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BU Associate Professor in Law teaches NATO officials about the complexities of hybrid war

Dr Sascha Bachmann, Associate Professor in Law, has been invited to speak at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) School about his research into ‘hybrid war’ and its legal ramifications.  Hybrid war is a concept that has emerged since the Cold War and sums up the complexities of modern warfare, which go beyond conventional military tactics, often involving cyberwarfare, propaganda and a fluid, non-state adversary.

Given the rapidly changing nature of conflict, the importance of research in this area cannot be underestimated as it can help policy makers shape national and international responses to security threats.  For the last few years, Dr Bachmann has been working with military experts at the Swedish Defence University to explore the idea of hybrid war and provide advice to policy makers about how to respond.  He has been working with Professor Håkan Gunneriusson, Head of Research: Ground Tactical and Operational Matters at SEDU, since 2011 on the subject.

“Hybrid war as an idea has become particularly topical since Russia’s activities in Ukraine and the Crimea, as it’s become clear that modern warfare has evolved into something very different, which presents policy makers with a new challenge,” explains Dr Bachmann, “It’s a new concept and one that is changing very quickly.  Hybrid war is something that governments and policy makers need to know how to respond to as conventional military strategies don’t work in the face of it.”

“Underpinning this is a need for a very different type of legal framework to tackle hybrid war, because at present we have very few tools that will help us to respond to it.  Take the internet as an example; it’s very hard to prevent the spread of disinformation and fear-based propaganda, but it’s important that we know how to deal with this in kind as false information can rapidly sway public opinion.”

“The fast moving pace of this area and the need for new information about it means that it’s an area where academic researchers can make a real difference to policy,” says Dr Bachmann, “By working together, we can look at these issues in a new way and come up with an international response and a new legal framework to tackle them.”

Dr Bachmann will be presenting his research as part of a course designed to provide senior personnel with an evaluation of NATO’s current and future security environment.

Further information about Dr Bachmann’s recent research can be found here and a recent submission to the Parliamentary Defence Select Committee can be found here.

CQR lunchtime seminars “In Conversation …” continue with “Social Work as Art” this Wednesday!

PG research

Following the first very successful (and jam packed!) Centre for Qualitative Research Seminar “In Conversation …” the series continues with

“Social Work as Art”

presented by Lee-Ann Fenge and Anne Quinney

Wed., 5 Oct., Royal London House 201 at 1 pm.

Give these two some arts materials or a dressing-up box, who knows what will transpire!  Mark your diaries now and join us for an intriguing conversation!

Because CQR is keen to make information available to students and staff about qualitative METHODS, the seminars are arranged somewhat differently than the typical lunchtime seminar.

We are asking TWO (or more) presenters to agree to present each research method as a CONVERSATION…first, between each other, and then with the audience.  We are also asking that no PowerPoint be used in order that it is truly a conversation and NOT a lecture. The conversations will be about a particular research method and its pros and cons, NOT research projects or outcomes.

Many of us then move next door to RLH to Naked Cafe to continue the conversations and network. Faculty and Students invited to attend!

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See you Wednesday at Royal London House 201 at 1 pm.  ALL are Welcome!!

Student Research Assistantship scheme

Fusion Investment Fund, student research

I am delighted to announce the launch the new Student Research Assistantship (SRA) scheme.

Academics are invited to submit applications for the semester-based round of the SRA programme.

 

The programme is funded by the Fusion Investment Fund and will still have two programme rounds, semester-based and summer programme.  The scheme has been re-focused to support departments in their co-creation targets whilst supporting students to undertake paid work under the guidance of an experienced academic in a research position that is directly related to their career path and/or academic discipline.

 

Semester-based programme

This placement is for successful students to work for 15 hours a week for a total of eight weeks between 16th January 2017 and 7th April 2017. This programme will have the capacity for approximately 45 placements.

The SRA programme is coordinated via RKEO and the Faculties.

Academics will apply for the funding via an application form. A Faculty based panel will review all staff applications and decide which applications to continue to the student recruitment stage of the scheme.  The application deadline for this round is 24th October 2016.

Approved academic applications will be advertised as SRA positions to students with student applications being received, processed and managed centrally within RKEO and distributed to the relevant academics after the closing date. The academics will be responsible for shortlisting, interviewing and providing interview feedback to their own candidates. Successful students will need to complete monthly timesheets, signed by their supervisor for payment.

These SRA vacancies will be available to taught BU students only, where SRA applicants must be able to work in the UK, be enrolled during the time of their assistantship and also have an average grade of over 70%.  Staff can have multiple SRAs.

If you have any queries, please contact Rachel Clarke, KE Adviser (KTP and Student Projects) –  sra@bournemouth.ac.uk

BU Professor gives plenary at Milan conference

On Thursday BU Professor Jonathan Parker delivered a plenary address to I Convegno Internazionale ‘Social Work Education’ Innovazioni ed Esperienze Milan conference(The International Conference on Social Work Education: Innovations and experiences) in Milan, Italy. Having represented the UK higher education sector when vice chair of the Joint University Council Social Work Education Committee body and drawing on wide research, knowledge and experience of the reforms in English social work education he presented the dangers of replicating England’s changes before introducing innovations that offset some of the risks.

In an effort to ‘raise the quality’ of social work education, and to respond cynically to popular pressure, successive UK Governments, particularly in England, have imposed standards and regulatory frameworks that have curtailed the capacity of universities to educate students according to their specialist interests and research areas. Rather than focusing on pedagogy, universities have allowed employer organisations to set the agenda. They have increasingly restricted their curricula and by so doing have co-created, with various governments, a social work that is predominantly concerned with protection and safeguarding. Addressing a wide audience including the current president of the International Association of Schools of Social Work, Professor Annamaria Campanini, Jonathan Parker focused on the dangers of transferring these models and replicating them rather than promoting social justice and relational social work practice. He called for education that championed passion and joy in teaching and learning, was student-centred and actively challenged the corporate homogenisation of education. He suggested a focus on ethnographic practice in education, learning and onward into social work practice could offer a way forward and was needed.

Two other British academics, Professor Peter Beresford and Dr Pamela Trevithick, provided plenary sessions on service user involvement in education and relational skills. The conference was keen to learn about the innovations in and the problems of the English sector and to promote relationship skills and wisdom not the rigid application of standards that have crossed into higher education from the adoption of neoliberal market practices.

Jonathan Parker

Pedro Zamora Biography Book Launch and Screening

3 October – 5pm – W240 Screening Room – Weymouth House Talbot Campus – held by Christopher Pullen

Researchers, students and staff at BU are invited to the UK book launch of the first biography of Pedro Zamora, an openly gay AIDS activist of Cuban descent, who became a worldwide media phenomenon for health education in the 1990s.  While he passed away in 1994 just a few months after his participation in The Real World television documentary series (set in San Francisco) his life story continues to offer an important contribution to debates on AIDS education, particularly with regards to cultural diversity and the need to address youth audiences.

Following on from the US book launch of Pedro Zamora, Sexuality and AIDS Education: The Autobiographical Self, Activism and The Real World which took place over summer in San Francisco and was reported on in The Bay Area Reporter and The Advocate, Dr Christopher Pullen will not only offer an intimate talk about the book including its methodological focus on self-reflexivity, but also the moving (yet rarely screened documentary) ‘A Tribute to Pedro Zamora’ will be presented (duration 50 mins approx.).

Christopher Pullen celebrates Zamora’s life, offering new insight into his story, his political goals, and his ability to reach audiences through his performance of the “mutable self,” where vulnerability, intimacy and strength are significant factors.  Zamora encouraged us to share our stories, stimulating the notion of a shared autobiographical project, in the dissemination of HIV/AIDS education.

Emeritus Professor Bill Nichols of the Cinema Department at San Francisco State University and The Documentary Film Institute affirms: “Christopher Pullen gives Pedro Zamora’s extraordinary life compelling form in this illuminating account. He urges to rethink our notions of self and identity. Our lives depend on them, and this book makes clear how very true that is.”

Please come along for the discussion and screening, including afternoon tea and refreshments.  A discounted price will be available for the book at the event.

Dr. Pullen who teaches in the faculty of Media and Communication at Bournemouth University is the author of a number of books focusing on sexuality and the media. His recent books include Straight Girls and Queer Guys: The Hetero Media Gaze in Film and Television, Gay Identity, New Storytelling and the Media, and Documenting Gay Men: Identity and Performance in Reality Television and Documentary Film, and the edited collections Queer Youth and Media Cultures, LGBT Transnational Identity and the Media, LGBT Identity and Online New Media, and Queer Love in Television and Film.

13th Asian Confederation of Physical Therapists – Kuala Lumpur

Fusion, Fusion Investment Fund

Physical activity is one of the five priority interventions for the prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). NCDs include; cardio vascular diseases (strokes, dementia, heart disease), diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and some Cancers. NCDs account for almost two thirds of deaths globally and are major contributors to ill-health in the elderly. Physiotherapists are well placed to enable and empower people to initiate and sustain adequate levels of physical activity as they are aware of the challenges and opportunities throughout the life span. As an invited speaker this is one of the key messages that will be conveyed at the 13th Asian Confederation of Physical Therapists in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 7th-8th October.

 

I will also have an opportunity to attend an academic conference at INTI International University aimed at strengthening ties between INTI and BU. Professor Narasimman Swaminathan (Deputy Dean – faculty of Health) and I will collaborate in a joint session for physiotherapy students to inspire their interest in public health initiatives. Professor Narasimman Swaminathan is a visiting professor in the FHSS at BU and is leading research initiatives at INTI which link closely to those in the Department of Human Sciences and Public Health at BU.

Fusion funding and HSS faculty conference funding has contributed to making this trip possible.

HEFCE & RCUK report: Understanding the interdisciplinary research environment

HEFCE and Research Councils UK have published a review of the interdisciplinary research landscape in the UK, supported by a report examining 10 institutional case studies in English universities.

hefce-idr-reportThe studies complement work recently published by the British Academy, the Global Research Council and HEFCE with the Medical Research Council.

The reports will form part of the discussion at the conference: ‘Interdisciplinarity: Policy and Practice’ on Thursday 8 December 2016, co-hosted by HEFCE, the British Academy and Research Councils UK.

The reports provide an overview of the current interdisciplinary research landscape in the UK, drawing on a survey of over 2,000 participants, workshops, interviews and case studies.

The findings reflect researcher, strategic leader and funder perspectives, highlighting interdisciplinary research (IDR) as a crucial part of the UK research landscape.

A desire to achieve broader impact, the challenges associated with peer review and evaluation, the importance of institutional support and the value of flexible funds featured as common themes.

The case studies identified good practice in a range of institutions seeking to grow, sustain and embed interdisciplinary practice in their research cultures.

The importance of balancing top-down and bottom-up approaches, the role of flexible funding, and institutional infrastructure that prioritises high-quality research were identified as some potentially beneficial features in successful institutional IDR environments.

The reports also highlighted that:

  • Submitted outputs declared as interdisciplinary did as well as single discipline outputs in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF). This is despite the structure of the REF being perceived as a barrier by some researchers.
  • The measurement of impact in research assessment is seen by some as a showcase for interdisciplinary activity that has helped IDR to gain traction in universities.
  • Universities can and do use many models to support IDR. What works is contextual, but there are lessons to be learned from existing good practice.
  • IDR often requires more time for initial teams to develop and for projects to result in outcomes.

The evaluation of interdisciplinary research outputs, and their impact, were highlighted by Lord Stern’s Independent Review of the Research Excellence Framework as areas for further development.

Subject to the views of our respective Ministers, the UK higher education funding bodies intend to take this forward in a consultation, to be launched before the end of 2016.

Read the reports

UK Research Office training opportunties

Funding opportunities, Info Days

UKRO logoUKRO hold provides regular training events in their capacity as the UK National Contact Point for the European Research Council (ERC) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions​ (MSCA).

Forthcoming events:

26th October 2016: ERC Consolidator Grants Information and Proposal Writing Event to be held at the University of Glasgow

Are you a researcher interested in applying for the 2017 ERC Consolidator Grants call?

The session is aimed at researchers based in, or moving to, the UK who are planning to submit a proposal to the ERC Consolidator Grants call. The 2017 Consolidator Grants call is expected to open on 20 October 2016 and close on 9 February 2017. Applicants are expected to be active researchers and to have a track record of excellent research. The scheme is designed to support Principal Investigators (PIs) at the stage at which they may still be consolidating their own independent research team or programme. To be eligible for the 2017 call, the PI must be 7-12 years from the date of award of their PhD on 1 January 2017, which is extendable in certain strict cases.

Another repeating event is being planned for a London location in November 2016.

 

12th October 2016: MSCA Innovative Training Networks (ITN) to be held at the University of West London

The ITN scheme supports joint research training and/or doctoral programmes, implemented by European partnerships of universities, research institutions, industry (incl. SMEs) and other non-academic organisations. The research training programmes are intended to provide doctoral students with excellent research skills, coupled with experience outside academia, hence developing their innovation capacities and employability prospects. The event aim to provide participants with an in-depth overview of the ITN scheme. Participants should gain a clear understanding of the proposal format for each scheme and the key issues relating to planning, writing and submitting proposals. There will also be ample opportunity to ask questions. Attendance will be free of charge, thanks to the support from the University of West London.

To attend staff should register, via BU’s subscription, on the UKRO website. Please ensure that you have approval within your Faculty to attend. You should also register with UKRO so that you receive announcements concerning EU funding direct to your own inbox – make sure that you hear first!

If you are considering applying, please contact Emily Cieciura, REKO’s Research Facilitator: EU & International, in the first instance.

AHRC GCRF Pre-call announcement

Funding opportunities

ahrcAs part of the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is intending to announce a call in October 2016 for large-scale, collaborative grants for international development. Funding will support multi-disciplinary, internationally collaborative programmes rooted in the arts and humanities that take an area-based approach to addressing global development challenges.

The intention is to make funding of £1.5-2 million and up to 3 years duration available per project through the ‘Network Plus’ funding model. This model provides opportunities to bring together arts and humanities area-based expertise across disciplines and research organisations to address a set of integrated development challenges in particular places, societies and development contexts. The AHRC anticipates funding up to 5 projects.

The application process is expected to be in two stages with the deadline for Expressions of Interest likely to be in January 2017. There will then be further engagement with those invited through to full submission stage, expected to be in early summer 2017.

In support of the anticipated launch of this call the AHRC is holding a Town Meeting / Networking event at The Studio in Birmingham on 4th November 2016. Further details of the event and how to apply for a place can be found on our Events pages.  RKEO strongly urges interested parties to attend the town meeting.  If you are interested in applying for this great opportunity then please contact Ehren Milner, RKEO Research Facilitator to see how he can support you.

Further information about the call will be announced on the AHRC website in due course.

Writing Academy Lunchbyte – Structuring your paper: looking at grammar, vocabulary and style

Publishing, writing

writing academy

Join us in this Writing Academy Lunchbyte session and have a better awareness of structuring your writing in terms of grammar,  vocabulary and style from Paul Barnes, who is the Lecturer in English For Academic Purposes.

Date : 5 October 2016 (Wednesday)

Time : 12.00 – 13.00 (presentation); 13:00 – 13:30 (lunch)

Venue : Talbot Campus

The following language aspects will be covered –

1. Grammar

  • Tense usage
  • Articles
  • Passive voice
  • Punctuation

2. Vocabulary

  • Signposting language
  • Linking words
  • Reporting verbs
  • Collocation

3. Style

  • Levels of formality
  • Objectivity
  • Language to avoid

Come and join us in this session and afterwards, there will be opportunities to have informal discussions with the presenter while having a bite to eat.

To ensure that we place the right catering order, please get in touch with Staff Development to book your place.

FMC-CMC’s Journal of Promotional of Communications Publishes New Volume

Fusion, student research

 

The editorial board of the Journal of Promotional Communications would like to announce that Volume 4 Number 1 is now available for download at: http://www.promotionalcommunications.org/index.php/pc/index.

Stephen Waddington, Partner and Chief Engagement Officer at Ketchum, writes the introductory commentary on the future of Public Relations. Seven papers follow, tackling pressing issues in promotional and political communication. The journal was launched in 2013 and is the first open-access, peer-review journal for the study of promotional cultures and communication to publish outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate work. This number includes seven outstanding papers penned by FMC-CMC students that had presented their research at CMC’s 6th Annual Promotional Communications Conference.

CMC students can choose to write a traditional dissertation of 10,000 words or write a research paper in the style of an 8,000-word journal article and deliver a 20-minute paper at the student conference.

Dr.Dan Jackson, Dr Richard Scullion, Dr Carrie Hodges, and Dr Janice Denegri-Knott received BU Fusion Funding to launch both the conference and the journal.

Last reminder for this Thursday 29th Sept ‘Coping with the new EU Landscape Workshop’

BU Challenges, international

eu_flagOur informative “Coping with the new EU Landscape” 2 workshops will be taking place this Thursday the 29th of September in the Octagon on Talbot Campus at:

10am – 11am (a few spaces available) and then a repeat of the session at 2pm – 3pm.

These introductory sessions will present, the now fairly stable, situation between the UK and the European Commission in respect of H2020; outlining the political and legal positions.

The key message is business as normal but there are many practical aspects that need to be taken into consideration. These will be explained together with strategies and tactics to optimise the bid approach; and even be advantageous in the short/medium term.

Martin Pickard, as WRG Europe Ltd, has had, along with many others, direct input at very senior level into the respective task forces and UK/Commission discussions and negotiations; enabling central insights into the requirements and opportunities to be successful.

There is still time, however don’t delay…. please email Dianne Goodman at dgoodman@bournemouth.ac.uk asap to book into one of these workshops.

 

RUFUS STONE to be Highlighted at ESRC Festival of Learning on the 7th November

esrc-fest

You are cordially invited to attend the gala 5th Anniversary Screening and Reception for the award-winning research based biopic, RUFUS STONE.

The Event will be held at the historic Shelley Theatre in Boscombe              

7 November from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.

rufus-shelley

Over the past five years, RUFUS STONE has been viewed in academic, community and service provider settings throughout the U.K. Uploaded to the Internet for just over a year, the film was viewed on line by more that 12 thousand viewers in 150 countries. It has won serveral film festival awards and was shortlisted for the AHRC Anniversary Prize in 2015.

The three-year research project behind the film’s success was part of the New Dynamics Programme of ageing in 21st Century Britain, supported by Research Councils UK. This event will hallmark this achievement and continue the film’s impact in the wider community.

We expect the gala event to atract an audience of the film’s cast and crew members, past participants in the research project, community workers and service providers, and a range of citizens, young and old, gay and straight, with an interest in LGBT history and the contributions that the film has made to myriad diversity efforts. Whether you have seen the film before, or this will be the first time on a large theatre screen, you will enjoy the occasion.

R.S.V.P. Places are limited to 150 seats only! Please register on the Eventbrite site as soon as possible to avoid being disappointed.

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