HUBS Annual Meeting 2022

The Heads of University Biosciences (HUBS) will be holding their annual conference over two days, 28-29 March 2022 at the Francis Crick Institute in London.

HUBS are a special interest group of the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), comprised of bioscience departments, represented by their heads of department from over 70 universities from across the UK. HUBS act as a forum for heads of university departments and subject leads to discuss national issues on the provision of research and teaching in the biological sciences.

This two-day conference is an opportunity to hear from diverse and influential voices in higher education, and will include sessions on:

• Knowledge Exchange
• Enhancement of Postgraduate research (PGR) student experience
• Student Transition
• HE Bioscience Teacher of the Year Award

The first session of the HUBS 2022 conference provides a comprehensive overview of KEF. We are delighted to have both Alison Frost and David Sweeney who hold key posts at Research England. Alice Frost (Director Knowledge Exchange) and David Sweeney (Executive Chair) have vast experience in this field and their insight will help direct, shape and understand universities direction and targets in forthcoming years. Kathryn Walsh (UCL) provides a Universities perspective of the application of UKRI and Research England policies.

This is followed by a session on enhancing the PGR student experience, speakers will be exploring the importance of supporting PGR students as they transition into the role. Delegates will also hear talks on resilience, and underrepresentation in PGR.

The first day of the conference will close with a conference dinner at The Wesley hotel, a short walk from the Francis Crick Instiute. An opportunity to network with colleagues from throughout the HE Bioscience sector.

With the past two years of education disrupted due to the COVID pandemic, the successful transition of students into, and through, Higher Education has an even greater importance. Therefore, the second day of the conference, will be focused on how to support students who are starting their journey into Higher Education and how to help students already at University to get the most out of their remaining time. The morning session will contain a range of speakers with experience and expertise in ensuring all students, regardless of their personal circumstances, are able to access and participate in HE.

The second day of the conference will also see the presentation of the RSB/HUBS HE Bioscience Teacher of the Year Award, sponsored by Oxford University Press. Delegates will hear presentations from each of the three shortlisted candidates, on their innovative and effective teaching methods.

There will also be an update from the three funded HUBS networks; Early Careers Lecturers in Bioscience (ECLBio), Biosciences Awarding Gap Network (BAG) and Biosciences Educator Network (BEN), detailing the exciting work they have undertaken over the past year to enhance staff and student educational practice.