2nd VoiceS Conference: The Voice of the European Teacher

The University of Derby


VoiceS Conference
The Voice of the European Teacher
16 – 18 October 2014

The University of Derby is proud to host the second VoiceS conference, so let me tell you something about our University.

The University of Derby acquired its charter in 1992, so is a very young University. However, it can trace its roots back to 1851 as a teacher training institution that merged with the Derby Schools of Art and Science in 1870.

Further mergers over the next 100 years have led to the development of an institution driven by the motto Experientia docet (experienceteaches) and as such, the University of Derby has a significant presence in Derby and across the region of the East Midlands.

The aim of the institution is to create opportunities that transform lives through education. It provides cost-effective, flexible education and training leading to employability. The University of Derby offers more work-based qualifications than any other University in the UK. On-line learning is a high growth area and Derby has won several awards for its imaginative provision in this area.

Who are Derby students? There are almost 13,438 full-time undergraduates and 2,885 postgraduates currently enrolled. There are almost 4% of students from EU and overseas; a significant figure in this sector in the UK. Mature students are well represented, with 25% of Derby students having returned to study following a period of time away from education.

However, the strength of the University of Derby is that 40% of students are from lower socio-economic status backgrounds. This reflects the aspirational nature of this institution, supporting the development of all students from all backgrounds and providing evidence that education can truly be a ladder of social mobility.

So, now to the VoiceS Conference.

All delegates and guests will be required to register for this Conference by 01 July 2014. Following this, we will have a clearer picture of our arrangements and activities. 

However, the provisional plan is that the conference will begin with a meeting of the steering group on Thursday 16 October. The first delegate groups will arrive and register at the conference hotel. This is a short walk from the Enterprise Centre: a new, purpose-built conference centre, owned and managed by the university. A welcome event is planned for the evening, during which new colleagues will be able to introduce themselves to the groups. 

Friday and Saturday will be working days. For those who were fortunate to be delegates at the Brussels Kick-off Conference, we will follow a similar programme. There will, of course, be a variety of cultural activities to accompany our Thematic Field / National Group discussions, as well as a range of internationally renowned keynote speakers. We will also introduce you to the long and turbulent history of the City of Derby, involving Romans, Vikings, Saxons, ghosts, and the only statue in the world of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Why would there be a statue of a Scottish Prince in Derby?

We hope that there will be something for everyone and that when you come to leave on Sunday morning, you will already be planning your next visit.

Jon White November 2013

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