• Technical staff at UK & Ireland universities to be celebrated at the Higher Education Technicians Summit 2017 – hosted by Midlands Innovation Universities, in partnership with Science Council – at University of Warwick
• Largest event held specifically for UK and Ireland higher education technical staff – promoting professional identity for technicians
• Key-note speakers include Nobel Prize winner, the first female Professor of Chemistry at both Oxford and Cambridge, and Chairman of WMG
• National Papin Prizes will be awarded to technicians who demonstrate excellence in their field

Technical staff at UK and Ireland universities will be celebrated at the national Higher Education Technicians Summit 2017 (HETS 2017) – hosted by the Midlands Innovation Universities, in partnership with the Science Council – at the University of Warwick this May.

The largest event of its kind in the country, HETS 2017 is a day dedicated to promoting a professional identity for technical staff in UK and Ireland higher education.

High profile key-note speakers will attend the event, including:

• Sir Paul Nurse, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Chief Executive and Director of the Francis Crick Institute and former President of the Royal Society
• Professor Dame Carol Robinson, the first female Professor of Chemistry at the Universities of both Oxford and Cambridge
• Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, Professor and Chairman of WMG, University of Warwick

Sir Paul Nurse is delighted that technicians are being recognised:

“I began my career as a technician and know first-hand the important contributions technicians make to education, research and innovation. It is fantastic that Midlands Innovation and the Science Council are working to increase visibility and opportunity for this vital group of staff and the Summit promises to be a stimulating and informative event.”

Dame Carol Robinson comments that technicians are essential for research:

“I am delighted to be speaking at the UK Higher Education Technicians Summit. I spent seven years at the start of my career as a technician in industry. I'm therefore very much looking forward to catching up with current technicians from across the UK and to sharing experiences.

“I have always believed that technicians are essential to enabling research and teaching and it is great therefore that the technical community is being given recognition and professional development opportunities through this event.”

Sessions at HETS 2017 will focus on professional development and networking opportunities.

The conference will also discuss broader issues around technical skills and education including the importance of technical skills in driving forward innovation, and current initiatives to ensure the future provision of technical education to young people.

The UK skills shortage, apprenticeships, and the importance of collaborative industry partnerships are also on the agenda.

The Papin Prizes – which recognise the skills, talent and experience of technicians who have demonstrated excellence in their field, across the UK and Ireland – will be awarded on the day.

Nominees have been selected from a broad range of universities, and categories include ‘outreach’, ‘research’, ‘teaching’, and ‘lifetime achievement’.

HETS 2017 is hosted by the Midlands Innovation Universities (Aston, Birmingham, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham and Warwick) in partnership with the Science Council.

It will take place at Warwick on 31 May 2017. The event is free to attend, and lunch is provided.

Registration to the HETS 2017 is free, but there are a limited number of places. Registration is available here: https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/events/technicians/

Further information, contact:

Luke Walton, International Press Officer

+44 (0) 7824 540 863

+44 (0) 2476 150 868

L dot Walton dot 1 at warwick dot ac dot uk