LSBU Group Annual Review 2019/20 Welcome to our first ever LSBU Group Annual Review. On the following pages you will find stories not just from the University but South Bank Academies, South Bank Enterprises and South Bank Colleges. In February 2019, Lambeth joined the Group in the first HE-FE merger of its kind. Since then we have been working to integrate these individual but aligned institutions into an effective Group of educational providers. This has included ‘behind the scenes’ work such as the implementation of service and system collaborations in areas like ICT, compliance, and procurement; and while these operational changes are increasing effectiveness across the Group, they are secondary to the benefits we are creating for our learners. There is an acknowledged problem in England with high numbers of learners failing to make the transition beyond Level 3 (A-Level equivalent). In 2015/16, of the 1.1 million learners in further education that completed an eligible learning aim at Level 3, only 10% went on to an apprenticeship or study for a qualification at Level 4 or higher. Collaboration between the two sectors within LSBU Group has helped us to understand in greater The LSBU Group aims to detail the higher education needs and aspirations of potential students. This, in turn, has enabled us to improve their experience, help smooth transition transform lives, communities, and develop joint access and participation plans to support access to university from the College. This businesses and society through has already seen a 9% increase in Lambeth College applied education and insight. students progressing to higher education. Welcome | 1 We have also seen successes in We are now launching our new university rankings, receiving a 5-star rating in the QS World Rankings 2021, and being positioned 2020-25 Group Corporate 12th among UK universities for graduate starting salaries. Strategy. The new strategy, Whatever challenges the next year brings, I have every confidence as well as this review, comes that the LSBU Group will rise to meet them. We have plans to at a time of distinct change. develop a new technical college in Vauxhall, to increase the number of young people accessing Level 3 and 4 qualifications. Our new LSBU Croydon campus will next year start teaching healthcare students to help the NHS tackle a severe shortage of nurses across South London. The University is two years into our LEAP programme; our five year digital transformation The Covid-19 pandemic has had We have welcomed the publication project that will create a distinctive far-reaching consequences for our of the Government’s Research and engaging student experience. students, staff, and the organisations and Development roadmap and Finally, we are looking forward to we work with. Many of us will likely see its commitment to invest 2.4% of the ambitious redevelopment of a permanent change in how we work. GDP in research, development our London Road Building, which and innovation by 2027. The The wider education sector remains will modernise facilities for both Government’s Levelling Up agenda in a state of continual change, staff and students and support our can only be realised if there is including developments such as ongoing move from teaching via adequate funding for applied and the introduction of T-Levels and large lecture theatres to blended translational research, which makes the ongoing reviews of Level 4 and learning through smaller seminars tangible social and economic 5 and Post-16 Qualifications. In the complemented by online provision. impact – the sort of research that autumn, we expect Government the University excels in delivering. I hope you will enjoy reading through to bring forward both an FE White our stories, news and achievements Paper and a Comprehensive Despite the challenges we have from the last academic year and will Spending Review, which may have a faced over the last year, LSBU share in my excitement as we look profound impact on the way higher Group has seen many important forward to the next one. education is funded. successes. In April 2020, LSBU was awarded its first Athena Though we continue to wait to see SWAN Bronze Charter, recognising how these changes impact upon the significant work the University Professor David Phoenix OBE the sector, it has been positive has undertaken to achieve a FAcSS, DL DUniv, DSc, FRCP (Edin), to see greater recognition of the strong foundation in addressing FSB, FRSC, FIMA, PFHEA importance of professional and gender bias and developing an technical education, to which LSBU Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, inclusive culture. Group contributes very substantially. LSBU Group 2 | lsbu.ac.uk Welcome | 3 Snapshot of Among top 26th among the LSBU Group 150 universities apprenticeship achievements globally under training 50 years old providers QS World Rate My University Apprenticeship 5 Star Rating 12th among Rankings: Top 2019-20 QS World UK universities 50 under 50 University for graduate 2021 With around Rankings 2021 starting 2000 salaries 23rd among apprentices Athena Swan Longitudinal universities LSBU is one Bronze Award Educational globally for of the largest holder for Outcomes Reducing providers commitment Data 2017-18 Inequalities of higher to Equality, (Published Times Higher and degree Diversity and 2020) Impact apprenticeships Inclusion Ranking 2020 in the country 4 | lsbu.ac.uk LSBU Group achievements | 5 The LSBU Group comprises South Bank Academies, LSBU Group South Bank Colleges, South Bank London South Bank South Bank South Bank South Bank Enterprises and University Colleges Academies Enterprises London South Bank University. South Bank University Working to one Passmore Centre Lambeth College vision it seeks Technical College to deliver the educational Vauxhall Technical University Academy College of Engineering needs of (under development) South Bank communities and business locally and globally. 6 | lsbu.ac.uk LSBU Group | 7 Volunteering with the NHS Responding to Coronavirus During the pandemic, LSBU made Professor Nicola Thomas also volunteering shifts available to staff stepped forward, taking on two wishing to support the NHS and voluntary shifts per week at her local those affected by the crisis. hospital alongside her teaching work at LBSU. In March 2017, Professor Rachel Picton, Head of Allied Health Thomas became the first UK nurse Sciences, began volunteering three to be appointed a Professor of days a week at her local NHS Trust. Kidney Care. With the capacity of As a diagnostic radiographer, Rachel nursing staff stretched during the worked in accident and emergency crisis, Nicola was able to provide at her local hospital in Southend, support by speaking with kidney care taking chest x-rays and CT scans of patients, including those who had suspected Covid-19 patients. had transplants or were on dialysis, As coronavirus affects the lungs to help ensure their individual and can make breathing difficult, treatment needs were met. radiography has been a vital service in diagnosing and treating patients. Nursing staff deployed to With a shortage of radiographers Nightingale Hospital for the number of Covid-19 patients, One of the Government’s responses volunteers like Rachel helped ensure to the Coronavirus Pandemic was the that, as initially feared, NHS services In line with Government guidance, While every one of us has played creation of a number of Nightingale weren’t overburdened by the the LSBU campus was closed some part in tackling the Covid-19 Hospitals to provide extra capacity if pandemic. from late March until early July pandemic, particular tribute needs to existing NHS Trusts were overwhelmed when we commenced a phased be paid to the staff and students of by Covid-19 patients. LSBU staff re-opening. During that time staff our School of Health and Social Care. provided important support in worked tirelessly to ensure that all Each year, LSBU trains thousands the setup of the NHS Nightingale students were able to complete of healthcare professionals to work Hospital London, based in the ExCel their courses by moving teaching in NHS Trusts across London and Centre at Royal Victoria Dock. online and developing assessment further afield. Dr Suzanne Bench, Associate methods, including exams, which During the spring peak of the 2020 Professor of Nursing, helped to train could be completed and submitted Covid pandemic, over 500 LSBU nursing staff in applied critical care electronically. student nurses contributed to practice techniques, drawing on Those students staying in our halls ensuring the continuity of health and her 20 years’ experience of critical of residence who decided to return care services. Many members of staff care nursing and research into the to their family homes were released also made significant contributions, psychological recovery of patients from their rental contracts and including assisting with the following critical illness. Similarly, the requirement to pay their final establishment of the NHS Nightingale Anthony McGrath, LSBU’s Deputy instalment for the summer term. We Hospital London, involving the Dean for the School of Health and also relaunched and enlarged our creation of the clinical skills and Social Care (and a Lieutenant hardship fund to support those who simulation training facility, and Colonel in the reserve forces) was lost earnings due to the shutdown, providing ‘up-skill’ training to nurses deployed by his regiment to help allocating more than £150,000 to and doctors to enable them to work with planning and construction of over 700 students. in intensive care environments. Nightingales across the country. 8 | lsbu.ac.uk Responding to Coronavirus | 9 Providing PPE Overcoming the ‘Digital Divide’ South Bank The 3D printers at South Bank The coronavirus crisis and remote poor or non-existent internet access, UTC are usually used to run BTEC school teaching have brought the ensuring all pupils had the necessary Academies courses on additive manufacture issue of digital poverty into the equipment to access learning from and for design prototyping.