The NEF awards and
annual conference 2009

Sion Simon MP and
Maggie Philbin

The New Engineering Foundation is a grant-awarding charity that promotes the development of vocational education in science, engineering and technology.

Our Industrial Fellowship Scheme provides bursaries for Further Education lecturers to spend time in local companies in support of their professional development, enhancing classroom learning, and encouraging knowledge transfer within the local business community. Our annual awards ceremony recognises the dedication of both teachers and employers in pursuit of these goals.

With a keynote address from Siôn Simon MP, the Minister for Further Education, and a presentation from broadcaster and campaigner, Maggie Philbin, this year’s event promises to be an inspiring occasion for educators, students, journalists, business people, and policy-makers.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The NewEngineering Foundation acknowledgeswith gratitude the generous support received fromthe Gatsby Charitable Foundation, and its continued commitment to the success of the Industrial Fellowship Scheme, the Masterclasses and the research programmes. In addition, NEF is grateful to the support received from the London Development Agency towards the Innovation, Enterprise and Knowledge Transfer Scheme.

We are grateful for the continued support, commitment and enthusiasm given by our Advisory Panel members from the Association of Colleges, BASF, BBC, Bournemouth University, CBI, Continuing Education in Electronic System Education (CEESI), Cogent, East of England Development Agency, Engineering Employers Federation, Foundation Degree Forward, Higher Education Academy - Engineering Subject Centre, Institute of Directors, London Development Agency, Learning and Skills Improvement Service, National Physical Laboratory, National Skills Academy for the Process Industries, North West Regional Development Agency,OFSTED, Physical Science Subject Centre, Proctor & Gamble, PriceWaterhouse- Coopers, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, SEMTA, Skills for Justice, and South West Regional Development Agency.

We particularly wish to thank all the participating colleges, and their sponsoring companies and organisations for the hardwork they have contributed to achieve the continued success of NEF’s programmes, and in driving skills and educational quality improvement.

09.30 Registration Exhibition (James II Room)
Displays by NEF Industrial Fellows, illustrating their secondment experiences. What have our Fellows been up to in the last year? At registration, and throughout the day, take the opportunity to browse this exhibition of their experiences innovating with local businesses. Breakfast refreshments served


10:00 Welcome
Dr Philippa Bell, Director of Research & Policy, NEF.


10:00 Innovations in Further Education from the Appliance of Science to Knowledge Transfer
Professor Sa’ad Medhat, Chief Executive, NEF


10:25 Meet the Minister
Siôn Simon MP, Minister for Further Education, DIUS: Keynote Address and Q & A. Further Education now has a dedicated minister, based at the Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills. This will be a great chance to share with him your vision for vocational education and the FE sector.


11.00 Coffee break and group photograph


11.15 SET stripped down
Dr Chris Smith, The Naked Scientist. Experiments and ideas for your lessons with one of TV’s and the Web’s Naked Scientists.


11.45 The CSI Effect: inspiring careers in applied sciences
Maggie Philbin, broadcaster, and Keith Ebdon, City of Plymouth College (Department of Forensic Science). Not every area of applied science can aspire to have an international television franchise based on it. But what lessons can we learn from the phenomenon of forensics’ popularity, for other subjects? And how can we best communicate them?

12.15 Taking FE to a Higher Level
Professor Freda Tallantyre, Higher Education Academy, and Dr John Chudley, Learning and Skills Council (South West). Including the presentation of this year’s HE in FE award, co-sponsored by the Higher Education Academy and the NEF, for outstanding achievement in provision of higher education programmes in Further Education Colleges.

12.45 Lunch


14.00 Case studies from the Industrial Fellowship Scheme
Introduced by Bob Busby, National Lead Inspector for Engineering, Ofsted.

1. Colleges and SMEs: sharing the spirit of enterprise (or how to beat the credit crunch with boys toys...)
   With Neil Tobin, Northampton College and David Steel, AquaFabs Managing Director. This will include the unveiling of a mini SUV developed by the partnership!
2. Meeting the challenges of energy security. With Dr Bob Mudd, Bridgwater College, and Brendan Daly, Director, Magnox South.
3. Fashionology: the future of fabrics technology (supported by the LDA). With Diane Gowland, Director, Centre for Innovation and Partnerships, Pallavi Malhotra and Becky Hunt, Newham College, Dilys Williams, Centre for Sustainable Fashion, London College of Fashion, and Andrew Taylor, London City Airport

15.00 Award Ceremony
Presented by Alok Jha, Guardian Science and Environment Correspondent, Supported by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.

1. Certificates of Achievement to Industrial Fellows
2. Certificates of Recognition to host organisations
3. Certificates of Achievement to Masterclasses Participants

15.30 Stronger links
Mini-KTPs and better business and community engagement for colleges: Wendy Mannix, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships/Technology Strategy Board, and Simon Whittemore, JISC.


16.00 Close