University awarded £1.27 million to lead innovations in healthcare education

A pioneering educational facility is set to transform the learning experience of healthcare and science students, preparing them to excel in their future careers. 

Manchester Met will develop a new Digital Education Nexus (DEN) facility in the recently opened Dalton Building, through £1.27 million of funding from the Office for Students (OfS). 

The suite of cutting-edge teaching and learning environments has the potential to benefit more than 11,000 students across the University’s health, adult social care, and Life Science programmes.  

The DEN will position Manchester Met at the forefront of healthcare education in the age of AI, providing students, colleagues and University partners with access to virtual and mixed-reality capabilities, high-spec computing, an immersive theatre, and one of the largest suites of advanced Anatomage tables in the country.  

Anatomage tables feature large digital screens displaying 3D anatomical models that students can interact with to perform ‘digital dissections’.  

By examining high-resolution scans of organs, structures and systems, students are able to develop a deeper understanding of human anatomy and the complex biological systems inside our bodies. They can also explore how various conditions and diseases progress, and how these can be identified and treated.  

Dr Lisa Simmons, Faculty Director of Education (Science and Engineering) at Manchester Met, said: “With the launch of the DEN we are taking another huge step towards achieving the ambitions we’ve set out in our Road to 2030 Strategy.  

“By investing in cutting-edge teaching methods and technologies, we are delivering on our promise to transform our students’ lives and drive economic growth, opportunity and prosperity across Greater Manchester and beyond.   

“The DEN is a fantastic example of a multi-disciplinary collaboration between our faculties - it will combine research-led teaching with innovative facilities to ensure that students across our health and Life Sciences courses develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive in the workforce and make a positive difference to the communities they serve.  

“It will also provide new opportunities for industry collaborations on AI-driven digital projects which will benefit the wider healthcare sector.” 

The advanced technologies within the DEN will allow teaching staff to design immersive learning experiences and hands-on activities that simulate real-life clinical scenarios.  

Students will have the opportunity to practice and refine their clinical skills within a safe, controlled environment under expert supervision, giving them the best possible preparation for their work placements in the NHS and other healthcare settings, where they will be working alongside professionals and interacting with real patients.  

The DEN will also include mixed reality technology, acting as a catalyst for collaborations between academic software developers, engineers and healthcare professionals. Together, they will be able to develop, test and launch digital educational tools and simulations which will harness artificial intelligence. These will drive further innovations in healthcare education and training in areas including automated manufacturing, bioprocessing, personalised medicine, and digital health.  

The launch of the DEN aligns with regional and national strategies for digital transformation, healthcare education, and workforce development.  

The health and adult social care sectors are faced with a significant skills shortage, with up to a third of positions currently vacant (Skills England, 2025) and there is an urgent demand for nurses, allied health professionals, and social care workers.  

The DEN, which will open in 2026, will enable Manchester Met to tackle this national crisis by readying thousands of highly skilled graduates to make a positive impact in the technologically advanced NHS of the future.