University News Last updated 16 March
The UK’s Minister for the Armed Forces, Al Carns MP, visited Birmingham City University (BCU) last week to engage with staff and students based at the City South campus, the home of Health and Life Sciences.
A Labour MP and former Royal Marines officer, Al has represented Birmingham Selly Oak since 2024.
During the visit, Carns met with BCU Vice-Chancellor Professor David Mba and Dean of Health and Life Sciences, Hannah Abbott.
The visit highlighted BCU’s ‘Powering Birmingham’ campaign and its role as the city’s largest supplier of graduate talent, including 43% of all new nurses in the West Midlands being trained at BCU.
The MP met with staff and students from the Defence School of Healthcare Education, which provides post-registration education for nurses and other allied healthcare professionals within the Defence Medical Services.
After being enlisted as a Royal Marine Commando in 1999, Al worked his way up the ranks to become a Colonel in 2021. He served five operational tours in Afghanistan, before being awarded the Military Cross in 2011, and an OBE in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours. He re-enlisted in the Royal Marines as a reservist in 2024.
Before becoming the MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, Al was also a military advisor to three former Defence Secretaries.
BCU is the sole higher education provider for nursing, radiography and operating department practitioners to the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
Students from the Defence School of Healthcare Education go on to work in one of five hospitals across the UK, including the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), where service men and women injured overseas are treated by military medical teams.
During the visit, Carns also toured key facilities, including operating theatres, BCU’s ambulance simulation and the Anatomage table – a 3D interactive anatomy experience for medical education and research.
“I have been hugely impressed by the facilities the university has to offer, the breadth and diversity of its courses, and most importantly, by the students themselves,” said Al Carns MP.
“They are bright, energetic, and clearly have a strong desire to learn and become the best versions of themselves.”
Carns praised the university’s innovative use of technology in teaching.
“I’m particularly fascinated by how technology is being integrated into the teaching and learning process, especially in medical training. From the Simbulance to the Anatomage table, it’s a truly impressive and engaging way for students to develop their skills and knowledge.”
Carns’ visit demonstrated the growing value of collaboration between the government and the higher education sector in preparing the next generation of skilled professionals.
Vice-Chancellor Professor David Mba said: “We were delighted to welcome Al to BCU last week.
“It was a brilliant opportunity to demonstrate how our teaching, facilities and partnerships contribute to innovation and skills development in our city.
“BCU is changing lives through inspiring, accessible, and inclusive practice-based teaching, and our health students are graduating with the skills they need for real-world challenges.”
Image: Al Carns MP with BCU Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Mba, and Dean of Health and Life Sciences, Hannah Abbott.