Podcasts

Challenges in education in Northern Ireland (Dr Graham Gault, National Association of Head Teachers)

Ann Watt talks to Dr Graham Gault, Director of the National Association of Head Teachers in Northern Ireland, about challenges in education here.

Skills, jobs and innovation (Mark Huddleston, jheSOLUTIONS)

Mark Huddleston, Managing Director of jheSOLUTIONS talks to Ann Watt about skills, productivity, innovation and inclusion.

Mental health and young people (Jay Buntin, Pure Mental NI)

Jay Buntin, Co–Founder and Director of Pure Mental NI, speaks to Ann Watt about their work making the case for effective support for young people’s mental health in schools.

Northern Ireland’s educational attainment gap (Dr Noel Purdy, Stranmillis University College)

Ann Watt speaks to Dr Noel Purdy, Director of the Centre for Research in Educational Underachievement at Stranmillis University College, about narrowing the gap in educational attainment in Northern Ireland.

Increasing productivity in Northern Ireland – Professor John Turner

Professor John Turner from Queen’s University Belfast speaks to Ann Watt about Northern Ireland’s productivity challenge.

The cost of living crisis – Jonny Currie

Jonny Currie, Northern Ireland network link for the Trussell Trust, speaks to Ann Watt about the impact of the huge recent increases in the cost of living in Northern Ireland.

Challenges in the health service in Northern Ireland – Mark Taylor

Ann Watt talks to Mark Taylor, consultant surgeon and Northern Ireland Director for the Royal College of Surgeons, about the challenges facing the health service.

Climate change and environment policy in Northern Ireland – Dr Annika Clements

Ann Watt talks to Dr Annika Clements from Ulster Wildlife about recent progress on climate change legislation and the challenges ahead.

Government in Northern Ireland after the May Assembly election – David Sterling

Pivotal Director Ann Watt talks to David Sterling, former Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, about whether an Executive will be re–established after the May election.

Priorities for the Northern Ireland Executive

What should be the priorities for the Northern Ireland Executive on its return from recess this week? In this Pivotal podcast we speak to four experts – John Compton, former Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Board; Jayne Thompson, Head of Parentkind in Northern Ireland; Richard Johnston, Deputy Director of Ulster University Economic Policy Unit; and Mark Huddleston, Chief Executive of jheSolutions.

Covid–19 and Education in Northern Ireland

The third episode of the joint Queen’s University and Pivotal podcast series ‘Covid–19 in Northern Ireland’ explores how Covid has affected education. The panel is Professor Tony Gallagher (QUB), Professor Siobhan O’Neill (Ulster University) and Dr Bronagh McKee (Stranmillis University College).

Leadership during Covid–19

Our second podcast in the Covid–19 in Northern Ireland series looks at leadership during the Covid–19 crisis. We talk to Queen’s University Belfast Vice–Chancellor Professor Ian Greer, Dr Joanne Murphy and Dr Muiris MacCarthaigh

Covid–19 and the challenges for health and social care in Northern Ireland (Part 2)

We are pleased to present the second podcast in our two part series of podcasts exploring challenges in health and social care in Northern Ireland. These podcasts are a partnership between Ulster University and Pivotal. This second podcast features Professor Deirdre Heenan, researcher, author, broadcaster and Professor of Social Policy, Professor Gerard Leavey, Director of the Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Professor Marie Murphy, Professor of Exercise and Health and Dean of Postgraduate Research and Professor Helene McNulty, Professor of Nutritional Science

Covid–19 and the challenges for health and social care in Northern Ireland (Part 1)

We are pleased to launch the first part in a new two part series of podcasts exploring challenges in health and social care in Northern Ireland. These podcasts are a partnership between Ulster University and Pivotal, the public policy think tank for Northern Ireland. These new podcasts feature eight leading academics from Ulster University discussing the challenges and opportunities for healthcare, including the impact of Covid–19. The topics covered range from the need for reform in healthcare delivery to physical activity and nutrition, and from the use of technology in healthcare to the future of social care. Each podcast ends with the speakers giving their headline summary message for Northern Ireland’s political leaders. The first podcast features Richard Johnston, Deputy Director, Ulster University Economic Policy Centre, Professor Tara Moore, Professor of Personalised Medicine, Professor Ann Marie Gray, Professor of Social Policy and Policy Director of the ARK Project and Professor Jim McLaughlin Director of Nanotechnology and Integrated Bioengineering Centre

The impact of Covid–19 on the Northern Ireland economy

Queen’s University Belfast and Pivotal have launched a three–part series of podcasts on the impact of Covid–19 on key aspects of life in Northern Ireland. In the first episode, Professor John Turner, Dr Graham Brownlow of Queen’s University, and Dr Karen Bonner of Ulster University, bring their expertise to bear on the issue of the economic impact of the pandemic.