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ECR Funding Open Call: Research Culture & Community Grant – Application Deadline Friday 12 December

Funding opportunities

Research Culture & Community Grant – Relaunch with dedicated ECR Funding

Following the success of the Doctoral College Research Culture & Community Grant for our PGR community, we are excited to announce a new funding strand specifically for Early Career Researchers.

This is your opportunity to secure dedicated funding to develop your ideas, build essential collaborations, and grow professionally within BU’s research environment.

We have set aside grants to support ECR-led social and/or academic events. Whether it is a social mixer, a focused training workshop, or a creative new initiative, we want to empower you to enhance the BU research culture and community.

Which stream is right for your idea?

We have two dedicated streams to support a diverse range of activities:

Stream 1: Researcher Development 

This stream supports the organisation of skills-focused workshops, events, or initiatives designed to build research capacity. 

  • Grants Available: Up to £500 per activity
  • Examples: Specialised research methods workshops, inviting an external guest speaker, or dedicated academic writing sessions. 

Stream 2: Research Culture & Community 

This stream supports initiatives focused on community building, well-being, or social activities that enhance the overall research culture at BU. 

  • Grants Available: Up to £300 per activity. 
  • Examples: Cultural and social events, or activities specifically designed to enhance researcher well-being. 

Key Terms & Conditions 

Please review the following terms before submitting your application: 

One Activity Limit: No ECR should be the primary organiser of more than one activity. 

Community Reach: Activities should be engaging and made available to the full PGR community. 

Commitment: Organisers must be committed to promoting, delivering, and evaluating their activity. 

Timeline: Activities must take place and be invoiced before 31 July 2026. 

Originality: Activities should not duplicate those already on offer elsewhere within the Doctoral College or wider University. 

Match Funding: Contributions from other sources are welcome to complement the Doctoral College grant. 

Non-Retrospective: Funding will not be offered for activities that have already taken place. 

Ready to apply?

If you would like to discuss your ideas before submitting your application, we encourage you to get in touch. Please contact Enrica Conrotto, Researcher Development Manager at researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

The closing date for all applications is 4pm, Friday 12 December 2025

Apply here 

We look forward to seeing your ideas and supporting you in shaping the future of community and development at BU.

The Researcher Development and Culture Team

Register now to attend the 17th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference – Wednesday 3 December 2025

Register now to attend the 17th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference, hosted by the Doctoral College.

Join us for a day of showcasing some of the excellent research taking place across BU by our postgraduate research community. This event provides a platform for our postgraduate researchers to present their research, share insights, and engage in meaningful discussions with peers, university colleagues, and external partners.

Date & Time: Wednesday 3 December, 9am-4:30pm

Location: Fusion Building, Talbot Campus

This year, the Poster Exhibition will take place in FG04 & FG06, Fusion Building, with viewings taking place in the morning and during the lunch break. Oral presentations hosted in Share Lecture Theatre in the Fusion Building.

Read the full brochure here

Whether you’re a researcher, academic, colleague, or just interested in the cutting-edge work happening at BU find out more and book your place here 

From Clinical Applications to Neuro-Inspired Computation

REF Subjects, Research themes

We cordially invite you to the 4th Symposium of the BU Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Centre: From Clinical Applications to Neuro-Inspired Computation on Friday, the 16th of January 2026, 9:30-15:00 at the Lees Lecture Theatre (Talbot Campus, Poole House -outside).

The symposium consists of a journey from clinical case studies to new, emerging experimental and computational methodologies underpinning future translational applications. It is an opportunity for informal discussions on grant proposals and to explore shared interests with our external guests from the NHS and collaborating EU universities. The provisional schedule is:

9:30. Coffee.

9:50. Welcome Address and Keynote talk: Dr Mihalis Doumas, Queen’s University Belfast.

10.45-11:00. Coffee Break and Networking.

11:00-11:50. Session I. Clinical Neuroscience.

11.50 -12.50. Lunch and Grants Discussion.

12.50-13:45. Keynote talk: Dr Andre Rupp, University of Heidelberg.

13:45-14:00 Coffee Break and Networking.

14:00-14:50. Session II. Neuro-Inspired Computation.

14:50-15:00. Concluding Remarks and Invitation to become a member of the INRC network.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Ellen Seiss, eseiss@bournemouth.ac.uk or Emili Balaguer-Ballester, eb-ballester@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Thank you very much, and we are looking forward to seeing you there.

Kind regards,

Ellen and Emili, on behalf of all of us.

SPROUT: Embedding Sustainability in Doctoral Research Practice

PG research

Join us for the first SPROUT network event of 2025/26 – a collaborative session between Bournemouth, Cardiff, and Durham Universities exploring how sustainability and impact can be embedded in doctoral research practice.

We’re delighted to invite postgraduate researchers and early career researcher to the first SPROUT event of the 2025/26 academic year.

SPROUT the Sustainability and Postgraduate Research Network is a collaboration between Bournemouth University, Cardiff University, and Durham University. The network aims to explore how sustainability and impact can be embedded within our research practices, collaborations, and everyday academic lives.

Event Overview

Date: Wednesday 19 November 2025
Time: 1-2pm
Format: Online (via Microsoft Teams) and in person at INSPIRE, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole BH12 5BB
Host University: Bournemouth University
Organisers: BU academic and PGR leads, in collaboration with Cardiff & Durham Universities
Theme: Personal and Institutional Sustainability: Embedding Sustainable Practice in Doctoral Research
Open to: Doctoral and early career researchers across all disciplines

About the Event

Join the SPROUT hybrid event, a new network uniting BU, Durham, and Cardiff Universities to embed sustainability and impact in research collaboration.

This interactive one-hour session explores how sustainability can shape both our research and our daily practices as postgraduate and early career researchers. Together, we’ll consider:

  • What does sustainability mean personally, institutionally, and academically?
  • How can we make our research processes more sustainable and ethical?
  • What practical steps can we take as a community?

Meeting Objectives

  • Reintroduce the SPROUT network for the 2025/26 academic year
  • Explore how sustainability can be understood and practised at personal, institutional, and research levels
  • Create space for doctoral and early career researchers to share experiences and connect
  • Promote opportunities for participation and leadership in future SPROUT events

Why Attend?

If you’re a doctoral or early career researcher interested in embedding sustainability and ethical practice into your research, this session offers:

  • A chance to connect with peers across three UK universities
  • Inspiration on integrating sustainability into your research and everyday academic activities
  • A collaborative space to share experiences, challenges, and ambitions for more sustainable research cultures

How to Join

Participation is free, but registration is required – please sign up via [SPROUT: Embedding Sustainability in Doctoral Research Practice Tickets, Wed 19 Nov 2025 at 13:00 | Eventbrite].
After registering, online attendees will receive a Teams link by email.

For further information, please contact Dr Tahani Mohamed at tmohamed@bournemouth.ac.uk.

We look forward to seeing you at the first SPROUT event of the new academic year and to working together to embed sustainability in doctoral research practice.

 Publishing in Journals: Managing the Perils, Pitfalls, and ‘Reviewer 2’. 18th November at 2pm on Zoom

📢 You are warmly welcomed to the next Research Process Seminar — hosted by The Media School at Bournemouth University, and open to all.
🎓 Publishing in Journals: Managing the Perils, Pitfalls, and ‘Reviewer 2’
In this seminar, we’ll demystify the journal publication process and offer practical guidance for researchers at all career stages. Drawing on extensive experience as an author and editor, Professor Scott Wright will discuss how to:
✅ Select the right outlet for your work
✅ Craft an effective submission strategy
✅ Navigate the often daunting peer-review process
We’ll also explore how to interpret and respond to reviewers’ comments, communicate effectively with editors, and turn rejections into future successes. With a candid look at the perils and pitfalls of academic publishing, this session aims to equip participants with realistic strategies, insider tips, and renewed confidence for getting their research into print.
🗓 18 November, 2–3pm (UK time)
💻 On Zoom
🔗 Register here: https://bournemouth-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/O-z2InRYT3yvrlTEGjhg_Q
If you can’t make it live but would like the recording, please register anyway.

Dan

MRes student Sarah Clark hosts on the Student Minds All Things Mental Health podcast about her lived-experience research at BU

PG research, student research

MRes student Sarah Clark features in episode five of the Student Minds podcast series, “Life as a Neurodivergent Student,” with her episode titled “Finding Balance as a Neurodivergent Student” launching today (12th November) on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Listen here on Spotify: All Things Mental Health Podcast

The All Things Mental Health podcast shines a light on the experiences of young people and students, bridging the gap between research and lived experience to create space for open, authentic conversations about mental health and neurodivergence. Recently featured in The Guardian, the podcast now ranks in the top 15% of podcasts shared globally, with partners including the University of Oxford, King’s College London, Student Minds, SMaRteN, and U-Belong.

Supervised by Dr Emily Arden-Close (Bournemouth University) and Dr Jessica Eccles (Brighton and Sussex Medical School), Sarah’s MRes research explores how to reduce diagnostic delays for autistic individuals with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) – a complex, multi-systemic connective tissue disorder that remains under-recognised and frequently misdiagnosed.

Sarah’s passion for this research stems from her own lived experience. She was diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in 2020 after years of medical invalidation and misdiagnosis. During her MSc in Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology at BU, a pivotal “lightbulb moment” during the autism lectures led her to realise that autism could explain many of her lifelong experiences – a possibility that had never before been considered. She was subsequently diagnosed as autistic in 2022, an experience that transformed both her own personal understanding and her academic trajectory.

In this podcast episode, Sarah and her peer co-host reflect on what it truly means to be a neurodivergent student — exploring how we define work-life balance, what meaningful support looks like, and how the invisible intersections between neurodivergence and physical health shape learning, wellbeing, and identity. Together, they share stories of diagnostic journeys, self-acceptance, and adapting to challenges while navigating academia with compassion and authenticity.

Sarah also discusses how she manages work–life balance as a lived-experience researcher, highlighting the importance of flexibility, self-awareness, and self-kindness in sustaining both academic success and wellbeing.

Through this open and heartfelt discussion, Sarah and her peer co-host aim to offer insight, validation, and hope to students, researchers, educators, and practitioners striving to better understand and support the neurodivergent experience in higher education.

New research published Buhalis D, Yin J, Xu F (2025;), “Metaverse experiences in hospitality and tourism: blending virtuality and reality”

Buhalis D, Yin J, Xu F (2025;), “Metaverse experiences in hospitality and tourism: blending virtuality and reality”. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 

https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-01-2025-0068  

Purpose – This viewpoint paper aims to provide a critical review of metaverse in hospitality and tourism. The paper reviews the mainstream definitions and characteristics of metaverse, and suggests the influence of metaverse on experiences in hospitality and tourism. Design/methodology/approach – The viewpoint paper adopts a conceptual and theoretical approach on metaverse, identifying different perspectives and key characteristics of metaverse through critical reviews and reflections. The study further analyzes the impact of metaverse on experiences in hospitality and tourism through reflective discussions. Findings – Present literature defines the metaverse from spatial, interactive and experiential perspectives. Immersion, illusion, replication to the real world, open and interoperable environment, use of avatars and gamification of activities were identified as the key characteristics of metaverse. The metaverse influenced experiences in hospitality and tourism in four fundamental ways: an immersive trial that reduce the uncertainty of experience; a spatial and temporal change with an immersive experience; a blended travel fusion of digital virtuality and physical reality; and a blurred boundary of before, during and after trip experience journey. Research limitations/implications – This paper identifies a set of theoretical and managerial implications to provide metaverse experiences in hospitality and tourism. Future studies could focus on empirical research studies including the experience design in the metaverse, as well as consumers’ perceptions of metaverse experiences in hospitality and tourism. Originality/value – This study critically reviews the characteristics of metaverse and suggests how it might influence experiences in hospitality and tourism. The perspective of metaverse experiences in hospitality and tourism provides a solid understanding of metaverse research, advancing knowledge and practice in this field. 
 
Keywords Metaverse, Illusion, Immersion, Virtuality, Reality, Experiences in hospitality and tourism
 
 
Tourism experience in Metaverse in Tourism and Hospitality, Buhalis

New book chapter on The dynamics of leisure constraints theory in accessible tourism – tourism constraints for people with disability

Darcy, S., Dickson, T., Michopoulou, E., Schweinsberg, S. & Buhalis, D. (2026).
The dynamics of leisure constraints theory in accessible tourism.
In N. Halpern, J. Rickly, B. Garrod & M. Hansen (Ed.),
Handbook of Accessible Tourism (pp. 37-54). De Gruyter.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111316130-003

ABSTRACT 

The dynamics of leisure constraints theory in accessible tourism Chapter highlights-Locates tourism constraints for people with disability within the history of leisure constraints theory.-Recognises the importance of interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or transdisciplinary understandings that bring together the different bodies of knowledge of tourism studies, leisure constraints theory, and conceptualising disability.-Provides a focus on the literature examining the tourism constraints of people with disability as well as the specifics of the literature that uses the accessible tourism construct.-Places a chronological marker for the field with the introduction of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities emphasising post 2010 research.-Examines some possible future directions through co-design with people with disability to negotiate empowered, accessible, and inclusive futures.

Chapter highlights 

– Locates tourism constraints for people with disability within the history of leisure constraints theory. 

– Recognises the importance of interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or transdisciplinary understandings that bring together the different bodies of knowledge of tourism studies, leisure constraints theory, and conceptualising disability. 

– Provides a focus on the literature examining the tourism constraints of people with disability as well as the specifics of the literature that uses the accessible tourism construct. 

– Places a chronological marker for the field with the introduction of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities emphasising post 2010 research. 

– Examines some possible future directions through co-design with people with disability to negotiate empowered, accessible, and inclusive futures.

MRes Student Sarah Clark presented at international Mental Health Summit

BU MRes Student Sarah Clark Shares Lived-Experience Insights on “Living with Autism and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome” at the international online EDS ECHO Mental Health Summit on 1st November. 

Sarah graduated last November from her MSc in Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology and has since embarked on a part-time MRes research project titled “Time to diagnosis reduction for autistic people with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder”. This work is deeply informed by Sarah’s own late diagnosis of Autism in May 2022, and her lived experience of co-occurring hEDS (diagnosed in 2020).

Harnessing this dual perspective, Sarah is committed to amplifying the voices of those navigating complex diagnostic pathways, advocating for change, and supporting trauma-informed, neuro-affirming approaches to healthcare.

Sarah works for Autism Hampshire as one of their expert by experience Autism trainers on the Oliver McGowan Training Programme, and also sits as a Patient Expert in the EDS International Consortium (Psychiatric and Psychological Aspects Working Group).

Sarah is part of the Autism Ambassador Scheme in Hampshire and attended the yearly Autism Ambassador Conference in Winchester on 6th November, where a three-minute video of her achievements over the past year was shown: https://youtu.be/Ric_IT_QTPk (everyone at the conference was amazed at how someone could do so many things in one year!)

The Summit

The EDS ECHO Mental Health Summit convened specialists from mental-health and hypermobility disciplines, along with people with lived experience, to explore the intersections of chronic pain, interoception, emotional regulation, identity and support needs.

Sarah’s presentation — titled “Living with Autism & EDS” — situated personal narrative alongside her MSc and MRes lived-experience research, offering attendees a unique lens on the lived reality from both a personal and research perspective.

Additionally, Sarah’s abstract was accepted for a Poster Presentation of her MRes Research at the EDS Scientific Symposium in Toronto in September.

.  

Join the 17th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference – Wednesday 3 December 2025

Knowledge Exchange, PG research

17th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference: Register now

Register now to attend the 17th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference, hosted by the Doctoral College.

Join us for a day of showcasing some of the excellent research taking place across BU by our postgraduate research community. This event provides a platform for our postgraduate researchers to present their research, share insights, and engage in meaningful discussions with peers, university colleagues, and external partners.

Date & Time: Wednesday 3 December, 9am-4:30pm

Location: Fusion Building, Talbot Campus

This year, the Poster Exhibition will take place in FG04 & FG06, Fusion Building, with viewings taking place in the morning and during the lunch break. Oral presentations hosted in Share Lecture Theatre in the Fusion Building.

Whether you’re a researcher, academic, colleague, or just interested in the cutting-edge work happening at BU find out more and book your place here 

The detailed programme will be available soon.