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 education seeing things differently asking questions being curious preparation for life build knowledge understanding finding out new things education challenge/being critical person/needs- centred development change processdoing 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 agenda UUK 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 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