Health Innovation Manchester (HInM) is partnering with GMColleges to support the Greater Manchester Further Education Innovation Programme (GMFEIP). Funded by Innovate UK through the Further Education Innovation Fund, the programme aims to increase the role of FE colleges by expanding its innovation support and improving productivity for local businesses.

The £2.5m programme, led by Oldham College and including all nine colleges in Greater Manchester (collectively GMColleges), has placed emphasis on key frontier sectors identified in the Greater Manchester Local Industrial Strategy that will drive the growth of the city region’s economy – Sustainable Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, Digital, Creative and Media, Net Zero, and Health Innovation and Life Sciences.

A key component of the programme, four innovators in residence, one for each frontier sector will be deployed across Greater Manchester to identify the emerging technologies and trends and share ‘Innovation Insights’ through a continuing professional development (CPD) programme for college teachers and tech teams. This will prepare FE in Greater Manchester to meet the challenges of the future and support growth in the region.

Health Innovation Manchester has worked closely with GMColleges to support the programme and is pleased to share that Steph Bateman, Specialist Nurse Innovation, is joining the programme on a secondment as Innovator in Residence – Health Innovation and Life Sciences.

As a Specialist Nurse for Innovation at Health Innovation Manchester, Steph has extensive experience in driving forward innovative health solutions in collaboration with academic and industry partners, providing the skills to identify emerging technologies and trends and share ‘Innovation Insights’ across Health Innovation and Life Sciences.

Steph Bateman, Innovator in Residence – Health Innovation and Life Sciences, shared her ambitions for the role: “The programme represents a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between cutting-edge health innovation and further education. Our goal is to cultivate an environment where innovation thrives, equipping educators and students with the skills to embrace and implement technological advancements in their workplaces. This is crucial as we address the evolving challenges in healthcare, from an ageing population to the complexities of our health systems. By bridging education and industry, we can build relationships that tap into Greater Manchester’s rich innovation pipeline. This ensures that FE will remain at the forefront of health innovation and continue to improve the lives of people in the region”

Ben Diette, Academic Partnerships Manager, reflected on working with GMColleges to support the programme: “It has been great to work with GMColleges and explore how Health Innovation Manchester can support this important programme. It’s clear that Further Education Colleges play a key role in innovation as community anchors. By working together, we can build a collaborative environment where we can embrace innovation and technological advancements to addresses the complex challenges and opportunities across the health and care system, to ultimately improve the lives of local people”.

To find out more about the programme visit FE Innovation | GMColleges (gmcg.ac.uk)