Events

Recruitment and Admissions Forum 2016

Date: 9 Nov 2016

Time: -

Location: Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Organised by: Engineering Professors' Council

The annual Recruitment and Admissions Forum took place at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers on 9th November 2016 convened by EPC Recruitment and Admissions Sub-Committee chair, Professor Mike Bramhall, and Deputy Chair, Dr Georgina Harris.

The Forum started with three presentations by Dr Peter Main (Kings College), Kevin Lord (Further Maths Support Programme) and Dr Geoff Parks (University of Cambridge) on the changes to mathematics and physics, as well as future implications for recruitment to engineering courses.

This was followed by the results of the EPC’s 2016/17 early survey of enrolments, for both undergraduate and postgraduate taught, presented by Dr Inês Direito, EPC’s Policy and Research Officer.

The last session of the morning was presented by Dr John Davies (University of Glasgow), on the flow of students across the UK nations and focusing on Scotland universities; and Dr Andrew Thorn (Trinity St David University, Swansea), on the implications of leaving the European Union.

EPC Executive Director Johnny Rich delivered a presentation on how students choose, based on his work as Chief Executive of student advice and outreach organisation Push. Anita Sandham and two international students, showcased Sheffield Hallam University recruitment strategies based on different students needs and expectations. Finally, Dr Rob Lawlor (University of Leeds) presented the ‘Engineering in Society’ e-book and highlighted the importance of providing a wider perspective of the engineering profession to encourage a broader range of students to consider studying engineering.

Members may download speakers’ presentations via the ‘Programme’ tab and can also access a range of student enrolments, application trends and analysis via the Data explorer.

Please see the detailed schedule for this event, below.

Download the Programme

Wednesday 9th November

10.00- 10.30

Registration and coffee

10.30-10.40

Welcome

Professor Mike Bramhall, EPC Chair of the Recruitment and Admissions Sub Committee and Forum convenor

10.40-11.30

Workshop 1 – Changes to Mathematics and Physics. What are the implications of the changes to Maths, Further Maths and A level Physics for recruitment to engineering courses?

Dr Geoff Parks, University of Cambridge

Dr Peter Main, Head of Physics, Kings College London

Kevin Lord, Further Maths Support Programme

11.30-12.00

Results of 2016 EPC Early Enrolments Survey

Dr Inês Direito, Policy Officer, EPC

12.00-12.30

Workshop 2 – How are the trends in enrolment going to inform our future planning? What is the flow of students across the UK devolved nations? What are the implications of leaving the European Union? What is the future of collaboration with FE?

An opportunity to share our developing strategies.

Dr John Davies, University of Glasgow

Professor Colin Turner, University of Ulster

Dr Andrew Thorn , Trinity St David University, Swansea

12.30-13.30

Lunch and Networking

13.30-14.00

How do students choose?

Johnny Rich, EPC Executive Director and Chief Executive of Push

14.00 - 14.40

Workshop 3 – Recruiting international students: Understanding the differences in global markets: Learn the value of adapting marketing and communications strategies to different international markets based on varying student needs.

Hear insights from a group of international students on what influenced their decision making.

Anita Sandham, Marketing Manager, International Development, Sheffield Hallam University, plus students

14.40-15.20

Workshop 4 – Beyond the Technical: Encouraging More Students to Study Engineering.

Using the Engineering in Society e-book as a starting point we will argue that providing a wider perspective on the profession could encourage a broader range of students to consider studying engineering.

Dr Rob Lawlor and Kathryn Blythe, Inter-Disciplinary Ethics Applied Centre, University of Leeds

15.20-15.35

Plenary feedback

What support do EPC members want from EPC in respect of recruitment and admissions?

Mike Bramhall/ Georgina Harris

15.35-15.45

Feedback and Close

Mike Bramhall

Professor Mike Bramhall EPC Chair of the Recruitment and Admissions Sub Committee and Forum convenor

Mike is a Professorial Teaching Fellow at TEDI-London and has a strong track record in project-based learning and has published widely in innovations in engineering education. His technical subject area is in metallurgy and materials science, having worked in the steel industry before entering academia. In a previous role he was the Assistant Dean for Academic Development for the faculty of Arts, Computing, Engineering & Sciences at Sheffield Hallam University of which he is now an Emeritus Professor. Mike has been on Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) teams for Subject Review, Higher Education Review, Quality Review Visits and Quality and Standards Review for a wide range of Universities, further education colleges and alternative providers. He is a Governor at Northern College for Adult Education, Barnsley, and chairs its Curriculum and Quality Committee. Mike is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and is also an active member and on the Board of the UK Engineering Professors’ Council, being also a member of its Recruitment and Admissions sub-committee. Mike worked nationally as an Associate Director of the Materials Subject Centre from 2003 to 2012 at the University of Liverpool. Mike is also a National Teaching Fellow and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).

Colin TurnerUniversity of Ulster

Professor Colin Turner is the immediate past President of the EPC and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment at Ulster University. He previously served as the Director for the Centre for Higher Education Research and Practice, and as Interim Dean for Learning Enhancement in the first fifteen months of the COVID-19 pandemic as Ulster’s senior officer for learning and teaching. He was Head of the School of Engineering from 2010 to 2018 and was appointed as Professor of Engineering Education in 2013. Colin obtained his degree in Pure and Applied Mathematics and his PhD in Pure Mathematics from Queen’s University Belfast in 1993 and 1997. His teaching interests are Engineering Mathematics, Reliability theory and Software development for Engineers – and in reforming curricula to improve retention, while building student led initiatives to transform student learning. He has experience in designing and building enterprise software solutions for learning support with national impact, especially in the area of employability. His research interests include the applications of engineering and mathematics to cardiovascular medicine, including the detection of myocardial infarction and other arrythmias through analysis of ECG data and inverse potential models. Professor Turner is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET), a Fellow of the Institution of Mathematics and its Applications (FIMA), a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) a National Teaching Fellow (NTF) and a Chartered Engineer (CEng). He has served as a board member for the EPC since April 2013. He is a member of the advisory group of Learned Societies and Professional Bodies for the All-Party Group for Science and Technology at the Northern Ireland Assembly and an Executive Committee member and Trustee for ASET, the UK body for placement professionals.

Johnny RichEPC Chief Executive / Chief Executive of Push

As well as his role with the EPC, Johnny Rich is well known across the higher education sector as a high-profile commentator on policy issues as well as the chief executive of student advice and outreach organisation Push, as a consultant working in education and careers, and as an author. Before joining the EPC, Johnny has already worked on many issues of concern to our members. Over the past 25 years, he led Push’s research – such as on drop-out rates and student debt – which has had direct impacts on policy. Johnny’s thought leadership, such as his papers for a graduate levy and a national access fund (2018) and on employability (2015) for the Higher Education Policy Institute, have been influential throughout the sector. Policy issues are also a significant part of his consultancy work, along with communications. His clients have included the European Commission, HEFCE, U-Multirank, as well as many universities, recruiters and charities. He’s a regular speaker at conferences, awards and in schools. In 2013, his novel A Human Script was published.

Dr Georgina Harris Chair of EPC Recruitment and Admissions Committee

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

Dr Geoff ParksUniversity of Cambridge

University of Cambridge

Dr Peter MainHead of Physics

Kings College London

Kevin LordFurther Maths Support Programme

Further Maths Support Programme

Dr Inês DireitoPolicy Officer

Engineering Professors' Council

Dr John DaviesUniversity of Glasgow

Professor

Dr Andrew ThornTrinity St David University, Swansea

Trinity St David University, Swansea