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Highlighting Research at the European Conference for Social Work Research (ECSWR 2025)

conferences

At the recent European Conference for Social Work Research (ECSWR 2025) in Munich, Adele McMahon showcased her important research with an academic poster titled “Their Photos, Their Voice: What Young People Say About Their Experience as Adolescent Parents in the Child Protection System.” As Europe’s largest annual event dedicated to social work research, this year’s conference centered on the theme “Embracing Democracy in Social Work Practice and Research.”

Adele’s participation provided a fantastic platform to present her findings, engage with a special interest group focused on social work with adolescents, and attend various enlightening symposiums and presentations. Beyond sharing her work, the conference was an invaluable opportunity to connect with fellow researchers from around the globe, exchanging expertise and insights that will undoubtedly enrich future studies in the field.

Presenting BU’s kidney disease research in Manchester

conferences, international, Publishing, writing

Tuesday 18th March Drs. Pramod Regmi and Nirmal Aryal from the Department of Nursing Sciences presented our work on risk of kidney disease in Nepalese migrant workers in the Middle East and Malaysia.  The presentation was at the Project Impact Seminar in the Whitworth Gallery in Manchester organised by  The Colt Foundation, the funder of our research.

The title was: ‘Risk of kidney injury among returnee Nepalese migrants: a mixed-methods’ which was conducted in the one of areas of Nepal with a high proportion of people working abroad as migrant labourers.  Over the past decade there have been increasing concerns about possible chronic kidney disease (CKD) in migrant workers returning to Nepal. 

This important study has resulted in one publication in PLoS One  (1) and one more recently submitted.  The event was good for networking to discuss possible collaborations.  We also had the pleasure of meeting former colleagues from the University of Aberdeen, now based at the University of Stirling.  This dissemination event is the latest in a long line of research publications focusing on the health and well-being of migrant workers from Nepal from the BU team in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences [1-35].

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

 

References:

  1. Regmi, P., Aryal, N., Bhattarai, S., Sedhain, A., KC, R.K. and van Teijlingen, E. (2024) Exploring lifestyles, work environment and health care experience of Nepalese returnee labour migrants diagnosed with kidney-related problems, PLoS One 19(8): e0309203. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309203
  2. Paudyal, P., Wasti, S.P., Neupane, P., Sapkota, J.L., Watts, C., Kulasabanathan, K., Silwal, R., Memon, A., Shukla, P., Pathak, R.S., Michelson, D., Beery, C., Moult, A., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Cassell, J. 10, (2025) Coproducing a culturally sensitive storytelling video intervention to improve psychosocial well-being: a multimethods participatory study with Nepalese migrant workers, BMJ Open 15:e086280. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-086280
  3. Mahato, P., Bhusal, S., Regmi, P.,  van Teijlingen, E. (2024). Health and Wellbeing Among Nepali Migrants: A Scoping Review. Journal of Health Promotion, 12(1): 79–90. https://doi.org/10.3126/jhp.v12i1.72699
  4. Paudyal, A.R., Harvey, O., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P. R., Sharma, C. (2024). Returning Home to Nepal after Modern Slavery: Opportunities for Health Promotion. Journal of Health Promotion, 12(1): 125–132. https://doi.org/10.3126/jhp.v12i1.72713
  5. Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, E., Gurung, M., Bhujel, S., Wasti, S.P. (2024) Workplace harassment faced by female Nepalese migrants working aboard, Global Health Journal 8(3): 128-132. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S241464472400040X
  6. Regmi, P., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E., KC, R.K., Gautam, M. and Maharjan, S. (2024). A Qualitative Insight into Pre-Departure Orientation Training for Aspiring Nepalese Migrant Workers. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 9 (7).
  7. Chaudhary, M.N., Lim, V.C., Faller, E.M., Regmi, P., Aryal, N., Zain, S.N.M., Azman, A.S. and Sahimin, N. (2024). Assessing the basic knowledge and awareness of dengue fever prevention among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. PLoS ONE, 19 (2).
  8. Aryal, N., Regmi, P., Adhikari Dhakal, S., Sharma, S. and van Teijlingen, E. (2024). Moral panic, fear, stigma, and discrimination against returnee migrants and Muslim populations in Nepal: analyses of COVID-19 media content. Journal of Media Studies, 38 (2), 71-98.
  9. Chaudhary, M.N., Lim, V.C., Sahimin, N., Faller, E.M., Regmi, P., Aryal, N. and Azman, A.S. (2023). Assessing the knowledge of, attitudes towards, and practices in, food safety among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 54.
  10. Adhikari, Y., Regmi, P., Devkota, B. and van Teijlingen, E. (2023). Forgotten health and social care needs of left-behind families of Nepali migrant workers. Journal of Health Promotion, 10, 1-4.
  11. Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Excessive mortalities among migrant workers: the case of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences, 4:31-32. https://doi.org/10.46405/ejms.v4i0.455
  12. Regmi, P., Dhakal Adhikari, S., Aryal, N., Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Fear, Stigma and Othering: The Impact of COVID-19 Rumours on Returnee Migrants and Muslim Populations of Nepal, International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health 19(15), 8986; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19158986
  13. Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. and Regmi, P. (2022). Migrant Workers in Qatar: Not just an important topic during the FIFA World Cup 2022. Health Prospect: Journal of Public Health, 21 (3), 1-2.
  14. Simkhada, B., Sah, R.K., Mercel-Sanca, A., van Teijlingen, E., Bhurtyal, Y.M. and Regmi, P. (2021). Perceptions and Experiences of Health and Social Care Utilisation of the UK-Nepali Population. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 23 (2), 298-307.
  15. Aryal, N., Sedhain, A., Regmi, P.R., KC, R. K., van Teijlingen, E. (2021). Risk of kidney health among returnee Nepali migrant workers: A survey of nephrologists. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 12(12), 126–132. https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v12i12.39027
  16. Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., Sedhain, A., KC, R.K., Martinez Faller, E., Rijal, A., van Teijlingen, E. (2021) Kidney health risk of migrant workers: An issue we can no longer overlook. Health Prospect 20(1):15-7
  17. Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Trenoweth, S., Adhikary, P. and Simkhada, P., (2020). The impact of spousal migration on the mental health of Nepali women: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (4).
  18. Regmi, P., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E., Adhikary, P. (2020) Nepali migrant workers and the need for pre-departure training on mental health: a qualitative study, Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10903-019-00960-z.pdf
  19. Adhikary, P., Aryal, N., Dhungana, R.R., KC, R.K., Regmi, P., Wickramage, K.P., Duigan, P., Inkochasan, M., Sharma, G.N., Devkota, B., van Teijlingen, E. and Simkhada, P. (2020). Accessing health services in India: Experiences of seasonal migrants returning to Nepal. BMC Health Services Research, 20 (1), 992.
  20. Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Mahato, P., Aryal, N., Jadhav, N., Simkhada, P., Zahiruddin, Q.S., Gaidhane, A. (2019) The Health of Nepali Migrants in India: A Qualitative Study of Lifestyles and Risks. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 (19). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16193655
  21. Adhikary P, van Teijlingen E. (2019) Support networks in the Middle East & Malaysia: A qualitative study of Nepali returnee migrants’ experiences’ – International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health  9(2): 31-35.
  22. Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., Faller, E.M., van Teijlingen, E., Khoon, C.C., Pereira, A., Simkhada, P. (2019) Sudden cardiac death and kidney health related problems among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, 9 (3), 788-791. https://doi.org/10.3126/nje.v9i3.25805
  23. Adhikary P, van Teijlingen E., Keen S. (2019) Workplace accidents among Nepali male workers in the Middle East and Malaysia: A qualitative study, Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health 21(5): 1115–1122. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10903-018-0801-y
  24. Dhungana, R.R., Aryal, N., Adhikary, P., Kc, R.K., Regmi, P.R., Devkota, B., Sharma, G.N., Wickramage, K., Van Teijlingen, E. and Simkhada, P. (2019). Psychological morbidity in Nepali cross-border migrants in India: A community based cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 19 (1).
  25. Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. and Mahat, P. (2019). Adolescents left behind by migrant workers: a call for community-based mental health interventions in Nepal. WHO South-East Asia journal of public health, 8 (1), 38-41.
  26. Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, E.R., Gurung, M., Wasti, S. (2018) A survey of health problems of Nepalese female migrants workers in the Middle-East & Malaysia, BMC International Health & Human Rights 18(4): 1-7. http://rdcu.be/E3Ro.
  27. Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Sharma, A., Bissell, P., Poobalan, A., Wasti, S.P. (2018) Health consequences of sex trafficking: A systematic review, Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 4(1): 130-49.
  28. Adhikary P, Sheppard, Z., Keen S., van Teijlingen E. (2018) Health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers abroad, International Journal of Migration, Health & Social Care 14(1): 96-105.  https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-12-2015-0052
  29. Adhikary, P, Sheppard, Z., Keen, S., van Teijlingen, E. (2017) Risky work: accidents among Nepalese migrant workers in Malaysia, Qatar & Saudi Arabia, Health Prospect 16(2): 3-10.
  30. Simkhada, P.P., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Aryal, N. (2017) Identifying the gaps in Nepalese migrant workers’ health and well-being: A review of the literature. Journal of Travel Medicine, 24 (4). https://doi.org/10.3126/nje.v9i3.25805
  31. Aryal, N., Regmi, PR., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Adhikary, P., Bhatta, YKD., Mann, S. (2016) Injury and Mortality in Young Nepalese Migrant Workers: A Call for Public Health Action. Asian-Pacific Journal of Public Health 28(8): 703-705.
  32. Aryal, N., Regmi, PR., van Teijlingen, E., Dhungel, D., Ghale, G., Bhatta, GK. (2016) Knowing is not enough: Migrant workers’ spouses vulnerability to HIV SAARC Journal of Tuberculosis, Lung Diseases & HIV/AIDS 8(1):9-15.
  33. Adhikary P., Keen S., van Teijlingen E. (2011) Health Issues among Nepalese migrant workers in Middle East. Health Science Journal 5: 169-75.   www.hsj.gr/volume5/issue3/532.pdf
  34. van Teijlingen E, Simkhada, P., Adhikary, P. (2009) Alcohol use among the Nepalese in the UK BMJ Rapid Response: www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/339/oct20_1/b4028#223451
  35. Adhikary, P., Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen E., Raja, AE. (2008) Health & Lifestyle of Nepalese Migrants in the UK BMC International Health & Human Rights 8(6). Web address: www.biomedcentral.com/1472-698X/8/6.

 

The Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard Round 11

The next round of the Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard scheme will open soon. The University can submit up to 4 application. We will be running a university Expression of Interest (EOI) process to select applicants to the scheme.

The Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard scheme offers £125,000 funding over 2 years towards research costs and professional development. The scheme is targeted at those in the early stages of their first independent research position and have not yet been in receipt of substantial research funding. Applications are encouraged from across the biomedical field from molecular, cellular and structural biology to anatomical, physiological, psychological, epidemiological and public health research areas.

Timeline

Internal Expression of Interest deadline: Friday 18th April noon. EOIs should include the completed form and an up-to-date CV (including publications, previous research funding and employment history)

Candidates Informed of Outcome: Wednesday 23rd April.

BU deadline to nominate Candidates to AMS: Friday 25th April noon

AMS Deadline for nominated applicants: Open 30th April and close 4th June.

Please contact Kate Percival (kpercival@bournemouth.ac.uk) if you would like to submit an EOI.

Unlocking the data dungeons of higher education

Unlocking the data dungeons of higher education
Authors: Kitchenham, A., Holley, D. and Biggins, D.

Conference: International Technology, Education and Development Conference 2025

Dates: 3-5 March 2025

Abstract:
Higher Education in the UK operates under a regulatory framework, the Office for Students (OfS). The university sector needd to report on a series of data metrics, where education has been quantified into measurable outcomes. These are focused on continuation and completion of studies, as well as readiness and ability to secure professional work. However, recent literature has documented the complexity of computing metrics in an environment in which universities are in constant transition and adaptation, and how these adaptive processes impact student transitions, including from university to graduate work. Thus collecting data with precision and fair statistical assessment of outcomes across the sector remain a challenge for the government and the sector alike.
Learning analytics is a highly contested field which is implemented and used in very different ways across the sector. In some cases, the collection of data places greater emphasis on institutional compliance for reputational protection and as a tool for data driven narrative creation. At its most effective, it places the learner at the centre of the process and as the primary audience for its output. Emerging trends point to how it is increasingly embedded within day-to-day activities that encompass learners, educators and the institution. Our research indicates that it is most impactful when it supports data-informed pedagogic interventions.
Our research suggests three broad responses to data collection, collation and interpretations, where the institutional data gathered is actioned through very different strategic lenses. Best practice seeks to use this data to inform strategic and operational decisions; and to focus on the student experience, with a clear pedagogic rationale underpinning the sharing of data, that genuinely moves the student learning journey forward. The use and role of data can be characterised as a tool to defend the institution from external scrutiny; an intrinsic tool to inform course development or as instigator for dialogue (including self dialogue) by the learner. The learning design that frames and encompasses learning analytics impacts significantly on the user. It can be cold, dehumanising and context free with the data stored in what we terms as a ‘data dungeon’. It can be interpreted as a ‘data engine room’ driving forward the curricula and learning agenda; it can, we argue, at its cutting edge frame ‘data dialogue’; shining the light into the data dungeon. This paper will draw upon these themes and suggest a maturity model to ensure the data collected has meaning, use and value and contributes to a greater understanding of the measurement and understanding of learning gain.
https://staffprofiles.bournemouth.ac.uk/display/conference/402814

The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey 2025 – now open

PG research

The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) 2025 has launched! 

Check your email to access your link to complete the survey. 

We’re keen to make sure our postgraduate research students (PGRs) have the best possible experience while studying with us. To do this, we need to know what you think works well and what we could do better.

The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES 2025) is your chance to tell us about your experience as a PGR at Bournemouth University. The more specific your feedback is, the more targeted and effective our actions can be. This includes both positive feedback and what we as a university could do better. Your voice truly makes a difference and helps shape your experience.

This year the survey opened on Monday 17 March 2025 and will close on Wednesday 30 April 2025. Upon completing the survey, PGRs will automatically be entered into a free prize draw. Four winners will be able to claim a £50 shopping voucher. Terms and conditions apply.

In addition, we will be making a £1 donation for every survey completed to the student mental health wellbeing charity, Student Minds.

Once you have completed the survey, you are entitled to claim a Chartwells voucher with a value of £3.95. This covers the cost of a meal from the “Savour menu” but can be used to purchase any items from Chartwells outlets. Please come to the Doctoral College (DLG08, Talbot Campus) to collect your voucher.

How do I take part?

PGRs have now received an email containing a unique link which will allow you to access and complete the survey. If you can’t find this email, contact PRES@bournemouth.ac.uk and we’ll help you to get access.

What will I be asked?

The survey will take around 15 minutes to complete. Your response is confidential, and any reporting will be entirely anonymous. The survey is your chance to tell us about your experience as a PGR at BU. It will ask you to share your views on supervision, resources, research community, progress and assessment, skills and professional development and wellbeing.

Why should I take part?

Your feedback is important. The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey is the only national survey of PGRs and so is the only way for us to compare how we are doing with other institutions and to make changes that will improve your experience in the future.

More information

If you would like to know more about the survey, please visit: PRES 2025.

If you would like to know more about the surveys at Bournemouth University, please visit: Your feedback | Bournemouth University.

Please click here to see actions that we have taken based on feedback from previous surveys.

 

We hope you take the opportunity to get involved this year and help us make improvements to your experience.

Best wishes,

The Doctoral College

For any PRES related queries, please email: PRES@bournemouth.ac.uk

Open Access Publication Fund paused

open access, Publishing

We are currently not accepting new applications to the BU Open Access Publication Fund.

Application to the fund is highly competitive and we have now committed all of the budget for 24/25. We will continue to review the status of fund-supported publications which are under consideration at journals, and release funds which are no longer required back into the budget as we can.

Authors are reminded that BU is signed up to a number of transformative deals with major publishers. These enable authors to publish gold open access for free, or at a reduced cost, in thousands of journals. Authors are encouraged to review the journals which are covered by these agreements which considering where to publish.

UKRI funded authors can still apply for support from the UKRI Open Access block grant to cover eligible costs associated with publishing in fully open access journals and platforms that are not covered by our transformative deals.

Please contact openaccess@bournemouth.ac.uk with any queries.

This week – Konfer – an innovation and collaboration platform

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

Join Us for an online Konfer Training Session!

We invite you to an online training session on 20 March 2025, featuring Anna Dent-Davies and Shivaun Meehan from the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB). They will introduce Konfer, a powerful platform for navigating the UK innovation ecosystem.

For those unfamiliar, Konfer connects users with resources and potential collaborators perfectly aligned with their research or innovation projects.

During this 1.5-hour interactive online session, Anna and Shivaun will guide you through making the most of Konfer, focusing on:

· Effectively searching the platform.

· Drafting high-quality collaboration calls by addressing four key questions.

You’ll also have the chance to discuss your specific research projects or areas of interest and even begin drafting your own collaboration call during the session.

Ahead of the session, we kindly ask attendees to:

· Sign up to Konfer.

· Come prepared with an innovation challenge or collaboration opportunity in mind.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore how Konfer can support your research and innovation goals – to book your place, please visit this link.

3MT Competition – register to attend

PG research

Registrations are open to attend the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition! 

All BU staff and students are invited to attend the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition! This is an internationally recognised research communication competition developed by the University of Queensland in 2008. It challenges doctoral researchers to condense their thesis into a compelling three-minute presentation, communicating its originality and significance to a non-specialist audience.

Date: Wednesday 26 March, 10:30-14:30

The National competition is run by the research organisation Vitae. More information about the history of 3MT® can be found on the Vitae and 3MT® websites.

There will be four parallel presentation sessions, one for each Faculty, to select the 2 finalists to advance to the final round, which will take place in the afternoon. The winner will be able to take part in the national competition run by Vitae.

Lunch will be provided.

See below for the tentative programme of the day:

10:30-12:00: First round (4 parallel sessions, Fusion Building)

  • Faculty of Health and Social Sciences: F310
  • BU Business School: F205
  • Faculty of Media & Communication: F109
  • Faculty of Science & Technology: F112

12:00-13:00: Lunch (Share Lecture Theatre)

13:00-14:00: Final round (Share Lecture Theatre)

14:00-14:20: Break

14:20-14:30: Winners Announcement and Closing

Register to attend

Come along and support BU doctoral researchers at this exciting event. Let’s share knowledge, foster collaboration, and build connections with the research community!

Further information available on Brightspace.

Please do contact us if you have any questions: pgrskillsdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

Best wishes,

The Doctoral College RDP Team

Congratulations to Dr. Tsofliou

open access, PG research, writing

Earlier this month the scientific journal Psychology & Health published the paper ‘Effectiveness of client-centred counselling on weight management among Black African women with overweight and obesity in high-income countries: a systematic review’ [1].   This paper is based on the work of Itse Olaoye, a PhD student at St Mary’s University, London.  Bournemouth University’s Dr Fotini Tsofliou is part of the student’s interdisciplinary supervisory team together with academics from the Faculty of Sport, Allied Health and Performance Science at St Mary’s University, London.
The message in the paper is that client-centred counselling appears promising for weight management in Black African women with overweight or obesity. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of these interventions in this population over time.
Congratulations!
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health
Reference:
  1. Olaoye, I., Myrissa, K., Kelaiditi, E., Tsofliou, F., & Brown, N. (2025). Effectiveness of client-centred counselling on weight management among Black African women with overweight and obesity in high-income countries: a systematic review. Psychology & Health, 1–32. [Published online: 11 Mar 2025]  https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2025.2475161

 

Promoting South-South collaboration and learning

international

The Sonamoni Project is working with communities in rural Bangladesh utilizing human-centered design (HCD) techniques. These design principles have been applied for many years in designing consumer products and, more recently, in the fields of health and social systems. The research project is identifying solutions to reduce the number of drowning deaths in newly mobile children (6-24 months), developing prototype, and assessing the acceptability and usability of potential  interventions. This interdisciplinary project is coordinated by Bournemouth University in collaboration with the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB), the University of the West of England, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the University of Southampton, and Design without Borders Africa (DwB) from Uganda. Our Sonamoni project has been made possible thanks to a grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through their Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme.

As part of the Sonamoni project we arranged some serious South-South learning by facilitating a visit to DwB in Uganda in early march by two of our Bangladesh-based team, namely Notan Chandra Dutta, Research Manager and Mirza Shibat Rowshan, HCD Specialist.  DwB applies HCD approaches to complex challenges faced by communities in low and middle-income countries. To gain greater insights into HCD activities the researchers from Bangladesh visited one site near Lake Victoria to observe data collection with fishermen, transporters, and local leaders. Notan and Shibat co-facilitated a four-day long Design Community Advisory Board (DCAB) workshop on the “Enhancing Fisherfolk Safety” project where fishermen, boat owners, transporters, traditional weather forecasters, health workers were the participants. To prevent drowning, HCD was applied in the workshop to generate ideas and share solutions of the lake site community from Lake Victoria of Mayuge district. Lessons learnt from the visit by two staff of CIPRB can further enrich the Sonamoni Project implementation in Bangladesh.  The NIHR really values research capacity building and South-South learning in its funded projects, as well as North-South leaning, of course.

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

RDS Academic & Researcher Induction

Knowledge Exchange, Post-award, R & KE Operations

RDS Academic & Researcher Induction – Weds 23rd April, 10:00 – 11:00, online

The primary aim of this event is to raise participants’ awareness of how to get started in research at BU or, for more established staff, how to take their research to the next level.  It will provide participants with essential, practical information and orientation in key stages and processes of research and knowledge exchange at BU

You’ll be made aware of the support available at each stage of the research lifecycle and get an introduction to the Research, Development & Support Team, who are here to help! It will be hosted by our experts who are responsible for strategy, outputs, ethics, public engagement, knowledge exchange, project management & training.  It will include:

  • A brief overview of research excellence at BU and how RDS can help/support academic staff
  • How we can support your impact, public engagement, knowledge exchange & output activity and why it’s important – essential to quality bids and the REF
  • How to find funding opportunities and access support for the application process
  • How to manage an awarded RKE projects, incl aspects on intellectual property & commercialisation
  • Key points on research ethics and governance
  • Where to find what training is available, incl other BU support and internal networks

Come along, join in, get some important insights – hopefully see you there!  Book your place HERE

If you are new to academia, it may be helpful for you to meet with your faculty mentor to guide your familiarisation of research at BU and expectations of an early career researcher before attending this induction. You can also join the Early Career researcher (ECR) Network.

For some background and more immediate information on RDS, please head to the RKE SharePoint

For further information on this event or joining the ECRN, please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk

The order of things: Starting an M.Sc. after your Ph.D.

PG research

In the 1990s after I had completed my Ph.D. in Medical Sociology my first lectureship was in Public Health at the University of Aberdeen where my job title included that of coordinator of the B.Sc. Health Sciences.  At the time I was required to do a variety of training modules and workshops on education at university level. Since there was the option to register for the Master of Education (M.Ed.) in the Department of Education at the University of Aberdeen, I thought I might as well gain more insight into education and learning than the required basic training and get a degree out of it at the same time.  For a long time, I considered myself as odd, starting a lower degree after having completed a higher one.  I bit like the guy I met thirty years ago who had completed to Ph.D.’s, one in Chemistry and then afterwards one in Divinity.

My view changed a few years ago when a colleague (with a Ph.D.) commenced an M.Sc. for a different reason.  On this occasion to become a qualified practitioner, through the completion of a practice-based M.Sc. in Mental Health Nursing.  The M.Sc. programme started a decade after the completion of a Ph.D. in Public Health.

And the idea for this blog sprang on me this morning when a colleague with a Ph.D. in Statistics and Epidemiology asked me for a reference to support his application for a place on an M.Sc. in Neuroscience.  His argument for starting such M.Sc. is that he is actively involved in several neuro-psychology research projects and as a quantitative researcher he wants to have a greater understanding of the underpinning science and the wider topic area.

Having successfully passed your Ph.D. viva is evidence that you study and learn effectively on your own, the subsequent M.Sc. can offer licensure (the right to practice) or greater insight into an academic field different from your Ph.D. one.

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

Ultra potent synthetic opioids

Awarded & submitted bids

drug powder and pills

The forensic science team at BU has been commissioned by the Home Office to evaluate an emerging threat to the U.K: ultra potent synthetic opioids. Our research has delivered a comprehensive chemical assessment of these dangerous drug compounds, evaluating differences between illicit drugs seized at borders versus inland, purity assessment, composition and variability, and headspace profiling to provide intelligence towards better detection of these drugs at borders. The work is led by Richard Paul, with co-investigators Ramin Boroujerdi, Sarah Upson, Santanu Majumder and Sam Rennie, all from the Life and Environmental Sciences department.

The illicit drug market has been dominated by the rise of fentanyl in North America in recent years, with a surge in drug related fatalities. The situation has now evolved with the emergence of non-fentanyl derived synthetic opioids, such as nitazenes, which are several times more potent than fentanyl, and can be as much as 500 times stronger than heroin. Urgent research is required to understand the nature of these drugs, and to provide intelligence to help detect these drugs when smuggled across borders.

Our analysis has shown that the purity of some of the nitazene compounds seized at borders is extremely high, with metonitazene and protonitazene at >98% pure. We’ve also developed a headspace analysis technique which examines the volatile molecules which comprise the odour profile of these drugs. This information is used to provide intelligence to the Home Office on which to base drug detection policy aimed at stopping the influx of these drugs into the U.K.  Our headspace technique revealed a complex array of aromatic organic compounds in the headspace above illicit nitazenes, and there is evidence that these compounds are used as precursors during illicit synthesis routes for these drugs.

This work is on-going and where possible we’ll post updates in the future. To find out more about the capabilities of our group, and other research we’re involved in, please see our group page here.

 

 

 

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025

Funding opportunities

This week, there have been a few news updates related to Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships.

MSCA PF 2025 Call opening

The first news reported by UKRO is that the EC has a delay in the launch date for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025 call, moving it from 9 April to 8 May 2025. However, this delay will not affect the closing date, which remains as planned – 10 September 2025.

UKRO also states that, to minimise the impact of the shortened application period, the Guide for Applicants and the Application Form will be uploaded in advance to the Funding & Tenders Portal call page.

MSCA PF Information session

CONNECTS-UK is organising an online informative session/workshop on MSCA Individual Fellowships on 27th March 2025, from 15:30 to 17:00 UK time. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage directly with successful MSCA fellows from various research fields.

This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the MSCA programme and Individual Fellowships, offering insights into the application process, eligibility, funding, and featuring successful MSCA fellows from different fields sharing their experiences. Full details and the agenda can be found via this link.

Those new to the MSCA PF scheme are encouraged to join this event or any other MSCA PF-specific event, as there will not be specific workshops organised at BU.

Although the information session is free of charge, participants must register in advance to attend.

Internal processes

Please note that, given that almost all Horizon Europe 2025 collaborative calls will have deadlines in September and October, the internal deadline for submission of MSCA PF ItBs will be in late June or early July.

We kindly ask that supervisors submit the CVs of their potential fellows in the funder’s defined format, along with the ItB, as this is required to assess their eligibility and competitiveness. A document outlining the requirements for the researcher’s CV is available on the RDS SharePoint site.

If you have any EU funding-related questions, feel free to get in touch with me – Research Facilitator International Ainar Blaudums. For general pre-award or non-EU queries, please email the Pre-award Enquiries mailbox or contact my colleagues who assist with applications to UK funders.