Keynote Speaker

The transition from school to university is a challenging one, presenting learners with the need to rapidly become independent, reflective learners, and to assimilate a range of skills if they are to make the most of their studies and fulfil their potential. For students from some backgrounds, this can be more challenging than for others.

Drawing on a range of theory, evidence and experience, we consider how well prepared the current generation of students are (and perceive themselves to be) for that transition, and explore some existing and new ideas for how they might be supported.

Paul is Chair in Management and Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Learning & Teaching at the University of Sheffield. An economist by training, he obtained both his BSc and PhD from the University of Warwick and subsequently worked at Swansea University for more than 20 years.

Among other affiliations, he is a visiting professor at Westminster Business School’s Centre for Employment Research, a Research Fellow of the IZA (Bonn), and an Associate of the Economics Network.

Winner of multiple teaching awards, including most recently the University of Sheffield’s inaugural Senate Award for Leadership in Learning & Teaching, Paul has led and contributed to several HEA supported/sponsored workshop/seminars and projects, for example, on inclusivity and the teaching of research methods.

Alongside his discipline-based research, he is currently co-researching pedagogical issues including feedback and satisfaction and the use of Twitter in teaching, and recently published a paper looking at first year student transitions.

Professor Paul L. Latreille, BSc, PhD, MCMI, FLPI

Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor for Learning & Teaching designate

University of Sheffield