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BIS annual report 2014-15

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have published their Annual Report and Accounts for 2014-15.BIS logo

The report highlights key acheivements, how they performed, and consolidated accounts.  The accounts show that the department’s spending on science and innovation in 2014-15 was around £500m, with £561m planned for 2015-16, including the budget for Innovate UK. Spending through the research councils remains stable at around £4.6 billion.

 

 

FoL event Building Learning Power

careerKeith Williamson from Avonbourne College provided an inspirational lecture on how they are changing the way their pupils learn.  This involves programmes such as ELLI (Effective LifeLong Inventory).

Keith explained how research has shown that those with fixed mindsets tend to underachieve, can be afraid of failure, and tend not to put the effort in, ignoring feedback and feeling threatened by others achievements.  Whereas those with a growth mindset recognise that intelligence is malleable.

Keith explained the theory is based around five learning dispositions: resilience (emotional), resourcefulness (cognitive), reflectiveness (strategic), relationships (social), and risk (engaging).  The lecture finished on a positive note with a video of a pupil talking about how the programme had changed the way she learnt and had improved her grades.

Other events that might interest you are: ‘Seen but Seldom Heard: challenging perceptions of discibility within secondary schools with e-learning’ which is being held at 10.30am and ‘Gender performance in school: media vs. bullying’ which is being at 4.30pm both on Thursday, as well as ‘Media literacy in secondary schools, which is being held at 12.30pm on Friday.

Introducing Jo George, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello, I will be working within the Health and Social Sciences Faculty with Impact Champion, Zoe Sheppard, over the next six weeks on the endeavour to monitor and measure the impact of research.

My work will involve:

  • Exploring methods of dissemination
  • Conducting literature searches to investigate the demonstration of impact
  • Working on two research case studies from the Health and Social Social Sciences Faculty

I can be found in R613 and contacted at jgeorge@bournemouth.ac.uk if you have any ideas or challenges you’d like to discuss. I will be sharing my findings towards the end of my six weeks here.

I look forward to meeting you,

Jo

Support and Celebrate our Research Success at the FoL – come along!

Support and Celebrate our Research Success at the FoL – come along!logo

We would love to see you at our Drop-in event ‘Research Reflections’ on the 16 July – feel free to attend for a session or two, or the whole day. Come along and hear about the huge range of Research taking place across the University, and support your fellow academics talking about their Research.

When: Taking place on Thursday the 16th of JULY in The Coyne Lecture Theatre in the Thomas Hardy Suite from 10am – 4pm.
Book now

Our confirmed speakers include:

10am Heather Hartwell, discussing the VeggiEAT project

10.40am Jamie Matthews discussing the international news coverage of the Japanese earthquake and consequent tsunami

10.55am Helen Farasat discussing her research with parents of children with eczema

11.10am Arjan Gosal – losing sight of trees for the honey

11.45am Angie Gosling

12.00 midday Sine McDougall on participating in Research

12.15pm Yeganeh Morakabati will speak about her experiences of teaching in Afghanistan

12:30pm Dan Weissmann, Anna Feigenbaum, Dan Jackson and Einar Thorsen exploring challenges that arise when working with data that is hidden, sensitive or obscured

12:45pm Elizabeth Rosser discussing her Marie Curie experiences

1.00pm Lunch

1.45pm Neil Vaughan, discussing his research into developing an epidural simulator

2.00pm Ashley Woodfall reflecting on the core conceptual struggle with a recently completed research project with children and those that make media for children

2.15pm Fabian Homberg will be observing and explaining petty corruption: An analysis of the “$20 sandwich trick”

3.00pm Carrie Hodges, Lee-Ann Fenge and Wendy Cutts speaking about their project which focuses on young people with disabilities.

3.15pm James Gavin will talk about his project looking at whether technology can be used to increase strength and balance in older adults

More speakers to be confirmed – please check our Blog posts for updates!

Book now

 

FoL event A conversation about Climate Change

climateChangePippa Gillingham, John Stewart, Andy Ford, Einar Thorsen and Shelley Thompson led a lively ‘conversation’ about climate change in a well-attended event on Tuesday.  The audience led the discussion and there were many topics covered.

These focused on how some species are effected, how and when the media engage with the subject, and what impact do scientists have in reporting on climate change.  Pippa described how species move out of protected areas and what impact that has. Einar asked how do you connect ordinary people with the research taking place.  Andy explained that humans strive to increase quality of life but there is a disconnect from the consequences of ones actions.  Shelley added that we are exceptional at rationalising our behaviour.  John debated with the audience the role of the academic in remaining impartial and being a describer, an observer and being objective.

Other events that may interest you are ‘Recycling cooking oil’ at 12.30pm and ‘Earthenders: A global soap opera’ at 6pm both on Wednesday.

Support and Celebrate our Research Success at the FoL – come along!

General-banner-for-digital-use-NEWWe would love to see you at our Drop-in event ‘Research Reflections’ on the 16 July – feel free to attend for a session or two, or the whole day. Come along and hear about the huge range of Research taking place across the University, and support your fellow academics talking about their Research.

When: Taking place on Thursday the 16th of JULY in The Coyne Lecture Theatre in the Thomas Hardy Suite from 10am – 4pm.
Book now

Our confirmed speakers include:

10am  Heather Hartwell, discussing the VeggiEAT project

10.40am  Jamie Matthews discussing the international news coverage of the Japanese earthquake and consequent tsunami

10.55am  Helen Farasat discussing her research with parents of children with eczema

11.45am  Sine McDougall on participating in Research

12.15pm  Yeganeh Morakabati will speak about her experiences of teaching in Afghanistan

12:30pm Dan Weissmann, Anna Feigenbaum, Dan Jackson and Einar Thorsen exploring challenges that arise when working with data that is hidden, sensitive or obscured

12:45pm Elizabeth Rosser discussing her Marie Curie experiences

1.00pm Lunch

1.45pm  Neil Vaughan, discussing his research into developing an epidural simulator

2.00pm Ashley Woodfall reflecting on the core conceptual struggle with a recently completed research project with children and those that make media for children

2.15pm Fabian Homberg  will be observing and explaining petty corruption: An analysis of the “$20 sandwich trick”

3.00pm  Carrie Hodges, Lee-Ann Fenge and Wendy Cutts speaking about their project which focuses on young people with disabilities.

3.15pm James Gavin will talk about his project looking at whether technology can be used to increase strength and balance in older adults

More speakers to be confirmed – please check our Blog posts for updates!

Book now

COST Workshop taking place on Tuesday July 21st

COSTIf you are thinking of making a COST application then make sure you attend our COST workshop from 9:30 – 11:30am on Tuesday the 21st of July in the Octagon on Talbot campus.

To book a place please please contact:

dgoodman@bournemouth.ac.uk

The closing closing date for COST applications is: 8/9/15.

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Please click on the following link for more information  http://www.cost.eu/.

 

EPSRC Annual Report and Funding Rates 2014-2015

EPSRC logoThe EPSRC have issued their annual report where they are focussing on securing better value for money and investing in skills training and research.  You can read Research Professionals article on the EPSRC’s annual report here.

EPSRC have also issued a report of their funding rates for last year.  In this period, EPSRC considered 2,386 research grant proposals through peer review and provided funding for 914, giving a funding rate of 38%.  This amounted to a demand of £1,823M, with funding for £713M and funding rate by value of 39%.

 

FoL Reconciliation in Practice

SSchwanderSieversStephanie Schwandner-Sievers, Melanie Klinkner, Wendy Cutts and Elina Kuusio delivered a fantastic Festival of Learning event yesterday.  The event focused on how to reconcile social communities, for which the team had carried out research in the Balkans and many other places where conflict has arisen in communities.

We looked into the pre-conditions of reconciliation, such as willingness/desire, forgiveness, benefit/interest, understanding, apology/sincerity and recognition, truth, and how time, peace and safety are crucial to the process beginning.  A trusted mediator is essential for such an arena, as is eating and drinking together.Dr Melanie Klinkner

The audience role played two warring Italian families (no, not the Montague’s and Capulet’s) with some being mediators of the process.  It was a fun afternoon as we really got into character and it was fascinating to see how we found common ground and interest and eventually, a way forward.

You can find similar events taking place at the FoL with ‘Anthropology in the World’ taking place each day at 11am, and Wendy Cutts will be delivering ‘Seen but seldom Heard: Challenging Perceptions of Disability within Secondary Schools through E-learning’ on Thursday at 10.30am.WCutts

Managing low EU grant success rates

Science BusinessAccording to Science|Business, the EU is considering mechanisms to manage the increasingly low EU grant success rates before research universities shy away from the EU calls.

“It’s more popular than ever before. But with our success rates we’re heading to a situation where we have to be very careful not to scare away top researchers,” Robert-Jan Smits, the European Commission’s Director-General for Research and Innovation, told Science|Business.

Apparently, the Commission is considering three approaches:

  • Two-stage applications – As a rule of thumb, 80 per cent of proposals – those not considered strong enough to meet competition requirements – should be rejected in a short-form, stage one evaluation, Smits said. In stage two, where a longer application is required, at least 35 per cent of proposals should have a chance of success.
  • Greater emphasis on impact – Brendan Hawdon, Head of Horizon 2020 Policy in Smit’s directorate-general, elaborated. “It’s all about the outcome,” he said. An applicant should say clearly: “Here’s what we want to come out of the project.”
  • Non-starters – making the call documents clearer so that potential applicants can work out for themselves that they will not be funded alongside, potentially, some element of demand management

To read this article in full, please go to Science|Business, where you can also register for newsletter updates.

Funding available to support the commercialisation of ideas arising from that NERC-funded research

Fund now open !

 The Follow-on Fund is a ‘proof of concept’ fund to support the commercialisation of ideas arising from that NERC-funded research.

This funding picks up where research programme and discovery science (responsive mode) grants leave off and enables those research outputs to be further developed so their commercial potential can be realised.

Examples of activities funded include technology licensing, launching technology-based products or services, selling know-how based consultancy services, and the commercialisation of NERC-funded datasets. Proposals are invited for projects pursuing any of these approaches or, indeed, others.

The Follow-on Fund will opens today – 14 July 2015 and close on 22 October 2015.  This call will allow proposals for up to £125k at 100% FEC (£100k NERC contribution at 80% FEC) for up to 12 months, starting in April 2016.

For further information: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/available/schemes/followon/

 

Ethical fundraising : Protecting vulnerable adults from aggressive fundraising techniques

Dr Lee-Ann Fenge

Dr Lee-Ann Fenge

There is growing awareness in the government and media of the importance of recognising and responding to the risks posed by financial abuse of vulnerable older people. My last two blogs have focused on financial scams and mass marketing fraud, but it is now becoming recognised that the charity sector are also employing dubious marketing techniques to elicit money from vulnerable individuals.

The marketing techniques and fundraising methods of charities have come under the spotlight since the death of Olive Cooke, 92, in May. Although her family insist that the numerous approaches she received from charities were not to blame for her death, the fact that she received 267 charity letters in one month alone started alarm bells ringing. Some charities working with emotionally upsetting issues (such as animal cruelty) sometimes employ shocking imagery which has been described as psychoactive advertising (Bennett, 2015). These types of marketing approaches seek to evoke a positive emotional response to fundraising, but can be upsetting for those who receive such material through the post.
As a result of governmental concern about the fundraising methods employed by some charities, changes will be
introduced as amendments to the Charities Bill. This new legislation will tighten rules on how fundraisers approach people who are vulnerable, and how vulnerable adults should be protected from high-pressure marketing tactics.

Some charities have already responded to these concerns by suspending operations with call centres which use
high pressure fundraising techniques.It is interesting to note that although the government is seeking to put a brake on aggressive fundraising techniques, this comes at a time when the remit of the Charity Commission to effectively regulate the sector has been reduced due to budget reductions following the UK Treasury’s Comprehensive Spending Review 2014–15. This has resulted in a reduction in the Commission’s regulatory engagement with charities. As part of the government response to concerns about unethical fundraising tactics, Sir Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), will chair an urgent review of fundraising self-regulation.

It is important that the charity sector develop good practice guidance which embraces the responsibility to safeguard vulnerable groups, and put an end to working with companies which use aggressive fundraising techniques.

The National Centre for Post-Qualifying Social Work at BU is currently working collaboratively with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) to develop good practice guides and advice for professionals working with vulnerable citizens and their families/carers about responding to the risks posed by financial scams. We will be hosting an event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science on 10th November to explore with the sector how we develop better responses to safeguarding those most at risk of financial exploitation. Details of how to book onto this event will be posted in the near future.

Reference:

Bennett, R. (2015) Individual characteristics and the arousal of mixed emotions: consequences for the effectiveness of charity fundraising advertisements, International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing 20: 188–209