Join us on Wednesday 24 June from 9am –3pm for our annual Teachers and Advisers conference, which aims to bring together educators and industry experts from the north-east and beyond.
From Classroom to Careers: Building Bridges for Student Success
Our 2026 conference will allow you to explore how the University of Sunderland supports students in their career aspirations, and also how you can help to prepare your students for the world of work. With CPD sessions available to suit both Teachers and Careers Advisers we are confident there will be something for everyone.
Held at our City Campus, you'll have the opportunity to network with other delegates, university staff and current students.
Throughout my time as Careers Lead here at Whitburn Academy have regularly attended the annual Teacher & Adviser Conferences. I have always found them to be excellent opportunities to keep up to date not only with the developments within the university itself but also to enhance my own Professional Development and knowledge of the Higher Education landscape in particular. I have always found the range of workshops particularly useful both in terms of the subject updates and the different services and support students can expect at the university should they decide to continue their journey there. The subject specific information and advice really does add value to my work with students here at Whitburn.
Guest Speakers
Hear from our guest speakers about how the University of Sunderland can benefit your students and support their career aspirations, with sessions highlighting how you can begin to support their career journey before they have even started University. We'll be joined by a variety of speakers delivering sessions related to education and careers after graduation.
We’ll have a presence from Student Finance England to share information about their newly-announced Lifelong Learning Fund and supporting students through clearing. As well as a dedicated session on how you can help build resilience in young people to ready them for the world of work.
We’ll also be welcoming Sir David Bell as our Keynote Speaker, who will be discussing his role as Vice Chair of Skills England and how Universities play a vital role in addressing the skills needs of the economy.
CPD Sessions
The day will include a variety of breakout sessions, where you can choose from topics that interest you the most.
Sessions on offer include:
Presented by Samantha Fletcher, Funding Information Services Account Manager
Samantha will join us from the Student Loans Company to provide updates and information on the newly announced Lifelong Learning Entitlement. In addition Samantha will discuss students entering university through Clearing, especially around applying for student finance, timing and the practical considerations.
Presented by Jo Briggs, Career Development and Academic Support Manager at the University of Sunderland
Join the University Graduate Prospects team to find out more about our approach to embedding employability in the curriculum. This practical session will, explore the parallels between our approach to embedding employability and the Gatsby benchmarks for schools, showcase resources and approaches and discuss ways of supporting our students.
Presented by Simon Lee, Programme Leader for MA SEND and Inclusion
As the number of learners awaiting assessment for Neurodiverse Conditions increases significantly, alongside the rising number of individuals who self-identify as being neurodivergent, the way in which we work with them needs to be responsive to ensure their success. Using current research, an appreciation of individual profiles of Need, lived experience and greater opportunities to impactfully exploit technological advancements, this session will provide a basis for empowering neurodivergent learners to take an increasingly active role in their own life-long learning. This will be achieved through the consideration of differing approaches and the creation of psychologically safe spaces to transform learning culture while ensuring that these become part of fully embedded daily practice. Many of the strategies that can be adopted are zero-cost and yet still have significant impact which is ever important in the current financial climate where we seek to continually improve outcomes under increasingly challenging circumstances.
Presented by Mark Ord, Lecturer in Psychology
Find out more about the origins of involuntarily celibate culture, early warning signs in young people and ways to tackle unwanted derogatory behaviour. Mark is a Psychology academic who is currently researching how variability in attractiveness impacts male life outcomes and men who are involuntarily celibate.
Presented by Mark Rogerson, Lecturer in Design
Join us for a hands-on Art and Design taster session where you'll get to play in our fantastic facilities to explore your own creative practice. This workshop will demonstrate how artists and designers use illustration techniques and printmaking approaches to create impactful imagery that will inspire and delight. Get first-hand experience of the type of taster session we could offer your students.
Presented by Amanda Solaiman, Lecturer in Formulation Sciences
Step into the world of cosmetic science with this interactive lab session. Discover the chemistry behind everyday beauty products as you learn more about the formulation of lip balm. Gain insight into the formulation process used by cosmetic scientists whilst getting a taste of the facilities in our dedicated science labs. Get first-hand experience of the type of taster session we could offer your students.
Faculty Tours
We will be offering tours of our facilities, both at City Campus and Sir Tom Cowie Campus, at the end of the event. These tours are optional and will take place between 3pm and 3:30pm at City Campus, and 3pm and 3:45pm at Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s. Delegates are invited to register for these tours on the day.
