Student and Alumni Achievements

Elizabeth wins a prestigious dissertation award

Pictured left to right:
Dr Clare Dowdall (UKLA Research Committee)
Dr Susan Jones (Elizabeth's dissertation supervisor) Elizabeth Jennings (BA Education graduate)
Dr Candice Satchwell (UKLA Research Committee)

Elizabeth Jennings was shortlisted for the United Kingdom Literacy Association's (UKLA) Student Research Prize for her undergraduate dissertation: "A bit like sex education." Media literacy education and primary school children: mothers' understanding, attitudes and expectations.

The UKLA Student Research Prize is awarded annually for an outstanding student dissertation at undergraduate, postgraduate or higher degree level undertaken at a UK institution. The awarding committee unanimously agreed that Elizabeth’s work was worthy of the prize, noting in their comments: "The dissertation was well-written and carefully presented, and the research questions, exploring parental understanding and attitudes towards media literacy education, were timely and thoroughly rationalised. The literature reviewed demonstrated a very good level of understanding and identified a clear gap in the research/policy interface and the analysis clearly demonstrates the need for policy for media literacy education to involve caregivers by giving them a ‘voice’ in the development of this. As an argument, this is timely and significant".   

Elizabeth was presented with her award at the gala dinner of the UKLA International Conference in Birmingham in July 2022.  She was invited to present her work at the conference, where she received further very positive feedback from delegates about its quality, timeliness and significance to their research and practice.  

Elizabeth graduated in 2021, but stayed with the University of Nottingham, joining the Graduate Entry Child Nursing MSc programme and we wish her every success in her future career. 

We are thrilled that she has received this national recognition for her work. Congratulations Elizabeth, we're very proud of you. 

Reporting to the United Nations 

Philippa Manning graduated with a BA Education in 2021 and now works at DeMontford University in Leicester as a Student Opportunities Coordinator for the Students' Union. Part of her role is to support volunteering, and this has recently including efforts in relation to the  Ukraine Crisis.

On the 20 April 2022, the United Nations held a review of the response from higher education institutions to the humanitarian impact of the war in Ukraine. Philippa was invited to give a five-minute presentation to delegates about how DeMontford University and the Students' Union have supported the crisis.

The whole session can be viewed on Youtube, with Philippa's section starting at 48:50.

Well done Philippa, presenting to a United Nations delegation is very impressive!