May 2010
Universities UK Higher Education campaign Universities UK, the official voice of UK universities, is working with the higher education sector to co-ordinate a new pilot project this June, to boost public perception of universities and their contribution to the UK economy and society. Universities Week 2010: What’s the big idea? will challenge public misconceptions and highlight the
essential role of our universities, including their impact on local and national economies, culture, sport, health, the environment and much more. The campaign will centre on a week of activity involving universities across the UK, taking place from 14–20 June 2010. From the training of teachers, doctors and sports professionals, to the development
Centre of the Cell takes the educational initiative
of future fuels, miracle medicines, new technologies, or improved food nutrition – together these stories build a picture of the many and surprising ways that students, academics and other university staff make a difference in the UK. More information can be found at www.universitiesuk.ac.uk
Centre of the Cell, the science education centre at Queen Mary’s Whitechapel campus, has won the Educational Initiative award at the 2010 Museums & Heritage Awards for Excellence. The ‘Oscars’ of the museums’ world, the awards represent the very best of the sector. Centre of the Cell is the first science education centre in the world to be located within biomedical research laboratories, part of the School of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary. The Centre provides young people with a unique interactive insight into what scientists do and how their work influences real life. Opened in September last year, the Centre has run 340 shows to-date. Professor Frances Balkwill, Director of Centre of the Cell, said: “Centre of the Cell aims to inspire young people to take an interest in science, to improve their knowledge of science and to encourage them to become scientists and healthcare professionals themselves.”