UVAC Annual Conference 2009
5 - 6th November
Employer and Individual Demand for Higher Level Skills –
The Role of Higher Education
Royal York Hotel, York

Sponsored by

The 2009 UVAC Annual Conference is the key national event for all those engaged in higher level skills at all HE levels to learn of latest policy proposals, network and share good practice.

Approximately 220 delegates enjoyed a blend of plenary, keynote sessions and discussion-based workshops on both days. The conference dinner, held at the Royal York Hotel, was a tremendously well attended and enjoyable occasion, providing fantastic networking opportunities in a social setting and an opportunity to dance the night away courtesy of 'The Strangers'.

A copy of the conference programme is available here.

Keynote presentations:

Professor Mike Campbell OBE, Director of Research and Policy, UK Commission for Employment and Skills
Keynote address: Recession, Recovery and the Future Skills Needs of the UK Economy 2010 and Beyond
(Powerpoint presentation)

Plenary panel session: Higher Level Skills - What Employers and Employees want from Higher Education

Northumbria Unversity and eaga
(Powerpoint presentation)

Speakers:
Ruth Leggett, Senior Lecturer, Newcastle Business School
Barry Howarth, Director of Learning & Development, eaga
Neil Dickinson, Commercial Director, eaga Digital Services

Middlesex University and the Recruitment Employment Confederation
(Powerpoint presentation)

Speakers:
Dr Philip Frame, Director of Work-Based Learning Programmes, Middlesex University Business School
Dr Heather Clay, Associate Dean – Academic Development, Middlesex University Business School
John Cunningham, Head of Qualifications, Recruitment and Employment Confederation

David Sweeney, Director of Research, Innovation and Skills, Higher Education Funding Council for England
Keynote address: Higher Level Work-Based Learning and Employer Funding
(Powerpoint presentation)

John Hayes MP, Shadow Minister of State for Higher Education

Professor David Young, University of Derby Corporate
Innovation in Higher Level Work Based Learning, Qualifications and Approaches to Credit


Workshop sessions:

Marketing to bridge the gap
Helen Pennack, Head of Marketing Communications and Linda Mee, Business Development Manager,The Leading Edge, University of Leicester

Three approaches to bringing Higher Skills into the workplace
Tony Howard, Head of Higher Skills@Work, Anglia Ruskin University

TIE Technique Explained
Bruce Bolderson, Project Manager, Teesside Manufacturing Centre, and Dr Elaine Hooker, Workforce Development Consultant, both Teesside University

Mind the gap! - A learning journey in Environmental Health
Helen Corkill, Fellow, Centre for Excellence in Teaching & Learning and Steve Kendall, Director of Widening Participation, University of Bedfordshire with Concepta Palk, Consultant: Environmental Health, CPC Ltd

Tailor-made learning for employers through ‘Advance’
Mike Lomas, Head of Business Development and Partnerships, University of Bolton and Cath Walsh, Director of the Greater Manchester Strategic Alliance

Sunderland City Council Leadership Programme
Gail Unsworth, Head of School Business, Management and IT, New College Durham

Developing Skills in the Workplace – Defining the need – delivering the outcome
Geoff Anderson, Head of Centre for Work Based Learning, University of Greenwich

Conquering co-funding
Charlie Woodcock, Executive Director of Business and Community Development and Jenny Bubb, Director of the Employer Engagement Lifelong Learning Network, both University of Chester

i-CD Units – unchaining higher education
Kim White – Chief Executive, Intelligent Career Development Limited (i-CD Ltd)
University of Wolverhampton

Developing effective work-based learning and employer networks through partnership: A case study presentation based on the development of Foundation Degrees in Metallurgy and Materials at Bradford College
Richard Brown, Project Development Executive and & Head of Metallurgy and Materials, Bradford College 

Disaggregating the curriculum - from “full meal” to “bite sized” provision
Ann Minton, Workforce Development Fellow and Jeff Braham, Head of UK Partnerships, both University of Derby

The Rural Employer Engagement Development Network (REEDNet)
Lydia Arnold, Work-based Learning Developer , Harper Adams University

Production of a flexible ‘shell’ framework for a Professional Development degree to meet the needs of accredited CPD activity
Helen Millican, Assistant Academic Registrar University of the West of England and Mel Joyner, University of Plymouth

A ‘Moving’ Tale of Partnership Working in the Logistics Sector
Sarah Gribbin, Higher Skills Team Leader, Yorkshire and Humber East Lifelong Learning Network and David Orrell, Regional Manager Yorkshire and Humber, Skills for Logistics

Previous UVAC Conferences
Click here for details of previous conferences