Education: its role in preparing the advanced practice workforce – a view from HE

Professor Melanie Jasper, Head of School of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University

My aims:

To consider the notion of education – a personal view

To frame this within the context of Higher Education

To explore the implications of these for educating advanced practitioners

Thinking about educationseeing things differently asking questions being curious

preparation for life build knowledge

understanding finding out new things

educationchallenge/being critical person/needs-

centred

development change

process doing things differently no rules

What it isn’t A product A place A designated set of methods of

teaching/learning Time-limited Assessment processes Content-driven by others Unequal power-relationship Rule driven

What is higher education? Specific educational context Business sector Specific agendaUUK vision‘our vision is of an autonomous university

sector in the UK that, through excellence in teaching, research, and knowledge exploitation, raises aspirations, has an international reputation for innovation, and contributes to the wider economy and society’

Sector diversity Russell Group – 20 leading UK universities with the

best research and excellent teaching eg Oxford, Manchester, Bristol, Southampton

1994 group – 19 universities, established to promote excellence in research and teaching…set agenda for HE eg Bath, Essex, Exeter, Surrey

Million + - 28 universities, University ‘think tank’, mainly post-92 and newer Universities eg Anglia Ruskin, LSBU, TVU, Sunderland

Post-92 – the result of the removal of the ‘binary line’ which abolished polytechnics eg Portsmouth, Hertfordshire, Greenwich, Sheffield Hallam

Swansea University - vision

To be a research-led University of international quality

Mission statement

SU will provide and environment of research excellence, with research being undertaken that is internationally recognised and that informs all other activities at the University

SU will deliver an outstanding student experience, with teaching of the highest quality, that produces graduates equipped for distinguished personal and professional achievement

The University community will be a powerhouse for growth in the regional economy, and will greatly enrich the community and cultural life of Wales. It will contribute to the health and well-being of citizens in South West Wales and beyond

HE in relation to Advanced Practice preparation

Knowledge and skills agenda Vocational preparation Third mission/knowledge transfer

agenda Research agenda Masters’ and doctoral level academic

thought and preparation Contributing to workforce

development

But…

Notion of consumer power Ensuring programmes are created

that fulfil your practitioners’ needs – not the other way around

Working in partnership Funding issue Staffing credibility