New state-of-the-art facilities for the School of Human Sciences have been officially unveiled.
Date: 29 January 2024
State-of-the-art teaching facilities for the School of Human Sciences were officially unveiled by London Met’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Lynn Dobbs and keynote speaker, Professor Dame Elizabeth Anionwu at a special launch event last week.
The launch marks a significant milestone in the University's commitment to providing advanced and innovative healthcare education and is one of the largest estates projects in London Met’s recent history, as part of a multimillion pound strategy to create vibrant campuses with cutting-edge facilities.
It also showcased the University's investment in the latest technology, designed to enhance students’ learning and overall experience. Demonstrations were given of the school’s standout feature – a fully immersive, virtual reality space allowing students to immerse themselves in 360° films used to simulate real-world scenarios, such as a car crash.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Lynn Dobbs said: “Firstly, I want to thank our incredible and dedicated staff who have worked tirelessly to get this project across the line. This event is not only a celebration of new beginnings and modern facilities, but also a tribute to the enduring legacy and future aspirations of London Metropolitan University. I want to emphasise the University’s ongoing dedication to healthcare education, addressing contemporary challenges and developing our fantastic students into health professionals of the future.”
Collaboration and celebration were the words of the night, as 80 guests including London Met staff and students, key stakeholders and valued partners from the NHS and beyond came together in the Science Centre on the Holloway campus, to mark the success of a project, that from conception to completion only took a few months. It also commemorated 70 years of the Dietetics course at London Met and the 75th anniversary of the NHS.
Attendees listened enthusiastically to speeches by Professor Lynn Dobbs and Elizabeth Opara, Dean of the School of Human Sciences, and Dame Elizabeth Anionwu, who added a touch of inspiration and humour with her keynote address, discussing her inspirations, challenges and her excitement at seeing such ‘beautiful’ facilities. After her speech, she spent time speaking to students and signing copies of her book for them.
Following the event, Dame Elizabeth commented: “It’s a huge honour to open the splendid new health education facilities in the School of Health Sciences at London Met. The classroom is where we live and learn, and it’s where I was inspired to become a nurse. I hope these students have the same experience here.”
A behind-the-scenes look at the impressive space was also a highlight of the night – which includes a ward, ICU, simulation and homecare suite, and contemporary study spaces adorned with plants. Some lucky volunteers even had the chance to try the equipment first-hand in demonstrations given by Nursing, Physiotherapy and Dietetics students.
Melanie Albon, a BSc Adult Nursing student – who was one of the first to see and use the facilities when she started the course in September 2023 – said: “It’s so lovely to be here to celebrate, my experience at London Met has been amazing and the facilities are fantastic. I’ve got nursing friends and I’ve explained to them what the facilities are like, and the warm environment here, and they’re amazed. Nobody that I know who’s studied at a university has had this experience.”
Planning for the project began in 2022, with construction work commencing in May 2023 to transform the space on the second floor of the Science Centre. The project was handed over in September 2023, in time for the University’s first cohort of Adult Nursing students, as well as existing allied health students studying physiotherapy and dietetics.
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