated by developing one of the country’s first degree apprenticeships in Midwifery. “Back in 2019, the University of Greenwich was one of three pilot sites s…

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Collaboration and the social dimension at the heart of innovation
July 10, 2023
- Blog
Professional and technical universities like those across the Alliance have great links to the creative industries – but creative graduates often find the transition to employment difficult. Dr Edward McCaffrey, Senior Lecturer in Film Production at Middlesex University writes about how he worked collaboratively to boost employability prospects for creative arts graduates. “When I started thinking about this blog, an old business adage sprung to …

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Collaboration will be key in delivering the NHS Workforce Plan
July 5, 2023
- Blog
Today (5 July) marks the 75th anniversary of the National Health Service. With the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan announced last week, Dr Denise Baker, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of the College of Health, Psychology and Social Care at the University of Derby, and Chair of the University Alliance Deans of Health Group, discusses what measures are needed to ensure the longevity of the NHS. The long awaited and much overdue NHS workforce plan has finall…

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Lifelong Loan Entitlement: opportunities for learners, choices for universities?
June 6, 2023
- Blog
Since the government consultation response to the new Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) was published in March this year, the higher education sector has had a chance to let the news sink in. Now it’s time to reflect on what the next steps might be. The introduction of the LLE has been long anticipated and was originally proposed as one of the outcomes of the ‘Post 18 review of education and funding: independent panel report’ chaired by Philip Augu…

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“We need to highlight how rewarding a career in health can be”
May 23, 2023
- Blog
Professor Ross Renton, Principal at ARU Peterborough writes about his institution’s approach to developing a skilled healthcare workforce for local needs. Skills needs ARU Peterborough as an institution has been specifically designed to target local skills needs, co-creating the curriculum with employers. That crosses a wealth of areas in the sciences, business and engineering, but it is especially true in healthcare. We’re meeting the needs of o…

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Lifelong Learning – is it worth the hard yards?
May 16, 2023
- Blog
The introduction of a workable approach to lifelong learning has been anticipated by the sector for many years. So, should the sector be rejoicing in the wake of a new bill that promises to increase access and participation for all learners, meet the skills needs of the future, and get people into good jobs? Or should we approach with extreme caution? A marathon not a sprint When something is difficult to understand or translate, then we tend to …

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Four reasons why Universities should be at the heart of the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan
March 22, 2023
- Blog
Dr Denise Baker, Chair of the Deans of Health Network at University Alliance, comments on how universities can help the Government and the NHS deliver the health and social care workforce of the future. “We know that many of the issues the NHS currently faces are workforce-related. There are 130,000 vacancies in England, 46,000 of which are nursing posts. Even if the Government meets its manifesto pledge of 50,000 more nurses, there remain well-d…

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In conversation with business leaders: here’s what SMEs like mine need from the Chancellor
March 13, 2023
- Blog
Tell us about your business, and how you began developing it. After 20 years working in executive search and interim management in London and Asia, I’d reached a stage where I needed a new challenge. Setting up my own firm was the logical next step. Chater Smart is an executive recruitment firm partnering with clients across the private sector, supplying them with interim executives, transformation directors and female leaders. We’re doing our bi…

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University Alliance’s 2022 in review
December 23, 2022
- Blog
In the year of five Education Secretaries, it’s fair to say it’s been an eventful year within the Higher Education Sector! It’s certainly been an eventful year for UA and for our members. We are proud of all our community has achieved this year – whether that’s winning prestigious awards, opening state-of-the-art new facilities, widening participation or acting as engines for economic growth. Meanwhile, with their focus on industry and on post-gr…

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#WeAreInternational blog: Sadaf Akbari
November 16, 2022
- Blog
Sadaf’s prize-winning innovative tissue engineering research An international PhD student at Kingston University whose research could help address the global organ donor shortage took home the top prize in this year’s national Vitae Three Minute Thesis competition. Sadaf Akbari, who is of Iranian heritage and grew up in Dubai, was awarded the prestigious academic trophy after impressing the judging panel with a 180 second presentation about the c…

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