University of Sunderland shortlisted for prestigious University of the Year award

Sunderland Echo

The University of Sunderland is ambitious for students from all different backgrounds to succeed.

Transcript

00:00So, let's see why we've been nominated.

00:15Welcome to a community where students and staff together can develop, innovate, grow

00:20and thrive.

00:22We are a life changing institution with underpinning ambitions to be student focused, professions

00:28facing and society shaping.

00:31We opened our medical school five years ago.

00:34We had the specific intention of offering opportunities to a wider range of would-be

00:40doctors, including from our own region.

00:44I just love the fact that I was born here and the fact that I can work in the hospital

00:48that I was born in and give to the local community that I was brought up in.

01:00Those first students who came to our medical school in 2019 joined nearly 1,800 other healthcare

01:07professionals who graduated in Sunderland this year.

01:11We are one of the very few universities in the country to offer a full suite of health

01:16related courses.

01:22Our media centre boasts state-of-the-art equipment and our courses offer students practical,

01:30industry-ready experience.

01:32When international TV and film production company Foolwolf 73 set up an office at the

01:37university and announced plans for a £450 million investment in a film production complex

01:45for Sunderland, we were ready.

01:48It's ambitious, it's certainly ambitious.

01:50This is not a small regional play, this is a global play.

01:54All of the lecturers have got connections, which is great.

01:56The opportunities are out there and you can absolutely get into the industry.

02:01Through our research, innovation, knowledge exchange, internships and apprenticeships,

02:07we are addressing the productivity challenge at the same time as meeting skills shortages.

02:14Nissan has a really strong relationship with the University of Sunderland.

02:18We've had over 2,000 apprentices at Nissan since time began at the plant and they've

02:23all come from the University of Sunderland in terms of degree apprenticeships.

02:29I was born in Sunderland, I studied at the university and had the honour of becoming

02:34Chancellor in 2023.

02:37This university produces work-ready graduates who have the skills that we need to grow our

02:44economy.

02:45We can measure success through the work of our graduates, but none of that would be possible

02:50without us being a university community that achieves academic excellence in an inclusive,

02:57diverse and supportive environment, one that is great for students and staff alike.

03:03The support I received was excellent as the academic staff at the university helped guide

03:08me through the interview process, which in turn helped me secure a job at JP Mortgage

03:13Chase.

03:14Our academic progress has been striking in recent years, whether you measure that against

03:19Office for Students benchmarks or the National Student Survey.

03:26Our students will be supported, not least through our highly innovative partnership

03:31with a home group, which provides welfare guidance and advice.

03:36We support our students from pre-enrolment all the way through to graduation, supporting

03:40students with disabilities, students who've got financial concerns and we've got an awesome

03:45wellbeing service.

03:46The team that we've got here, I'm really proud.

03:54Sunderland's a very, very accepting university and an accepting city, just put in the pledge

03:58of yourself and you will find your tribe here.

04:02We create outstanding opportunities for our students, our staff provide compellingly positive

04:08feedback on what it's like to work here and we are a vital catalyst in the exciting regeneration

04:15of Sunderland and beyond.

04:24Our strategy created in 2019 was designed to improve our performance and that it has

04:31done.

04:32Why?

04:33Because people with purpose drive performance.

04:38I am the third generation to have graduated from the University of Sunderland alongside

04:42my mum and my gran.

04:43I loved all the teaching and all the experiences.

04:45I'm going to be starting my first job as a teacher and it's my dream job and all the

04:49support that I received has made me feel that I could just step into that job straight away.

04:54Brilliant.

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