Shortlisted University of Chester project helps schools learn under lockdown

The University of Chester is one of only two finalists up for a prestigious industry award for an innovative communications project designed to help school and college students applying to university and enhance their education under lockdown.

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit in March last year, the University wanted to support not just its current students, but also prospective ones as they made their all-important university choices – and this is set to continue.

Academic staff worked quickly to move their teaching online and, having adapted quickly, worked with the marketing and recruitment team to produce The Kitchen Sessions.

The wide-ranging sessions are a series of mini-lectures aimed at prospective students to help them feel more connected and experience the benefits of online learning.

Now The Kitchen Sessions project has been selected as one of only two finalists in the HELOA (Higher Education Liaison Officers Association) Best Practice Marketing Communication Awards, in the ‘Best Collaboration’ category.

Dozens of Kitchen Sessions on a huge range of topics were delivered from academics’ home environments to students after they were sent home from school due to the first lockdown.

The easily accessible 20-minute mini-lectures covered areas as diverse as ‘The Power of False Confessions’ from the School of Psychology and ‘Contemporary French Pop Music’ from the Department of Modern Languages. All of the lectures are still available on the University’s website at chester.ac.uk/kitchen-sessions.

Dr Lindsey Murray, Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology, delivered one of the first Kitchen Sessions: “It was really nerve-wracking to go live on YouTube but it was totally worth it! We knew this sort of learning was new for most school pupils and we wanted to demonstrate to them that online learning can be interactive, inspirational and valuable. The feedback we received has been fantastic.”

Marketing Manager Nikki Mullineux thanked the academic staff for making the initiative such a huge success: “When we initially had this idea we knew that it would sink or swim, based on the enthusiasm of our academics and their passion for their subjects and for what we were trying to achieve. Thankfully, we have some of the most committed and supportive academic staff you could wish to find, and this nomination reflects that.”

Following the success of the Kitchen Sessions 2020, the University is continuing them in 2021, which should prove useful for Year 11 to 13 students, as well as members of the public, during the latest lockdown.

Sign up to the Kitchen Sessions now at chester.ac.uk/kitchen-sessions

Pictured - Dr Lindsey Murray, Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology, delivering her Kitchen Session about animal psychology with the help of her feline friend, Milly.