Recruitment & Admission Forum 2017

 
The annual Recruitment and Admissions Forum took place at the Manchester Metropolitan University on 15th November 2017 convened by EPC Recruitment and Admissions Sub-Committee chair, Dr Georgina Harris.   SaveSave SaveSave

The Forum started with the first of two keynotes this year: Mary Curnock Cook concluded that “STEM needs a massive makeover” and highlighted a number of solutions to address the failing brand on Engineering.

A dual presentation by Dr Neil Cooke (Birmingham University) and Prof William Heath (Manchester University) on the entry requirements you need for Engineering provoked a wide range of audience questions and discussion.

This was followed by an update on the EPC’s work on Degree Apprenticeships commissioned by attendees as last year’s Recruitment and Admissions Forum 2016.

The results of the EPC’s 2017/18 survey of engineering enrolments, for both undergraduate and postgraduate taught, were then presented by Stella Fowler, EPC’s Policy and Research Officer.

A workshop on how we attract under-represented groups to engineering followed, presented by Dr Sarah Peers  (Women’s Engineering Society) and Jamie Bytheway (Greater Manchester Higher).

Finally our closing keynote speaker Professor Les Ebdon CBE (Director, Office of Fair Access) outlined What works in Access.

This year’s Recruitment and Admissions Forum was a huge success. Thank you to all those who attended and presented in order to make the day so productive for all of us. Thanks also to Manchester Metropolitan University for hosting us.

Please see the detailed schedule for this event, below.

Wednesday 15th November

Mary Curnock Cook OBE stood down from her post as CEO of UCAS earlier this year and has immediately adopted a raft of other high-profile roles including Chair of The Access Project, Chelsea and Kensington College and  Swindon Academy, a Trustee of both the Open University and the National Star Foundation, and Strategic Adviser to Buckingham University. Her views on opportunity and entry qualifications are highly sought after and always challenging. Unshackled from her UCAS role, she has promised to be provocative.

Prof Les Ebdon CBE is the Director of the Office of Fair Access in HE, the watchdog for equity in admissions. A tireless champion of wider participation, Les has campaigned hard for evidence-based access strategies and has transformed the opportunities for under-represented groups to access higher education. As former Vice-Chancellor of Bedfordshire University and a chemist by training, he is uniquely qualified to provide an insight into STEM recruitment and access.

Georgina is Chair of the Recruitment and Admissions Committee of the Engineering Professors’ Council. Georgina is the Greater Manchester Area Chair and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, a member of the Institute of Physics, a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Georgina was a founder member and is a current governor of the Crewe Engineering and Design University Technical College and an academic at the Open University.

Georgina has previously held the post of Head of School at Manchester Metropolitan University, Site Engineer and Power Specialist for the Square Kilometre Array Program Development Office (SPDO) and the SKA Support Engineer at the new Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Organisation. Georgina held the roles of PrepSKA UK Project Manager (October 2009 to December 2010) and SKADS System Design and Team Leader (October 2006 to September 2009) responsible for the production of the UK SKA demonstrator, 2-PAD (2 Polarisations All Digital) at Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire.

She is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with an Engineering Doctorate, a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Georgina has worked in a number of academic-industrial collaboration projects. Her successes to date include the development of a combined particulate and NOx reduction technology for treatment of diesel exhaust gases and the redesign of the crank axle for fatigue prevention on the working replica of Robert Stephenson’s ‘Planet’ locomotive at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester

Mike is currently President of the Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC) as well as Head of the School of Engineering at Arden University. He is an experienced senior university leader and engineering academic – gained across institutions ranging from Russell Group to modern and challenger universities. He has played a leading role in the New Approaches to Engineering Higher Education programme and has led on a high profile policy paper for successful engineering degree apprenticeships. More broadly, his achievements include attaining global top 25 status and a top three position in the UK in research (University of Manchester), as well as creating and revitalising curricula. He has received awards for his teaching and research and played a leading role in attaining New Degree Awarding Powers at an innovative new higher education institution wholly focused on engineering education (TEDI-London). Mike has also led on establishing strategic collaborative partnerships with industry, as well as establishing a UK-wide academic chemical engineering community.

Stella Fowler is the Policy and Research Director at the Engineering Professors’ Council. She is responsible for all aspects of policy and research including projects; data analysis; report writing; member surveys and consultations; and events and communications.

Stella has worked in HE analysis for over 20 years with experience at UCAS, on the Higher Education Strategic Planners Association (HESPA) Board and in senior university planning and research data management roles.

Birmingham University

Manchester University

Women’s Engineering Society

Greater Manchester Higher
This content is for registered users only. Please login.

Highlights include:

  • Findings from the Engineering Enrolments Survey – first glimpse data for 2017 entries into engineering HE across the country
  • Workshop on entry requirements
  • Workshop on under-represented groups in engineering
  • Degree apprenticeships for success: policy and practice for universities, employers, government and other stakeholders.

The cost for the day is £99 per ticket for EPC members, and £125 for non members. An invoice with payment methods will be issued once your booking is confirmed.

Who should attend?

  • Heads of Department
  • Admissions Tutors (both postgraduate and undergraduate)
  • Staff working in university recruitment offices
  • Staff working in university outreach functions

Essential insights for anyone with responsibility for student recruitment, admissions or strategic planning in university engineering departments.

Please note the Twitter hashtag: #EPCRAF17

Related articles

Embracing Neurodiversity in Engineering: A path to sustainable development

To kick off Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we bring you the first of a series of guest blogs…   Prof Amanda...

News

IfATE Lifelong Learning Entitlement Consultation

Lifelong Learning Entitlement Consultation The Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education is consulting on how the employer stamp of approval...

Consultations

EPC engineering enrolments survey: your views are important to us

Every autumn, the EPC conducts a survey of our member universities to determine an indicative snapshot of engineering undergraduate and...

News
Let us know what you think of our website