LSBU celebrates health, social care and acting graduates
London South Bank University (LSBU) yesterday celebrated its Faculty of Health and Social Care and Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts graduation ceremonies at the prestigious Royal Festival Hall on London's South Bank.With more than 1,170 undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications conferred, the ceremonies were the largest-ever for the Faculty of Health and Social Care.
Chancellor Richard Farleigh presented the awards to graduands following an address from Professor Judith Ellis, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Care, and Vice Chancellor Martin Earwicker.
"The demands on you have been onerous and, in graduating, you have demonstrated your ability to meet high intellectual, academic and professional requirements," said the Vice Chancellor addressing the graduands.
"You are engaged in one of the most important sectors of our society and indeed of our economy. Health, prevention and cure, are key to all our lives."
LSBU was among the very first higher education institutions to offer degrees in nursing and social care, and is ranked the best provider of midwifery education in London by NHS London and the top modern university in London for nursing (The Guardian, 2013).
The Faculty is at the forefront of health research, with a widely-publicised paper into health literacy levels across England showing that health information is too complex and that 42% of people aged between 16 and 65 years are unable to effectively understand and use everyday health information.
The graduation ceremonies follow a third-year student at LSBU, Amy Wilkinson, winning a prestigious Student Nursing Times Award. The awards honour brilliant students, educational establishments and those committed to developing new nursing talent as mentors, lecturers and providers of placements. Additionally, two Health and Social Care programmes were shortlisted in the 'Nurse Education Provider of the Year (post-registration)' category.
The afternoon ceremony also saw eleven graduands conferred the Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Acting. Founded in 1911, Italia Conti is one of Britain's oldest theatre arts training schools and a world-renowned centre for actor training.
The ceremonies took place in the heritage-listed Royal Festival Hall, one of the world's elite event venues. Opened in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain, on the south bank of the River Thames and near LSBU's Southwark campus, the Hall provided graduates and their guests an international-class venue in the heart of one of the world's most vibrant cities. Graduates and their guests attended a celebratory reception following the ceremony.