NCUP Tackles Transformation: Report from an International Colloquium
Prof Patricia Reynolds, Professor Emeritus, King’s College London
Seven members of NCUP led by President, Prof Terence Davis OBE, and Immediate Past President, Prof Margaret Cox OBE, tackled the theme of ‘Transformation in Education’ at the recent 15th Innovations in Education Colloquium. The international Colloquium was generously hosted by the University of Brescia, North Italy between 3rd – 6th May 2018 and featured a series of academic sessions where the transformative theme was described, discussed, and debated.
The Colloquium was established in 2002 between King’s College London Dental Institute and the Dental School at the University of Brescia, in an attempt to implement the Bologna Agreement between Schools across Europe (Reynolds et al, 2005). The annual meetings were soon transformed into a multi-disciplinary and multi-national event that has attracted the greatest academic minds in a ‘blue-sky’ think-tank forum. Some of the more recent outcomes were published in a special edition of Technology, Knowledge and Learning (Reynolds and Paganelli, 2018) that featured the evolution of the Colloquium and nine short papers from the meetings.
The 15th Colloquium was full of informed deliberation and consideration, with a Plenary session that travelled through time, a Symposium that debated the latest, and Roundtables that deliberated transformative thinking. Prof Margaret Cox responded to the welcome from the Vice Rector of Brescia, Prof Grazia Speranza (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Prof Margaret Cox, OBE (with microphone) responds to the Vice Rector of the University of Brescia, Prof Grazia Speranza (seated).
There were thought provoking presentations in the Plenary from: Prof Eeva Leinonen, (Vice Chancellor of Murdoch University, Western Australia) ‘Transformation in HE Management’; Prof Chris Louca, (University of Portsmouth) ‘Transformation in Outreach’; Prof Terence Davis OBE, ‘Transformation through Time’ (Figure 2); and Prof Dieter Schönwetter and son, Alexander, (University of Manitoba), ’Transformation in TEL’ (Technology Enhanced Learning).;
Figure 2. Prof Terence Davis OBE, President of NCUP, gives his Oration in the Plenary Session.
The ‘Innovations in Education’ Symposium was chaired by Prof Margaret Cox OBE (King’s College London) and Prof Cristina Manzanares (University of Barcelona). They introduced Prof Ken Eaton, NCUP Council Member and Visiting Professor to King’s and the University of Kent who spoke on the costs of dental education across Europe (Figure 3). Dr Barry Quinn, (King’s College London and NCUP Council Member) discussed how simulation was transforming professional education (Figure 4). Other hot transformative topics included the latest in virtual reality in the classroom, Botox, and devices to stop snoring.
Figure 3. Prof Ken Eaton, NCUP Council Member, speaks in the Symposium about the costs of dental education across Europe.
Figure 4. Dr Barry Quinn, NCUP Council Member, discusses simulation in healthcare education, during the Symposium.
The academic part of the proceedings was rounded off by a teleconferenced talk from Dr Emre Sarydiltiz, University of Wollongong, Sydney on ‘Transformation of Life by Robots’, followed by two lively roundtables. ‘Transformative Thinking’ was led by John Burgess, an Alumnus of King’s and Professional Mediator (Figure 5) with Rapporteur, Prof Dieter Schönwetter. Some impassioned deliberations on transforming HE management were steered most ably by Prof Eeva Leinonen who mused that ‘Doing things differently doesn’t mean doing thing’s worse’ (Figures 6 and 7). One outcome is an invitation to publish ethical guidelines on transformation in public health education. A further outcome is that several participants qualified for Enhanced Continuing Professional Development, ECDP/CPD Points of whom 14 were from the UK.
Figure 5. John Burgess moderates his roundtable group with transformative thinking.
Figure 6. Prof Eeva Leinonen chairs the roundtable on transformative management in HE
Figure 7. Dr Barry Quinn, NCUP Council Member, as Rapporteur, presents some of the hotly debated topics from the transformative management roundtable.
The Colloquium had begun with an ‘Art Appreciation’ ice-breaker led by Jenny Wright, Artist in Residence. It ended in a contemplative walk through the beautiful Heller Gardens of Gardone, led by our host, Prof Corrado Paganelli, Dean of the Dental School. Auction of the art painted by delegates together with proceeds from a Charity Quiz raised 1000 euros for the Ekumfi Trust, a charity that builds school libraries in villages in Ghana. The 50 delegates gathered together at the Gala Dinner in the Hotel Bellerive in Salò for a photo-call overlooking Lake Garda (Figure 8). All were agreed that it’s a great place to feel ‘transformed’.
Figure 8. Photo-call of the delegates from the 15 th Innovations in Education Colloquium overlooking Lake Garda in Italy. (Courtesy Peter Suren)
References
Reynolds, P.A, Paganelli, C., Wilson, N,H.F. and Dunne, S., Anglo-Italian Collaboration: First steps in Implementing the Bologna Declaration, Eur J Dent Educ, 2005, 9:137-140 ISSN: 1396-5883
Reynolds PA & Paganelli C. Innovations in Education: Introduction to the Special Section Technology, Knowledge, and Learning 22(2) pp 137-142 February 2017 DOI 10.1007/s10758-017-9309-0 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10758-017-9309-0
List of Figures
Figure 1. Prof Margaret Cox, OBE (with microphone) responds to the Vice Rector of the University of Brescia, Prof Grazia Speranza (seated).
Figure 2. Prof Terence Davis OBE, President of NCUP, gives his oration in the Plenary Session.
Figure 3. Prof Ken Eaton, NCUP Council Member, speaks in the Symposium about the costs of dental education across Europe.
Figure 4. Dr Barry Quinn, NCUP Council Member, discusses simulation in healthcare education, during the Symposium
Figure 5. John Burgess moderates his roundtable group with transformative thinking.
Figure 6. Prof Eeva Leinonen chairs the roundtable on transformative management in HE
Figure 7. Dr Barry Quinn, NCUP, as Rapporteur, presents some of the hotly debated topics from the transformative management roundtable.
Figure 8. Photo-call of the delegates from the 15th Innovations in Education Colloquium overlooking Lake Garda in Italy