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Latest Major Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

The AHRC’s  Collaborative Doctoral Awards are intended to encourage and develop collaboration and partnerships between Higher Education Institution (HEI) departments and non-HEI organisations and businesses. These awards provide opportunities for doctoral students to gain first hand experience of work outside the university environment. The support provided by both a university and non-university supervisor enhances the employment-related skills and training a research student gains during the course of their award. Please check the website for AHRC highlight notices. Closing date 09/07/14

BBSRC and National Institute on Aging (NIA) are continuing their collaboration by offering funding to encourage high quality, innovative collaborative research to advance the understanding in the biology of ageing in specific topic areas. Deadlines for the Je-S proforma are 08/05/14 and 05/09/14 and the NIA cycle due dates (closing dates) are: 5 June 2014, 5pm and 5 October 2014, 5pm.

Israel’s National Cyber Bureau (INCB) and Ministry of Science, Technology and Space (MOST), and the UK’s Cabinet Office (CO) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) wish to encourage joint research activities in cyber security. As such, through a single, shared process which is managed by EPSRC on behalf of the Agencies, the partners expect to identify and support up to three collaborations, each of which involves leading academic researchers in both the partner countries. While funding for researchers in Israel and UK will ultimately be provided separately by their respective Governments, the key to success in the call will be the identification of a programme of work which is of high scientific quality and truly collaborative. Closing date 24/06/14.

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), in partnership with the Future Cities Catapult, invites Expressions of Interest from eligible applicants for a Knowledge Exchange Fellowship. The partners anticipate supporting one Fellow. The maximum amount available for the Fellowship will be £135,000 at 100 per cent of full economic cost (fEC). The Fellow should be able to commence work by October 2014. The EoI must be submitted by 16.00 on 19/05/14.

The EPSRC is running a sandpit in the broad area of assistive and rehabilitative devices in order to try to engender a radical change in the research undertaken in this field in the UK. The sandpit will be focussed on key research challenges within the sphere of intelligent and intentional assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative technologies. The challenges in this field are likely to need highly multidisciplinary solutions, hence we are offering researchers from a wide range of disciplines the opportunity to come together to innovate scientific and technological solutions to identifiable user needs. Call closes 05/06/14.

The Leverhulm Trust is offering up to £15,000 in their Artist in Residence call within UK universities and museums, to foster a new creative collaboration with an artist working in a discipline outside the applicant institution’s usual curriculum. These awards support the residency of an individual artist in a UK university or museum in order to foster a creative collaboration between the artist and the staff and/or students of that institution. The term ‘artist’ encompasses visual artists, creative writers, musicians, poets and other producers of original creative work. The scheme is intended to bring artists into research and study environments where their artistic form or creative art is not part of the normal curriculum or activities of the host department. There must be a distinct contrast between the artist and host department’s expertise (for example, a poet being hosted by a physics department, a composer by a geography department). It is not the objective of the residency to provide additional teaching capacity for the host department. Closing date 4pm on 16/09/14.

The Technology Strategy Boardand the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) are to invest up to £1.1m in exploratory studies into the design of technology-based products and services that will improve learning outcomes with their Design for Impact call. Particularly, they are looking for proposals for products and services that will improve attainment among learners above five years old (from Key Stage 1) and in formal (primary, secondary, higher or further education) or in non-formal learning environments. Partner-finding workshops will run during April and May 2014 and a briefing event will be held in London on 13 May 2014. Register by 02/07/14 with the full application submitted by noon on 09/07/14.

The  Technology Strategy Board and Medical Research Council Biomedical Catalyst programme offers funding to innovative small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) and researchers looking to work either individually or in collaboration to develop solutions to healthcare challenges. Early and late stage awards are available. Register by 28/05/14 with full application submitted by noon on 04/06/14.

The Wellcome Trust’s International Engagement Awards support public engagement projects and work that builds capacity for engagement with biomedical research in Sub-Saharan Africa, South-east Asia and South Asia. The scheme is open to a wide range of people and organisations including scientists, health researchers, NGOs, educators, artists, theatre practitioners and cultural or community organisations. The EoI must be submitted by 21/08/14 with the application deadline being 04/09/14.

Please note that some funders specify a time for submission as well as a date. Please confirm this with your RKE Support Officer.

You can set up your own personalised alerts on ResearchProfessional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s RKE Officer in RKE Operations or see the recent post on this topic, which includes forthcoming training dates up to November 2014.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on ResearchProfessional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

Appreciative Inquiry Masterclass – Thursday 22nd May

The Centre of Qualitative Research at Bournemouth University is pleased to announce its next Masterclass in Appreciative Inquiry: 22nd May 2014

Venue: Bournemouth University, Executive Business Centre, 3rd Floor. Book your place now. This masterclass will focus on the use of Appreciative Action Research as an approach to research and development.

Who should attend: The masterclass is suitable for postgraduate students, academics and professionals who are looking for an introduction to Appreciative Inquiry.

Masterclass facilitated by: Professor Belinda Dewar is the Professor of Practice Improvement at the University of the West of Scotland. She has been working with nurses, allied health care professionals, patients, residents and families in a range of care settings over the last 25 years to support improving the experience of giving and receiving care. She is recognised nationally and internationally for her work on caring and methodologies for improvement which include Action Research and Appreciative Inquiry, as well as designing and delivering innovative transformational leadership programmes.

Schedule: The day will start at 9.30am and finish around 4.15pm. There will be a mixture of seminars with discussions, Q&A sessions and group activities.

Cost: The fees are as follows: External delegates £95, BU staff £80, BU students £50 and Non BU students £75. The price includes lunch and refreshments and all class materials. Accommodation and travel costs are not included.

To book your place, please use our online booking form. Book your place by Monday 19th May 2014.

For more information, please contact 01202 962184 or email wellbeing@bournemouth.ac.uk

 

Best wishes Caroline Ellis-Hill

Masterclass Co-ordinator and Senior Lecturer at BU

A realist evaluation approach to the design and evaluation of complex social interventions.

8 May 12.15-1.15pm, B126 Bournemouth House Lansdowne Campus

All interested in interdisciplinary education research are invited to a seminar hosted by the School of Health and Social Care, Bournemouth University.

This presentation describes the core components of realist evaluation and argues for the integration of the realist evaluation cycle during programme design to ensure that the outcomes collected determine not only if the programme works, but what works, for whom, in what circumstances, in what respects, and why.

This seminar highlights some of Barbara’s current doctoral study thinking in her US, UK comparison of inter professional clinical education in the UK and USA.  She is a physiotherapist, Professor & University Director of Interprofessional Education & Collaboration at A.T. Still University, Arizona, US.

HE in the news this week…

Monday

Libby Hackett featured in the Guardian over the weekend calling for intelligent reforms of the student loans system. Intelligent reforms of student loans (Guardian)

International

University Alliance’s call for a return to post-study visas is highlighted in a piece in the Guardian. The article looks at the House of Lords report which claims that an “unwelcoming UK” has seen a drop in the number of international students studying STEM subjects. Fewer international science students come to ‘unwelcoming’ UK (Guardian HE)

Employment

Starting salaries for graduate jobs have fallen overall over the past five years, according to new analysis. Research for the Complete University Guide says graduate starting salaries in professional posts dropped 11%, to £21,702 in real terms, in 2007-12.

 

Tuesday

Higher education policy

Students at the recent NUS conference have voted in favour of a policy of free education. No to Ukip and yes to free education: NUS conference votes for surprisingly radical policies (Independent)

Widening participation
We need to ensure there is diversity in HE, to fit the needs and approaches of people from non-traditional student backgrounds, says Alison Wride. ‘Universities remain bastions of middle class culture’ (THE)

Wednesday

Community

Cambridge is becoming increasingly polarised between town and gown as large parts of its university are “cut off” from the public, according to Mary Beard, the classicist and television presenter. Cambridge is a ‘divided city’ as university tightens security and shuts the public out (Times) 

LEPs

Local enterprise partnerships for the North East and Teesside have joined forces in efforts to create a “Jeremie 2” investment programme, potentially ploughing a further £160m into the region’s businesses. North East LEPs come together for £160m ‘Jeremie 2’ plan (Journal)

Research funding

The bias in favour of men in the peer review process ultimately leads to women being turned down for promotion argues an anonymous academic. Securing money for research is hard for everyone – but then there’s the sexism (Guardian HE)

Thursday

The THE’s annual financial health check, looking at university finances in 2012-13 using figures by accountancy firm Grant Thornton, points to possible emerging trends in the first year of the new fees regime. University financial health check 2014 (THE) 

Quality

A report has revealed which universities are awarding more first and upper second class degrees than would be expected based on their students’ backgrounds, raising questions about the comparability of exam standards across the sector. ‘Good’ degree awards not always in line with intake (THE)

Postgraduate

NUS’ new vice-president for HE has vowed to put improving access to postgraduate education at the heart of her term of office. New broom to put postgrad study at heart of NUS policy (THE)

Part-time

Introducing part-time degrees delivered over just three years has revived the fortunes of Birkbeck, University of London and could do the same for other institutions, its head has claimed. Study nights: shorter part-time degrees appeal to Generation Y (THE)

Graduate employment

Almost two in five parents expect that a university degree will increase their children’s income earning potential and enable them to get ahead in the workplace, a report by HSBC has shown. Parents expect a university degree to increase their children’s income (Guardian)

Open access

Research Councils UK’s open access policy poses “serious dangers for the international standing of UK research in the humanities”, a report by the British Academy has warned. British Academy fears for humanities in open access world (THE)

Modern foreign languages

The numbers of students studying languages degrees is at its lowest in a decade – universities must make their academic study more pertinent, argues Katrin Kohl. Universities must make languages relevant (THE)

Australian fees policy

Australia’s demand-driven university system has been a success and should be extended to private universities, further education colleges and sub-degree programmes, a government-commissioned review has concluded. Uncapped system: support for expansion in Australia (THE)

 

Optimising Childbirth Across Europe (Optimise2014)

Publishing

Last week BU Professor Edwin van Teijlingen attended the international conference ’Optimising Childbirth Across Europe (Optimise2014)’ [http://optimisebirth.com/] in Brussels, Belgium.  This new conference  in the maternity care field was based on the work of the COST (Co-operation in Science and Technology) Action IS0907.  This Action, over the period 2010-2014, set out to advance scientific knowledge about ways of improving maternity care provision and outcomes for mothers, babies and families across Europe by understanding what works, for who, in what circumstances, and by identifying and learning from the best.

 

As part of this COST Action several academics have spent time over the past three years at Bournemouth University’s Centre for Midwifery, Maternal and Perinatal Health.  Susanne Grylka-Bäschlin a Swiss midwife studying at Hannover Medical School, Germany, studied cultural differences in postnatal quality of life among German-speaking women in Switzerland and Germany.  See gave an excellent oral presentation of this first ever study to translate and apply the Mother-Generated Index in German. Mother-Generated Index was originally developed by Dr. Andrew Symon who is based at the University of Dundee [http://dundee.academia.edu/AndrewSymon ].

A further BU contribution to the conference involved the work of another European visitor to the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal and Perinatal Health.  Dr. Ans Luyben, a Dutch midwife working in Switzerland presented a poster based on work in Switzerland at the COST Action conference at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

 

Professor Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal and Perinatal Health

Additional PGR workshops added to the PG Researcher Programme for June

PG research

Additional PGR workshops have been organised for June:

The Importance of Publishing

Outline: Publishing is an integral part of a researcher’s professional life and this workshop aims to guide you through the process of writing and publishing research papers in journals and conference proceedings.

  • Date: 18 June 2014
  • Time: 09:30 – 12:45
  • Venue: P403 – Poole House
  • Facilitators: see below
  • 09:30 – 10:15  – Introduction to the Importance of Publishing and how it will impact on your future – Professor John Fletcher, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation)
  • 10:15 – 11:30 – How to get a paper published – Dr Feng Tian
  • 11:45 – 12:45 – Meet the Editor(s) – Dr Anne Quinney

Introduction to ‘Observation as social science research method’

Outline:  Observation is a key research methods in academic disciplines such as Anthropology, Sociology, Education, Development Studies, Psychology and Management Studies, to name but a few. This introduction of observation outlines the two methods of observation: participant and non-participant. With participant observation, the researcher becomes a part of the social group being studied in order to get a true understanding of the participants. On the other end of the spectrum, non-participant observation involves a researcher taking a step back and ‘passively’ watching the participants in action.

The session will also address the so-called Hawthorne Effect as well as questions such as: ‘How do you present yourself as the observing researcher?’ and ‘What are the main ethical considerations for someone undertaking observational research?”

  • Date: 25 June 2014
  • Time: 14:00 – 16:00
  • Venue: S217 – Studland House – Lansdowne Campus
  • Facilitator: Prof Edwin van Teijlingen

To sign up, please visit myBU – Graduate School PGR Community and remember to log on with your student username and password

Getting to grips with Creative Commons Licensing

PG research, Publishing

What is it?

Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that enables the sharing and use of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools.

“The free, easy-to-use copyright licenses provide a simple, standardized way to give the public permission to share and use your creative work — on conditions of your choice. CC licenses let you easily change your copyright terms from the default of ‘all rights reserved’ to ‘some rights reserved’.

Creative Commons licenses are not an alternative to copyright. They work alongside copyright and enable you to modify your copyright terms to best suit your needs.

Creative Commons offers licenses and tools to the public free of charge and does not require that creators or other rights holders register with CC in order to apply a CC license to a work. This means that CC does not have special knowledge of who uses the licenses and for what purposes, nor does CC have a way to contact creators beyond means generally available to the public. CC has no authority to grant permission on behalf of those persons, nor does CC manage those rights on behalf of others.

If you would like to obtain additional permissions to use the work beyond those granted by the license that has been applied, or if you’re not sure if your intended use is permitted by the license, you should contact the rights holder.” (Creative Commons 2014)

Why do we need it?

New ways of publishing on the internet require different licensing arrangements, so that work can be freely shared and reconfigured to advance research. Creative Commons allows this flexibility.

  • Creators can retain their copyright and allow specified re-use depending on the licence chosen.
  • Users can see immediately what they are allowed to do with a work without the time-consuming need to contact the author for permission.

 

How does this work?

Source: http://foter.com/blog/files/2012/11/Foter.com_infographic_CC.jpg

How do I use it in my own work?

Where the RCUK OA block grant is used to pay Article Processing Charges for a paper, the paper must be made Open Access immediately at the time of on-line publication, using the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence. Find out more in the RCUK OA Policy.

For all other material: Use the Creative Commons tool to choose your licence.

How do I use it with other people’s work?

When you come across work that uses Creative Commons you will see the distinctive Creative Commons logo (as below) and there will be a link to the licence under which it has been released. This tells you exactly what you are allowed to do with it.

Finding Creative Commons works

The Creative Commons website has a search engine that searches the Web for Creative Commons works, and Google (under its Advanced Search facility) has an option to search for materials that use Creative Commons.  Select usage rights and from drop down menu:  free to share or modify, even commercially.

BU research featured on BBC’s Monkey Planet

Research conducted by Bournemouth University’s Alison Hillyer has been featured on a BBC programme looking at primates.

Monkey Planet, currently showing on BBC1, featured research into the Red Colobus monkey and its interactions with another species, green monkeys, and how their relationship has developed through living in the same habitat.  Specifically, the programme showed how the red colobus monkeys form special multi-species associations that are most likely a way of improving predator detection.BU’s research at the site is mostly concerned with the conservation status of Temmincki’s red colobus in the region and is aimed at developing an integrated conservation strategy for the region that involves experts in tourism (Vijay Reddy and Feifei Xu) and primatology (Amanda Korstjens and Alison Hillyer) and is conducted in close collaboration with the local authorities.

The Temmincki’s red colobus monkeys(not to be confused with the Zanzibar Red Colobus) are in need of protection to avoid their extinction. BU students have been invited back to The Gambia in July 2014 for a new inter-disciplinary project that aims to develop a sustainable long-term strategy to support local development and conservation in The Gambia through eco-tourism business.
The programme can be viewed again on the BBC website until 9:59pm on Wednesday 23 Apr 2014.
 

Dr Fiona Kelly joins BUDI

I am delighted to have arrived at BUDI to start a new job with Anthea and her team of committed, enthusiastic colleagues. They have made me feel very welcome and I feel a part of the team already. My role in the team is to write funding applications, so I hope you will get in touch with me if you think you can contribute in any way.

I have been based for the past ten years at the University of Stirling; firstly as a student and then as a lecturer in dementia studies. At Stirling, I taught on the online programme in dementia studies and have met some fantastic students who I know will contribute to making things better for people living with and affected by dementia. I have worked with inspirational and committed researchers and academics, both nationally and internationally and have had the opportunity to travel widely to do research, teach and speak at conferences and, I hope, to inspire others to work to make a difference. Alongside my academic work, I am also a nurse and have worked, and will continue to work, in a little care home for people with dementia. I work one night shift a month partly because I love this work and am good at it and also because it stimulates new research ideas and enables me to teach with credibility. Probably the main reason I work in this little care home is that the people with dementia who live there have taught me about humanity, compassion, resilience, humour and dignity, and I am not sure I would have learned these anywhere else.

I look forward to working with the BUDI team and people beyond the team and hope to meet some of you in the future.

Dr Fiona Kelly
Associate Director (Research)
BUDI
fkelly@bournemouth.ac.uk

Lastest Major Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following opportunities have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

EPSRC is inviting outline proposals for its call  Novel Manufacturing Instrumentation. This call provides an opportunity for the development of novel manufacturing instrumentation to improve existing processes and develop new capabilities. The principal outputs of research projects funded through this call will be bespoke equipment. The closing date for outlines is 15/05/14. 

EPSRC through the Research Councils UK Energy Programme Supergen Fuel Cells Challenge is looking to support projects that help address the key research challenges that underpin the deployment of Fuel Cell Technologies. These areas are: Degradation and Failure, Electrodes and Interfaces, Sensors and Diagnostics, and Fuel Flexibility. There is up to £5M available to support projects submitted in response to this call. Register by 16:00 on 23/05/14 with applications submitted by 16:00 on 03/07/14.

ESRC has announced the call for outline proposals for their 2014/15 Centres and Large Grants Competition. This competition is aimed at experienced researchers who require longer-term or extended support for research groups, inter-institutional research networks, project-linked programmes, medium-to-large surveys, other infrastructure or methodological developments, or any related larger-scale projects. They welcome applications of excellent quality in any area of social science. This year’s competition also has two specific strategic steers, on ‘The Future of Higher Education’ and on ‘Sustainable Prosperity’, which sit alongside the normal open element of the call. To facilitate the new interdisciplinary relationships and networks that may be required to address the ‘Sustainable Prosperity’ steer, it is strongly advised that potential applicants attend the information and consortium-building event being held in central London on 28 April 2014. The competition is for proposals ranging from £2 million to £10 million. Outline proposals are to be submitted via Je-S by 16.00 on 05/06/14. Invited full applications will be required in late September 2014.

The Energy Catalyst, to successfully address the energy ‘trilemma’ of low carbon, security of supply and affordability, has been established by the Technology Strategy Board, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Funding up to £25m is available for the first round, opening in May 2014. Awards are available for Early-stage award: Technical feasibility , Mid-stage award: Technology development and Late-stage award: Pre-commercial technology validation. The Energy Catalyst welcomes proposals from any sector and is seeking to fund the best concepts and innovative technologies from any UK business or research organisation. Please check the specific award category for deadlines.
 
The Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are investing up to £2.5m in feasibility studies to accelerate commercial applications in the novel material, graphene. It will include related carbon-based, two-dimensional nanotechnologies that have recently emerged from the science base. The competition, Reaslising the Graphine Revolution, will invest in projects that explore the realistic potential of graphene to yield new products that could disrupt markets. The funders expect them to stimulate development of a robust and competitive supply base to support the nascent graphene-using industry. Registration closes on 28/05/14 and the deadline for receipt of applications is noon on 04/06/14. A briefing for potential applicants will be held on 24/04/14.
 

The Technology Strategy Board and the Welsh Government are to invest up to £8m in single-company and collaborative R&D projects to support the UK’s burgeoning regenerative medicine and cell therapy industry. This competition, Advancing regenerative medicines and cell therapies, will focus on the preclinical testing, clinical development and manufacture of regenerative medicines and cell therapies, and the development of associated underpinning tools and technologies. A briefing event and webinar for potential applicants will be held in London on 10/06/14.  Applicants must register by 09/07/14 with the deadline for expressions of interest being noon on 16/07/14.  

The Wellcome Trust scheme, Science Learning+ , aims to make a transformational step to improve the knowledge base and practice of informal science experiences, to better understand, strengthen and coordinate their vital role in science engagement and learning. Phase 1: Planning Grants (2014) is now open. This supports Short-term Planning Grants of up to £70 000 to enable groups of people and organisations in the UK, the Republic of Ireland and/or the USA to meet with each other and develop ideas and strategies. The funder aims to support up to ten Planning Grants in phase 1 and it may be that applicants in receipt of separate grants coalesce to develop collaborations together for application to phase 2, with The Wellcome Trust possibly facilitating this process. The deadline for phase 1 is 10/07/14.

Please note that some funders specify a time for submission as well as a date. Please confirm this with your RKE Support Officer.

You can set up your own personalised alerts on ResearchProfessional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s RKE Officer in RKE Operations or see the recent post on this topic, which includes forthcoming training dates up to November 2014.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on ResearchProfessional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

Last week in HE…

Monday

International

Universities across the world fear the “commodification and commercialisation of education”, according to a new survey. “They express concern about equal access to international opportunities for all students and about the commodification and commercialisation of education,” the IAU’s report says. 1,300 universities, one shared fear: the commodification of education (THE)

While Camille Kandiko Howson argues that as “global competition for international students is growing – the UK needs to start treating them as people and learners, not numbers.” Drop in foreign student numbers: are UK universities too complacent? (Guardian HE)

Fees

The Telegraph are a little late in covering this ongoing story. Six in 10 students will have their debts written off (Telegraph)

HE expansion

David Willetts unveils plans to create new university campuses in areas identified as higher education “cold spots” such as Shrewsbury. New universities could revive county towns, says minister (Telegraph)  

Discrimination

Nearly 60 per cent of black and minority ethnic higher education staff and students questioned for a survey feel they have been discriminated against. Race discrimination in universities still a problem, reports survey (THE) 

Tuesday

The Financial Times and City AM have today criticised the Government immigration policy saying that they are ‘closing the door’ on international students. The FT argues, “cutting back student visas as a quick fix to an arbitrary migration target hurts the economy and will ultimately increase costs for domestic undergraduates. This is an act of national self-harm that Britain can ill-afford.”

Disabled students’ funding

NUS’ national conference has got underway today by claiming that David Willetts is “arrogant and out of touch” in seeking “unfair” cuts to disabled students’ funding. NUS blasts David Willetts over changes to disabled students’ support (THE)

Discrimination

More than half of black and ethnic minority lecturers and staff believe they have suffered racial discrimination at university, according to new research. Universities are racist, say ethnic minority staff   (Independent)

Wednesday

Ed Miliband is to promise to put powerful “city-region” government at the heart of a Labour attempt to rebalance growth in the UK, claiming his plan represents “the biggest economic devolution of power to England’s great towns and cities in a hundred years”. Miliband is to write to the leaders of every council, university and LEP asking them to draw up joint plans to boost growth and private sector jobs in their regions. Ed Miliband: Labour will use English devolution to rebalance UK growth (Guardian)

International

Ministers’ efforts to increase education exports comes at a time of intense scrutiny over the appeal of UK universities and schools  to overseas customers, says the FT. Visa rules in the spotlight as overseas student numbers fall (FT) This follows the news that UK skills providers have won contracts, worth more than £1bn, to run 16 further education colleges in Saudi Arabia helped by a government unit designed to boost exports of UK education. Saudis pay over £1bn to enrol British further education expertise (FT)

Moocs

Online university providers, which offered people the chance to study from home, are turning full circle by creating a network of learning centres where students can meet and study together. Online students can’t help being sociable (BBC)

Thursday

Libby Hackett features in today’s Financial Times calling for a return to post-study work visas for international students. She says that, “we are losing international students to competing nations, such as Canada and Australia, due to the UK’s restrictive policy on post-study work visas.” Letters: Bring post-study work visas back (FT)
Yvette Cooper, the shadow Home Secretary, will set out her “progressive” vision for immigration to the UK today, pledging that Labour would safeguard growth sectors such as higher education from any immigration cap. Labour to leave students out of immigration cap (FT)

Student loans

Repayment: The majority of undergraduates now at university will be paying off their student loans well into their 40s and 50s, with three-quarters of them unable to clear the debt before it is written off after 30 years, according to an analysis published today by the Sutton Trust and IFS.

·         Three in four graduates will be paying off student loans until their 50s (Daily Mail)

·         Most students will still be paying off their loans when they are 50 (Guardian)

·         Professionals will be paying off tuition fees for decades (Times)

·         Thunderer: Middle earners will pay most in this student loan mess (Times)

·         73% of today’s students will still be paying off their tuition fees in their 50s  (Independent)

·         Students will be paying off loans into their 50s, study warns (Telegraph)

Change to budgeting rules: The government has changed the budgeting rules for student loans to allow for unpredictability in forecast repayments, saying the change is designed to “incentivise” control over loan spending. One expert suggested that the development showed spending rules could be tweaked, potentially offering scope for a major change such as the introduction of a graduate tax. Budgeting rules adjusted to manage costs of student loans (THE)

Politics

Michael Gove: The minister hopes to sink his teeth into higher education but his political stock is falling, argues Christopher Prendergast. Michael Gove: the wolf of Whitehall (THE)

Sector

Higher Education Academy: The future of the HEA looks uncertain after the UK’s funding councils decided to withdraw support for the champion of university teaching. HEA future unclear as councils cut off the cash (THE)

Marketisation: The THE looks at whether UK higher education is any closer to a genuine market and concluded, not really. There’s still no such thing as a higher education market (THE)

Referendum: Ferdinand von Prondzynski ponders possible outcomes should Scotland opt for independence. Countdown to the Scottish referendum (THE)

Recruitment

Student: Volatile student recruitment in England has benefited more selective universities and “disadvantaged” others with lower entry standards, HEFCE has said. Recruitment trends favour the selective (THE)

Leadership: Professor Bob Cryan, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield, features in this THE piece looking at the recruitment of university leaders. Beyond naked power (THE)

Connecting research and growth

Research excellence: UK academics could have their research assessed alongside scholars from Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong under plans being considered by HEFCE. Hefce looks at overseas links for research excellence (THE)

Employability and skills

Higher apprenticeships: The growth of higher apprenticeships – where people taken on by employers can simultaneously study to bachelor’s and master’s degree level – could be a “major opportunity” for universities if they grab the initiative but could be a threat if they do not. Universities risk missing out on higher apprenticeships (THE)

Education system: The UK education system has become too focussed on youngsters automatically being channelled towards going to university, the Duke of York told a conference of newspaper editors. Duke of York says education system has become too centred on university degrees (Independent)

Friday

The Science and Technology Committee have released their report into internal STEM students. They have accused the Government of taking a “contradictory” stance towards encouraging international students to study in UK universities. On the one hand, the Prime Minister says there is a need for net migration to “come down radically from hundreds of thousands a year”. Yet, on the other, it has stated that “it is realistic for numbers of international students in higher education to grow by 15 to 20 per cent over the next five years.”

In addition Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary, has said yesterday that businesses were unable to access the skills they need and thousands of fee-paying foreign students were being deterred from going to British universities.

 

Drop In Sessions for users of ResearchPAD

Now that ResearchPAD, our new Postgraduate Research online management system is Live, you may have questions about using it.  The Graduate School has organised a number of drop-in sessions, so please come along and speak to Tony Furbank who will be on-hand to answer any questions you may have:

Date Time Venue
Tuesday 15 April 2014 9.30 am – 12.30 pm S103 – Studland House
Wednesday 16 April 2014 9.30 am – 12.30 pm C124 – Christchurch House
Wednesday 23 April 2014 2 pm – 5 pm S102 – Studland House
Thursday 24 April 2014 2 pm – 5 pm C124 – Christchurch House
Wednesday 7 May 2014 9.30 am – 12.30 pm C124 – Christchurch House
Wednesday 8 May 2014 2 pm – 5 pm S102 – Studland House

No booking required.

If you have any questions, please email ResearchPAD@bournemouth.ac.uk

 

PGR Workshop – Developing Professional Researcher Networks

PG research

There are places still available on this workshop……..

Developing Professional Researcher Networks – Facilitated by Margaret Collins

The aim of this workshop is to give PhD students skills to conduct effective professional networking conversations and to use networking as a tool for developing their professional networks. Networking is recognised by established researchers and Academics as an essential tool for career development and professional advancement.  In contrast, research reveals that many Early Career Researchers feel very uncertain about networking, in respect to both the practical “how to do it” issues and the underlying, often values-based questions “Why it is important ?” and “Should I be doing this?”.

We will address various aspects of networking and develop the appropriate physical and mental skills necessary to improve our skill set in confident networking techniques.

Progress will be made through discussions and group exercises to develop essential skills, build confidence and overcome anxiety or blocks to performance.

As a result of this workshop participants will:

  • Increase their understanding of the professional importance of networking
  • Improve their ability to communicate confidently in networking conversations
  • Understand the importance of body language in effective communication
  • Have tools to deal with stress or anxiety related to networking
  • Have strategies to develop collaborations or increase visibility

WHEN: Tuesday 29 April 2014 : WHERE: K103 – Kimmeridge House, Talbot Campus

Registration is via myBU – Graduate School PGR Community – Please remember that you will need to log on with your student username and password.

CEL Seminar – Putting different forms of knowledge to work in practice: conceptual issues, pedagogical strategies and enduring challenges.

A Centre for Excellence in Learning [CEL] Seminar is taking place on Wednesday 18th June 2014, 10:00-12:00 on Lansdowne Campus.

Professor Karen Evans, Chair in Education, Institute of Education, University of London will be facilitating the seminar on Putting different forms of knowledge to work in practice: conceptual issues, pedagogical strategies and enduring challenges.

 For more information and to book on please visit the Staff Development and Engagement Pages on the Staff Internet.

 

Pedagogic fusion bids

Funding opportunities, Fusion

Dear colleagues

Following the launch of the Centre for Excellence in Learning on April 4th, I am pleased to invite colleagues to apply for a pedagogic specific round of fusion investment funding. The projects are a mixture of fair access and CEL themes with the opportunity to bid for a total of 8 projects. The timescale is tight as the money must be spent before the end of July 2014, although the project activity can carry on beyond that. Submission of bids needs to be by 12.00 on May 2nd so the awards can be made by mid-May. For briefing on the scope of the projects and application form, please go to https://staffintranet.bournemouth.ac.uk/fusion/fusioninvestmentfund/centreforexcellenceinlearning/

 I hope to see interest in this opportunity as it is an important demonstration of the value placed by BU on education development, innovation and research.

Gail

Professor B. Gail Thomas

Director of CEL & Dean of HSC

Bournemouth University