Ensuring prescribing competency in medical graduates using SCRIPT (Vera Kubenz, SCRIPT team)

One of the key challenges facing medical education is ensuring that medical graduates are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to prescribe safely and accurately. Studies by the GMC have indicated that new doctors are often poorly prepared for prescribing and that First and Second Year Foundation Doctors prescribe with error rates of 8% … Continue reading “Ensuring prescribing competency in medical graduates using SCRIPT (Vera Kubenz, SCRIPT team)”

Our 2026 Global Education Offer (Erica Arthur, International Relations)

The case for study abroad is increasingly compelling. Mounting political, economic and societal pressures assert the urgency of globally-connected and interculturally-aware citizens. Since 2011-2012 outgoing study abroad participation rates at UoB have increased by 63% — with 576 students (8.5% of the undergraduate cohort) studying abroad in 2016/17. In the next ten years we can … Continue reading “Our 2026 Global Education Offer (Erica Arthur, International Relations)”

The Big Conversation: Some ideas gathered from Library Services staff (March 2017)

We anticipate continued development of Birmingham’s diverse and global educational portfolio including: ‘virtual courses’, an array of blended opportunities, part-time and full-time study, short courses and lifelong learning and leisure learning activities. A more ‘pick and mix’ approach to degree content and methods / timing of delivery could emerge from the marketization of HE. The … Continue reading “The Big Conversation: Some ideas gathered from Library Services staff (March 2017)”

Big ideas: radical ways to reshape UK engineering education. By Peter Finegold, Head of Education and Skills at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

The UK is not producing enough engineers or engineering technicians, and those it is producing are typically from a strikingly narrow stratum of society. Not only do we need more engineers, we require a greater diversity of people to become engineers. We also need to help the general public become confident enough to engage with … Continue reading “Big ideas: radical ways to reshape UK engineering education. By Peter Finegold, Head of Education and Skills at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers”

2026: Doomsday for the Arts? Danielle Blackburn

First of all, I want to say that I am a proud alumni of the University of Birmingham with a first-class degree in Drama and Theatre Arts, and I’m the first person in my family to have attended University. I currently look after the marketing and events activities of the School of Languages, Cultures, Art … Continue reading “2026: Doomsday for the Arts? Danielle Blackburn”

How can we shape and design a curriculum to help future proof our graduates in the next 10+ years? A rapidly changing job market means we need to help prepare students for jobs which don’t yet exist. (Helen Hook)

As a parent, I ask myself this very question…if I could influence change which could impact my own daughter’s future experience of Higher Education, what would I deem to be essential?  What experiences could help provide a smoother transition into the labour market and help her become adaptable and resilient in today’s ever changing, global … Continue reading “How can we shape and design a curriculum to help future proof our graduates in the next 10+ years? A rapidly changing job market means we need to help prepare students for jobs which don’t yet exist. (Helen Hook)”

Supporting research based learning in a ‘born-digital’ world. Christopher Cipkin, Library Services

As technology increasingly drives the way education is delivered, the library of the future will need to rise to the challenge of collecting and archiving a wider range of digital formats – music, news media, gaming software, research data etc. We may need to adapt our library and IT infrastructure to better reflect an educational … Continue reading “Supporting research based learning in a ‘born-digital’ world. Christopher Cipkin, Library Services”

The Future of Higher Education; what do students think?

The Guild of Students hosted the Big Conversation recently, looking to further understand the future of Higher Education. Students were invited to stretch their minds and offer their inspirational views on the future of the University of Birmingham. What did our students have to say? Who knows how to teach better, the university or you? … Continue reading “The Future of Higher Education; what do students think?”

Are we likely to still be offering the same programmes or can you imagine new subjects/degrees? (Institute of Clinical Sciences led workshop: discussion responses)

The current general B Medical Sciences programme may become a suite of more specialised programmes e.g. cancer sciences. There is likely to be a need for greater linkage between undergraduate and postgraduate courses, with opportunities for postgraduates to return for on-going development.