• The Professional Experience Implementation Group (PEIG) has been shortlisted for the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year Award
• PEIG introduced the generative AI platform SimConverse to prepare Aston Pharmacy School students for practice
• The Times Higher Education Awards ceremony will take place in Birmingham on 28 November 2024.

A team from Aston Pharmacy School has been shortlisted for a Times Higher Education (THE) award for the introduction of a generative AI platform, SimConverse, to help train pharmacy students.

The Professional Experience Implementation Group (PEIG), led by Natalie Lewis, associate dean for postgraduate and professional programmes at the College of Health and Life Sciences and associate head of school (operations) at Aston Pharmacy School, introduced SimConverse in 2023. This has now been shortlisted for the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year Award, which recognises the innovative use of digital technology to improve any function at a university, be that at institutional, departmental or faculty level.

Aston Pharmacy School developed a series of SimConverse scenarios using the platform’s AI authorship features. These scenarios were designed in collaboration with the pharmacies providing placements to students. It prepares students for real world placements and reduces the amount of training placement providers need to provide. The platform helps to address the challenges of experiential learning amid a shortage of placements within the NHS and results in significant cost savings.

Students using the SimConverse platform practise communication skills and key tasks by interacting with a virtual character in scenarios such as discussing illnesses, something they will encounter in community pharmacies, or taking drug histories from a patient, as they will need to do in a hospital pharmacy. It has been proven to significantly improve student performance and student feedback on the system has also been very positive.

As a result of the success of SimConverse for pharmacy students, there are plans to expand the platform for use by optometry, nursing and medical students at Aston University.

PEIG has already been recognised for its work with SimConverse. In August 2024 it was announced that the team had won a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) from higher education charity Advance HE, which rewards collaborative work that has had a demonstrable impact on teaching and learning and highlights the key role of teamwork in UK higher education. 

The THE Awards recognise excellence across the higher education sector in the UK and Ireland and attract hundreds of entries each year. There are 19 categories in the total and the 2024 ceremony, to be held in the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham on 28 November, marks the awards’ 20^th anniversary.

Natalie Lewis said:

“I am delighted that our transformative work with SimConverse has been shortlisted for the 20th annual THE awards. The success of this collaboration is due to the hard work of PEIG at Aston University who have translated our placement partners’ needs into pharmacy bespoke AI scenarios.

“Following the success of the collaboration with SimConverse we are continuing to build with them and facilitate other pharmacy schools to use this kind of technology, so that a greater number of learners can benefit as we have from the technology in a supportive and blended approach to placements.”

THE editor John Gill said:

“In 2024 it’s fair to say that higher education is going through a challenging period, but these awards are a constant reminder that we should never underestimate the dedication and drive of those who work in our universities to transforming lives for the better.

“Enthusiasm for these awards as a way to celebrate those achievements remains undimmed, with more entries in our 20^th year than ever before.

“Our sincere congratulations to all those shortlisted in such a competitive year – it really is an achievement to have reached this stage, and we very much look forward to celebrating with you all at our 20^th birthday party in Birmingham on 28 November.”