Festival of Learning at BT’s Adastral Park, Ipswich, brings tech industry and education closer together

Festival of learning aims to bring the tech industry and education closer together.

Three business heavyweights have joined forces to create the Festival of Learning - which will take place at BT’s Adastral Park, Ipswich, on Monday, October 30.

The event, between 9am and 3pm, is being supported by Alpha Teaching School Hub, BT, Eastern Education Group and West Suffolk College, and is part funded by the European Social Fund.

The theme of the one day event is called Making Tech Relevant and the aims of the day are to talk about how technology can improve learning, link careers and industry with education whilst show how humans skills are an essential part of bringing this all together.

Guest speakers include children’s author and TechWomen 100 award winner Beverly Clarke, career development specialist Associate Professor Deirdre Hughes and the University of Roehampton’s Professor of Computing Education, Dr Miles Berry.

Professor Miles Berry’s talk is entitled: The Truth About AI’.

He said: “How do we best prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of their later lives?

“It can’t just be about passing on the best that has been thought and said already.”

One of the organisers of this event is the computing hub and festival of learning strategic lead at the Eastern Education Group, Rob Walden.

Rob said: “This event is for professionals in business and teaching and we have over 100 people who have signed up already.

“The overall aim is to help education link with business and vice versa. We want to make it easier for educational establishments to effectively engage with businesses in the tech industry to support careers development for young people.

“This is the first Festival of Learning we have put on since the pandemic and we are excited to get these important events back up and running.

The constant challenge we have in education is creating and maintaining strong links with local, regional and national businesses – this occasion – that has a focus on tech – aims to redress this.”

For more information about the festival visit festivaloflearning.edlink.uk to book your free place.