More people are entering higher education than ever before, and data shows that they are graduating with a better set of degree outcomes than ever before, at least if they are white, female and middle class.  We have acknowledged the need to explore different ways of learning and teaching in universities, to enable a more diverse set of people to thrive, but have we gone far enough? 

Can we put in place sufficient remediation for us to teach roughly as we were taught, but allow everyone who might, not only to access this learning but to thrive as they do so?  

Or do we need to ask some fundamental questions about what a degree is for, and how to teach to this end in a way that engages all students and allows them to build on their existing skill sets and capabilities.  My sense is that this tipping point will come first in the teaching-focussed part of the sector, but that it will unleash a wave of creativity and challenge for all Universities.  

Closing the attainment gap for BAME students at Newcastle University is a strategic key performance target over the coming years and we need to work collectively to address this issue.

Attending this workshop will give an insight into some of the issues facing these students. Some of these are well documented some are not. Let’s work together help to make a positive change and influence a cultural shift within Newcastle University. 

Academic representation of the entire student body can be challenging.

Common issues were uncovered in a half-day event gathering together Student Reps of the Faculty of Medical Sciences and, in the School of Pharmacy, through interviews with students and academics.

Problems identified included: feedback issues, lack of awareness and engagement.

To tackle these issues in the School we have introduced anonymous feedback mechanisms and the Student Voice Panel, which successfully support the Student Voice

How can students be involved in the delivery of lectures? Would or could you trust your students to deliver part or all of a lecture? Would students want to deliver lectures and what might they take from the experience?

This session reports on a project (supported by the University Education Development Fund) to explore opportunities for student presentations during learning (rather than at the stage of assessment). In this model, the teacher-student relationship becomes one of collaboration: the lecturer prepares rather than presents. 

Education plays a key role in creating a more sustainable world. However, sustainability is seldom systematically embedded in the curriculum at HEIs.

This interactive workshop explores different approaches from the sector that are being taken to integrate social responsibility and sustainable development issues into the curriculum and wider student experience for students in all disciplines. Participants will consider the value of a whole-institution approach and the different ways in which this might be achieved. 

Engaged learning, also commonly known as ‘Work Integrated Learning’, ‘Experiential Learning’ and ‘Service Learning’, can enhance academic learning, encourage social mobility and provide opportunities for students to gain graduate level work experience.

This workshop will;

•Demonstrate how an Engaged Newcastle Strategy can enhance the experience of our students
•Share the experience of SNES, as a case study
•Outline benefits gained by students and external organisations
•Discuss with students how this can be optimised at Newcastle

I will explore how Microsoft Sway can be used as an online learning tool and how I used this as part of  a blended learning approach.

I will discuss some of its useful features such as ability to embed  videos and online quizzes and how Sway's design feature automatically supports the author to produce accessible content that follows good practice guidelines.

The final year research project allows students to develop a wide range of key transferrable skills but it is timetabled in semester 2 in Biosciences with minimal time to assess impact.

This study aims to investigate whether students are able to identify and appreciate the skills they have developed over this intensive period which can then help them with their own employability. Results from surveys and focus groups will be reported alongside planned course modifications.

In this session we will take a fresh look at the relationship between education, research and public engagement for the post-COVID world. What is ‘higher’ learning in this context, and how is it related to a values-based respect for individual identities? How can forms of learning infused with dialogue be truly transformative, not only for individuals but for society more broadly? I will argue that we need to integrate research, student education, professional practices and public engagement more creatively. If we do this, we can develop citizens who are confident critical enquirers, highly skilled, more ethically aware and better able to articulate their future contributions to society.

We will look at a range of practical examples through the lens of the Connected Curriculum framework (Fung 2017), which takes a distinctive approach to research-based education.

Underpinned by a commitment to breaking down the barriers between universities and the wider public, the Connected Curriculum highlights the benefits of connecting students with a range of external audiences and partners throughout their studies. I will also briefly address some key enablers of change for universities and departments. These include empowering and rewarding educators, diversifying and decolonising the curriculum, and working with students as partners and agents of change.

We will finish with time for questions and comments: how do these ideas resonate with colleagues at Newcastle University?