Category Archives: Education News

Education News

How to celebrate Learning at Work Week by embracing growth in the workplace

Learning At Work Week has been heralded as the perfect opportunity to “foster a culture of continuous improvement.”

Expert Jack Hayes, the director of the Motivational Speakers Agency, specialises in providing experts to businesses who can drive innovation and productivity.

And he says Learning At Work Week, celebrated between May 13 and May 19, can benefit both employers and employees.

Jack said: “Learning At Work Week is now firmly established as a key date in the calendar for business leaders. 87% of employees are less likely to leave their jobs if they are in workplaces which foster a culture of learning, and which organise engaging activities, as well as recognising achievements. Learning at Work Week is also an opportunity to foster a culture of continuous improvement and growth within an organisation. It is a time to also celebrate the value of learning and development in the workplace.

“Employers who recognise and act on learning at work week can reap numerous benefits. These include increased employee engagement and morale; enhanced skills and knowledge within the workforce; improved productivity and performance;

greater innovation and adaptability and enhanced employer brand and reputation as a learning organization.

 

Here are five top tips on how to celebrate Learning at Work Week and the benefits employers can gain by recognizing and acting on this event.

 

  1. Foster a Learning Culture:

Encourage a culture where learning is embraced at all levels. Provide staff with resources, support them, and roll out incentives for employees to engage in learning activities. This could include offering training programs, workshops, mentorship opportunities, or access to online learning platforms. By prioritising learning, you can demonstrate your commitment to employee development and empowerment.

 

  1. Organize Engaging Activities:

Plan a variety of interactive and engaging learning activities throughout the week. This could involve workshops, seminars, webinars, lunch-and-learns, team-building exercises, or knowledge-sharing sessions. Also aim to get creative and organise a learning expert to deliver a keynote speech to your audience. The Champions’ Speaker agency recently compiled its list of 10 best learning at work keynote speakers.

They included Inga Beale, the first female CEO of Lloyd’s of London; Olympian Derek Redmond; Carey Lohrenz, the first female F-14 Tomcat pilot, and Bonita Norris became the youngest British woman to summit Mount Everest

The best keynote speakers for Learning at Work Week are those who can inspire, educate, and motivate employees to embrace learning and personal development.

 

  1. Recognise and Reward Learning Achievements:

Acknowledge and celebrate the learning achievements of employees. Recognise individuals or teams who have demonstrated commitment to learning, acquired new skills, or made significant contributions to knowledge sharing. Consider offering rewards such as certificates, badges, prizes, or public recognition to incentivise participation and showcase the importance of continuous learning.

 

  1. Encourage Collaboration and Peer Learning:

Facilitate opportunities for employees to collaborate and learn from each other. Encourage peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, mentoring, and cross-departmental collaboration. Create forums or online platforms where employees can share insights, best practices, and any lessons learned. By fostering a culture of collaboration, you promote continuous learning and collective growth within the organisation.

 

 

  1. Reflect and Set Goals for the Future:

Use Learning at Work Week as a time for reflection and goal setting. Encourage employees to reflect on their learning journey so far, identify areas for improvement, and set personal or professional development goals for the future. Provide support and guidance in creating actionable plans to achieve these goals, whether through additional training, mentorship, or on-the-job experiences.

Driving, Education, Education News

Hawkstone Scholarship Programme Winner Announced at University of South Wales

During September 2023, Hawkstone Commercials launched the Hawkstone Scholarship Programme which gave business study students at the University of South Wales the opportunity to compete for a £500 bursary payment.

Hawkstone Commercials is an independent vehicle leasing broker operating out of Bridgend in South Wales who were recently named in the Top 100 SME Businesses 2024.

The task set to the students was to write a detailed paper on how to overcome one of the key issues that faces the motor industry, and to outline opportunities in the market to further grow the business.

The winner was selected after a vigorous judging process, and it has been announced that the Hawkstone Scholarship bursary will go to Lekshmi Nair after delivering an exceptional final paper on the subject matter.

Director of Hawkstone Commercials, Oliver Lewis said “As a business we feel very strongly about giving back to organisations and charities as often as we can. There is a lot of talent within the University of South Wales, and it is important to give them as many real-world opportunities as possible to ensure they can develop into the next generation of entrepreneurs”.

“After meeting with Lekshmi, it was clear that the Scholarship Programme has added a lot of value to the University and the students within. We have made the decision to start another programme this year, which we believe will be a bigger success than the last” Oliver added.

Lekshmi Nair said “It was fantastic to challenge myself in a subject and topic that I am not particularly familiar with. I undertook a lot of research to fully understand how the industry operates to ensure that I provided a strong and robust paper. I would like to thank Hawkstone Commercials for the opportunity”.

Hawkstone Commercials has set its sights on expanding the Scholarship Programme across other universities in Wales, and to local colleges in the near future.

 

Education, Education News, News, Pensions

Teachers’ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate rises – what can independent schools do about it?

The employer contribution rate for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), a defined benefit scheme, has increased by 5% this month.

The rate increase from 23.68% to 28.68% is based on the outcome of the 2020 valuation of the scheme. The Department for Education is providing additional funding to directly funded scheme employers, such as state schools, to cover the increase in the employer contribution rate, but higher education providers and independent schools are not eligible for this and are facing additional costs.

Stuart Price, Partner and Actuary at Quantum Advisory, says: “With no funding assistance from the government, independent schools face an exponential rise in employment costs. Coupled with Labour’s plans to add VAT to independent school fees if they win the upcoming general election, independent schools are having to make difficult financial decisions to ensure that their future is sustainable.

“This latest employer TPS contribution rate rise could be the turning point for even more independent schools to review their pension provision for teaching staff. A freedom of information request by the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association has revealed that 460 independent schools have left or announced plans to leave the TPS in some form as of September 2023.

“There are numerous alternative pension options for schools such as phased withdrawal that allows independent schools to opt out of the TPS for new teaching staff, while existing teaching staff remain members of the TPS. This option has limited impact on immediate cost savings and mitigating financial risk for independent schools. More common options include a total exit from the TPS for all teaching staff in respect of future service or a ‘shared cost/risk’ basis where teaching staff pick up some or all of the additional costs to remain in the TPS for future service. Combinations of the alternatives are also available too.

“Whatever a school does needs to be carefully planned for; that includes putting in place a robust business case for any changes. But by far the biggest challenge is the HR issues changes can bring. These can be mitigated by providing generous flexible alternatives in place of the TPS, carrying out a well-planned communication exercise with teaching staff that includes being receptive to their views and providing lots of support so teaching staff can see how the changes would impact them at a personal level. This allows teaching staff to fully understand the changes so they can make a well informed decision in relation to their future benefit provision.

“Making changes to the TPS is not a straightforward exercise but once done it provides independent schools with more long-term funding stability, which is so important given the current financial climate.”

Child Development, Childcare, Children and Childcare, Education, Education News, Healthcare, Mental Health, News

Major Study Reveals Skills Children Need to Navigate an Uncertain Future

Parents value ‘soft skills’ over ‘hard skills’ to future-proof their children’s wellbeing, new research reveals.

  • 38% cited resilience and the ability to cope through change as most important
  • 38% are most concerned with their children developing interpersonal and social skills 
  • Only 29% listed maths and data analysis as a key skill
  • Working parents aged 55+ believe resilience and the ability to cope is most valuable (49%), while parents aged 18-34 place most emphasis on imagination, creativity and problem solving (32%)

A survey of over 3,000 working parents has revealed that in a world of rapidly evolving technology and AI, parents want their children to develop life skills over those that are technical or academic.

The findings formed part of Bright Horizons’ UK annual Modern Families Index survey and found that parents today are acutely aware they are preparing their children for an unpredictable future – and a world of jobs that don’t yet exist.

To counter these growing concerns and fears for their children’s mental health, parents are placing greater importance on life skills such as resilience and ability to cope – above technical skills such as maths and IT.

 

One parent quoted in the report revealed: “Having interpersonal skills and resilience helps her to understand when she should say no to something. She will live in a world where no one will ever be able to switch off. She needs to be able to create boundaries and show her worth at work so as to not be overlooked by AI.”

Rather than simply preparing for school or for a specific career path, parents recognise their children need to be prepared for life, with the confidence and motivation to flourish, whatever the circumstances.

 

Caroline Wright, Director of Early Childhood at Bright Horizons UK commented: “These findings amplify the importance of the uniquely holistic educational approach practised in our nurseries. There is a rapidly growing need for parents to feel their child’s emotional development is being supported as they mature, so by introducing the concept of positive mental health from an early age, we can help children feel safe and secure and be open to learning. 

“Our Nurture ApproachTM places equal emphasis on children’s emotional wellbeing, as well as practical and academic skills, and this provides the foundations for children to reach their full potential – preparing them for life in an ever-changing world.” 

 

Further data shows parents seek support and guidance through their employers on developing children’s emotional and interpersonal skills in their parenting. This is evident through those utilising Bright Horizons’ Work+Family Solutions ‘Speak to an Expert’ service. Almost half of employees using the provision were seeking advice on young people’s resilience, wellbeing and helping their children manage emotions.

 

 

About Bright Horizons 

In our nurseries, the Bright Horizons Nurture Approach recognises the individual needs of each child, and focuses on promoting confidence, wellbeing and a genuine love for learning. Based on extensive pedagogical theory and the latest neuroscientific research, our approach is based on the premise that emotional resilience and wellbeing is just as important as other early childhood foundational skills, such as counting and literacy. It also focuses on the significance of the adult role as educators, and the importance of secure attachments between children, families and the key person.

Bright Horizons Work+Family Solutions provides best in class practical, wellbeing and developmental solutions, supporting employers and employees with the holistic combination of work and family. With over 400 clients in the UK, and more than 1,300 globally, the company provides a full range of supports and acts as a trusted partner, provider, and advisor on employer strategies to meet companies’ objectives. This plays a key part in attracting, engaging, and retaining talented people for their clients and the bespoke services address the practical, wellbeing and cultural needs of organisations and individuals.

Education, Education News, News, Sustainability

‘Sustainability Should be Taught in Our Schools’

Lincolnshire parents calling for more to be done in schools to help families adopt a sustainable lifestyle and protect the planet.

Liam (38) and wife, Angela, from Crowland near Peterborough are among 40 per cent of parents claiming life with children prevents them adopting a more sustainable lifestyle.

Ahead of Earth Day on April 22 2024, new research from the UK’s largest gas distribution network, Cadent, shows two thirds of households are still struggling to be sustainable.

The  ‘Energy Diaries: Fair Sustainability’ report captures feedback from over 2,000 UK households and shows that those making the effort to be more sustainable are only doing so to save money.

Parents like Liam and Angela are finding it difficult to instil environmentally-conscious behaviours with their children without the message being reinforced in school.

 

Liam commented: “As our two kids grow older and their lives become busier, we’ve found it really difficult to reduce our energy use as a family. We try to educate them but it’s quite a challenge to convey the importance of being eco-friendly when this message isn’t being reiterated in other settings, like school or college. 

“As adults, we’re conscious of what we’re doing so we try to reduce our carbon footprint by recycling and reusing what we can. But the time our children spend in the shower, or drying their hair, can feel like an age and it’s this blasé attitude we want to change. Sustainability is a stem subject, so it can be taught in maths, science, tech and home economics and we need to be doing that for our young people in the UK.”

Cadent’s data, in partnership with Thinks Insight, reveals that 44 per cent of households making the effort to be more sustainable have only been prompted by the cost of living crisis. Changes include turning the heating down, using less water, buying second hand clothes and furniture, or switching to more sustainable brands.

However, with Liam’s 11-year old daughter and 19-year old son both attending sports clubs and gym classes most weeknights plus PE lessons peppered throughout the School week, the washing machine is on most days.

Liam added: “There’s a lot we can’t compromise on, particularly cleanliness and convenience for our sporty kids. I also run four times a week, so on top of the kids’ activities, we have a lot of sportswear in the house and if they’re not washed properly at warm temperatures, they start to smell.”

 

Mark Belmega, Director of Social Purpose and Sustainability at Cadent, commented: “While some households are taking steps to reduce energy usage, they’re doing so to save money and it involves sacrificing valuable time and convenience, something that busy families are less likely to do. There’s also a further battle to be had to encourage energy-saving habits amongst young people.

“But it’s crunch time for net zero and UK households need help to become greener while also juggling these time and cost pressures. It’s crucial industry, government and the wider business community collaborate to support all customers with their energy transition journey, no matter their living situation. 

“Our Energy Diaries project is a strong step towards helping our customers live more affordable, energy-efficient lives. Exploring their experiences first-hand enables us to co-create solutions to achieve a more affordable, sustainable future.” 

 

As the UK’s largest gas distribution network and a provider of a critical service to over 11 million customers, Cadent has a responsibility to help keep people safe, warm and independent in their homes. The Energy Diaries series follows the real-life experiences of consumers and their energy use, with the latest study focusing on sustainability against the cost-of-living backdrop.

 

Education, Education News, News

Bradford College Achieves West Yorkshire Fair Work Charter

Bradford College is one of the latest certified members of the new West Yorkshire Fair Work Charter.

Created by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, the Charter is an ambitious new initiative that supports and celebrates great employers across the region.

The Charter welcomes employers of all sizes and across sectors who are committed to meaningful action, helping provide better pay, conditions, and opportunities for all.

Local employers, trade unions, and regional leaders helped to develop the initiative, overseen by a steering group. The Charter is guided by five themes: opportunity, security, wellbeing, fulfilment, and employee voice.

Bradford College met the criteria owing to its aspirational 2022-2026 strategic plan and the strategic objective to become an ‘employer of choice.’ Work is underway to boost staff engagement and attendance levels, offer outstanding learning and development, recruit and retain highly skilled and motivated staff, and offer a great place to work.

Sarah Cooper, Bradford College Director of People Services, said:

“We are delighted to be approved as an early joiner of the West Yorkshire Fair Work Charter. This endorsement of Bradford College’s employment practices commends our ambition of being an employer that offers an exceptional workplace.

“We recently updated all our HR policies and are investing more in learning and development and wellbeing activities – all examples of how we support existing and future employees. We look forward to building on this success and sharing best practice with other regional organisations.”

Mayor Tracy Brabin unveiled the West Yorkshire Fair Work Charter at the University of Bradford in November. More than 40 businesses and organisations pledged to improve the quality of work in West Yorkshire, with Bradford College being one of the few large employees in the city to achieve this status.

The West Yorkshire Fair Work Charter follows similar charters in other Mayoral Combined Authority areas, such as Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region. It is designed to be relevant to large organisations, but also small and medium-sized businesses which make up 99% of employers in the region.

Find out more about working for Bradford College:

www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/about-us/jobs-at-bradford-college

Education, Education News, News, Research

Explorance MLY partners with University of Westminster to support enhanced qualitative analysis of student experience insights

The University of Westminster is partnering with Explorance MLY to support its institutional need for enhanced qualitative analysis of student experience insights emerging in surveys.

MLY, formerly known as BlueML, is a revolutionary advancement in the field of feedback analytics that identifies recommendations from comments. For students, it helps to enhance teaching methods and curriculum through the evaluation of student learning experiences, supporting student satisfaction and engagement. It also supports employee journeys, capturing experience and learning insights.

The University, which has more than 21,000 students drawn from 160 different nationalities on its undergraduate, postgraduate and professional courses, is currently rolling out MLY within its student and colleague surveys after purchasing the system at the end of 2022-23.

“We decided to purchase MLY as a result of wanting to build on our qualitative analysis capabilities,” explained Kirsty Bryant, Senior Institutional Research Analyst – Strategy, Planning, and Performance at the University of Westminster. “Prior to MLY, we would manually thematically analyse the open comments from just one of our surveys, despite running several large-scale surveys throughout the academic year. Whilst we knew our dataset well, we were also aware of how resource-intensive such analysis was, so were looking for ways to streamline this process to increase the amount of qualitative analysis that we could undertake.”

MLY offered the University “quick processing deductive thematic analysis”, Kirsty said, as well as a platform for enabling wider innovation in her team.

“The AI through Explorance MLY gives us greater capacity so we can run all our major surveys through this system and will enable us to be more responsive, especially in consideration of module evaluation surveys, where we can identify in-year issues and react quickly,” she continued. “We also expect there to be a culture shift in how my team spends their time. We can focus on how and what we communicate to stakeholders and ensure there is accountability in making positive change. We will be able to share high-level analysis of the open comments almost as quickly as we currently deliver the quantitative counterparts of our surveys. We expect this to be a real culture change as our qualitative data can be elevated to the same status as our extensive quantitative datasets.​”

Kirsty added: “Bringing in all the qualitative data from all our major surveys means we will have the capacity to map different levels of study or different time periods to identify patterns and trends. We can segment the data to better understand different student user journeys and develop measures to ensure success for all our students. The Explorance team have really listened to our suggestions and have taken many of them on board to further improve MLY.”

John Atherton, VP Sales EMEA at Explorance, said: “We are really pleased to be working with the University of Westminster, which is not currently a user of our Explorance Blue course evaluation platform but has purchased MLY to support its existing system. MLY empowers organisations to listen inside and out by gathering insights not only from internal survey comments, but also from external channels, such as reviews or social posts. This way, MLY provides the capability to distil actionable feedback directly from the authentic voice of people, without the filters and constraints of survey questionnaires.”

In the UK, Explorance supports over 25 universities: Aberdeen, Anglia Ruskin, Bath Spa, Birkbeck – University of London, Brighton, Bristol, Buckingham, Cardiff, Cardiff Metropolitan, Coventry, Durham, Glasgow Caledonian, Keele, Kingston, Leeds, Liverpool John Moores, Loughborough, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham Trent, Northumbria, Sheffield, Strathclyde, Westminster, Worcester and University of Law.

Business, Education, Education News, News

Porto Business School awarded 5-year AMBA re-accreditation and becomes the first-ever Portuguese business school to obtain international BGA accreditation

Porto Business School has officially received a 5-year AMBA (Association of MBAs) re-accreditation and the Business Graduates Association (BGA) accreditation, which are two of the world’s leading authorities on business education.

This confirms Porto Business School’s position as a nationally and internationally recognized higher education institution, and part of an elite group of institutions whose MBAs hold international accreditations from AMBA, AACSB and EFMD.

Just 300 of the world’s 16,000 business schools, including Porto Business School, are AMBA accredited, equivalent to two percent. This re-accreditation recognizes Porto Business School’s position as a world-leading higher education institution, which has received the highest standard of achievement in postgraduate business education.

Porto Business School’s joint accreditation follows a two-day visit in December 2023 by a three-strong team of international business school leaders.

Porto Business School has also become the first-ever Portuguese business school to obtain a five-year Business Graduate Accreditation (BGA) from the Business Graduates Association (BGA), the sister organization to AMBA.

The BGA accreditation, relaunched in 2019 with a renewed emphasis on impact, is awarded to business schools that can unmistakably showcase a growing influence on their students and communities over a measurable period. BGA’s three key pillars are responsible management, positive impact, and lifelong learning. All accredited business schools must implement BGA’s Continuous Impact Model (CIM), evaluating improvements in impact across various metrics.

Porto Business School offers three types of MBA: the Executive MBA, the International MBA and the Digital MBA. Each of the programmes is tailored for executives and entrepreneurs who want to develop and strengthen their management and leadership skills, equipping them to thrive in the dynamic landscape of today’s business world.

The business school is based in Porto, a city with a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and a growing number of start-ups and incubators. MBA students at Porto Business School will get the opportunity to participate in global immersion experiences and international consulting projects.

José Esteves, Dean of Porto Business School says: “I am delighted to announce our AMBA re-accreditation and our recent five-year BGA accreditation from the Business Graduates Association, and we appreciate the guidance and support provided by AMBA & BGA throughout the journey. This joint accreditation reinforces our dedication to excellence and impact in responsible management education. Porto Business School’s commitment is mirrored in our innovative MBA programs, designed to empower business leaders capable of promoting positive and long-lasting impact in an ever-changing business ecosystem.”

Andrew Main Wilson, Chief Executive of AMBA & BGA, says: “I am delighted to welcome Porto Business School to the BGA network and would like to congratulate the school for being the first Business School in Portugal to become BGA accredited. Porto Business School has demonstrated a commitment to the learning experience of students, especially with the strong ties it has to the corporate world. I would also like to congratulate the School on its AMBA re-accreditation. The school is an important part of the AMBA network, which accredits just the top two percent of business schools globally. I am looking forward to continuing to work with Porto Business School.”

Education News

On International Day of Education: Why a career in teaching can be life changing and help positively shape young minds

Expert shares five reasons why a job in education is a great step to make as we celebrate teaching

IN a period of global uncertainty one thing will always create unity – the powerful role of education across the world.

It’s against this backdrop that countries across the world will today (Jan 24) come together – and celebrate International Day of Education.

Now in its sixth year, the event is dedicated by the United Nations General Assembly to celebrating education as a tool for the development of society and global peace.

This year’s theme is ‘Learning for Lasting Peace’, which focuses on the crucial role education and teachers play in countering hate speech.

So as the world celebrates the unifying role education can play, what benefits come from a career in teaching? And how can educators help to promote peace?

Here, Matt Gregory, Director of Education at Bookmark, provides his expert insight.

It offers fresh horizons

“One of the most exciting aspects of working in education, and teaching in particular, is the broad spectrum of subjects available. For those professionals who may have reached an impasse in their career, having been teaching the same subject for a number of years, turning to a new subject can be a beneficial next step, expanding their knowledge and developing new skills. Exploring opportunities within new subjects can ignite a passion for new disciplines, thus increasing job satisfaction and leading to new prospects, particularly when taking into account the variety of subjects being added to school curriculum that are gaining prominent importance in the modern world, such as technology-based subjects”.

It provides a myriad of opportunities

“Few careers offer the level of depth you get in education. From nursery, to primary and secondary, to further and higher education, the education sector is filled with opportunities to teach children and young adults at different developmental stages. And for many, making a move to a different level of the industry is just what’s needed to advance their career by engaging with a different, and perhaps more well matched, side of education.

For instance, early years education offers the opportunity for educators to lay the groundwork for the academic success and overall well-being of children, having a long-term impact on their cognitive, social, and emotional skills – an instrumental part of education.

A career in higher education, on the other hand, can be an enriching and noteworthy path for many, empowering young adults with advanced knowledge and skills in their chosen field and enhancing their career opportunities and earning potential”.

It allows you to support those with special educational needs

“Special Educational Needs (SEN) education is one of the most rewarding paths to follow in the education sector, allowing every student, regardless of any learning difficulties or disabilities, to receive the education they need to thrive in society and reach their full potential.

It is no secret that SEN teaching and support is not suited to everyone, requiring a unique set of soft skills as well as technical knowledge.

However, the opportunities available in SEN are varied, ranging from learning support assistants to behaviour mentors, to cover supervisors and many more, enabling those with an interest in this area of education to access the field in different ways and make a difference to the lives of millions of individuals with special educational needs”.

It delivers on flexibility

“Another advantageous element of a career in education is the flexibility, enabling individuals to take on jobs in ways other than on a full-time basis.

For those with parental responsibilities, other jobs, or who simply enjoy a less hectic lifestyle, part-time positions are ideal, while also providing opportunities for skills development and growth.

Taking on a temporary role offers the chance to work in different educational settings, levels and subject areas, also allowing individuals to experience the job without making a long-term commitment. These types of positions can ultimately help fill employment gaps while also contributing to creating a varied, comprehensive CV and making candidates more attractive to employers”.

It allows you to help positively shape young minds

“Teachers and educators can positively shape the minds of children and the population in general through education and can help play a role in steering them away from hateful rhetoric. Teachers and educators in general have an incredible opportunity in their career and life to positively influence the future generation and combat negative mindsets and beliefs. A good teacher can be a massive influence on a student’s beliefs and act almost as a parent figure, playing a key role in the process of guiding them to always think in a rounded way about topics they encounter. This, in turn, can help them to reject some of the more harmful narratives often targeted at young people. Education can be a great tool in helping to defeat negative and hateful mindsets and help positively develop people”.

Education, Education News, Science

The OR Society welcomes Government funding that will transform the mathematical science landscape

The OR Society, the leading membership organisation for operational researchers, welcomes funding announced by the Chancellor in last month’s Autumn Statement[i] for up to £6m over three years, for the creation of a national Academy focussed on mathematical sciences.

Commenting on the announcement, Seb Hargreaves, Chief Executive at The OR Society said: “It’s heartening to witness the Chancellor’s endorsement of the creation of an Academy that will serve as a formidable champion and ally for everyone within the mathematical sciences community.

“The creation of an Academy devoted to advancing mathematics and data skills is a positive development and we look to proactively engage our members in the many opportunities to collaborate in the future’’.

The OR Society highlight that the UK has long been a mathematical research powerhouse, with six Fields Medallists – an award often described as the mathematical equivalent of the Nobel Prize; world leading universities and a rich history of innovation.

But the potential of UK mathematical science has been hampered by fragmentation between different parts of the mathematical community, and between academics, teachers, policymakers and industry.

The new Academy seeks to change this and transform the mathematical sciences landscape, by bringing together a unified community of mathematical scientists that spans education, academia, industry and the public sector.

The creation of an Academy was a key recommendation of the 2018 Bond Review[ii], an independent review carried out by Professor Philip Bond, aimed at examining knowledge exchange in the mathematical sciences.

Following this review, mathematical groups and individual mathematicians in the UK, coordinated by the Council for Mathematical Sciences (CMS), have been working to develop what such an Academy might look like – akin to the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) or the Academy of Medical Sciences (AcMedSci).

The OR Society has been actively involved in the set up phase as a ‘proto Academy’. The proto Academy conducted a consultation in May 2023 to assist in informing and shaping its development, as well as identifying the initial priorities for the Academy.

Many members contributed to this consultation and together with their Research Committee, The OR Society submitted a consolidated response.

Dr Gilbert Owusu, President at The OR Society said: “I am pleased to see the Academy taken forward with the financial backing required. The establishment of a national Academy will bring together key players in the mathematical sciences, amplifying influence and cultivating cohesion in tackling numerous challenges, many of which operational research has a significant role to play.’’

For more information about The OR Society visit www.theorsociety.com.

[i] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/science-innovation-and-technology-backed-in-chancellors-2023-autumn-statement

[ii] https://www.ukri.org/publications/the-era-of-mathematics/