30 April 2027 | JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel, London
Ruth Smith
Deputy head of school, nursing and midwifery
University of Northampton
Dr Ruth Smith is Deputy Subject Head of School for Student Experience and Apprenticeships at the University of Northampton. She teaches across both the BSc Nursing and FdSc Nursing Associate programmes and has a particular interest in supporting innovative approaches to practice-based education. Her doctoral research explored the experiences of work-based learning within apprenticeship programmes, with a focus on understanding how apprentices navigate the dual role of employee and learner. Through this work, she examined the factors that influence learning opportunities, professional development, and the quality of workplace learning experiences contributing to the growing evidence base surrounding healthcare apprenticeships. She has had a varied clinical career working across acute inpatient settings. Following her role as a Ward Sister, she specialised in practice development and critical care outreach, supporting workforce development and enhancing the quality of patient care.
