Launched on 11 October 2024 in 91ֱ��, academics from partner institutions gathered in person and online to mark the beginning of this collaborative effort at an inaugural meeting. Academics from the member institutions joined a panel discussion on sustainability and climate change – one of the key focus areas of the Alliance.

GHA members include: The University of Manchester, Ashoka University in India, Mahidol University in Thailand, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia, The University of Melbourne in Australia, University of Nairobi in Kenya and University of Toronto in Canada.

The mission of the GHA is to raise the social and political impact of the humanities and social sciences through an emphasis on a programme of research and teaching that takes up global issues, incorporates diverse global perspectives and brings scholars and students together for critical conversations.

Underpinning the Alliance is a core value that by combining complementary and distinctive strengths, it can better address key global challenges and showcase the difference humanities, social sciences and the liberal arts makes to the world.

Professor Angelia Wilson, Faculty of Humanities Associate Dean for Internationalisation at The University of Manchester, commented: “The Global Humanities Alliance brings together academics and higher education institutions from around the world to celebrate and to enrich the important contribution made by humanities and social science research to understanding and navigating the challenges we face in our local communities and in wider society. The member institutions are firmly committed to working together to ensure our students are fit to be engaged, value-driven, and knowledgeable citizens of the world.”

The GHA brings together thousands of humanities and social scientists from around the globe. Alliance collaborations will centre initially around four core themes: public humanities, sustainability and climate change, decolonising knowledge and digital transformations.

The GHA is working towards a range of joint research initiatives and enhanced staff mobility between Alliance member institutions through a programme of visiting fellowships.

And for students, the GHA expands opportunities for an international learning experience with Global Classrooms. Offering virtual guest lectures and international discussion boards, students will get a more diverse learning experience and options to learn from their peers around the world.

Professor Fiona Devine, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, said: “The Global Humanities Alliance will greatly enhance the staff and student experience, not just here at The University of Manchester but for all our partner institutions across the globe. Working with our partners in the Alliance will facilitate the co-production of knowledge, new ways of innovating teaching, and research collaboration to tackle global challenges.”

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of the English language and its many forms around the world.

Emerging Englishes: China English in Academic Writing can be purchased at the following link:  

“We strongly endorse Professor Courtney’s nomination on the basis of his academic standing within the community and his unwavering commitment to the development of professional colleagues, early career researchers and students within our field,” said Dr Paul Armstrong, on behalf of the Critical Educational Leadership and Policy research group. “His influence on our group - and through this, the wider field of educational leadership, management and administration - cannot be overstated.”

“I unreservedly endorse Professor Courtney for this award - his steadfast dedication, active involvement and exemplary contributions have significantly enriched the BELMAS community, making him an outstanding candidate for this prestigious honour,” said Dr Ruth McGinity from University College London. “He has been a dedicated member of BELMAS for many years, and has made a profound and sustained commitment to the society's mission to enhance knowledge and scholarship in the field of Educational Leadership, Management and Administration and to create a space for research and practice to meet.”

“Professor Courtney is an exemplary colleague, an inspiration to many of us, and a go-to source for knowledge, support and wise advice - I recommend him without reservation for the BELMAS Distinguished Service Award,” said Professor Steven Jones from The University of Manchester. “As well as being an excellent mentor to his students, his experience and insight is often in demand from junior colleagues, and his feedback is sought for all kinds of scholarly writing. Unlike some eminent professors, he is approachable and thoughtful, providing guidance that is robust but always fair.”

“Steven deserves this award due to his commitment and passion for BELMAS and educational leadership – he is a true leader in every sense,” said Dr Victoria Showunmi from University College London. “His contribution to social justice and leadership is something that also must be celebrated - being a high-profile male leader who is from the LGBTQ+ community makes him a great role model for others entering the field.”

“More research is needed to examine both how sporting events impact people’s understanding of and engagement with political issues. Ultimately, we need to be figuring out how to channel the power of sport in productive ways.”

“A ban would cause young people to find alternatives to existing social media platforms that may be harder for parents, educators, researchers and legislators to study and monitor,” said Dr Eiko Fried, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at Leiden University. “Rather than imposing restrictions, efforts should be directed towards educating young people, their guardians and educators on navigating the digital landscape safely, and on regulations which ensure that social media companies design age-appropriate features and algorithms.”

A new report from Child of the North and Anne Longfield’s Centre for Young Lives think tank has set out a plan for the Government to boost children’s mental health through the education system, as half of England’s school children will still be without access to Mental Health Support Teams after 2025 under current plans.

The report, “Improving mental health and wellbeing with and through educational settings”, sets out the crucial role schools can play in supporting children’s mental health and promoting and supporting wellbeing. With children spending more time in school than in any other formal institutional structure, educational settings provide the ideal opportunity to reach large numbers of children simultaneously and can also facilitate intervention with pupils displaying early mental health or behavioural symptoms.

It is the third in a series of Child of the North/Centre for Young Lives reports to be published during 2024, focusing on how both the Government and Opposition can reset their vision for children to put the life chances of young people at the heart of policy making and delivery.

The report comes amid a national epidemic of children’s mental health problems. In 2022, 18% of children aged 7-to-16-years-old and 22% of young people aged 17-to-24 had a probable mental health condition. Despite some extra investment in recent years, the children’s mental health system is blighted by chronic waiting lists and a postcode lottery of provision, and thousands of children and young people continue to struggle without support. Over 32,000 children had been waiting over two years for help at the end of 2022/3. The consequences for school attendance, educational achievement, mental health problems in adulthood, as well as over-stretched public services, economic productivity, and society’s overall wellbeing are enormous.

The report calls on the Government to expand the mental health support offered through schools and educational settings from primary school onwards, without placing extra burdens on teachers.

Its recommendations include harnessing the power of digital technology in a way that benefits the mental health of children by rolling out school-based research surveys like the existing #BeeWell and Age of Wonder projects nationally. This would gather local information about children’s mental health and wellbeing, identify geographical hotspots and determine when the ‘emotional temperature’ of the school is in the danger zone, so that schools can offer early support.

The report also recommends:

· Expanding the mental health support offered through schools and educational settings, starting in the primary school years, to all schools. Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) are known to provide effective help to schools, but most schools still do not have access to them. The Government’s current plans mean that from 2025 half of England’s 8 million school age children will still not have access to a MHST in their school, should they need it. The work of MHSTs should be widened so it is not just focused on only one-to-one support for children with moderate-to-severe mental health problems, but is also focussed on peer group support and school-wide prevention strategies, including mental health hubs. This can be achieved by involving the community and voluntary sector, alongside health and social care services.

· Supporting the creation of a network of ‘one stop shop’ local online NHS information hubs, based on NHS Healthier Together, to signpost children and families to appropriate local mental health support where it is available. A ‘one stop shop’ would allow children, families, and schools to learn together about the local mental health support offered in their locality and how it can be accessed. The information hub would allow schools to work together more effectively with parents and children to create a supportive learning environment, tailored to local services and the local community.

· Tackling the upstream determinants of poor mental health, including early support for neurodivergent children. The evidence shows that pre-school and primary school experience can increase the risk for mental health conditions. Government’s strategy to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of young people should include a focus on the pre-school and primary school years. A national strategy to provide greater support for children with neurodiversity in their preschool years to tackle early determinants of poor mental health is also vital.

· Addressing the workforce crisis in educational psychology provision to encourage a larger number of graduate psychologists to support schools, alongside teacher training and career development that equips teaching staff to create classroom and school environments that promote pupil wellbeing and support the mental health needs of pupils. Government could and should mandate the provision of such training in the education and CPD of teaching staff.

To highlight the scale of mental health problems among young people, the report also includes preliminary data gathered from 5,000 children and young people in Bradford that reveals the shocking rise of eating disorders in the area, including:

· One in five (21%) of Year 9 pupils in Bradford reporting a probable eating disorder.

· 18% of 12-to-15-year-olds in Bradford reporting symptoms indicative of a probable eating disorder (the national rate among 11-to-16-year olds is 13%).

· 17% of 12-to-15 year olds reported self-harm in the last 12 months, with a higher prevalence in girls (20%) compared to boys (13%).

The study also highlights two priority issues raised by children and young people in Bradford as detrimental to their mental health - problems with lack of sleep and with loneliness. These findings are seen elsewhere. A recent #BeeWell survey examined the relationship between sleep quality in approximately 35,000 young people in more than 150 schools across Greater 91ֱ��. #BeeWell found that more than four in ten young people reported not getting enough sleep.

Anne Longfield, Executive Chair of the Centre for Young Lives, said:

“The rise in the number of children experiencing mental health problems is an ongoing crisis not only for those children and families experiencing it now, but for our country’s future.

“I have heard so many heartbreaking stories of the lengths children and parents have gone to get support – including, sadly, suicide attempts – but we still seem a long way away from providing the prevention, early help, and treatment that every young person with mental health problems needs.

“As an anchor in children’s lives, schools have a crucial role to play in supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing. Yet half of the school age children in England – four million children – will not have access to Mental Health Support Teams under current plans. We need to rocket-boost support in schools if we hope to bring down the numbers of children who are struggling with mental health problems.

“The current school attendance crisis is likely to be driven in part by children with mental health problems who are unwilling or unable to attend school. We know already that children and young people with mental health conditions are more likely to be absent from school, and that poor mental health significantly impacts on school attendance and outcomes.

“At the next election, the parties will put forward their proposals for improving children’s mental health. Labour has already pledged to recruit more staff, introduce specialist mental health support for children in every school, and deliver an open access children and young people’s mental health hub for every community. But there should be a cross-party ambition to reduce the prevalence of children’s mental health conditions by half over the next 10 years, and all politicians should agree that the current system is failing too many children and needs urgent attention.”

Dr Camilla Kingdon, former President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said:

“There is a huge evidence base for the importance of good mental health in childhood. However, sadly nearly 50% of lifetime mental health conditions are established by 14 years. We have a crucial window of opportunity to intervene to support children with mental health problems. We cannot let these children slip through the system without help.

“The UK needs to prioritise mental health and wellbeing of children for the sake of our children - and all our futures. There are solutions at our fingertips - we just need the political will to make it happen.”

Professor Mark Mon Williams, Child of The North report series editor, said:

“There is no better measure of the health of a nation than the mental wellbeing of its children and young people. The statistics on mental health in children are heartbreaking and demand immediate action. The UK must prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of its children and young people if it wants to enjoy long term prosperity. This report shows how the next Government could and should invest in the UK’s future wellbeing.”

Dr Ruth Wadman, Research Fellow for the Age of Wonder Adolescent Mental Health Collaboratory, said:

“Our children and young people need good mental health and wellbeing to develop and flourish. There is an urgent need to step-up our efforts to prevent mental health conditions and to intervene early when they emerge. The report shows that schools can play a key role in promoting good mental health and wellbeing, both by harnessing the power of data and by listening to children and young people.”

“Better understanding and valuing the wellbeing impacts of programmes working with children and young people could help ensure that policies and interventions to tackle children’s wellbeing will be prioritised going forwards. It is essential that the country invests in the collection of high-quality wellbeing data for children, like the one pioneered by #BeeWell,  and support greater investment in young people’s lives.”

Jack Reynolds, Chief Executive of Football Beyond Borders, said: “Young people’s mental wellbeing is having a huge effect on their engagement at school - you can’t rectify the other issues we see every day around absence and attainment if young people’s heads aren’t in a good place. This research shows that investing in relationships provides value for money and addresses the needs of adolescents.

“Long-term, consistent, adult role models are an essential part of any solution and immediate reform which puts trusted relationships at the heart of our system can’t come soon enough.

Wellbeing inequalities: LGBTQ+ young people report lowest life satisfaction

Overall, this year’s #BeeWell survey results, which analysed data on young people from across all 14 Local Authorities in Greater 91ֱ��, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, found that young people are generally satisfied with their lives. However, there are noteworthy inequalities in life satisfaction, mental wellbeing and emotional difficulties across gender and sexuality.

• 41.2% of young people who identify as lesbian or gay reported a high level of emotional difficulties (e.g. worrying a lot, feeling unhappy, having problems sleeping). This figure rose to 44.5% for young people who identify as bisexual or pansexual. This is compared to 12.1% of heterosexual young people. High scores in this area could indicate that young people may require additional, preventative support
•  When considering gender differences, 22% of cisgender girls reported a high level of emotional difficulties compared with 6% of cisgender boys. The proportion reporting high levels of emotional difficulties rose to 33.9% for transgender and gender diverse young people and 21% for those questioning their gender
• These inequalities are also seen in life satisfaction and mental wellbeing scores, with gay and lesbian young people experiencing the lowest wellbeing and reporting that they are least satisfied with their lives, followed closely by bisexual and pansexual young people, and those who identify as transgender and gender-diverse

Building on the results, the #BeeWell programme is working with schools, partners and the wider community to act on these and other findings in the data. This has included an exciting collaboration with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award which is working to deliver the scheme for young people in those neighbourhoods identified as having the lowest wellbeing.

“The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award brings young people together and enables them to discover new passions, gain new skills and connect with their community - however, opportunities for personal development and enrichment, which we know help boost confidence, give people hope and drive success, aren’t always accessible to everyone – we’re working hard to change that,” said Ruth Marvel, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

“Using insights from #BeeWell, over the last 18 months, we’ve licensed eight new organisations in Greater 91ֱ��, offering the DofE to some of the country’s most marginalised communities. Looking ahead, we’re excited to widen access to the DofE further, as we identify areas in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. Through this work, we hope to give young people the positive experiences, skills and capabilities they need to succeed in the future, which in turn, will boost wellbeing and optimism and that’s something we all so want to see.”

“It is great to see hope and optimism is improving for our young people - however, it is disappointing to see that the inequalities, particularly in regard to gender, are still so stark when it comes to life satisfaction and wellbeing,” said Professor Jess Deighton, Director of Innovation Evaluation and Dissemination at  Anna Freud. "We now need to work together to target these groups, understand what they need and start making the impact that is required to enable these young people to be heard and for their wellbeing to be improved."

“The findings from the #BeeWell survey provide us with an invaluable insight into the needs and aspirations of young people," said Anthony Harper, Deputy Director for Children's Care at the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board. "It will support us in our drive to ensure early identification and support is available to children and young people where and when they most need it.”

“I am a firm believer in the importance of expanding the voices of young people in our society and giving solutions to the challenges we face,” said Uyuhansi Fernando, North East Councillor, Hampshire Youth Parliament. "All young people should have equal access to opportunities that help their wellbeing. I am confident that by listening to the voices of young people through #BeeWell, we can have a better understanding of the modern world ahead of us.”

#BeeWell Neighbourhood Data Hive

Following the release of the headline findings from the #BeeWell survey, an interactive public dashboard will show more detailed results and insights into young people’s wellbeing across 64 different neighbourhoods in Greater 91ֱ�� and 46 different neighbourhoods in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. This will be published online at the end of March 2024, with a view to inspiring action across local government and civil society.

Read our full report here: .

For further information on the #BeeWell survey and its initiatives, please contact beewellprogramme@manchester.ac.uk 

• In September 2023, there was a 27% rise in new autism referrals over the last year. 
• In July 2022, more than 125,000 people were waiting for an autism assessment by mental health services, an increase of 34% since the previous October. By July 2023, this number had risen to more than 143,000. Figures published in September 2023, show there were 157,809 patients with an open referral for suspected autism.
• 93% of children did not receive an appointment within 13 weeks of being referred. 
• The number of children yet to receive an appointment after 13 weeks has increased by 36% since Covid-19, and there has been a 21% increase in the last twelve months.  
• More than one in four parents have waited over three years to receive support for their child.
• The evidence shows that children born to mothers without educational qualifications will receive an autism diagnosis two years later than their peers, and that issues around timely identification and support are exacerbated for girls, who are more likely to be misdiagnosed and diagnosed later than boys, or not at all.
• Children and young people from ethnic minority backgrounds are experiencing lower rates of identification of autism and often experience more severe difficulties.

The report warns that the failure to provide the right autism support can lead to poor long-term outcomes for autistic children, including an increased prevalence of connected conditions such as mental ill health and a greater risk of school exclusion or not attending school. Data from the Connected Bradford database included in the report reveals that children who had been referred but were still waiting for an assessment were at greatest risk of being excluded from secondary school. 

Autistic children who had a diagnosis were less likely to be excluded from school, compared to those awaiting an assessment, suggesting a diagnosis and subsequent support has a protective effect. With waiting times increasing, there is a growing risk to education outcomes, with evidence suggesting that many autistic children are ending up in expensive Alternative Provision.

The report also describes how a major barrier to existing systems is the perceived need for a medical diagnosis of autism before any child can receive support, with the perception among schools that this is a requirement, preventing some children from accessing support. Given the long waiting lists, many autistic children are not receiving the support they need because they do not have a formal diagnosis.

It makes three key recommendations to Government which have the potential the decrease the long-term costs associated with not acting early:

• Building effective partnerships between education and health professionals for assessing and supporting autistic children. This should include delivering assessments in education settings and making a holistic offer of support in schools and nurseries before and after a formal diagnosis is made.
• Providing and extending access to mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses for health, education, and social care professionals that improve understanding and awareness of autism (and related issues). These courses should include information on how to create “neurodiverse friendly” environments, and particularly raise awareness of autism in girls and ethnic minority groups. Additional training should be co-produced by individuals with lived experience and delivered to professionals and integrated into undergraduate health and education professional training to improve the identification of autistic girls.
• Creating formal partnerships at a local authority level comprising sector leaders (including schools, health, voluntary services, faith, universities, educational psychologists, and businesses) to oversee a prioritised governmental ward-level approach to addressing the autism crisis. The partnership should focus on its most disadvantaged wards and provide leadership in trialing data-driven, community and family co-produced, “whole system” approaches to improve autism support with and through education settings.

“The number of autistic children seeking support is at a record high and the number waiting for an assessment has rocketed since Covid,” said Anne Longfield, Executive Chair of the Centre for Young Lives. “The autism assessment crisis is leaving thousands of children without the support they need and parents having to battle their way through a nightmare process that can take years to resolve.

“The pressure and stress this is putting on families and children can have terrible and damaging consequences for mental health and for children’s education chances. Autistic children with a referral who are waiting for an assessment are at significantly greater risk of exclusion from school, with all the further risks that can bring. If waiting times continue to increase, so can the risk of increased exclusion and poorer educational outcomes for autistic children.

“The evidence shows the need to move to a system of support that responds to the needs of autistic children, rather than waiting for diagnosis before any help appears. Without urgent reform, we cannot hope to improve the life chances of the next generation.”

“Trainee educational psychologists make a significant contribution to England’s educational psychologist workforce, supporting schools, families and local authorities, in identifying and supporting the full range of children’s needs. Their commissioned, doctoral research is central to the evidence base for professional practice and is actively disseminated to achieve positive impacts across the whole profession.” 

You can learn more about the Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology, and 91ֱ�� Institute of Education by visiting .

• Girls report lower wellbeing than boys, and LGBTQ+ young people report significantly lower wellbeing than their cisgender, heterosexual peers.
• Only one in three young people are meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendation of doing one hour of physical activity per day. This drops to one in four girls.
• Over 40% of Year 9 students report that they aren’t getting enough sleep to feel awake and concentrate at school (2022).
• Deeper analysis indicates that, by tackling bullying, we could prevent nearly 1 in 5 cases of young people's significant feelings of worry or sadness.
• Neighbourhood-level data reveals that characteristics such as income disparity, health deprivation, crime risk and more are significantly correlated to different domains or drivers of wellbeing.

These findings are already informing activity across Greater 91ֱ��, with schools, voluntary sector organisations and children’s services working closely with young people to interpret and act on the results. For instance:

• A social prescribing and youth-led commissioning pilot in 5 neighbourhoods in GM used the survey findings to allocate £20,000
• #BeeWell measures are utilised by the Greater 91ֱ�� Combined Authority (GMCA), ensuring young people’s wellbeing will be at the heart of future strategy
• Investment into arts, culture and wellbeing initiatives amongst voluntary sector partners and within schools
• Investment into a pilot project from Greater 91ֱ�� Integrated Care on improving young LGBTQ+ people’s wellbeing
• Voluntary sector partners leading campaigns to improve physical activity amongst girls in response to inequalities identified by #BeeWell data
• Targeted responses to improve physical activity and nutrition by schools

Professor Jessica Deighton, Director of Applied Research and Evaluation, Anna Freud said:  “If we are to take the mental health and wellbeing of our children and young people seriously, then we need to have a robust survey that can authoritatively collate data from English counties and cities. #BeeWell’s impact on measurement in this area of work could help the UK to improve in the PISA rankings internationally. The voices of our young people are one of the most powerful tools that #BeeWell lets us hear.”

James Robertson, #BeeWell National Director, said: “The enthusiasm across Greater 91ֱ�� to deliver the #BeeWell programme has been inspiring. I’m so grateful to our partners at the GMCA, academics at the University of Manchester, and to all the schools who delivered the programme for a third year running. All their hard work amplifies the voices of young people at a time when listening to young people has never been more important. Driving action across the city region in response to the latest survey continues to be front and centre at #BeeWell.”

Councillor Mark Hunter, Greater 91ֱ�� portfolio lead for Children and Young People, and leader of Stockport Council, said: “It is always vital that we listen to our young people across Greater 91ֱ�� and truly understand the unprecedented difficulties they have faced over recent years. I’m delighted that the #BeeWell programme has once again given young people the opportunity to have their voices heard and be involved in something that really does make a meaningful difference. We are absolutely determined to improve all aspects of young peoples’ wellbeing in Greater 91ֱ��."

“This APPG report’s findings illuminate not just the challenges but also the opportunities that lie ahead. The underrepresentation of individuals from global majority backgrounds, the clear class crisis, and gender disparities highlight an urgent call to action,” said Chi Onwurah MP, Co-Chair of the APPG for Creative Diversity. “This report critically sets out ‘What Works’ to begin building a more equitable creative education system for those aged 16+ and to dismantling the obstacles facing the next generation of creative talent. If we are to remain a creative nation, systemic change is not just necessary but absolutely vital.”

For more information on this report, visit . 

“This study shows that even small changes in what fathers do, and in how schools and early years settings engage with parents, can have a lasting impact on children's learning,” said Andrew Gwynne MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fatherhood. “It's absolutely crucial that that fathers aren't treated as an afterthought.”

"#BeeWell gives a voice to young people and highlights important issues that we’re facing in Greater 91ֱ�� like the previous survey finding that shows only 9 in every average classroom are getting enough sleep to concentrate in school," said Maria, a member of the #BeeWell Youth Steering Group. “I’m really looking forward to sharing my voice as part of this year's survey and encourage all year 10 students to do the same so that #BeeWell can act with us to create change.”

“We are excited to be working with partners to launch the third annual #BeeWell survey, especially this year as the programme is building on the success in Greater 91ֱ�� by expanding into Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton,” said Professor Jessica Deighton from The Anna Freud Centre. “We really look forward to hearing the voices of more young people across the country to understand more about what supports their wellbeing.” 

“It is crucial that we hear directly from the young people themselves in conversations about their wellbeing,” said David Gregson from The Gregson Family Foundation. “I’m delighted that such a high proportion of schools have committed to taking part in the #BeeWell survey this autumn. The feedback young people share, will give weight to the debate about their wellbeing, informing how we collectively act to deliver improvements.” 

For more information about the #BeeWell programme visit https://beewellprogramme.org or email beewell@manchester.ac.uk.  

• Loneliness affects some groups in society more than others, especially those who face multiple forms of disadvantage 
• Differences from dominant society can lead to increased loneliness 
• Loneliness is often a fact of life for disabled people  
• Marginalised groups are more likely to experience social exclusion, bullying and discrimination which lead to poor psychological wellbeing and increased loneliness 
• Six societal conditions identified that increase loneliness disparities: community attitudes, public policies, demographic diversity, physical and social environment and area deprivation 
• Reducing social exclusion and valuing difference must play a key part in addressing loneliness inequalities – rather than focussing on individual deficits 

“Understanding risk of loneliness in this way means that if we want to tackle it, we need to tackle the prejudices and structural factors that produce inequalities, and focus on the role that people, policy and public services play in making our societies and communities more equal. The good news is that policy makers and public services across Wales and beyond have placed considerable importance on tackling loneliness. This report provides new insight on what we need to do to achieve that goal.”  
 
“The report highlights that loneliness is not equally distributed in the population, emerging more frequently among those who are marginalised” said Professor Manuela Barreto, the report’s lead author. “This social patterning of loneliness makes it clear that we need to go beyond a focus on individual deficits to understand how loneliness emerges. 
 
“Relatedly, we need to complement solutions focused on addressing individual deficits, like psychological therapy and befriending services, with interventions that address deficits in communities, especially when it comes to ensure communities are genuinely inclusive.” 
 
The Wales Centre for Public Policy will hold a discussion event in the autumn to hear the perspectives and insights of practitioners and lived experience experts in both loneliness and tackling inequalities in order to take the conversation to the next level and suggest some potential policy changes that could help tackle loneliness inequalities. Please email info@wcpp.org.uk if you wish to register for the event. 

Helen Snelson, Curriculum Area Leader PGCE History at the University of York, said: "As this research has discovered, history teacher educators are working to develop more inclusive curricula, teaching practices and pedagogies. This nuanced, evidence-based report is a very welcome focus on these efforts and the issues that are hindering more, and more rapid, progress. It will be incredibly useful to inform discussions at all levels as to how we can work together to develop more systemic, effective, informed and creative approaches to ensure a more diverse profession, curriculum and practice. Inaction is not an option in the context of a teacher recruitment crisis and the daily realities of teaching history in schools." 

Postgraduate researchers will be jointly selected and spend time in 91ֱ�� and Tokyo, benefiting from the expertise, facilities and infrastructure of two globally renowned institutions. The wider partnership activity will also see The University of Manchester hosting postgraduate researchers from the University of Tokyo as part of the SPRING GX Programme.

Successful applicants to the programme will split their time between 91ֱ�� and Tokyo according to the project requirements as determined by the supervisors and the Joint Programme Board. The students will be awarded a degree from both institutions, based on a single research experience managed cooperatively by both institutions.

For the Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Japan’s leading University, this represents their second dual award doctoral programme and the first with a UK partner. For The University of Manchester, this follows the highly successful launch of similar dual and joint PhD programmes with Tsinghua University, University of Melbourne, Indian Institute of Science, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, and the University of Chile. As a core component of its international strategy, The University of Manchester is entering into a small number of dual award PhD programmes with prestigious partner institutions around the world.

The dual award PhD programme was formally announced during a University of Manchester delegation visit to the University of Tokyo in April. The visit provided the opportunity for colleagues from the Faculty of Science and Engineering to engage with leading researchers from the University of Tokyo with a view to identifying opportunities for future collaboration. The UK Government has recently launched the International Science Partnerships Fund, for which Japan is a priority partner country, and will provide a funding mechanism to support UK-Japan collaboration.

The Dean of the School of Science, University of Tokyo, Professor Shinichi Ohkoshi, said: “The University of Manchester is one of the UK's leading universities conducting world-class research, and it also has a global reputation for the strategic activities for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For the University of Tokyo, collaboration with such a university will be a great privilege from the viewpoints of both research and education. The School of Science, the University of Tokyo is very positive about launching the dual-degree program with The University of Manchester and is planning to prepare a scholarship for students participating in the programme.”

Professor Stephen Flint, Associate Vice President International, The University of Manchester, added: “We are delighted to be launching this dual award PhD programme with the Graduate School of Science of the world famous University of Tokyo. In our experience, the co-supervision and co-responsibility for PhD students is a highly effective way of growing long-term research collaborations between academic colleagues and leads on to deeper levels of institutional partnership. The graduates from this programme will be highly trained, highly employable global citizens, at home in both Japan and the United Kingdom.”

The first PhD candidate for the new scheme has already been selected with lead supervision for the project being provided by Professor Shinichi Ohkoshi of the University of Tokyo and Professor Nicholas Chilton from The University of Manchester.

The new programme represents a significant development in consolidating the research links between our respective institutions. Data on co-authorship demonstrates that there is already a significant level of engagement between research groups and the new programme will support our aspirations to cement these links.

The data showed that for children aged seven:

• Parents’ help for their children’s schoolwork, reading to their children and going to libraries had a small positive effect, while musical and physical activities with children had no effect. Going to bed at a regular time was linked to better teachers’ assessment.
• At age seven, children who received daily help with maths from their parents had only a 1.8% increased chance of being assessed as ‘above average’ by their teachers.
• 39% of the children from the highest class families were rated above average in maths, compared with 21% of those whose parents were manual workers, the lowest of five classes used in the analysis. The relative difference was even greater for those in the ‘well above average’ class: 12% for children from the highest class and 4% for those from the lowest. The three intermediate classes showed results in-between the highest and lowest classes.
• The gap was slightly less when considering creative subjects such art and design, and music: 28% of the children from the highest class were rated above average, compared with 14% of those whose parents were manual workers.
• The figures were similar when comparing children with parents from the richest class and poorest class, and those with parents with degrees and those without qualifications. The data were also similar for children aged 11.
• When aged seven, children from the highest social class spent more time in libraries than those from the lowest class, and their parents read to them more often. But parents in the lowest class spent more time teaching their children maths, reading and writing. 

Ms. Ding, who conducted this research as part of her PhD studies under the supervision of Professor Yaojun Li and Professor Andrew Miles, adjusted the data to compare people of the same gender, ethnicity and other factors in order to isolate the effects of parents’ class, income and education. She found that the effects of parents’ class, wealth and education far outweighed those of time parents spent with their children.

• The inequalities identified in Year 1 of the #BeeWell data have persisted; girls are reporting significantly lower levels of wellbeing than boys, and LGBTQ+ young people have significantly lower wellbeing than their cisgender heterosexual peers. The data remains consistent when comparing two different cohorts of Year 10 pupils across the two years.
   
• Wellbeing scores have declined slightly as young people have moved from Year 8 into Year 9. This is in line with wider research about how young people’s wellbeing declines as they get older.
   
• As young people get older, they are less likely to feel like they get enough sleep to feel awake throughout the school day. 41.8% of Year 9 students report that they aren’t getting enough sleep to concentrate at school, which is around 9 young people in an average class of 22. This is compared to 36% of Year 8 pupils who said they do not get enough sleep in 2021.
   
• There has been a decline in young people reporting that they have good places to spend free time. In 2021, 75.5% of young people in Year 8 agreed or strongly agreed that they had good places to spend free time, compared to 67.6% of those young people when they were surveyed again in Year 9 in 2022.

The #BeeWell survey results have overall remained consistent over the two years of the programme, meaning that there is an increased confidence on how accurate the findings are – as over 60,000 young people have told us their views.

In response to the findings, the #BeeWell Coalition of Partners and Greater 91ֱ�� schools have already begun to take action to respond to what young people across the city-region are telling us. This includes investment to support the wellbeing of LGBTQ+ young people, to encourage girls to get involved in physical activity, and the completion of a social prescribing and youth-led investment pilot in five neighbourhoods of Greater 91ֱ��.

With two successful years of Greater 91ֱ�� leading with the #BeeWell programme a second programme will be launched in Hampshire, The Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton (HIPS) from September 2023, in a new partnership with the four local authorities. The expansion of the programme marks the second Integrated Care System area to deliver the #BeeWell Programme and will help to establish any differences between different parts of the country. The programme is already being kickstarted in the region with the process of co-designing the local survey with young people already underway in 15 pathfinder schools.

Building on experiences and learning in Greater 91ֱ��, and national endorsements from the Fair Education Alliance and Times Education Commission, the new partnership with HIPS is the next step of #BeeWell's ambition to ensure that wellbeing is prioritised and measured consistently and rigorously in schools and communities in every corner of England by 2030.

“We have a 10-year plan to take #BeeWell to scale nationally and create a public policy agenda for young people that gives equal weight to wellbeing and attainment," Neil added. "The next step of this plan is our expansion to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care System area. This is critical to understanding local variation, issues of sustainability, scaling up, and synergy.  The learning generated will inform the development of the #BeeWell model to ensure our approach can be embedded and sustained across wider geographies over time, as we seek to fulfil our mission of making young people’s wellbeing everybody’s business.”

"The #BeeWell surveys have facilitated a real breakthrough in conversations about young people’s health, wellbeing, and activity,” said Cllr Mark Hunter, Greater 91ֱ�� Portfolio Lead for Young People. "The results have helped to shape some important changes in Greater 91ֱ�� to support young people and their wellbeing. This year’s findings show that more action needs to be taken to tackle the inequalities in wellbeing between girls and boys, and with LGBTQ+ young people. The support of Greater 91ֱ��’s schools has been integral to #BeeWell, and in Year 2 shows how schools have used the survey results to make positive changes for their pupils. I am looking forward to Year 3 of the survey and the positive changes the results will initiate.”

“The #BeeWell data has enabled us to understand our community with greater focus - we are able to react strategically to areas of fragility and celebrate the strengths and feedback we gain from our young people," said Glyn Potts MBE DL, Headteacher at Saint John Henry Newman Catholic College in Oldham. “Put simply, it is the closest we have to a microscope into the minds of our young people and enables us to be reactive to their needs and a stronger community.”

“The Youth Steering Group weren’t surprised that there remain inequalities in young people’s wellbeing in Greater 91ֱ�� - unfortunately, it is what we see in school every day, particularly pressure on girls," said Ruby, a member of the #BeeWell Youth Steering Group. “It’s good that the data remained consistent – it means things aren’t getting worse and gives us hope that things can get better.”

"The Youth Steering Group would like to open a conversation about how difficult it is for young people to find the balance between your emotions and all the things you have to get done in a day before you can get enough sleep. There are a lot of expectations on young people with homework, revision, caring for ourselves as well as others, especially as you get older. We want to extend this conversation to include adults' wellbeing, too, as they set expectations for younger generations on managing everything that matters to our wellbeing.”

For more background on the #BeeWell project, visit . 

“Even though this was a large, diverse group of adolescents, we saw a consistent fall in wellbeing,” said Ioannis Katsantonis from the University of Cambridge. “One of the most striking aspects was the clear association with changes at school. It suggests we urgently need to do more to support students’ wellbeing at secondary schools across the UK.”

“This study examines whether a school-based intervention can positively impact children’s mental health, and I am particularly enthused by the focus on the role of loneliness, and how that links to mental health outcomes and change - that focus has been missing from previous intervention work”, added Professor Pamela Qualter.

"Kavli Trust has provided us with a wonderful opportunity to assess the impact of a promising school-based intervention on children’s mental health,” added Dr Joao Santos. “By implementing robust theoretical, methodological, and analytical principles in the assessment of this school-based intervention, we hope to make an important and accurate contribution to the field.”

“I look forward to seeing the impact this research will have on all participating agents, particularly given the increasing need to improve children’s mental health and wellbeing.”

“Kavli Trust is pleased to announce this grant award to Professor Joao Santos and his research team”, said General Manager of Kavli Trust, Inger Elise Iversen.  “So far the results reported in practice-based knowledge and evaluations of the Passport programme are very good. We look forward to contributing to further evidence based knowledge about the impact of the programme, and to get to know more about how and why it works”, said Iversen.

The paper is available to view in .

Alongside the evaluation work, the IGNITE Network+ team will be working to support energy researchers from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds through organisational interventions, mentorship, advice and advocacy.

Initiatives arising from consultation with the research community will be a key component of the network, with 40% of the funding allocated to flexible funding calls to address energy research challenges, and fund initiatives in support of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Principal Investigator, Professor Rebecca Lunn from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Strathclyde said: “There is a real lack of diversity in energy research which stems not from a lack of interest, talent or ambition in underrepresented individuals, but from systemic inequalities in UK systems and institutions.

“IGNITE Network+ will focus on transforming diversity by critically evaluating systemic inequalities at each stage in the career pathways of energy researchers. We will design and implement initiatives to remove barriers to success for underrepresented individuals and monitor the performance of these initiatives.”

The project work will be complemented by separate research carried out by Professor Simone Abram at Durham University, a Director in the , also funded by EPSRC. The EDI+ national fellowship scheme will address key challenges and equip a cohort of researchers and their organisations to make lasting changes towards a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible research community.

Young people across Greater 91ֱ�� have places to spend their free time and feel they belong at their school, according to the results of a survey released today.

Greater 91ֱ��’s #BeeWell programme, which focuses on young people’s wellbeing, carried out the biggest survey of its kind in the country in Autumn 2021. More than 160 schools took part in the initiative in its first year, in an enormous region-wide push to support young people’s wellbeing – led by young people themselves.

Young people co-designed the #BeeWell survey, launched it in schools, and have worked with researchers to identify key findings and priority areas of research. The survey received just shy of 40,000 responses, representing approximately 60% of all young people in Year 8 and Year 10 in the city region.

Key Findings

• Analysis by the University of Manchester has shown that:
• Wellbeing metrics for Greater 91ֱ�� young people seem consistent with what we know from other large studies nationally, from life satisfaction to mental wellbeing to emotional difficulties.
• There are noteworthy gaps in wellbeing scores between males and females, with girls reporting lower wellbeing than boys. There are also sizeable inequalities for young people who identify as LGBTQ+, who on average report higher levels of stress and emotional difficulties.
• The majority of young people say they have things to do and places to go. 73% reported they can almost always/often do what they like in their free time, and 70% agreed/strongly agreed that they have places to go to spend free time in their local area. 4 in 5 young people also feel that they belong at their school.
• Physical activity levels appear to have fallen following the pandemic, with only 1 in 3 young people reaching the recommended levels of physical activity set by the Government’s Chief Medical Officer.
• Despite this, a large majority of young people (67%) are still getting involved in sport outside of school at least once a week, and 4 in 5 young people feel they have good, very good or excellent physical health.
• This World Sleep Day, the #BeeWell study can also reveal that 40% of young people say they do not normally get enough sleep to feel awake and concentrate on schoolwork during the day. The average time spent on social media per day is 4.4 hours a day.

These findings are already informing activity across Greater 91ֱ��, with schools, voluntary sector organisations and children’s services working closely with young people to interpret and act on the results. This includes a new social prescribing pilot in five neighbourhoods in response to the #BeeWell data. Young people in participating neighbourhoods will have access to £20,000 commissioning pots to spend on mental health and wellbeing activities in their local area.

Young people will continue to lead the conversation around mental health and wellbeing. Reform Radio are launching a monthly radio show with young artists to explore the key themes emerging from the survey. Young people at Young 91ֱ�� will oversee a commissioning budget for campaigns and activities in their local area. Pupils will support the University of Manchester to identify future research priorities within the dataset.

The Politics Project will run borough-wide conversations between pupils and local politicians in the summer term to explore the data and decide on how they will respond collectively. The Greater 91ֱ�� Strategy will use #BeeWell to ensure the city region is delivering positive change in all its communities, with young people’s wellbeing at the front and centre.  

Professor Neil Humphrey, academic lead for #BeeWell at the University of Manchester, said: “The #BeeWell research team is delighted to begin reporting the initial findings of our first annual survey.  The young people of Greater 91ֱ�� have spoken.  The crucial next step is for the system to respond to what they have told us with the kinds of support that young people want and need, supported by professionals and their local communities. This is just the start of the research we will be able to carry out with the dataset and we will work closely with young people and partners to maximise its impact.”

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, portfolio lead for young people in Greater 91ֱ��, said: “This is an exciting moment for Greater 91ֱ�� as we celebrate and learn from the first year of findings of the #BeeWell survey. There are brilliant strengths emerging throughout the city region that are a testament to our schools and our communities. There are also clear opportunities to act together, with young people leading the way, to improve our support for their mental health and wellbeing.”

Mayor of Greater 91ֱ�� Andy Burnham said: “If we want young people in Greater 91ֱ�� to get on and succeed, it’s vital that we listen to them about what they want from the support and opportunities that are out there. The idea behind #BeeWell – the biggest survey of its kind in the country – was to work with young people to create something that would give us a genuine insight into how they experience life growing up in our city-region. There is good news here, with positive feelings about belonging at school and physical health.

“Clearly, though, this survey has uncovered things that need to be addressed. Young people were hit hard during the pandemic, which exposed the deep inequalities that still exist in our communities. What’s important now is that, working with our partners across Greater 91ֱ��, we use these findings to make sure that our young people get the support they need to thrive.”

Meera Saravanan, #BeeWell Youth Advisor, said: “#BeeWell has given a voice to the young people of Greater 91ֱ�� after they have long been neglected from conversations surrounding mental health and well-being. It is exciting that young people will be at the heart of the decision-making process to ensure that support and education is available to everyone, all whilst making sure we continue to celebrate our schools, communities and our well-being!"

Janice Allen, Headteacher at Falinge Park High School, said: “This is a moment to recognise that schools have been there for children throughout the pandemic and will continue to be there. It is immensely difficult in schools at the moment as we start to see the impact of Covid-19, but through #BeeWell we can make sure that mental health and wellbeing are at the forefront of what we do. The challenge is to now seize this opportunity together.”

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For all information and interview opportunities, contact beewell@manchester.ac.uk 

“Loneliness is experienced as very personal, which often means that each of us thinks we know exactly what it is, what it is caused by and what effects it has, which might lead funders and policy makers to think that we already know everything we need to know about this,” said fellow author Professor Manuela Barreto from the University of Exeter. “This is not correct, however. This report makes it clear that we still need to carry out quite a lot of research to be well equipped to develop and support interventions that improve connection and or reduce the negative effects of loneliness.”

To read the report, visit . 

 

Greater 91ֱ��’s #BeeWell programme has now seen more than 20,000 wellbeing surveys completed by young people across the city region.

Excitement surrounding the wellbeing programme is increasing with 91ֱ�� City’s , 91ֱ�� United’s and giving the programme their support and calling on as many young people to take part as possible by December 3^rd.

#BeeWell is a collaboration between the University of Manchester, the Anna Freud Centre and the Greater 91ֱ�� Combined Authority to survey young people’s wellbeing and bring about positive change with the results.

More than 200 secondary schools across Greater 91ֱ�� have agreed to take part in the programme, including more than 90% of mainstream schools in the city region.

The survey was co-created by 150 young people and quality assured by academics. With two weeks remaining for schools to take part, it is already set to be the UK’s biggest survey of young people of its kind.

Using the results of the survey, #BeeWell will work with partners across the city region, from sports clubs to arts organisations to the voluntary and community sector, to create opportunities to focus on and improve young people’s wellbeing.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater 91ֱ��, said: “I’m delighted to see that so many young people have engaged with our ground-breaking #BeeWell survey which remains open for another two weeks. Whether you think Greater 91ֱ�� is red or blue, we will make sure that all our young people’s voices are heard and acted on. Together we will work with young people to celebrate and improve their wellbeing across all of our communities.”

Janice Allen, Head Teacher at Falinge Park High School, said: “Listening to the voices of young people is vital to help shape our future policy and practice. Addressing how we can support mental health is not just something we should do coming out of the pandemic. This is why the #Beewell work provides us with an opportunity to be committed over the next couple of years to acting, not just talking, about children and young people's mental health and wellbeing."

David Gregson, Chair of the #BeeWell Advisory Board, said: “I’d like to thank all the schools, charities, businesses, sports and cultural organisations, researchers and policy makers across Greater 91ֱ�� for coming together in support of young people across the city region. Only by measuring wellbeing consistently, and listening to the voices of all young people wherever they are, can we make their wellbeing everyone’s business.”

Professor Danielle George MBE, Immediate Past President of the (IET) and #EngineeringKidsFutures ambassador, has sent an open letter to the Prime Minister signed by more than 150 others including; Major Tim Peake, Carol Vorderman MBE, will.i.am, and representatives from Rolls Royce, Vodafone and the MOD, to appeal to the Government to work together with educators and industry to develop practical support for teachers of our youngest children and embed engineering in their existing science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) learning.

Children eagerly learn about science and maths, but the connection to engineering - the link between these subjects, their purpose and application to the world in which we live - is not currently being made. We need to ensure there are clearer learning outcomes for these subjects linked to engineering.

It’s vital that the Government joins this campaign and commits to securing our future as a nation of innovators. Innovators whose skills will be more crucial than ever in the coming decades as we tackle the global challenges posed by achieving net zero and meeting our COP26 pledges.

Reports from the IET this summer estimate a shortfall of over 173,000 workers in the STEM sector: an average of 10 unfilled roles per business in the UK. What is more, the Institution’s latest Skills Survey identifies that half (49%) of engineering businesses are experiencing difficulties in the skills available to them when trying to recruit.

However, this challenge has not appeared overnight. It is a growing issue that the IET has tracked for the last 15 years – longer than the time it takes for a primary aged-child to complete their education. Future skills need addressing now.

The solution? Simply embed engineering into primary school learning to help bridge the growing skills gap within UK workforces and support #EngineeringKidsFutures.

Professor Danielle George MBE, Immediate Past President, the IET and Engineering Kids’ Futures ambassador, commented of the campaign: “To ‘build back better’ and fully embrace the ‘green industrial revolution’ promised by the government it is essential to start with solid foundations. By adding more focus on misunderstood terms like engineering and technology, where we know there is a perception problem, it will help young people from all backgrounds learn vital engineering and tech skills early on and increase their career aspirations.

“We propose collaboration between the Government, STEM education supporters, academia, and industry to provide teachers with the tools to showcase that science, design & technology and maths have vital elements of engineering within them and proactively encourage the teaching of engineering in our primary schools.

“This focus and support for schools is fundamental if we want to futureproof the next generation of engineers. And these benefits extend far beyond the classroom – from higher earnings to better job satisfaction, our research shows that those in STEM careers can hit life goals such as financial independence much sooner than their peers.”

Together with representatives from world leading institutions – including The Engineering Council, WISE, Engineering Development Trust, and Engineering in Motion amongst others – and STEM pioneers the IET has signed an open letter to government calling for Engineering Kids’ Futures to be formally introduced into schools by the next academic year (in 2022). This letter has also been signed by leaders at many of the UK’s leading engineering and technology employers – including Rolls Royce, Thames Water and EON.

Find out more about the Engineering Kids’ Future campaign and how you can get involved via the IET website:

Bringing together current and trainee teachers, Initial Teacher Education (ITE) educators, and representatives from environmental organisations in Greater 91ֱ�� such as 91ֱ�� Environmental Education Network, the day began with a keynote speech from Kevin Anderson, one of the UK’s leading climate change scientists and Professor of Energy and Climate Change at The University of Manchester.

Afterwards, delegates were invited to join a series of workshops designed to empower them with the skills to introduce environmental education into their teaching and provide ideas on reducing the carbon footprint and enhancing nature in their school, college or organisation.

The conference was a collaboration between PGCE trainees, alumni and staff from MIE and Teach the Future; a campaign led by school students working to ensure that education and action on climate emergency and ecological crisis are a key part of the education system.

The idea to run a conference initially developed from a group of MIE trainee teachers whose pupils were demanding a curriculum which acknowledges the unprecedented challenge of the climate crisis and provides opportunities for engagement, activism and action.

Dr Andrew Howes, Director of PGCE in MIE, said: “This conference was a significant step for initial teacher education at the University of Manchester.

"It represents a powerful challenge by young people to accepted thinking and practice in schools and in teacher education.

"So we are following the lead of trainee teachers and young people in pushing for a curriculum fit for the challenge of the climate crisis, and teacher education programmes which enable new teachers, mentors, and partners in schools to develop forward-looking educational responses to the climate and environmental crisis.”

The MIE and Teach the Future are continuing to work together with teachers and trainees, and with local and regional organisations, to promote actions and learning in schools focused on reducing carbon and increasing attention to the natural world.

Three University of Manchester academics have been recognised for their “outstanding” work at this year’s Advance HE Teaching Excellence Awards for Higher Education.

Professor Jackie Carter and Drs Senathirajah Ariyaratnam and Bhuvaneswari Krishnamoorthy have all been named National Teaching Fellows (NTF). The NTF scheme celebrates and recognises individuals who have made an exceptional impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession in higher education.

This year is the 20^th anniversary of the scheme and just 56 fellows from Universities nationwide have been named. Each institution is limited to just three nominations with all of Manchester’s contenders winning the award this year making it a full house. It is the first time this has ever happened for the University.

Prof Carter (below) is a Professor of Statistical Literacy in the School of Social Sciences. She says one of her major accomplishments is developing a living-wage paid work-placement programme.

The scheme sees students undertake a two-month long summer internship in a host of major organisations. These range from local and national government departments to media organisations (BBC, The Times), and even the World Bank. The programme has seen 250 social science and humanities undergraduates benefitting in just six years.

Prof Carter says she passionately believes that we learn skills through practising them, and that applied social research can be undertaken by undergraduates, given the chance. Today she is empowering her own students to become critical data consumers and well-informed citizens.

Dr Senathirajah Ariyaratnam (below) is a clinical Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead for the Oral Medicine Teaching and Learning Programme at the University. He has 40 years of national and international teaching and clinical experience.

He is an internationally renowned teacher with special interests in developing innovative curriculum, student-led course models, exploring service learning based pedagogies to integrate social responsibility in mainstream teaching and learning and globalising the innovations.

Through his Humanising Dentistry initiative Dr Ariyaratnam has successfully integrated the service learning pedagogy throughout the curriculum which resulted in combatting dental health inequalities in hard to reach communities, both nationally and globally, whilst producing socially responsible graduates.

Dr Bhuvaneswari Krishnamoorthy (below) is a postdoctoral, National Institute of Health Research Fellow working across the University of Manchester, Edge Hill University and the 91ֱ�� Foundation Trust hospital to bridge the gap between clinical teaching and academic research. She is also the President of Association of Cardiothoracic Surgical Care Practitioner, National Education Chair for the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (Speciality advisory group for cardiothoracic surgery and Education Committee) and Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons for all Nurses and Allied Health Professionals in GB.

She says working across three organisations has taught her a lot about the ethos of different types of learners, cultural differences, and different teaching environments. Dr Krishnamoorthy has taught more than 1500 students globally and says her vision is to promote inter-professional teaching in multidisciplinary teams which translates to creating better practice. 

The University's was also nominated for the Collaborative Award in Teaching Excellence (CATE) prize in recognition for its work in the local community. The Hub, which is based in the , is the home of a range of projects based at University that are making a real change in the community, such as and Dementia Law Clinic.

Vice-President for , Professor April McMahon, said: “First and foremost I’d like to congratulate all our individual winners for their outstanding work. Their teaching practice shows flair, passion and commitment to students, and this prestigious award is a testament to their dedication.

“For our University to have not one, but three National Teaching Fellows in a single year, and from such diverse discipline areas, demonstrates the strength, depth and innovation of our teaching and learning provision here at 91ֱ��. It really is something special to celebrate.”

Alison Johns, Advance HE CEO, said: “I am sure I am joined by the entire sector in congratulating the 2020 NTFS and CATE awardees. All of the winners should be extremely proud of their achievement of what are prestigious, national teaching awards. Their work epitomises the outstanding commitment to teaching in the UK higher education sector, which this year has been more demanding than ever before. Well done to each and every one of them.”