The future of bioscience teaching: How to do more with less

Organised by Heads of University Biological Sciences (HUBS) and the Biochemical Society, this meeting brought together key decision makers and influencers with delegates from the Higher Education sector. The challenges facing the HE sector in the spending review period were discussed, with best practice and innovative bioscience teaching also highlighted.

Alan Cann is a Senior Lecturer and Chair of the Microbiology Teaching Team in the Department of Biology at the University of Leicester.  In 2009, he led a study on the use of social media as a communication tool within academia.

Talk title: 'More with less: A tale of two modules'

Dr Alan McNally is a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Microbiology in the School of Science and Technology at Nottingham Trent University.

Talk title: 'Smarter assessment of biology practical sessions: Implementing a practical portfolio'

Linda is a Senior Lecturer in the College of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee.  She has received awards for her teaching initiatives including University of Dundee 'Honorary Graduates' Award for Innovative Teaching' and a 'Higher Education Teaching Award' from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Talk title: 'Large class teaching: keeping the personal touch'

Colin is a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford. He has won many prizes for his public engagement and communication work including the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize.

Talk title: 'The HE minefield: between customer-students, dissatisfied employers and nervous research funders.'

David is the Director of the Higher Education Academy's UK Centre for Bioscience. The Centre's areas of focus includes (amongst other areas) assessment, feedback and plagiarism, employer engagement and pedagogic research.

Talk title: 'The new structure for the Higher Education Academy and support for the Biosciences'

Nigel Brown is Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. He holds a personal chair in Molecular Microbiology and teaches in the School of Biological Sciences. Nigel is a member of the Scottish Science Advisory Council, providing expert advice to the Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland.

Talk title 'Concentration, Collaboration and Competition: The challenges for funding research'

Alan Langlands is the Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), responsible for promoting and funding high-quality education and research in universities and colleges with higher education programmes. He was formerly the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee (2000 to 2009) and Chief Executive of the NHS in England (1994 to 2000).

Talk title: 'Contemporary issues in Higher Education'

The HUBS Spring Meeting 2010 took place at Weetwood Hall, Leeds:

Weetwood Hall
Otley Road, Leeds, LS16 5PS
Map showing location of Weetwood Hall