Media Centre

05.04.06: UKERC and Higher Education Authority Debate Rising Energy Prices

The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) and the Higher Education Academy’s Economics Network are to host an innovative Workshop for higher education lecturers to explore the impact of rising energy costs on homes and businesses. 

Participants will discuss how to incorporate the current debate into their teaching of energy and transport economics.

In a break from tradition, there will be no formal speakers and no predefined structure to the Workshop.  Instead delegates will state their teaching interests, experience and concerns ahead of time, which will the shape the day’s agenda.

According to Heather Witham of the Economics network: “Common feedback from conference participants is that not enough time is available for networking with colleagues.  The participatory workshop format seeks to rectify this by providing several hours for networking and the sharing of ideas. Topics are chosen based on the personal interests and concerns of the registrants so the workshop is always immediately relevant to those attending.”  

Jane Palmer, manager of UKERC’s Meeting Place said, “This event encapsulates the principles of the Meeting Place: to promote interdisciplinary working and to bring together members of the UK energy community from a range of backgrounds to further the energy debate.  We particularly welcome this initiative from the Economics Network in trialling a participatory workshop on this critical issue.”

The event takes places at Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford on Wednesday 31 May from 10:30 to 16:00. 

Further Information

For further information about the Higher Education Academy contact Prue Jeffreys, tel 01904 717548 or 717500, email

For more information on the format and content contact Heather Witham, h.witham@bristol.ac.uk

For more information on the venue, costs or registration, contact Jane Palmer, jane.palmer@eci.ox.ac.uk or click here

Notes to Editors

The Higher Education Academy

1. The Higher Education Academy works with universities and colleges, discipline groups, individual staff and organisations to help them deliver the best possible learning experience for students. 

It has a triple focus on national policy, institutional support, and subject and staff development.  It provides an authoritative and independent voice on policies that influence student learning experiences, supports institutions in their strategies for improving the student learning experience, leads and supports the professional development and recognition of staff in higher education, and leads the development of research and evaluation to improve the quality of the student learning experience.  It has a UK-wide network of Subject Centres providing discipline-based support for learning and teaching.

2. The Higher Education Academy is an independent organisation funded by grants from the four UK higher education funding bodies, subscriptions from higher education institutions, and grant and contract income for specific initiatives.

The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC)

3. UKERC’s mission is to be the UK's pre-eminent centre of research, and source of authoritative information and leadership, on sustainable energy systems.  A key supporting function of UKERC is the Meeting Place, based in Oxford, which aims to bring together members of the UK energy community and overseas experts from different disciplines, to learn, identify problems, develop solutions and further the energy debate.