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HE Policy Update

Anti-lobbying clause

A controversial piece of legislation that would have seen publicly-funded organisations prevented from lobbying the UK government and parliament has been revised to exclude academics and researchers. You can view Jo Johnson’s statement here.

Leaked document

Notes for a Number 10 meeting caught on camera reveal ministers believe there is a “problem” that some universities are charging the highest tuition fees rate despite not proving their worth. Top universities not good enough to charge £9,000, ministers believe, according to leaked document (The Telegraph).

Impact

A new discussion paper sets out to determine what works and what doesn’t when researchers seek to make an impact on policy. The paper gives tips for engaging with policy-makers including a suggestion to “capture your audience mid-morning or after lunch, when some office workers are active on social networks”. You can view the report here.

HE White Paper

The White Paper is thought to have reached the stage of a “write round” – a consultation process in which Cabinet ministers are asked to give the views of their departments on potential legislation and grant clearance for it to go ahead. White Paper could kill off Hefce quality plans. (THE). 

Social work

The Frontline social work training programme’s shift to in-house rather than university-led education could harm the research base that underpins the profession, the Commons education committee was told. MPs told to keep social work training in universities. (Research Professional).

Office for Fair Access

The Office for Fair Access, which oversees progress in ensuring students from non-traditional backgrounds succeed at English universities, is to have its office staff cut from 18 to 6, according to Paul Blomfield, Labour MP for Sheffield Central, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Students. The plans are reportedly contained in a confidential document entitled “BIS 2020 – Finance and Headcount outline”. Office for Fair Access to be cut. (Research Professional).

NUS

Students at the University of Oxford are threatening to disaffiliate from the National Union of Students following the election of Malia Bouattia as its president. Oxford threatens to dump student union in antisemitism row (The Times).

EU Referendum

A House of Lords report has conceded that the UK science community draws vital benefits from EU membership and could lose influence in the event of Brexit. Concern over Brexit’s impact on science (BBC).

 A blog post on Global BUzz looks into the impact of leaving the EU for higher education. What would be the impact of a vote to leave on Higher Education?

Bournemouth Natural Science Society Event – May

Date: Tuesday 24 May

Time:  7.30pm

Location:  Bournemouth Natural Science Society 39 Christchurch Road BH1 3NS

Event information: “Life inside a Deep-sea Canyon”

Dr Laetitia Gunton will talk about her research at the renowned National Oceanography Centre at the University of Southampton. Submarine canyons are deep incisions in the continental shelf and slope and are considered to be deep-sea biodiversity “hotspots”. This talk will dive into the Whittard in the NE Atlantic. Come and find out which creatures live in this fascinating environment.

New comparative paper India-Nepal

international, Publishing

India-NepalThis week saw the publication of a new paper co-written by BU staff in the Sociological Bulletin.  This is the first paper comparing Indian and Nepali Maoist rebels providing health services and health promotion to the communities under their influence.  It presents the key provisions either made by rebel health workers themselves or by putting political pressure on government health workers to deliver better services in the areas controlled by rebels. Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen’s co-authors are based in India and Nepal.  Prof. Gaurang R. Sahay is based at the Centre for Study of Developing Societies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India, whilst Bhimsen Devkota is Professor in Health Education, Tribhuvan University, Nepal.

This sociological paper is based on a mixed-method approach comprising 15 interviews and a questionnaire survey with 197 Nepalese Maoist health workers and a secondary analysis of policy documents and other published materials on the Maoist health services of India. The paper suggests that rebel health services in India and Nepal followed a fairly similar approach to what and how they offered health care services to local populations. Maoists becoming a government party changed the political landscape for the rebel health workers in Nepal. However, not incorporating the Maoist rebel health workers into the government health system was a missed opportunity. There are lessons that India and Nepal can learn from each other. Should the Maoist rebels and the Government of India come to an agreement, potential for rebel health workers to be integrated in the official health care system should at least be considered.

The paper benefitted from an earlier review through eBU: Online Journal.  The feedback from the eBU: Online Journal’s reviewers helped shape and polish the paper before submission to the Sociological Bulletin.services-ebu-logo

 

Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

 

 

References:

  1. Sahay, G., Devkota, B., van Teijlingen, E.R. (2016) Rebel Health Services in South Asia: Comparing Maoist-led Conflicts in India & Nepal, Sociological Bulletin 65(1):19-39.

‘Re-Imagining Conflict-Transformation: Making Memory Meaningful’ – A one-day Workshop on 6th May 2016

conferences, Fusion

This one-day workshop explores interdisciplinary and innovative approaches to dealing with a country’s troubled past through memorialisation as a key aspect of transitional justice. It is organised by the Conflict Transformation Studies team as part of the Centre for Conflict, Rule of Law and Society (Bournemouth University).
Location: Executive Business Centre (7th Floor, EB706), 89 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, BH8 8EB

Programme:

9.00 Arrival and registration

9.30 Introduction and Welcome by Melanie Klinkner and Welcome by Sascha Bachmann (Director of the Centre for Conflict, Rule of Law and Society)

9.40 Key Note Address by Nora Ahmetaj, Co-founder of the Centre for Research, Documentation and Publication (Kosovo): ‘Critical approaches to ‘reconciliation’ and transitional justice in Kosovo’s post-war memory’

10.40 Coffee Break

11.00 Panel 1: Chair Avital Biran

Ellie Smith, Newcastle University Forum for Human Rights and Social Justice: ‘Commemoration and Memory: specific justice needs of victims in the aftermath of international crimes and gross violations’

Robyn Leslie, King’s College London: ‘Remember Marikana: apportioning blame or accepting complicity?’

Nina Fischer, University of Edinburgh: ‘National Memory of Trauma and the Perpetuation of Conflict: Israel/Palestine’

12.30 Lunch

13.15 Panel 2: Chair Melanie Klinkner

Denisa Kostovicova, London School of Economics: ‘War Crimes Talk: Transitional Justice and Communication’

Hanna Kienzler, School of Social Science and Public Policy, King’s College (London): ‘Embodied struggles for societal change’

Linda Gusia, University of Prishtina: ‘Breaking the Silence – Recognition of the survivors of wartime sexual violence in Kosovo’

Laura Grace and Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers, Bournemouth University: ‘Quests into post-war Kosovo’s memoryscapes: the interdisciplinary, anthropological and co-creative challenges of BU’s fusion project for a serious game’

15.15 Coffee Break

15.45 Roundtable discussion

What and/or who can make transitional justice initiatives work? How can contested memories be integrated to support conflict transformation? Reflections and insights from past, present and towards the future. Facilitated by Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers and Melanie Klinkner (Bournemouth University).

Confirmed panel Members include:

Nora Ahmetaj (Centre for Research, Documentation and Publication),

Nina Fischer (University of Edinburgh),

Eric Gordy (University College London),

Hanna Kienzler (King’s College London),

Denisa Kostovicova (London School of Economics), and

Christian Pfeifer (Forum Civil Peace Service).

17.00 Closing remarks

Tabled Paper(s): Vjollca Krasniqi, University of Prishtina: ‘War, Law, and Justice in Kosovo’.

Contact: For more information, please contact the organisers Melanie Klinkner (mklinkner@bournemouth.ac.uk) or Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers (sssievers@bournemouth.ac.uk). For urgent matters on the day, please contact Reception at the Executive Business Centre on 01202 968003

Registration: this event is free of charge. However, spaces are limited. For participation please register by 27 April 2016 with the organisers.

TOMtalks: Tomorrow’s Oceans Matter: an evening of short talks and films

We have a fantastic event happening at BU on Wednesday 27th April, organised by the Litter Free Coast and Sea project with support from Bournemouth University.

It is an open event and anyone is welcome to attend. Details are on the eventbrite page.

There will be 4 excellent speakers sharing how they have been working to help protect and create cleaner oceans using some very innovative methods. There is a bit more information about the project below.

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tomtalks-tomorrows-oceans-matter-tickets-24595770612?aff=eac2

How does ocean plastic turn into boardshorts? Is 2 minutes enough to turn the tide of beach litter and can artwork from the tideline define our impact on the sea?

 

Wednesday 27th April, 6.30-9.00pm. Talks start at 7pm. Tickets are FREE and bookable on eventbrite. Tea & coffee provided. http://bit.ly/1TVqtfr

‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ – Simon Phelps

Business Engagement

The Business School and Centre for Entrepreneurship were delighted to welcome Simon Phelps, BU Alumni and founder of Fluvial Innovations Ltd, to the Executive Business Centre in the latest in this series of ‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ seminars.

These seminars provide an opportunity for BU students and staff to hear the personal journey of a profiled entrepreneur and learn more about their experiences as business owners and their approach to founding and growing an innovative business.

Simon Phelps founded Fluvial Innovations Ltd alongside BU in 2006 and designed, developed and patented the modular flood barrier, Floodstop. Floodstop was specifically designed to fill a gap within the market for a functional and rapidly deployable flood barrier. (www.fluvial-innovations.co.uk)

Floodstop is used throughout the UK, US and parts of Europe and won the Emergency Planners Society’s Award for Most Innovative Product of The Year 2009, was voted “The Most Innovative Product of 2009” by the Emergency Planning Society and was Winner of Climate Week – Best Climate Ready Initiative 2013.

Simon’s achievements include UK South West Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 and HSBC Start-Up Stars Regional Finalist 2008.

Mark Painter, Business Development Manager for the Business School commented, ‘Simon is one of our highly valued ‘Entrepreneurs in Residence’ and we very much appreciate the time he spends supporting our enterprise activities.’ Mark added, ‘It was fascinating hearing about the Floodstop story which started whilst Simon was studying at BU. One of Simon’s key messages to anyone thinking of starting their own business is to remember it is not just about selling a product or service it is about creating a profitable and sustainable business model which will require a considerable amount of time and commitment.’

The next seminar in this series of ‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ events is on Wednesday 4th May and will profile local entrepreneur, Damien Lee, founder of Mr Lee’s Noodles Company Ltd. For more information and to book your place click here www.bucfe.com/events

 

 

Electroacoustic music analysis: new publications from Dr Ambrose Seddon and Dr Panos Amelides

Publishing

Screen Shot 2016-04-20 at 17.48.53

A new Cambridge University Press book Expanding the horizon of electroacoustic music analysis includes chapters by EMERGE members Dr Panos Amelides and Dr Ambrose Seddon.

Published on 7th April, this edited collection presents a state-of-the-art overview of analysis methods for electroacoustic music in this rapidly developing field. The book explains the needs of differing electroacoustic genres and puts forward a template for the analysis of electroacoustic music. It also discusses the latest ideas in the field and the challenges associated with new technologies.

Ambrose’s and Panos’s chapters appear in the final section of the book, which demonstrates new analytical methods in action. Ambrose’s chapter focuses on the analysis of Andrew Lewis’s Penmon Point, whilst Panos’s chapter, co-authored with Prof Andrew Hugill (Bath Spa University), explores audio-only computer games, focusing on Papa Sangre.

More details are available here: www.cambridge.org/9781107118324

Investigating the Effects of Environment on Prey Detection Rates: A Key Variable in Human Evolution

PG research

We would like to invite you to the latest research seminar of the Creative Technology Research Centre.Prey_Detection

 

Title: Investigating the Effects of Environment on Prey Detection Rates: A Key Variable in Human Evolution

 

Speaker: Peter Allen (a Bournemouth University PhD student funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)

 

Time: 2:00PM-3:00PM

Date: Wednesday 27th April 2016

Room: PG19 LT, Poole House, Talbot Campus [please note the change from our usual venue]

 

Abstract:

 

This research project applies cutting edge videogame technology to conduct a psychology experiment which is designed to test human visual acuity as far as it relates to prey detection rates. The original contribution to knowledge is the acquiring of experimental data which is then used to investigate the effects of the environment on prey detection ability and help address open questions in the field of paleo-anthropology concerning human evolution.

 

The environment plays a major role in determining the hunting strategies which upper Palaeolithic humans would use when hunting ungulate species. In open environments such as savannah and grassland, humans relied on persistence hunting whereas in closed areas like forest there was preference for ambush hunting and careful planning to intercept migrating herds. These hunting styles are thought to have affected human evolution by selecting for required anatomical and cultural features. Persistence hunting utilises endurance running which requires a gracile form and the ability to regulate body temperature without slowing down, whereas encounter hunting relies more on strength and social coordination.

 

Little work has been done to understand the role which the composition of the environment plays in prey detection ability, which in turn determines which hunting styles can be utilised and therefore what features would be selected for in different geographically separated Palaeolithic human societies. This project aims to test the hypothesis that prey detection ability will vary according the composition of the environment in terms of the density of vegetation (open or closed-ness) and the assemblage of floral species contained within.

 

We hope to see you there.

 

HRA Approval for NHS Research

Research Ethics

HRA Approval is the new process for the NHS in England that simplifies the approvals process for research, making it easier for research studies to be set up. It replaces the need for local checks of legal compliance and related matters by each participating organisation in England. This allows participating organisations to focus their resources on assessing, arranging and confirming their capacity and capability to deliver the study.

Laura Purandare, Research Monitor RBCH, has kindly agreed to run a seminar on 4th May at 2pm in BG14 to explain the changes.

The session will cover:

  • What HRA approval is
  • The implementation of changes
  • The difference it proposes to make to health research in England
  • What it means for our researchers
  • Key resources

The session will last approximately an hour, and Laura will be available for questions following the session. We hope to see you there.

Team-work on Team-based Learning Project : My experience as a URA

Centre for Excellence in Learning, conferences

Blog post by Jade Offer, Undergraduate Research Assistant (Innovative Pedagogy)

I applied to become an Undergraduate Research Assistant (URA) as I believed it would help me develop and learn new skills, and it did! As an accounting student, I enjoy working with numbers and that is why I initially applied. The field I choose was unrelated to my degree course and was something I knew little about: the teaching of pathophysiology to student nurses. Despite this I was fully immersed within the research and have really enjoyed my experience.

Fortunately enough I was chosen alongside a fellow student to work on a research project entitled: An Evaluation of Team-based Learning (TBL) in teaching Applied Pathophysiology to Student Nurses. Working with a fellow research assistant made the job even more fun, and was extremely helpful as we could talk and meet with each other to analyse the data, and to aid each other in inputting the data efficiently. We were welcomed into a team with the research leads; Dr Jonathan Branney and Dr Jacqueline Priego, both of whom provided amazing support for us both as we analysed and organised the research they had previously conducted. They both took time out of their schedules to teach us how to use the new research software we needed to use and made regular contact to assist us, which was greatly appreciated.

My involvement in the project

  • Attend regular meeting with the team to discuss next steps
  • Reading previous literature on TBL (relevant articles to our research)
  • Developing spread sheets to organise relevant exam results data
  • Using transcript software to analyse qualitative data
  • Using SPSS to carry out statistical analysis on the quantitative data collected
  • Communication Skills- Composing and delivering presentations

I also had the opportunity to be involved in SUREBU 2016, which is a showcase of research carried out by Bournemouth University students. We were both given the opportunity to present at national conferences, which we hope to attend, as it is an amazing opportunity and privilege. We have also been given the amazing opportunity to be involved in writing a professional research paper that our team hopes to get published, which is very exciting!

What I have gained

  • Presentation skills- delivering a verbal presentation of our findings and how the research was conducted
  • The importance of participant anonymity and the rules of handling important data
  • The important of research in making future changes and trialling new ideas
  • The development of a research project- from raw values to understandable statistics
  • A keen interest and knowledge of Team-based Learning
  • Knowledge in a new field which I would not have otherwise been exposed to

 I would highly recommend applying for a URA job, it has been such a beneficial experience for me; acquiring new skills, developing existing ones and meeting and working along side motivated and friendly individuals. Immerse yourself in the research job and you will find it an invaluable experience alongside your studies.

Jade Offer, BA (Hons) Accounting and Business student, year one

UG Talks

The contents of some research can be exceptionally complex and almost like another language to those of us who know nothing about a specific subject. The undergraduate talk (UG Talks) breaks this mould by challenging undergraduate students to talk about your research in just 3 minutes.

This gives undergraduates a valuable opportunity to convey their research to their peers and colleagues, all the while gaining some worthwhile experience in presenting their work which could prove extremely useful for future assignments or when they graduate.

So the format of the talk is that the presenter are allocated 3 minutes in order to explain their research, they are only allowed one accompanying PowerPoint slide with their presentation, so they must choose carefully!

In order to secure their place at this exciting event, they must send a title and brief overview of their research to Oliver Cooke. There are only 10 spaces available, so they must submit their work as soon as possible!

The talk will be happening early May at midday and will be held on the 5th Floor in the Student centre, but this can be subject to change.

If you know any undergraduate students who may be interested, please encourage them to submit!

Front of postcard

Dr. Jenny Hall on spirituality in midwifery: new publication

Publishing

Dr. Jenny Hall in CMMPH published her latest article ‘Facilitating learning of spirituality in midwifery’ in the academic journal Spiritual Care [1].   She highlights that there has been considerable discussion in the literature around spirituality at the end of life but little relating to childbirth. Perhaps because of this facilitation of learning around the subject is limited. The aim of this article is to raise awareness of these issues and promote future discussion and research.

Congratulations

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

 

Reference:

Hall, J. (2016) Facilitating learning of spirituality in midwifery, Spiritual Care 5(2): 81–88.  DOI: 10.1515/spircare-2016-0021,

Save the Date: 24/5/16 – Smart Cities Sandpit

BU Challenges, Funding opportunities, Research themes, Training

 

BoPOn Tuesday, 24th May 2016, BU’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKEO) will be hosting a Sandpit event on Smart Cities, supported and attended by staff from the Borough of Poole and other organisations.

Which means…?

We’re seeking to come up with novel research which addresses how we link and upgrade infrastructures, technologies and services in key urban sectors (transport, buildings, energy, ICT) in a smart way which will improve quality of life, competitiveness and sustainability of our cities and their transformational impact on aspects of community life, cultural experiences, future society and the economy.

So, who should attend?

The sandpit is open to everyone, and we do mean all BU staff and PGRs. It doesn’t matter whether you have a research track record or not. We want anyone who thinks they might have something to contribute (and even those who think they don’t), and who is available all day on Tuesday 24th May to come along. We will also be inviting relevant external attendees to contribute to the day.

What do I need to prepare in advance? What will the sandpit entail?

Absolutely nothing in advance. During the sandpit, you’ll be guided through a process which results in the development of research ideas. The process facilitates creativity, potentially leading to innovative and interdisciplinary research ideas. These ideas will be explored with other attendees, and further developed based on the feedback received.

What if I don’t have time to think about ideas in advance?

You don’t need to do this. Some inspiring speakers with a range of backgrounds will be coming along to give you ideas…creativity road sign

What about afterwards? Do I need to go away and do loads of work?

Well… that depends! The sandpit will result in some novel research ideas. Some of these may be progressed immediately; others might need more time to think about. You may find common ground with other attendees which you choose to take forward in other ways, such as writing a paper or applying for research funding.

What if my topic area is really specific, such as health?

Your contribution will be very welcome! One of the main benefits of a sandpit event is to bring together individuals with a range of backgrounds and specialisms who are able to see things just that bit differently to one another.

So, is this just networking?

Definitely not! It is a facilitated session with the primary intention of developing innovative research ideas, which also enables the development of networks. It gives you the opportunity to explore research ideas which you may develop over time, together with the chance to find common ground with academics from across BU and beyond.

So, how do I book onto this event?

To take part in this exciting opportunity, BU staff  should complete the Smart-Cities-Sandpit-Application-Form and return this to Dianne Goodman by Tuesday, 17th May (extended to allow for those taking leave around the Bank Holiday). Places are strictly limited.

By applying, you agree to attend for the full duration of the event on 24th May (c. 9:30 – 16:30). This event will be held in BU’s Executive Business Centre (EBC).

If you have any queries prior to submitting your application, please contact Emily Cieciura, RKEO Research Facilitator: EU & International.

 

 

RKEO win NUS Green Impact Award – Silver

RKEO have spent the last year greening up the office and doing our bit for the environment and the well-being of the RKEO team.  We submitted to the NUS Green Impact Award in February and we are proud to announce that we achieved the Silver award status, which is excellent as this was our first ever entry.

DSC03613 (2)We have achieved a lot in the last year, which includes reducing our printing by 24.3% (we’re aiming for 50% in two years) and we have saved BU 34% on printing costs by significantly reducing our colour printing; we’ve recycled and reused practically everything we could have; we’ve introduced a switch-off campaign; various lunch clubs involve walking, quizzing, spinning and craft; we contributed to Fair Trade Fortnight; we’ve reduced car usage when travelling to work; everyone has a plant on their desk; and much, much more.

Our greening initiative was called GHEFRRE (Green, Healthy, Ethical, Fair, Recycle, Reuse, Environmental) and an endangered finger monkey was our mascot.GHEFFRE  Congratulations to the whole team!

Plaque

Externally funded Fellowships – all you need to know and more

Funding opportunities

fellowshipsWhat a Fellowship can offer

Fellowship Schemes are generally designed to develop scientific leadership among the most promising scientists, by giving fellows x years’ support. Early career fellowships enable sufficient time for the fellow to develop their research plans and to gain international recognition. Many funders offer fellowship networking and training activities, working with host institutions, to support the development of future leaders in the funders remit. Established career fellows need a strong vision for the research proposed and the team delivering it. Most funders will provide greater support as the expectation is that ‘world-leading’ individuals will deliver high quality research. All fellowships are there to develop the next generation of researchers.

Dependent on the stage of career, most fellows will gain greater leadership and communication skills; act as ambassador and advocate for their research field; develop a research team around them, which should lead to greater research income; and build a reputation that will attract other top academics to join BU.

Applying for a Fellowship

The majority of fellowships awarded by external funders will provide the fellow with funding to concentrate on research, which can mean significantly reducing the fellows teaching load from 50% up to 100% of their time. Therefore, it is vital that any potential BU applicants discuss their plans with their Head of Department, Deputy Dean for Research and Professional Practice or Dean of Faculty before starting the BU application process. Applicants will need to provide their Faculty with details on how an awarded fellowship will affect their current workload, if any time will be spent away from the university, and whether any additional staff will need to be employed as part of the fellowship, including replacement teaching for the applicant.

Any applications that are given the initial go ahead by the Faculty will still need to go through the normal submission process at BU. Therefore, applicants will need to discuss with their RKEO Funding Development Officer their intention to bid for a fellowship as soon as they have agreement to apply from the Faculty.

What to apply for

There are many different fellowship opportunities available for all stages of an academic career.  A comprehensive list of these can be found here, which is also on the ‘Research Funders’ Guide’ under ‘Research Toolkit’ in the main menu bar.

If you wish to discuss with RKEO your research plans and/or the benefits of a fellowship then please contact your RKEO Research Facilitator in the first instance.