The campaign highlights the enormous contribution to the UK made by modern universities and their students. Today’s event will be held in the State Rooms at Speaker’s House, kindly hosted by the Speaker, The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, and will give parliamentarians the chance to meet with modern university students and staff.
MillionPlus is the Association for Modern Universities in the UK, and the voice of 21st century higher education.
Modern universities represent more than half of the UK’s higher education sector, educating over a million students a year, delivering world-class teaching and research, broadening participation, transforming lives and delivering a highly skilled workforce for employers of many kinds.
These universities thrive at meeting the challenges posed in a rapidly changing world. They have a huge impact across the UK and do much of the hard work in developing key skills for the future jobs market.
Therefore, if government wants:
- to boost productivity, innovation and technological advances in industry to meet tomorrow’s challenges
- to improve recruitment, retention and impact of the public service workforce in our NHS, schools, police forces and local communities
- to increase the aspiration and opportunities for people from all walks of life by ensuring flexible pathways into higher education, supporting them on their learning journey
…they need to #ThinkModern.
The campaign explores the work of these universities, focusing on six theme areas – Making Britain Work; Pathways, Partnerships and Productivity; Creative and Technological Skills for the 21st Century; Innovation and Research; Aspiration, Opportunity and Inclusion; and Entrepreneurial, Enterprising, Enriching.
Professor Ieuan Ellis, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Partnerships and Region at Staffordshire University, said: “The #ThinkModern campaign recognises the crucial role that modern universities like Staffordshire play in raising aspirations and enabling social, cultural and economic development.
“We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to improve their lives through education. Our courses develop future-facing skills which make our graduates among the most employable in the country.
“Many of our students are mature or from the local area and we offer a range of flexible and digitally-enabled learning to suit their needs. The #ThinkModern campaign case studies feature just some of our ambitious and inspirational students who have transformed their lives by coming to university.”
Follow the campaign on the MillionPlus website and on Twitter, using the hashtag #ThinkModern