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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.

The Friendly Food Club to present at Community Voices Webinar Wednesday March 12th 12-1pm

The March Community Voices Webinar will welcome Liz Guilmant-Cush, CEO of  The Friendly Food Club to share the amazing work they do in the Dorset community: The Friendly Food Club
The Friendly Food Club – Dorset’s cooking and food education charity.  Their team delivers cooking skills sessions and food education programmes across the community. Their work focuses on disadvantaged and marginalised children and adults through therapeutic cooking sessions and community meals. Please join us as we invite Liz to discuss the charity’s important work.

Community voices is a collaboration between BU PIER partnership and Centre for Seldom Heard Voices to provide a platform and a voice to local community activists. 

Please do join us for this webinar…. 

Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 354 791 763 744
Passcode: CD9oA9KR

Horizon Europe info days 2025

Funding opportunities

This information has been updated on 4 April 2025 (added more details about Cluster 2).

I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who attended the Horizon Europe event in February, particularly those who participated on the panel and shared valuable insights with other colleagues. BU staff can access the presentation on the RKE SharePoint site here.

We are currently awaiting the publication of the 2025 Work Programme, expected in about a month. While the official publication date is not set, some work programmes may be made available through pre-publication a couple of weeks in advance, although this is not guaranteed. According to the latest available information, around 7 April, the European Commission is planning to pre-publish at least the 2025 Horizon Europe Missions Programme with the call topics under the Cancer Mission and around 30 April, the calls and topics on the EU’s Funding and Tenders Portal.

In preparation for this, the European Commission has announced the first Horizon Europe 2025 information days, scheduled to take place in May. These events will be held online, with live streaming available. For more details, please click on the link for each event.

Below is a summary of what we know so far.

Tuesday 6 May 2025, 09:00 – 15:30 (CEST) Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility. This Info Day will take place both onsite in the Charlemagne building (Brussels) and online. Please note that onsite participation is limited. Registration for onsite participation closes on 31 March 2025 (or earlier if the capacity of the venue has been reached).

Tuesday 13 May 2025, 09:30 – Wednesday 14 May 2025, 17:00 (CEST) Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space. Speakers from the European Commission will provide detailed insights into the call topics, evaluation and award processes. The 6 destinations under this cluster are:

  • Climate neutral, circular and digitised production
  • Increased autonomy in key strategic value chains for resilient industry
  • World leading data and computing technologies
  • Digital and emerging technologies for competitiveness and fit for the Green Deal
  • Open strategic autonomy in developing, deploying and using global space-based infrastructures, services, applications and data
  • A human-centred and ethical development of digital and industrial technologies

Thursday 15 May 2025, 09:30 (GMT+02:00) Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Societies. This cluster aims to aims to meet EU goals and priorities on enhancing democratic governance and citizens participation, on the safeguarding and promotion of cultural heritage, and to respond to and shape multifaceted social, economic, technological and cultural transformations.

The event will provide prospective applicants with an opportunity to learn more about the funding options under the new work programme. The event will be livestreamed, register here.

Thursday 16 May 2025, 09:30 (GMT+02:00) Horizon Europe Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Societies online Brokerage Event.

The brokerage event is organised by the network of National Contact Points for Cluster 2, the Net4Society project.

Tuesday 20 May 2025, 09:00 – 17:00 (CEST) Horizon Europe info days – WIDERA Work Programme 2025. Speakers from the European Commission will present the new call topics.

Tuesday 20 May 2025, 09:00 – Wednesday 21 May 2025, 18:00 (CEST) Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment. The event will cover:

  • Insights into the policy context
  • A ‘key-to-success’ session focused on guidance and tips for quality proposals
  • Pitches for each of the topics from the Work Programme 2025
  • A dedicated session on co-funded partnerships

You can also sign up to the Info Days and receive updates on the latest news related to the event.

Thursday 22 May 2025, 09:00 – 17:00 (CEST) Horizon Europe info days – Cluster 1: Health. This cluster aims to deliver on the following six destinations:

  • Staying healthy in a rapidly changing society
  • Living and working in a health-promoting environment
  • Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden
  • Ensuring access to innovative, sustainable and high-quality health care
  • Unlocking the full potential of new tools, technologies and digital solutions for a healthy society
  • Maintaining an innovative, sustainable and globally competitive health-related industry

I will update this blog as soon as new information becomes available about clusters 2 (Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Societies) and 3 (Civil Security for Society), so stay tuned!

As usual, 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 support UK applications. There is a lot of useful information on our RDS pre-award SharePoint site.