Sheffield Hallam University is highlighting the work it does to build stronger communities regionally, nationally and internationally through a week-long campaign.
The campaign will demonstrate the University’s commitment to improving social mobility and widening access to higher education across the Sheffield City Region as well as driving improvements in education.
It will also highlight how Sheffield Hallam’s world-leading applied research undertaken alongside a range of partner organisations is tackling global societal challenges including a tool to make algorithm policing fairer, helping to end energy invisibility and the impact this could have on attitudes towards climate change and planning for the housing sector to help meet the needs of an ageing population.
The culmination of the campaign will be the inaugural Hallam Festival of Education which will take place at the University on 14-15 June. The festival will bring together over 100 speakers, groups and organisations from local, regional, national and international education systems.
The concept has been curated by the University’s social mobility partnership South Yorkshire Futures.
The flagship project, backed by the Department for Education and Sheffield City Region Mayor, has seen Sheffield Hallam take a leading role in bringing together regional stakeholders to collaborate on raising aspirations and improving educational attainment for young people of all ages and backgrounds, whilst developing a skilled and dedicated workforce to support them.
Professor Roger Eccleston, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Global Engagement, said: “Building stronger, fairer and more inclusive communities is at the very heart of Sheffield Hallam’s values as an institution.
“Through our world-leading applied research we’re finding boundary-breaking solutions in response to major societal challenges at local, national and global levels.
“At a regional level our innovative social mobility partnership, award-winning widening participation and outreach programmes and our outstanding teacher education training are helping the next generation of young people to achieve their potential.
“This campaign showcases just some of the incredible work taking place across the University that cements our place at the heart of the city region as well as highlighting our impact globally.”
Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said: “Sheffield Hallam University is a fantastic example of an institution that is proactively engaging with communities to make a positive difference to our society.
“Academics from across the university make a tremendous contribution to understanding the challenges we face in contemporary society, on important issues such as national security, housing, employment, migration and human rights.
“Their work through South Yorkshire Futures – which I am incredibly proud to support – is providing vital support and transforming the lives of disadvantaged young people across the Sheffield City Region, so that they have the same opportunities as their peers in other parts of the country.
“As Mayor, I value the huge contribution that Sheffield Hallam University makes to our region as they continue to build better and stronger communities.”
Sheffield Hallam is a leader in widening access to higher education to people from all backgrounds. In 2016/17, Sheffield Hallam admitted more students from neighbourhoods with historically low numbers going on to university than any other provider in the UK.
In addition, 41 per cent of Sheffield Hallam students come from low income households and the student body is 96 per cent state-educated compared to a national average of 90 per cent.
Sheffield Hallam University is the most prominent university in the UK for driving improvements in education. From early years through to higher education, Sheffield Hallam provides over 1,000 qualified teachers each year to the education system regionally and nationally.
