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Talking fairness and equality - and Manchester as a living lab…

06 Aug 2024

Talk 200 – two new podcasts celebrating 200 years of education and innovation here at Manchester

Talk 200 – our series of podcasts celebrating 200 years of education and innovation here at Manchester – has broadcast two more episodes.

In one, Professor Colette Fagan, our Vice-President for Research and responsible for leading our research and doctoral training strategy discusses fairness and equality with two of our students, our Students’ Union Wellbeing and Liberation Officer, Aisha Akram and final year MBChB Medicine student, George Obolo.

In another, Professor Alejandro Frangi, Director of the Christabel Pankhurst Institute and the Bicentennial Turing Chair in Computational Medicine, discusses health innovation and “Manchester as a living lab” with Clinical Senior Lecturer Dr Louise Hunter and Students Union Executive Officer for the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Raluca-Elena Valcescu.

Talking fairness and equality: “We’re not moving fast enough”

Host Andy Spinoza is joined by Colette, Aisha and George as they discuss the role of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plans in higher education and more widely in society. They also highlight how the University has advanced equality and fairness through the impact of its research – from the past, through to the present and into the future.

From Manchester’s role in the Industrial Revolution and its ties to the global cotton trade, through to key figures in the University’s radical history, such as Christabel Pankhurst, Alan Turing and Arthur Lewis, they chart the University’s EDI journey, examine our institutional commitment to EDI, and discuss how our research produces evidence and solutions to advance equality and fairness across the globe, as well as in our local community.

Take a listen:

Talking health innovation: Manchester as a living lab 

In this episode, Andy is joined by Alejandro, Louise and Raluca-Elena to discuss Manchester’s storied history of medical and health-related breakthroughs and how these led to the city remaining at the forefront of medical innovations for over two centuries.

They also consider the University’s role today in advancing medical knowledge, driving positive healthcare and tackling global health challenges and look to what the future might bring – and what impact digital technologies, AI and advanced materials could have on positive healthcare outcomes. 

Take a listen:

About Talk 200 

Talk 200 is a new lecture and podcast series from The University of Manchester, launching to mark our bicentenary: 200 years of making a difference. This year we’re reflecting on our past, celebrating our present and looking to the future – and Talk 200 invites listeners to be part of the journey. 

Released throughout 2024, the series will comprise a mix of in-person and live-streamed lectures and recorded podcast episodes. Our podcast host, Manchester aficionado, author and University of Manchester alumnus Andy Spinoza, will be joined by a diverse line-up of guests from our community. Topics such as health, digital and AI, climate change, and equality and justice will be covered, among others.