Going Beyond Belief: Collaborative Project with BBC Engages A-Level Students

01 Nov 2024

A collaborative project with the BBC, which provides A-level students with specialist content on religions, ethics, and philosophy, recently held a showcase event with academics and BBC professionals on topics such as roboethetics and new content added to the platform.

Tim Pemberton, Head of Religion & Ethics at BBC Audio North, speaking to guests

The Department of Religions and Theology recently hosted an interactive workshop that captivated over 100 A-Level Religions, Ethics and Philosophy students from eight colleges and schools across Northwest England. The event showcased new content added to the "Going Beyond Belief" A-Level resource, a collaborative initiative with the BBC launched in January 2024 and led by Dr Holly Morse.

Showcasing the Radio 4 "Beyond Belief" programme archive, the project introduces students to cutting-edge research conducted by University of Manchester academics and enables them to integrate their findings into their A-level studies.

The workshop opened with a warm welcome from Professor April McMahon, Vice President of Teaching, Learning, & Students and Tim Pemberton, Head of Religion & Ethics at BBC Audio North, who addressed students and teachers. Dr Scott Midson then led an engaging session on roboethics, encouraging students to explore the ethical implications of technology.

The event concluded with a panel featuring five BBC producers and executives, who shared insights into their career paths and offered students a glimpse into the media industry. Overall, the workshop was a resounding success, fostering educational engagement and professional inspiration.

Tim Pemberton (BBC) commented, “It is invigorating to see so many young people excited by knowledge and new ideas in the religion and ethics space. And it’s particularly thrilling to see the way that our archive can be integrated in a fantastically creative way into learning.”

Read more about Going Beyond Belief here.