SOLENT STRATEGY 2035

Practice-led
Our real-world educational approach will blur the lines between classroom and workplace and means that our learning and teaching is experiential and experimental. Practice-led is more than learning how to do something, it is learning why it matters and how to create something new, it requires the creative application of skills and knowledge to different learning experiences. It fosters a mindset of critical thinking, curiosity, innovation, and lifelong learning through collaborative learning and active engagement. Practice-led learning equips students with the practical skills, problem-solving abilities, and entrepreneurial spirit they need to thrive in today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving job market.

We engage in innovative research that has strong foundations in both the methodological underpinnings and the implementation of practice-led approaches. Our practice-led research is itself concerned with understanding the nature of practice and leads to new knowledges that have operational and social significance.

Practice-led education and research will unlock the potential for innovation and development, delivering transformative benefits for our students, stakeholders, and society at large.

Industry-led
Our students benefit from being immersed in the dynamic, and often unpredictable, modern workplace. With real-world projects, mentorship opportunities and exposure to cutting-edge technologies. This industry-focused approach not only enhances student learning but also strengthens Southampton Solent’s reputation as a leading provider of high-quality education and fosters innovation and economic growth.

Industry-led learning is the cornerstone of our future. By collaborating closely with industry professionals, many of whom are Southampton Solent alumni and who bring their expertise back to the classroom, we ensure our curriculum remains relevant and prepares our students to become highly-skilled graduates ready for the demands of the modern workplace.

Impact-led
Involving our collaborators and partners in all aspects of Southampton Solent ensures that our education and research are constructed to deliver a demonstrable positive change to beneficiaries. We define this as impact-led research and education: we believe that it is essential for all responsible researchers to deliver benefits to people and society.

Impact embodies the good researchers do in the world. It is evidenced in the demonstrable or perceived benefits to individuals, groups, organisations and society in the present and future) generated by the work of research, innovation, and knowledge exchange.

Future-led education
We will be driven by the continuing evolution of technology and discovery of new tools that impact our teaching, our research and our role in the community. We have led the way with real-world learning and simulated practice, and now with the advent of new technologies, we are at the forefront of delivery that capitalises on the freedom and flexibility that technology offers.

Being at the digital frontier requires thinking and developing future applications and solutions to problems that have not yet been considered. Through creative practice in all disciplines, we unlock the curiosity that is needed to define future technologies. From virtual production in the film industry to AI assisted navigation in maritime, Southampton Solent University will define how we live and work in the future.