Many Voices conference

The conference will present ongoing research and stimulate discourse with respect to issues and initiatives that facilitate the students’ voice.

It brings together different stakeholders (students’ academics, support staff, policy makers, managers, employers and communities).

Education is still regarded as the best hope in the fight against poverty and social and economic exclusion. The Future of Higher Education (DfES 2003) indicated that a higher education experience can contribute to creating opportunities and the advancement of social justice.

The conference will focus on the following themes:

• Quality issues in higher education
• How are higher education institutions and partners responding to challenges that relate to globalisation, human rights, diversity and equalities agenda?
• How are students as advocates supported?
• Supporting and enabling staff to face the challenges within the sector as a result of increased diversity and the current economic down turn

Speakers include

• Lord Tony Young, Minister for Students, DIUS 
• Professor Heidi Safia Mirza, Director, Centre for Rights Equalities & Social Justice
• Aaron Porter, National Vice President, NUS
• Dr Gillian King, Deputy Director, QAA
• Professor Lee Harvey, Sheffield Hallam University
• Shazia Nazir, Deputy President Education, De Montfort University Student Union
• Sheila Trahar, Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol Graduate School of Education