Website Aid For Spa, Hair and Beauty Therapy Specialists
12 May 2008
Expert staff at the University of Derby Buxton’s highly regarded Devonshire Spa.
ASHB provides networking opportunities to share experiences and good practice that can be used to the benefit of higher education programmes in these subjects
”Sarah Rawlinson – Subject Manager in Hospitality, Beauty and Spa based at the University of Derby Buxton.
Experts in spa, hairdressing and beauty therapy working in higher education have launched their own website at a top industry conference.
The networking resource for the Association for Spa, Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy in Higher Education (ASHB) was formally launched at the 2008 Habia Higher Education Conference, held at the University of Derby’s Devonshire Campus in Buxton, on Wednesday 30 April. Habia is the government appointed standards setting body for hair, beauty, nails and spa.
Around 130 people attended the conference bringing together industry representatives and higher education providers. Discussions included the impact of Advance Diplomas on Foundation and Honours degree courses.
The Diploma system for 14- to 19-year-olds – teaching traditional academic subjects alongside work-based skills such as hair and beauty studies, and salon management – will begin to be phased in from September. Advanced Diplomas, the equivalent of three and a half A-levels, could be a stepping stone to higher education .
Sarah Rawlinson – Subject Manager in Hospitality, Beauty and Spa based at the University of Derby Buxton – established the ASHB in 2007 to promote Higher Education’s role in spa, hairdressing and beauty therapy teaching.
She formally launched the Association’s new website at the April conference at the University of Derby Buxton, designed to help HE tutors better network and share information.
It will be used to promote Association objectives such as better links between professional bodies and courses, to ensure students’ training reflects the needs of industry. It will also develop research in areas such as spa usage.
Sarah said: “There is a need to support those developing spa, hairdressing and beauty therapy programmes in higher education. ASHB provides networking opportunities to share experiences and good practice that can be used to the benefit of higher education programmes in these subjects.”
A spokesman for Habia said: "There is a growing need to build better links between the sectors that Habia represents and higher education.
“The creation of ASHB will build those links, leading to a better understanding between the hair, beauty and spa sectors and higher education, as well as ensuring that training provision meets the needs to both students and employers.”
The Association for Spa, Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy in Higher Education will hold its first annual conference at the Belfry Hotel in Sutton Coldfield on Friday 27 June.
The University of Derby Buxton runs Foundation and BA (Hons) degree courses in Hairdressing and Salon Management, a Foundation degree in Spa (Management/Therapies) and a Joint Honours course in Spa Therapies.
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Press release by Press and PR Officer Sean Kirby on 01332 593004 or 07876 476103, or email: s.kirby@derby.ac.uk.
