A message from Lisa Murtagh, Head of Manchester Institute of Education
12 Feb 2026
Lisa reflects on semester one achievements and semester two opportunities
Semester 1 Reflection
As we move into Semester 2, I’ve been reflecting on what has been an incredibly busy and demanding start to an academic year. September now feels both recent and far away-within days the building was alive again with students and staff and since then the pace has shown little sign of slowing. What has stood out throughout, though, is the strength of commitment across MIE. Even during weeks marked by pressure- pressure on workloads, resources and staffing - colleagues have shown remarkable patience, creativity and shared purpose.
I am deeply grateful for the support and guidance of our Head of School, Khalid Nadvi, and our Deputy Head of School, Juup Stelma, whose experience has offered both reassurance and perspective during recent months. I want to also take this opportunity to extend huge thanks to Lucy Adams. Lucy has been an endless source of support since I commenced my role as Head of Department- I am truly thrilled that she is forging forward in her career and undertaking a two-year secondment, whilst also welcoming a baby in June. Lucy will be sorely missed!
Despite the operational challenges, last semester was filled with real achievement. Across the department, colleagues have received recognition for excellence in teaching, research, scholarship and leadership. Awards, commendations and external acknowledgements have reflected the breadth of expertise within MIE and our reputation both across the University and more widely. These successes, taken together, capture something important about the ethos of the department- ambition balanced with collaboration and a genuine commitment to students and to each other.
Our research environment continues to thrive. Colleagues have contributed to national conversations through publications, policy engagement and collaborative projects. Several major initiatives have taken shape, strengthening our presence in areas such as mental health, wellbeing and educational leadership. Our doctoral community has also been a real highlight, with students achieving significant milestones that reflect both their hard work and the strength of supervision across MIE.
It has also been encouraging to see our work reaching wider public audiences. Some of our research has gained media attention, helping to raise the visibility of educational scholarship and the social issues that sit at the heart of our work. For programmes such as PGCE, this has been especially meaningful, demonstrating the real‑world relevance of the teaching and mentorship we provide and I am looking forward to seeing the footage from ITV’s recent visit to the department.
This year we have also benefited from a renewed sense of physical shared space. The Ellen Wilkinson Commons has become a vibrant hub, bringing staff and students together in ways that are already enhancing the everyday experience of being part of MIE. The transformation of this area into a warm, accessible and functional space has created new opportunities for informal connection, collaboration and simply being present together in the building. It has been wonderful to see how quickly colleagues and students have begun to make it their own, and I hope it continues to grow as a centre of community life in the months ahead.
Amid the busyness, community moments have been especially meaningful, from Winter Graduations to our MIE Christmas gathering, to the smaller everyday gestures that keep us connected. These moments are reminders of the culture that sustains us-one rooted in collegiality, humour and care.
Looking Ahead to Semester 2 and Beyond
Semester 2 brings valuable opportunities for connection through our Research and Scholarship Group events, which will help us maintain momentum as we look toward the next phase of research planning and ongoing preparations for REF2029. These events are a chance not only to showcase work but to strengthen the coherence of our research environment as we begin to shape our future direction.
Alongside this, planning for the 2026–27 academic year and beyond is already underway. Workload planning, programme leadership transitions, academic leave co-ordination and the continued embedding of new spaces such as the Commons will all form part of this next phase. Early planning will be crucial for maintaining stability during what will likely remain a challenging financial period for the School.
Despite the pressures we have faced, I remain optimistic. The achievements of Semester 1 and the way colleagues have supported one another reinforce my confidence in MIE. Our collective strength lies not only in what we accomplish, but in how we work together. I am privileged to be working with fantastic colleagues in MIE and across the whole of SEED.