Northumbria University

🎉 Huge congratulations to Nigel Coates, founder of Northumbria University’s Business Clinic, who has been awarded an MBE for services to Higher Education and to Business.

Nigel founded the pioneering Business Clinic in 2013 with a simple but powerful idea: give students real experience by working on live consultancy projects for businesses, charities, and social enterprises.

Almost 800 clients have received free consultancy from students – work they have valued at more than £4.3 million in total. The Clinic has become one of the most recognised and effective experiential learning initiatives in UK higher education. Nigel has gone on to advise more than a dozen universities, in the UK and abroad, on how to establish their own version.

Nigel retired as Associate Professor and Director of the Business Clinic in 2024 after working at Northumbria for 36 years, and retains his link with the University as a Visiting Fellow.

He said: "I am genuinely overwhelmed – and utterly surprised – to receive this MBE. It is an honour I hold with enormous pride. But this award does not belong to me alone. Everything we achieved at the Business Clinic was down to a truly wonderful team whom I had the great privilege of leading.

“I am also deeply grateful for the unwavering support of the University, without which none of this would have been possible. I accept this with a very full heart."

Professor Andy Long, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University, said: “We are so pleased to see this outstanding recognition of Nigel’s work, which has had such a significant impact on thousands of students and on hundreds of businesses over more than a decade.”

Congratulations, Nigel – a truly well-deserved honour 👏

Discover more: https://bit.ly/4oK5fnH

Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University

Big news for the North East! 🎉

Today, Northumbria University is proud to host the official launch of the North East Spinout Inspire Fund - a £22.5m investment by our region's five universities and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness to transform cutting-edge academic research into high-growth new businesses, right here in the North East.

The Fund will particularly support early-stage spinout companies, where funding is often hardest to secure - helping to fill a critical gap and keep innovative businesses growing in our region.

At Northumbria, we already have a pipeline of 12 near-term spinouts spanning green tech, space communications, advanced materials, software, and agri-tech. This Fund helps turn that ambition into reality.

Are you a healthcare professional looking to develop your practice and progress your career? 🩺 We are excited to invite you to our online Professional Practice in Health Framework Open Evening.

Join us online to discover Northumbria University's flexible Professional Practice in Health programmes, designed for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals looking to enhance their practice.

You'll have the opportunity to meet academic staff, learn more about the range of modules and qualifications available, and find out how the framework can support your professional and career goals. There will also be time to ask questions and learn more about studying alongside your current role.

Join us online via Microsoft Teams: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/357213396546086?p=ehgECvtUaoKdpkT3dZ

🗓️ Tuesday 23 June
🕕 6pm – 7pm

Interested in becoming a registered Occupational Therapist while continuing to work and earn? 👩‍⚕️📚

Join our upcoming information session for the Occupational Therapist Degree Apprenticeship at Northumbria University.

This session is ideal for anyone currently working in occupational therapy support roles who wants to progress their career through a flexible degree apprenticeship route.

You’ll learn more about:
✅ The structure of the apprenticeship
✅ Entry requirements and eligibility
✅ Practice placements and workplace learning
✅ Career progression opportunities
✅ How to apply

The programme combines academic study with real-world practice, helping apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and experience needed to register with the HCPC as an Occupational Therapist.

📅 Find out more and register here: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/news-events/events/2026/06/occupational-therapist-degree-apprenticeship-information-session/?sc_camp=&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=b2b_x_26_may_awareness_workforce-development_x_x_x_x_x&utm_term=ot-webinar-social-post-1&utm_content=post

Looking to build a rewarding career in social work or develop your workforce? 🤝📚

Join our upcoming Social Work Degree Apprenticeship Online Information Session.

This online session is ideal for individuals already working in care, support or community-based roles who are ready to take the next step towards becoming a qualified social worker. Or employers who are looking to upskill their workforce.

During the session, you’ll discover:
✅ How the degree apprenticeship works
✅ Entry requirements and how to apply
✅ The balance between university study and workplace learning
✅ Placement opportunities and professional support
✅ Career pathways within social work

Northumbria’s Social Work Degree Apprenticeship combines academic learning with real-world experience, helping apprentices develop the knowledge, values and practical skills needed for professional social work practice.

📅 Find out more and register here: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/news-events/events/2026/07/social-work-degree-apprenticeship-information-session/?sc_camp=&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=b2b_x_26_may_awareness_workforce-development_x_x_x_x_x&utm_term=sw-webinar-social-post-1&utm_content=post

🚨 We’re excited to share ENACT-ED (Evidence into National Action for remote Care Transformation in Eating Disorders) a new project launched to develop first national guidance for remote eating disorder care in England.

Remote eating disorder care is now a core part of treatment across England, yet there is still no national guidance to ensure that care is safe, equitable, and consistent.

Funded by the Medical Research Foundation’s Changing Policy and Practice Programme, ENACT-ED brings together researchers from the RHED group at Northumbria University and the Regional Eating Disorders Charities Alliance & Network (REDCAN) to co-develop the first-ever national guidance for remote eating disorder care.

Together, we’ll develop practical, policy-ready recommendations that reflect the needs of the people who matter most.

Upcoming events and sessions include:
📍 Roundtable events across the UK (May–July 2026)
📍 Dedicated sessions for lived experience, NHS services, and voluntary sector staff
📍 A national policy briefing event in late 2026 aimed at driving meaningful system-wide change

Events are taking place in Derby, Sheffield, South West England, and online.

As project lead Dr Dawn Branley-Bell explains:
“The shift to remote care happened rapidly, but the guidance to support it has not kept pace. People affected by eating disorders deserve confidence that the remote care they receive meets a consistent national standard.”

🔗 Find out more some of the upcoming events here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/roundtable-national-policy-guidance-for-remote-eating-disorders-care-tickets-1987993468981?aff=oddtdtcreator -card

Roundtable: National Policy Guidance for Remote Eating Disorders Care Help to develop national policy guidance for remote (e.g., online / digital) care for eating disorders as part of our research

⚽ We're proud to announce a new strategic partnership with England Football Learning — The Football Association's education arm — to transform development for the next generation of football coaches.

Launching in September 2026, our new Football Coaching and Performance degree integrates fully-funded UEFA coaching qualifications directly into the undergraduate experience, creating more accessible pathways to elite coaching careers.

As Kim Hide, Director of FA Learning, puts it: this partnership reflects a shared commitment to "raising standards across the game — from grassroots to the professional level — by creating clearer, more accessible pathways for development."

🎓 We look forward to welcoming our first cohort of coaches this autumn. Discover more: https://bit.ly/4tNC83w