Posted: 1 September 2025
Pioneering nursing education partnership reaches milestone and gains national recognition
As University Campus Doncaster (UCDon) and Sheffield Hallam University prepare to celebrate the graduation of the first cohort of part-time adult nursing students, they mark a significant milestone in a pioneering collaboration designed to tackle critical NHS workforce shortages.
Launched in 2021, the innovative part-time adult nursing degree programme was specifically designed to make nursing education more accessible to individuals who might otherwise have been excluded due to work, family, or other personal commitments. Now, the very first graduates are stepping into the healthcare workforce, equipped with the skills and compassion needed to make a tangible difference in communities across Doncaster and South Yorkshire.
The programme, which blends academic study with clinical placements, is rooted in close collaboration with regional healthcare providers and ensures that graduates are not only well-prepared for nursing practice but also trained to meet the specific needs of local services.
A new chapter begins. In 2021, our BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult) students were warmly welcomed to the Hub Campus, ready to learn, grow, and make a real difference in healthcare.
National spotlight on the programme
The success of the partnership and its impact on nursing careers have also been recognised in the media, drawing national attention to this important regional initiative. The BBC has featured the students’ journey online, highlighting how the programme is breaking down barriers and offering new routes into the profession for people balancing study with work, family, and other commitments.
The story was also broadcast on BBC Radio Sheffield (listen from 3 hours 35 minutes into the programme), bringing the voices of staff, students, and healthcare leaders to a wide audience. Listeners heard first-hand how the programme is not only equipping graduates with the skills to succeed in practice but also helping to address urgent workforce shortages within the NHS.
This recognition reflects the programme’s broader significance beyond South Yorkshire, demonstrating how innovative and flexible approaches to higher education can unlock opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds while meeting pressing national healthcare needs. For the students, it is a proud moment of validation; their achievements are being celebrated on a national stage. For universities and their healthcare partners, it is a powerful endorsement of a model that could shape how nursing education is delivered nationwide.
By shining a spotlight on this milestone, the BBC coverage underlines the importance of creating accessible pathways into nursing and healthcare careers and celebrates the determination, resilience, and success of the first graduating cohort as they prepare to enter the workforce.
Full circle moment. From their first steps on the Hub Campus in 2021 to their final days in 2025, our students are ready to step into the world as compassionate, skilled professionals.
From vision to reality
Kirsty Darbyshire, Curriculum Leader for Health and Sport at UCDon, praised the graduating students and highlighted the programme’s transformative impact. “This collaboration between both institutions has fostered supportive learning communities where students grow both personally and professionally,” she said. “Our curriculum reflects the dynamic nature of health and social care, emphasising not only clinical expertise but also the development of compassionate, confident practitioners who are equipped to navigate the complexities of modern healthcare.”
Reflecting on the success of the programme, she added: “As our first cohort nears graduation, many have already secured positions within the local healthcare system, while others are pursuing opportunities in specialisation and leadership. This programme has opened doors, built confidence, and paved the way for meaningful and impactful careers in nursing.”
Looking ahead
With their degrees in hand, the first graduating cohort now enters the workforce during a time of pressing need and immense opportunity in the healthcare sector. As they begin their careers, they carry with them not only clinical competence but also a deep understanding of the values, flexibility, and resilience required of modern nurses.
This first cohort stands as a testament to what can be achieved when educational institutions and healthcare providers work hand-in-hand to innovate, inspire, and invest in the future of care.