The University is a founding member of the £20 million Institute of Coding – a consortium of more than 60 universities, businesses and industry experts tackling the UK’s digital skills gap. It brings together educators, employers and outreach groups to co-develop digital skills education at undergraduate and masters level for learners in universities, at work and in previously under-supported groups across the country.

Professor Guy Brown (MEd Teaching and Learning 1997, PhD Computer Science 1992), Head of the Department of Computer Science, said, “We are delighted to be a founding member of the institute. We were among the very first universities in the UK to introduce a software engineering degree, back in 1988. Since then we have led the development of innovative approaches to work-based learning.”

Based in Sheffield, the National Technician Development Centre is tackling the shortage of specialist technical skills in the higher education sector. It provides access to information, expertise and tools that enable universities to create a sustainable future for their technical staff and services. Monies from the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s Catalyst Fund, the University and other partners represents a total investment of
£1.125 million.

The leading men’s health charity, Prostate Cancer UK, has awarded two projects at the University a total of £600,000 for pioneering research to stop the spread of prostate cancer and prevent the disease from growing back after primary treatment. Claire Lewis, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Pathology and Head of the Academic Unit of Inflammation and Tumour Targeting, commented, “It’s only through years of research into the basic biology of cancer that we’re now in the position we’re in today. This is an incredibly exciting time for prostate cancer research and we’re proud to be part of a movement which could bring about real change for men within
our lifetimes.”