…nett, Deputy Head of Doctoral Training programmes It might be a cliché to define 2020 as an extraordinary year, but for the DTA3 programme, 2020 has been the third extraordinary year in a row. In early 2018 University Alliance was awarded funding through the ambitious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Cofund doctoral programme, which offers PhD researchers high-quality and innovative training and knowledge sharing opportunities. We are one of only a small nu…
…ght staff with the right skills in the right place unless there is a joint effort to effect a change. Coordinated delivery Delivering an ambitious workforce plan in a financially challenging environment will require new creative ways of working – how can the existing workforce be reskilled, or services be reorganised? The renewed emphasis on prevention will necessitate new healthcare and non-healthcare roles. To deliver on the plan’s promise, work…
…are like a Celtic knot: inextricably intertwined. In an epiphanic moment in 2016, having completed my doctoral studies, I realised two significant issues about Film [Production] degree programmes that were being taught at many universities throughout the UK, including my own: firstly, the curriculum had barely changed in 30 years and, secondly, our students were effectively ‘on their own’ in terms of employment, especially when they graduated. As…
…lso be developing a new strategy, so watch this space! Have a fantastic break and a happy new year. Check out our festive look-back video for 2021 below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eNgwWnsvJo…
…s a volunteer. They will truly value your volunteering, especially if they come to learn during the brief chat that you are a PhD student with challenging demands to meet. It couldn’t be any better. Occasionally, when I feel dispirited, I reminisce about the cheerful voices and appreciative expressions at the other end of the telephone line, and then I find reasons to keep going in my PhD research. Helping others stay motivated through volunteerin…
…ort students and graduates to gain experience of working on paid real-life commercial projects, and broaden the use of their creative digital skills to be used in sectors such as engineering, healthcare and the police. https://www.unialliance.ac.uk/2021/06/08/tucan-studio-teesside-university/ Teesside also recently became the first Adobe Creative Campus in Europe, joining a select group of colleges and universities that are driving the future of…
…Button, Head of Communications at University Alliance, and Justin Shaw, Chief Higher Education Consultant at Communications Management –one of our campaign partners. During his slot, Justin emphasised the need for a campaign of this kind, and for the Expert Bank resource, in diversifying the kinds of expertise that are covered in the press and for encouraging academics to engage with the media. Beth explained how the campaign aims to double the nu…
…e sector has responded by offering hardship funding, digital support and accommodation refunds to students. At UWE Bristol, we’ve invested over £1.9 million in a new grant scheme for students who need IT equipment and spent over £7 million refunding students who are unable to use their university managed accommodation due to lockdowns. Unfortunately, while I welcome the £50 million of additional government funding to support students and see it as…
…ing a high quality presentation, full of content, meant we received very useful feedback and critique on our ideas, which we could learn from before the final presentation. Going through this process will stand me in good stead for my PhD where I may feel downhearted or demotivated but I have to remember to keep producing the best work I can. Presenting to the Judges Participating in the bootcamp has also taught me how to work well in a team. Our…
…decline in the number of mature and part-time students in England since the 2012/13 HE funding reforms. The Augar Review and election promises from all parties have thankfully shone a spotlight on the woeful underfunding of the FE sector. The global economy is evolving rapidly, but gaps in skills have left the UK lagging behind the curve in a number of areas, including engineering, ICT and the creative industries. Employers have told the CBI and P…
