Minister experiences an ‘eye-opening’ tour

The Minister attended a round table with Vice Chancellors and Principals from universities across the East of England, discussing the issues of teaching excellence, widening participation and ensuring good outcomes for under-represented groups.

The round table was followed by a tour of Anglia Ruskin’s new University Eye Clinic.  Anglia Ruskin is one of the few universities in the UK to have its own eye clinic, meaning optometry and ophthalmic dispensing students gain essential clinical experience while providing optical care to the local community.  

During his tour, the Minister joined a class of students on the Optometry degree, a course which attained a 100% student satisfaction score during this year’s National Student Survey (NSS).

The Minister also met Professor Rupert Bourne from Anglia Ruskin’s Vision and Eye Research Unit (VERU), who gave him a summary of his research activity which was awarded “world-leading” status in the recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014.

Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson MP said: “It was great to see the optometry students hard at work in Anglia Ruskin’s new University Eye Clinic.

“The emphasis on engaging teaching is commendable and is backed up by excellent research in the Vision and Eye Research Unit.”

The Minister was also introduced to two of Anglia Ruskin’s “entrepreneurs in residence”, Walter Herriot OBE and Daniela Florea.  

The pair explained their work at the Centre for Enterprise Development and Research (CEDAR) and their roles judging various university-run business competitions including the Big Pitch, the Little Pitch, and the CEDAR Enterprise Fellowship Scheme.

The innovative work of CEDAR was one of the reasons Anglia Ruskin was named UK Entrepreneurial University of the Year at last year’s Times Higher Education Awards.

Professor Michael Thorne, Anglia Ruskin University’s Vice Chancellor, said: “It was a privilege to welcome the Minister today, and show him some of our exceptional teaching facilities.

“Both the teaching and the research we carry out here into vision and eye disease is truly world class, and makes a difference to people’s lives both here and around the globe.”

 
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For more press information please contact:
Jon Green on t: 01245 68 4717, e: jon.green@anglia.ac.uk
Jamie Forsyth on t: 01245 68 4716, e: jamie.forsyth@anglia.ac.uk
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