Professor Richard Woolley - Chair of the Advisory Group

Head of the School of Education, University of Hull

This new Subject Benchmark Statement has been developed by academics and students passionate about the role that Education Studies has to play in making a positive contribution to our world. We have been ambitious in seeking to define our subject for coming years, focussing on diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainability, ensuring our subject is accessible to all and that it promotes employability, entrepreneurship and enterprise education. Significantly we have introduced an exploration of Artificial Intelligence, developing both a vision and defining principles for its application. Education Studies covers a broad range of elements, exploring how people develop and learn throughout their lives, the nature of knowledge, and critical engagement with knowing and understanding. We believe that Education Studies has the capacity to transform the lives of those who participate in it, and to benefit society as a whole. Education Studies explores exciting possibilities for change, with the potential to empower all involved to become agents of change. Our graduates progress to a wide range of career destinations and further study. The wonderful thing about education is that everyone is engaged in learning throughout their lives, reflecting on their successes and failures, evaluating the impact of their activities and growing and maturing. This revised Statement offers an exciting vision for Education Studies, providing a stimulus to encourage the development of courses that are creative, innovative, engaging and inspiring.