Northern Ireland's Chief Allied Health Professions Officer Michelle Tennyson has been conferred with the title of visiting professor at Ulster University.

The award, which is honorary and attached to the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, will be based in the School of Health Sciences initially for a period of four years until November 2028.

As a visiting professor, Professor Tennyson will engage with students, sharing her personal experiences as an Allied Health Professional and as a strategic leader for the sector in Northern Ireland.

"I am deeply honoured to be appointed as a visiting professor at Ulster University, an institution at the forefront of innovation and excellence in education and research,"

Professor Tennyson said.

"My appointment represents an exciting opportunity to further strengthen the impact of Allied Health Professionals by bridging academia and practice to improve outcomes for the people of Northern Ireland.

"I look forward to collaborating with the university to inspire innovation, advance research, and shape the next generation of Allied Health Professional leaders who will drive meaningful change for our communities."

Carol Curran, Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences at Ulster University, said:

"We are delighted to welcome Michelle Tennyson to the Ulster community, as a visiting professor in the School of Health Sciences.

"We recognise both the gravitas of the office of the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer and the invaluable contribution Michelle makes to the strategic direction of the Allied Health Professions in Northern Ireland. Our students and research teams will benefit from her expertise as a leader in the professions.

"Her appointment is especially timely as we prepare to celebrate the graduation of our first cohort of paramedics, a new member of the AHP family, on 15 December."