Festival of Ideas schools guide

Create. Learn. Discover.

Welcome to the University of Hertfordshire’s Festival of Ideas

Discover more than 50 free sessions, where you can listen to expert panel discussions, take part in schools-friendly activities, watch captivating performances, view exhibitions, galleries and virtual reality simulations - and much more!

Thank you for joining us for our first ever on campus Festival of Ideas. We invite you to explore our University, be inspired by our staff and students and discover our pioneering and world-leading work...

...whether you’re visiting as a family, for business, as a member of our local community, as a prospective student, or as a graduate of the University, we hope you leave today feeling inspired and powered with new ideas and fresh perspectives.”

Professor Quintin McKellar CBE Vice-Chancellor, University of Hertfordshire

We’re ready to welcome you to the Festival of Ideas on our College Lane Campus. Make sure everyone in your school’s group picks up a map from check-in to help find their way around the festival. If you’re not sure just ask a member of staff or student ambassador – look out for the purple t-shirts.

Schools travel and parking information

The drop off and collection point for school coaches and minibuses is via the Bishops Rise entrance to our College Lane Campus (Hatfield AL10 9AT) where you will be directed into campus. We cannot facilitate coach parking on campus.

School minibuses can park on-site at College Lane Car Park E (Hatfield AL10 9AB).

A very limited number of sessions for schools will take place on our de Havilland Campus. Please check the programme venue details carefully. There is a free shuttle bus between campuses. Visit herts.ac.uk/contact-us/parking for more details

Campus accessibility

Our campuses are wheelchair accessible, and we welcome guide dogs and assistance dogs. Please let a member of staff know if you need additional directions or support.

Quiet room

We have a small quiet room available for visitors to use. See the map for location details.

Help and emergencies

In case of illness, injury or lost property, please inform a member of staff and we will be happy to help. Our team will be available across campus, and you can also speak to us at the Information Point at Main Reception (labelled on the campus map).

If you hear a fire alarm, leave the building immediately and follow the fire safety guidelines.

Personal belongings

There is nowhere to store personal belongings so please only bring small bags and minimal personal items.

Please note, there are a couple of sessions with trigger warnings. These will be clearly labelled in the programme and signposted on the day.

Check-in

First up, head to the check-in desks located at our Main Reception and Union Square and show your registration confirmation QR code for your school’s booking (this is included in your confirmation email and booking portal).

Once you’re checked in, you can explore the activities taking place across campus and gain entrance to your pre-booked sessions, such as talks and workshops.

Bookable sessions

Most sessions are only accessible with pre-booked tickets. You can pre-book your tickets at herts.ac.uk/ideas. Make sure you pre-book tickets for everyone in your school’s group. Just show your confirmation QR code at the entrance to each venue.

You can manage your booking at any time via your personal booking portal which you can find in your booking confirmation email.

Food and drink

Take your pick from our large number of options in the Food Court, ice cream vans, and our on-campus cafes and bars.

School students can also bring a picnic and enjoy our outside green spaces or there is plenty of additional seating inside our venues – please check the map for locations.

Our food and drink outlets cater for a huge range of dietary requirements and include:

• College Lane Food Court

• Gallery Café

• Café Rore

• College Lane Shop

• Starbucks

• Subway

• EleHouse

Friday 17 May

Sessions require pre-booking. If you haven’t pre-booked tickets, please check latest availability on your booking portal, which you can find in your Festival of Ideas emails. Venue numbers refer to locations on the map - please pick one up at check-in.

Walk This Play®: An immersive audio tour

Bring your phone and earphones. We recommend this session for ages 12+ or with adult supervision.

Welcome to the Cosmodrome

Worldbuilders – how AI is creating new worlds for you to explore in games

Twice as hard

Raphael Sofoluke, UK Black Business Show

Cracking the case: take part in a murder trial simulation

Lights, camera, action! How TV is made

Note: Operation of equipment may not be possible for all audience members, suitable for Year 7+. There may be flashing lights in the studio

– 10.45 11.00 – 11.45

– 13.45 4 Information point

– 10.45

– 12.10 8 Hutton Lawn

– 11.00

– 11.15 9 Union Square Stage

– 12.00

– 13.00

– 15.00 Grace Ononiwu Building - de Havilland campus

– 14.30 2 B09 Mike Newell Sound Stage - Film, Music & Media Building Are you a planet protector?

– 11.30

– 12.00 13.00 – 14.00 18 LB390 - Sustainability Hub

The Festival of Ideas Young Entrepreneurs Challenge 11.00 – 14.00 5 A161 - Lindop Building

Poets’ Corner Junior Open Mic Competition

Powering future healthcare in Hertfordshire Professor Quintin McKellar and panel guests

– 12.00 13.00 – 14.00 19 Poets’ Corner

–

#Influencer launch: how to become a successful social media influencer 12.00 – 12.50

B05 - Film, Music & Media Building

Sculpture walk 12.00 – 12.45 3 Art & Design Gallery

The past, present and future of robots in healthcare 12.00 – 13.00 22 Prince Edward Hall and The Suite

Step into the game at the Cosmodrome

– 12.50 13.35 – 14.15 8 Hutton Lawn Hollywood in Hertfordshire: Film and TV industry careers

Widening access: pathways to university

How do we explore space sustainably? Dr Stuart Clark and guests

Discover our speaker sessions, screenings, workshops and exhibitions

Sessions require pre-booking. If you haven’t pre-booked tickets, please check latest availability on your booking portal, which you can find in your Festival of Ideas emails.

Arts and culture

‘(in)finite Beginnings’ interactive artwork

Come and join acclaimed artist Abi Spendlove and contribute to a participatory artwork that will use water, ice, and colour to explore and celebrate our relationship with the environment.

3 Art & Design Gallery

Lights,

camera, action! How TV is made

Experience a live TV shoot in this immersive intro to TV production. Learn about key roles in the studio and try your hand at operating professional sound, camera and lighting equipment.

2 B09 - Film, Media and Music Building

Operation of equipment may not be possible for all audience members, including younger children. There may be flashing lights in the studio.

Step

into

the game at the Cosmodrome

Dive into the surreal and discover the impossible with travel through space, treks in underwater cities, and encounters with dragons! Our postgraduate media students showcase their creativity in this immersive audio-visual experience.

8 Hutton Lawn

Poets’ Corner Junior Open Mic Competition

Simply sign up on the day for a chance to perform your own poem or a poem by your favourite poet in front of the festival crowd and a special judging panel for a chance to win a £50 gift voucher.

19 Poets’ Corner

Sculpture

walk

Featuring works by iconic names including Barbara Hepworth, Diane Maclean and Andy Goldsworthy, this guided walk will take you on a tour of artistic ideas, methods and materials.

3 Meet at Art & Design Gallery

Hollywood in Hertfordshire: Film and TV industry careers - expert discussion

Dr Stephen Partridge, University of Hertfordshire and panel guests

Our panel of industry experts will share how the region’s creative sector is working together to develop new talent and create a wide range of exciting career and business opportunities across Hertfordshire’s booming film and TV sector.

7 Amphitheatre Stage

Walk This Play®: an immersive audio tour

Created by award-winning theatre company ThickSkin, Walk This Play® is a captivating audio play that will show you the University from a new perspective. Download the app and listen to a series of fascinating stories inspired by Herts and our unique history.

4 Information point

Please bring your phone and earphones. The audio play contains two stories with references to illness and grief which may be distressing to some listeners. Age recommendation 12+ or with adult supervision.

Business and entrepreneurship

Twice as hard: Navigating Black stereotypes and creating space for success

Raphael Sofoluke

Renowned diversity and inclusion activist, entrepreneur, author and founder of UK Black Business Week, Raphael Sofoluke explores Black identity in the working world and shares his blueprint for success.

9 Union Square Stage

The Festival of Ideas Young Entrepreneurs Challenge

A challenge for enterprising young minds. Students will learn about creativity and ethical approaches to business - and have the chance to present their ideas at the end of the session in our supportive version of the Dragon’s Den.

5 A161 - Lindop Building

Widening access – pathways to university

This workshop will introduce students to the range of different pathways to university, explore the transformational benefits of studying for a degree or higher education qualification, and increase students’ confidence in applying to university.

5 A166 - Lindop Building

Our 11.00 workshop is suitable for students in years 8, 9 and 10. Our 13.00 workshop is suitable for students in years 11 and 12.

#Influencer launch: how to become a successful social media influencer

Hear from influencer Beauty Nain, a Herts postgraduate public relations and digital communications student, as she shares expert advice about how to become a successful social media influencer and represent brands on social media platforms.

2 B05 - Film, Music & Media Building

Beyond sixth form: understanding degree apprenticeships

Alison Moore, University of Hertfordshire

Find out how degree apprenticeships work, the opportunities they create and the alternative paths towards a degree qualification that they provide for young people.

5 A166 - Lindop Building

Health and wellbeing

The food you eat (and what it’s made of)

Dr Jane McClinchy and Dr Angela Dickinson, University of Hertfordshire

In a world increasingly dominated by ultra-processed foods, ‘food label literacy’ is more important than ever. In this fun and informative workshop, our nutrition and dietetics experts explore and decode the information hidden within your food labels.

17 Hutton Hub

Health and wellbeing with our future pharmacists

Is it time for a health check-up? Our pharmacy department are here to help you feel better informed about your local pharmacy and how they can support you and your family.

17 Hutton Hub

Powering future healthcare in Hertfordshire

Professor Quintin McKellar and panel guests

The University of Hertfordshire’s new Medical School, the School of Health and Social Work and regional NHS leaders are collaborating to play their part in building the medical and healthcare skills and services of the future. Find out more and bring your questions to this lively panel discussion.

7 Amphitheatre Stage

Live healthcare simulations: an interactive view of our healthcare courses

Experience a slice of life in the allied healthcare and nursing professions with live demonstrations and interactive experiences.

17 Hutton Hub

Our radiotherapy demonstration references a cancer diagnosis.

Science and technology

Future Tech Zone

Meet our intelligent robots Miro-E and Pepper, say hello to Kaspar the humanoid robot, test your racing driving skills in our motion platform racing simulator, and step inside a vehicle prototype using cutting-edge virtual reality.

22 Prince Edward Hall and The Suite

Unseen,

undetected

and

everywhere:

advancing biodetection to protect people and the planet

Professor Daniel McCluskey, University of Hertfordshire

What do bacteria, viruses, fungi, pollen and toxins have in common? Join us to discover how Herts is pioneering research into new technologies that enable us to better understand and detect these airborne threats.

22 Prince Edward Hall and The Suite

Welcome to the Cosmodrome

Embark on an immersive journey through the universe in our awe-inspiring planetarium show. Our expert astronomer will guide you through captivating tales of constellations and unravel the mysteries of stars.

8 Hutton Lawn Science station

Build a rocket, make a star constellation and discover new ideas in our fun and family-friendly science-based craft sessions.

8 Hutton Lawn

Worldbuilders – How AI is creating new worlds for you to explore in games.

Have you ever wondered how AI might interact with the games you love? Drop in to explore AI generated Minecraft settlements first-hand and meet our resident expert in AI and gaming, Dr Christoph Salge.

22 Prince Edward Hall and The Suite

The fascinating past, present and future of robots in healthcare

Professor Farshid Amirabdollahian, University of Hertfordshire

Come and discover how robots have evolved and how they may prove to be crucial assistants for surgery, physical therapy, care and rehabilitation and the role of social robots as companions to support people’s emotional wellbeing.

22 Prince Edward Hall and The Suite

Sustainability

Ice Detectives: Monitoring the meltdown of our vanishing glaciers - interactive exhibit

In this interactive display featuring a giant ice block, find out about some of the research undertaken in the frozen parts of our planet over the past thirty years. Get hands on with some of the tools of the trades.

17 Hutton Hub

Net zero communities

Dr Luigi Pintacuda, University of Hertfordshire

Learn about an urban design concept known as ‘Village 2.0’ which creates sustainable and connected communities, where you can access all your essential services within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or journey on public transportation.

18 LB390 - Sustainability Hub

Are you a planet protector?

Our interactive games and activities will help you understand more about the impact of our everyday behaviours on the planet, carbon emissions and climate change.

18 LB390 - Sustainability Hub

Policy and protection

Taskmaster and the Law School

Alex Horne from Channel 4’s Taskmaster has created a set of challenges designed to teach primary school students facts about the law, lateral thinking and teamwork - while having maximum fun.

7 Hutton Hall

Please note that this session is most suitable for Year 5 students.

Cracking the case: take part in a murder trial simulation

Join our exciting simulation of a murder investigation, led by a former Metropolitan Police Inspector and our Law School team. Students will learn about each stage of an investigation and what roles the police, lawyers and courts play in bringing a murder suspect to justice.

Grace Ononiwu Building - de Havilland campus

Explore our drop-in experiences and exhibitions

You’ll need to pre-register for these sessions, but you can drop in at any time from 10.00 – 16.00.

Creative arts

Creative Arts Graduate Show

An incredible collection of talent and boundary-breaking ideas, view captivating illustrations, thought-provoking fine art, visionary architectural designs, dynamic graphic design and digital animation, amazing photography and intricate 3D models.

3 Art & Design Gallery

Access all areas - live music performances and backstage with the production teams

Watch amazing live music from Herts music students and learn about the tech and expertise involved in the set-up and filming of live music entertainment.

13 The Loft

Pulse: The sounds of surgery

By exploring the repetition, rhythms and variations in sounds inside the operating theatre, this high-resolution and real-time audio experience aims to demystify the experience of an operation as it unfolds.

2 B01 John Lil Music Studio - Film, Music & Media Building

Thank you to our Festival of Ideas partners

University of Hertfordshire

Hatfield AL10 9AB

+44(0) 01707 284000

herts.ac.uk/campaign/herts-beats-faster ideas@herts.ac.uk

Follow us on social media @UniofHerts /UniversityofHertfordshire