2025 Research & Professional Development Conference

Please note that the programme is subject to change.

All sessions will be held in the Law and Psychology building except where shown.

Wednesday 16 July
8.30am	Registration opens   Tea, coffee, pastries available
9.30am	Conference Opening Address  Professor Michael Young, Vice Chancellor, Edge Hill University
9.45am	Keynote  ‘Back to the future: Nurturing the child in the moment, nurturing the child in the young person and nurturing the adult they will become’ Professor Eunice Lumsden, University of Northampton
10.45am	Comfort break / Session changeover  Water refills are available throughout the event in the L&P foyer: please bring your water bottle.
11am	Parallel sessions 1
12:45pm	Buffet Lunch and Poster Exhibition – The Arts Centre
1.45pm	Keynote Panel ‘Play Matters: a call to action’   Chair: Dr Karen Boardman, Director of International Centre for Early Years Education, Edge Hill University Panel Members: Dr Aaron Bradbury, Principal Lecturer, Early Childhood Studies, Nottingham Trent University  Professor Eunice Lumsden, Head of Childhood, Youth, and Families, University of Northampton  Kathryn Morris, Early Years Senior manager at Blackpool Better Start  Keynote Workshop Creating the happiest, healthiest schools in the world!   Chris Wright, Head of Health and Wellbeing, Youth Sport Trust  Chair: Dr David Haycock, Edge Hill University
2.45pm	Comfort break/ Session changeover
3pm	Workshop sessions 1
4pm	Comfort break/ Session changeover
4.15pm	Parallel sessions 2
5.30pm	End of Day One: The Red Bar in the Arts Centre is open until 8pm.

Thursday 17 July
8.15am	Registration opens    Tea, coffee, pastries available
9am	Day 2 Welcome and opening
9.15am	Keynote Panel  Enhancing Life Chances and Reducing Inequalities through Education     Chair: Liam Owens, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Edge Hill University    Panel Members: Cllr Barbara Murray, Lord Mayor of Liverpool Dr Katherine Birch, Director, Alder Hey Academy, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust Laura Wharton, Assistant Director of Public Health, Wigan Council Kathryn Moffitt, Health and Wellbeing Manager, West Lancashire Borough Council
10.30am	Comfort break/ Session changeover
10.45am	Workshop sessions 2
11.45am	Lunch – The Arts Centre
12.30pm	Parallel sessions 3
1.45pm	Comfort break/ Session changeover
2pm	Parallel sessions 4
3.45pm	Comfort break/ Session changeover
4pm	Keynote From physical activity interventions to physically active learning: schools as ‘ideal settings’ for promoting physical activity Professor Miranda Thurston, University of Inland Norway  Chair: Professor Andy Smith, Edge Hill University
5pm	Conference closing address  Dr Helen O’Keeffe, Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Education

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