ACE Annual Conference - Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues

On 14th July, the Association for Character Education (ACE), supported by the Jubilee Centre, held its annual conference at Kings Langley School in Hertfordshire. Keynote speakers included Sir Anthony Seldon – who spoke about the central role of character education, Alex Nelson, Employee Engagement Manager at Marks and Spencers, and the Jubilee Centre’s Dr. Tom Harrison – who spoke about the revised Jubilee Centre Framework for Character Education.

Former Secretary of State for Education Rt. Hon. Nicky Morgan MP (who has been recently appointed the first chairwoman of the Treasury Committee) also spoke, and emphasised the importance of ‘teaching’ character whilst referring directly to the work of the Jubilee Centre.

There were a number of practical workshops on different aspects of character education, which were delivered by expert practitioners, including Jubilee Centre Research Fellow, Mike Fullard. The fourth issue of Character Matters Journal was launched at the conference. You can join ACE here.

[pictured from left to right: Gary Lewis, Chair of ACE, The Rt. Hon Nicky Morgan MP and Professor James Arthur, Director of Jubilee Centre].

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Character Strengths for the Working World is an essential event for PSHE Leads, Careers Leads, and Character Education Leads within UK educational institutions. Join us on Thursday, 13th July 2023, from 9am to 5pm at the beautiful Botanical Gardens, Birmingham.

This one-day conference, organised byThe Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham, aims to provide insights, knowledge, and networking opportunities for professionals committed to enhancing character development and employability skills in their students.

Our speakers will share their expertise and perspectives on educational policy and best practices for empowering students to excel in the working world through harnessing their character strengths. The event will include keynote speeches, policy and practitioner panels, interactive sessions, and opportunities to connect with a wide range of professionals and experts in the field.

Our line-up of distinguished speakers includes:

• Rt. Hon. Baroness Nicky Morgan (former Secretary of State for Education)

• Bec Tigue (Character Lead at the University of Birmingham School)

• David Harkin (CEO at 8 Billion Ideas)

• Adrian McLean (Character Ambassador and Multi-academy Trust Lead at Severn Academies)

• The Careers and Enterprise Company

Food and refreshments:

Morning coffee and pastries, lunch, afternoon tea, and a drinks reception will be provided as part of registration for you to enjoy.

Free resources:

There will be multiple free resources available for you to take away at this event. We will be launching a new workbook, based on research funded by the Society for Educational Studies, for use by careers guidance professionals and character educators to help students consider who they are, the character traits they aspire towards, and to align their career choices with this. We will also have multiple other free resources that educators can use within their practice based on over a decade of research at the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues.

Attendance is free, but spaces are limited. It is essential to reserve your place in advance to avoid disappointment. Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your institution's approach to character education and student employability. Register now to secure your spot at Character Strengths for the Working World.

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