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Dr. Paul Whittington attends Technology and the SEND Reforms Roundtable in the House of Commons

Dr. Paul Whittington was invited to attend the Technology and SEND Reforms Roundtable at the House of Commons on Wednesday 8th July. The event was organised by Policy Connect through the All Party Parliamentary Group for Assistive Technology with the focus on the role of technology in SEND support and SEND teacher training incorporating technology and responsible AI. The session was held in a committee room within the Palace of Westminster and included a panel of experts from CENMAC, University of East London, LEP Academy Trust, TechEdology and Nasen, chaired by Peter Swallow MP.

The Roundtable discussed the recent work undertaken by the Department for Education since the 2019 Education Technology Strategy. This included assessments for assistive technology and meeting digital standards by using AI and teacher training. The Government has committed £200m to provide this training including funding assistive technology lending libraries in local authorities throughout the UK. This is an important area of research for pupils with SEND as suitable assistive technology can reduce barriers and enable more individual needs to be met. The event was also an opportunity for Dr. Paul Whittington to promote the EduAbility research conducted by the Department of Computing and Engineering, involving Professor Huseyin Dogan.

The EduAbility application provides assistive technology recommendations and training for pupils with disabilities as well as teachers, support staff and parents/carers. It is therefore closely related to the SEND Reforms. Following the development of the Android application in 2025, funding was awarded from the department’s Quality Research Fund for the iOS development of EduAbility. Since March 2026, the application has been converted to the Flutter platform that allows EduAbilty to be maintained for both Android and iOS simultaneously using a shared codebase format.

Now that the application is compatible for both Android and iOS, we will be publishing EduAbility on Apple Store and Google Play Store in Autumn 2026. This will initially be as a free application, with future potential to be a paid application to support ongoing development and maintenance. Policy Connect have expressed interest in EduAbility to promote the application through their networks, including the Schools within the EdTech Demonstrator Programme. It is anticipated that Dr. Paul Whittington will attend future events organised by Policy Connect within the domain of education and assistive technology.

Dr. Paul Whittington joins Bett 2026 DfE Assistive Technology Roundtable

In January 2026, Dr. Paul Whittington was invited to be a panellist on the Department for Education (DfE) Assistive Technology roundtable at Bett 2026 in ExCel London, the leading event for education technology. The purpose of the roundtable was for DfE policy colleagues to listen and learn from domain experts in assistive technology to further inform their understanding of the use of assistive technology in mainstream education. There were two focused areas for discussion, ‘barriers and enablers to assistive technology in mainstream settings’ and ‘the existing evidence base’.

The roundtable was chaired by Helen Davies, Assistive Technology Policy Lead at DfE and included panellists from the University of Dundee and CENMAC, a London based advisory service providing assessments of assistive technology. Interesting discussions were held during the one hour panel session where the current challenges of assistive technology in education were highlighted. This included that pupils with disabilities are often unaware of the technologies that can support them with education and that teachers/support staff may not have the required knowledge to guide the individuals. Dr. Paul Whittington emphasised his personal experience of the importance that assistive technology played in his mainstream education, in terms of accessing computers and educational resources. A theme of a discussion was developing recommendation systems for assistive technology and how this could aim to improve awareness of available products, which is aligned closely with the EduAbility application developed by Dr. Paul Whittington and Professor Huseyin Dogan from the Department of Computing and Engineering.

Attending the roundtable was also an opportunity to visit the many exhibitors at Bett 2026 who were showcasing the latest in innovations in assistive technology as well as other products for general educational use. Exhibitors included suppliers of software such as Crick Software, VisionAid and The Williams AV Family of Assistive Communication Solutions. There were also some interesting robotics technologies that have been designed to provide practical support for people with disabilities.

Visiting the exhibitors was an opportunity to introduce EduAbiity as a method for manufacturers to promote their products to potential customers. The British Association for Assistive Technology (BATA) had a stand at the show and discussions were held in relation to Bournemouth University becoming an academic member of the association to further our future research in the domain in terms of conducting evaluations and maximising visibility of our initiatives in line with the BU 2035 research strategy.

Overall, it was a very valuable visit to the Bett 2026 show in terms of contributing to DfE discussions and promoting our assistive technology research. We are currently in the process of developing the EduAbility application for iOS and once this is publicly disseminated through the Apple Store and Google Play Store, there could be potential for Bournemouth University to attend the Bett Show as an exhibitor in the future.

BU Prof Jonathan Parker promoting social work in Malaysia

international, writing

BU Professor Emeritus Jonathan Parker recently discussed his recently published latest edition of the book Newly-Qualified Social Workers: A Practice Guide to the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment to Prof. Denison Jayasooria from Malaysia.  Prof. Parker has a longstanding collaboration with social work researchers in Malaysia, for example in the field of social work education or the inclusion of indigenous people’s voices in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

From research to policy: Using Overton to evidence and strengthen impact

Are you preparing or contributing to an impact case study for REF 2029, or would you simply like to understand whether your research is being used in policy and practice? 

Bournemouth University is now subscribed to Overton.  

What is Overton? 

Overton is a platform that enables researchers to easily find where their work has been cited or mentioned in policy documents, to identify opportunities to influence policymakers, and to track the real-world impact of their research. 

BU’s Overton subscription brings together two complementary platforms: Overton Index, for discovering and analysing policy and grey literature, and Overton Engage, for finding opportunities to contribute to policymaking. 

Overton Index is a searchable database of policy documents and grey literature from organisations around the world. Its coverage includes government publications, guidelines, think tank reports, documents from intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, and working papers. 

For academics preparing an impact case study, Overton may help answer questions such as: 

  • Has my research been cited in a policy document, guideline or government report?  
  • Which organisations are referring to my work?  
  • In what policy contexts is my research being used?  
  • Are several publications from my research group contributing to the same policy area?  
  • Which policy debates, organisations or evidence needs are relevant to my current research?  

Overton Engage can  help researchers find policy engagement opportunities, including consultations, calls for evidence, expert groups and advisory roles.  

Overton is therefore not only a tool for looking retrospectively at research influence. It can be used throughout the research process—from shaping initial ideas and identifying stakeholders to sharing findings and monitoring their subsequent use. 

 Getting started 

We will be running a training session for those involved in potential REF impact case studies in September to familiarise users with the platforms. In the meantime, our  Overton User Guide provides step-by-step guidance on how to: 

  • create an account simply using your BU email address;  
  • search for policy documents, people and scholarly publications;  
  • identify where research has been cited or mentioned;  
  • navigate Overton Index and Overton Engage;  
  • set up researcher profiles, saved searches and alerts;  
  • access further guidance on impact planning, funding applications, evidence synthesis and advanced uses of Overton.  

Visit Overton to begin exploring how your research connects with policy and use our accompanying guide for step-by-step support. 

CSBT Workshop 27th-28th July 2026:AI-Driven Bibliometrics and Intelligent Thematic Analysis

CSBT Workshop 27th-28th July 2026, Bournemouth University

AI-Driven Bibliometrics and Intelligent Thematic Analysis

The Centre for Sustainable Business Transformations (CSBT) hosted a highly successful two-day workshop on “AI-Driven Bibliometrics and Intelligent Thematic Analysis” on 27 and 28 July.

Organised and chaired by Professor Marcjanna Augustyn (Head of CSBT) and Dr. Kaouther Kooli (Lead of CSBT Research and External Engagement), in collaboration with a PhD researcher Imen Ayari, the workshop was delivered by Dr. Foued Ben Said, Associate Professor in Data Science at the University of Manouba (UMA).

The sessions attracted strong attendance from both Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs), Early Career Researchers (ECRs) and senior academics.

Dr. Ben Said brilliantly adapted the content to cater to varying levels of technical expertise, ensuring an insightful experience for all. Attendees gained proficiency in AI-enhanced bibliometric analysis, leaving confident and ready to apply these insights to their own work and support fellow researchers.

This workshop marks another significant milestone in the expanding international collaboration between Bournemouth University and the University of Manouba, fostering research excellence and innovation across institutions.

 

 

New interdisciplinary paper accepted for publication

international, open access, Women's Academic Network

Today we heard from the Editor in Chief of the Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences that our paper ‘Ethical Entrepreneurship in Pharmacy: An Interdisciplinary Solution to a Global Public Health Problem‘ has been accepted for publication [1].  This paper has three Bournemouth academics as co-author: Dr. Pramod Regmi, Dr. Sukanya Ayatakshi-Endow and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen. The paper is truly interdisciplinary, the six authors have disciplinary backgrounds in: pharmacy, health education, public health, business studies, economics, health services research and sociology. 

This viewpoint offers a different way of looking at the worldwide problem of the increased use of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance. In low-income countries, such as Nepal, pharmacies have a key role in dispensing medicine, and local pharmacies often provide health care advice in rural communities. However, the way many pharmacies operate can easily lead to unethical practices that are harmful to the health of their recipients, but also to the wider population. Such dangerous business practices involve inappropriate prescription and dispensing of medicine (i.e. antibiotics). Public health professionals have promoted better regulation and education to reduce the use of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance. These approaches have an important place to play, but in this paper, we propose one particular intervention, namely the training of community pharmacy shop owners in sustainable and ethical entrepreneurship. To offer greater insights into the issue we have produced a theoretical framework. We suggest interventions should be co-created with all relevant stakeholders to change perceptions of entrepreneurship, offer management training, thus promoting an ethical and sustainable business culture, and in the long run, improve pharmacy education in these areas.

The Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences is an Open Access journal, hence freely available to read when it gets published.

Reference:

  1. Regmi, P.R., Ayatakshi-Endow, S., Rajkarnikar, R., van Teijlingen, E., Khanal, D.P., Poudel, R.S. (2026) Ethical Entrepreneurship in Pharmacy: An Interdisciplinary Solution to a Global Public Health Problem?” Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences (EJMS) (accepted July 2026).

Three NIHR Internships awarded at BU

Awarded & submitted bids, NHS, PG research, Women's Academic Network

Congratulations to Susara Blunden, Christinia Bempomaah and Rebecca Lovedale who has been awarded an NIHR Internship starting the end of September at Bournemouth University (BU).
Christinia Bempomaah is cancer nurse at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD) her supervisor will be Dr. Lindsay Welch, Associate Professor of Nursing Practice, in a joint BU-UHD appointment, with a second supervisor to be appointed.
Susara is a research delivery midwife with UHD as well as a M.Res. student at BU.  During her internship she will be undertaking PPIE looking at the acceptability of using AI to measure blood pressure in pregnancy. This will focus on working with communities whose maternal and neonatal outcomes are most affected by hypertensive diseases of pregnancy in coastal and rural communities.  Susara will be supported by Dr. Kate Jupp and Prof. Mel Hughes at BU’s Public Involvement in Education & Research (PIER) team, Dr. Lindsay Welch, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.

Whilst Rebecca Lovedale is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust (DHCUFT) her focuses for the NIHR internship with be on urgent care and her supervisors will be Dr. Lindsay Welch as well as BU’s Senior Lecturer In Paramedic Science, Dr. Pete Phillips.
Congratulations to all.

Prof. Dr. Edwin van Teijlingen

UKCGE Recognised Research Supervisor

BU professor invited speaker at Huddersfield University

Publishing, Training, writing

Last Friday (July 10th) Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen presented at University of Huddersfield staff development ‘Academic Writing Retreat’.  After attending the Global Consortium for Public Health Research Conference held earlier in the week at the University of Huddersfield, he was invited to stay a little longer to present at, and help facilitate, this staff writing day.  Edwin spoke about what motivates academics to write, the role of the Research Excellence Framework (REF), selecting an appropriate journal for your academic paper, and a range of other relevant topics and questions raised by participants on the day. The day was organised by Huddersfield’s Dr. Bibha Simkhada (who is also a BU Visiting Faculty), and included two further facilitators: Ph.D. student Joshua Oykere and Dr. Devendra Raj Singh.

 

BU contributions to successful Global Health conference

conferences, international, Publishing, writing

Dr. Pramod Regmi and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen attended this week’s Global Consortium for Public Health Research (GCPHR) 4th Annual Conference at the University of Huddersfield.  The conference was very well attended with delegates from India, Nepal, Ghana, Finland and the UK.  BU’s contribution included a poster on the recently completed study on kidney disease in Nepalese migrant workers, a study funded by The Colt Foundation.

Prof. Chandra Kala Sharma, President of Nursing Association of Nepal and Dr. Bibha Simkhada, Reader in Nursing at the University of Huddersfield presented on ‘Implementing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in Nursing in Nepal’.  In this very topical presentation they highlighted the importance of the research conducted in Nepal by UK universities (which included Bournemouth University) in getting the regulations changed in Nepal around CPD.  This effect of research into CPD in Nursing will make a useful REF Impact Case Study.

Both Pramod and Edwin chaired a session on different days of the conference.  Whilst Prof. van Teijlingen gave an invited presentation on the topic of ‘Equitable participation on academic publications’.    He also facilitated a Round Table Discussion with five selected panel members on the final day.

Reflections on participation at the UKCGE Conference

Last week, we had the opportunity to present our Research Culture and Community Grant at the UKCGE Annual Conference. Our session, Growing Our Research Ecosystem, was centred on a simple but important idea: some of the most meaningful aspects of research culture happen outside formal structures. Introduced by the Doctoral College 3 years ago, the Research Culture and Community Grant empowered researchers to design and lead initiatives that mattered to them and their communities.

Preparing for the conference gave us the opportunity to revisit many of the projects we have supported over the last years. While the funded projects were very different from one another, they shared something important: they created spaces where researchers could connect as people as well as academics, bringing different perspectives, experiences and cultures into the research environment.

As we discussed at the conference, these are often the spaces where belonging develops. They help researchers feel visible, valued and connected, particularly those who may otherwise feel marginalised or isolated within academic environments.

Role shift for researcher developers?

The grant promotes co-creation mechanisms, shifting from provider-led to researcher-led development. What we have learned through this initiative is the value of becoming enablers rather than providers. Our role is not always to create the activity ourselves; sometimes it is to create the conditions that allow researchers to build communities, initiate conversations and shape research culture in ways we could never fully anticipate.

The success of these initiatives suggests that when granted autonomy and resources, researchers construct alternative spaces for connections — spaces that often complement or exceed the scope of the usual development programme offered at institutional level.

Continuing to grow our research ecosystem

The growth of the grant scheme, from 13 funded PGR projects in 2024–25 to 17 PGR projects and 10 ECR projects in 2025–26, demonstrates both demand and enthusiasm for this approach. But more importantly, it highlights the willingness of our researchers to contribute positively to their communities, when given the opportunity to do so.

Growing a thriving research ecosystem is not always about creating bigger programmes or larger interventions. Sometimes it starts with listening carefully, identifying hidden communities, and providing people with the trust, autonomy and support they need to flourish.

 

Dr Julia Taylor, Head of the Doctoral College, and Enrica Conrotto, Researcher Development Manager

New paramedic science paper by BU’s Dr. Ursula Rolfe

NHS, writing

Congratulations to Dr. Ursula Rolfe in the Faculty of Health, Environment & Medical Science on the publication of her latest paper ‘Paramedics’ management of people experiencing mental health issues: An investigation of knowledge gaps and support needs in England‘ [1].  The paper is co-authored with colleagues from the University of Southampton and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration, Wessex.  The paper highlights that demand for mental health care from U.K. ambulance services is increasing, yet paramedics report feeling underprepared to manage these presentations. This study aimed to identify knowledge gaps, educational needs, and systemic factors shaping frontline paramedics’ ability to provide mental health care in England, examining: (1) mental health education and training at pre- and post-registration levels; and (2) paramedics’ experiences of managing mental health presentations. A two-phase mixed-methods design was employed across the country.
Congratulations!
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health
Reference:
Zecchinato, F., Rolfe, U., Sloan, H, Campling, N. (2026) Paramedics’ management of people experiencing mental health issues: An investigation of knowledge gaps and support needs in England, Paramedicine [ONLINE FIRST]   https://doi.org/10.1177/27536386261467717

A Knot Speaks Louder Than a Thousand Words: Tilia Lenz’s Powerful Storywork Exhibition at Glastonbury

On the 4th July 2026, our team member Tilia Lenz held an artist talk at the Heart of the Tribe Gallery in Glastonbury. Tilia took an arts-led approach to her research into performance in Children’s Social Care and developed (auto)ethnographic Storywork in textile and narrative form. Her work is now on display at the gallery with a large scale ‘safety net in practice’ that her participants created, alongside written stories that are based on her data analysis.

The Gallery offers a space for the public to engage with Tilia’s research and visitors could listen to the stories and learn about the Social Workers’ reality of Child Protection practice. The stories offered a window of emotional engagement and dialogue beyond statistics, reports and ‘hard data’ and allowed visitors to connect. Feedback showed that visitors, from all walks of life felt connected with the stories. They shared that they could see themselves within the narrative and that it communicated their own experiences in a way they had never been able to say. The power of Storywork was evident, showing impact of research and creative methods.

Narrative Storywork
Tilia created a constellation of interconnected stories which emerged through deep listening to participants’ words, silences, gestures, and emotions. The stories were written using Indigenous Storywork principles, which honour story as a way of carrying and generating knowledge. Situated within the landscapes of the Somerset Levels, the stories invite the reader into a world that moves between lived experience, metaphor, and magical realism.

Visual Storywork
To create a more holistic experience of the Storywork, Tilia worked with illustrator Hol Thomas-Wrightson to visualise selected stories and capture atmosphere, emotion, and themes beyond words. Together, these modes of Storywork explore what people need to feel safe and trusted within managerial relationships, and able to flourish within complex organisational systems. They invite reflection on the often invisible relational work that sustains individuals, communities, and institutions.

More about Tilia

Tilia Lenz is a PhD candidate at Bournemouth University, social worker, academic, trade union activist, and storyworker. Her creative research practice brings together textile art, narrative inquiry, and Indigenous Storywork. Her doctoral research, Relationship-Based Performance Management in Children’s Social Care, explores the relationship between newly qualified social workers and their managers. Through six interviews conducted within Somerset Council, participants reflected on identity and belonging, privilege and oppression, whilst considering the impact on performance. Tilia’s work challenges conventional academic approaches by treating stories and textile practice not as illustrations of research findings, but as the analysis and findings themselves. Her Storywork draws on more than twenty years of professional practice in social work and is shaped by a commitment to decolonising research, resisting extractive methodologies, and making sense of her own lived experiences of migration, intergenerational trauma, and displacement.  Through Storywork in textile, narrative, and visual form, Tilia explores themes of safety, trust, belonging, identity, and resistance, creating spaces where complex truths can be felt as well as understood.

 

Here is a link to the exhibition: https://www.heartofthetribe.com/events-and-exhibitions/a-knot-speaks-louder-than-a-thousand-words

Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory academics – would you like to get more involved in preparing our next REF submission?

REF Subjects, Research assessment

We are currently recruiting for a UoA co-lead, with a focus on impact, to help support preparation for our next REF Submission to UOA 32: Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory.

The deadline for expressions of interest is noon 13 July 2026. The role is recruited through an open and transparent process, which gives all academic staff the opportunity to put themselves forward. Applications from underrepresented groups are particularly welcome.

We are currently preparing submissions to ten UoAs. Each UoA has a leadership team with at least one leader, output and impact champion. The leadership team are supported by a panel of reviewers who assess the research from the unit. This includes a diverse range of research outputs (including journal articles, books and chapters, films, digital artefacts etc) and impact case studies.

 

 

 

 

 

All roles require a level of commitment which is recognised accordingly with time to review, attend meetings, and take responsibility for tasks.

Undertaking a UOA role can be enjoyable and rewarding as two of our current champions testify:

“As UOA Outputs Champion you develop a detailed knowledge of all the great work that colleagues are doing related to the subject, and the different outlets used for disseminating their work.  You get to know what research is going on across BU, and it’s interesting to see the differences between disciplines.  It’s a good way develop your knowledge of the bigger picture of BU’s research, and also to understand the importance of REF and how it works in practice.  You do spend quite a bit of time chasing colleagues to put their outputs on BRIAN for REF compliance but hopefully they forgive you!”

Professor Adele Ladkin – UOA 24 Output Champion

“As a UoA 17 impact champion, I work closely with the UoA 17 impact team to encourage the development of a culture of impact. I try to pop into Department / research group meetings when I can to discuss impact, and I’ve enjoyed meeting people with a whole range of research interests. Sometimes it can be tough to engage people with impact – understandably; everyone is busy – so it’s important to be enthusiastic about the need for our BU research to reach the public. Overall, the role is about planting the seeds to get researchers thinking about the impact their work might have in the future (as well as the impact they have already had, sometimes without realising!)”

Dr Rafaelle Nicholson – UOA 17 Impact Champion

How to apply

All those interested should put forward a short case (suggested length of one paragraph) as to why they are interested in the role and what they think they could bring to it. These should be emailed to ref@bournemouth.ac.uk by noon Tuesday 13 July 2026.

Further detail on the role, the process of recruitment and selection criteria can be found here:

UOA Leader Role Descriptor

Process and criteria for selection

For further information please contact ref@bournemouth.ac.uk or a member of the current UOA Team with queries.

Equitable Partnerships in Global Health Research

conferences, international

Today is the first day of the Global Consortium for Public Health Research (GCPHR) 4th Annual Conference here at the University of Huddersfield.  This two-day Conference (July 6-7) has as its theme ‘Equitable Partnerships in Global Health Research’.  It brings together academics based in Ghana, the UK, Nepal, India, and Finland.  This 4th conference has a mixture of invited speakers, roundtable discussions, poster presentations and keynote speeches.

The conference was originally the brainchild of Prof. Padam Simkhada, who recently moved from the University of Huddersfield to the University of Chester.  The main organisers at the University of Huddersfield are Dr. Rajeeb Kumar Sah, Dr. Bibha Simkhada and Dr. Zoe Darwin.  Bournemouth University is represented in Huddersfield by Dr. Pramod Regmi and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen