Category / REF Subjects

TikTok’s return can’t erase the cross-community alliances sparked by RedNote’s rise

Imagine abandoning one social media app only to find yourself at the center of an unexpected global movement against racism. That’s exactly what happened when American TikTok users, temporarily locked out of their favorite platform due to the U.S. ban in January this year, migrated en masse to the Chinese social media site RedNote. They called themselves “TikTok refugees”. But no one predicted what came next: this mass shift became an unlikely force for dismantling racism, particularly anti-Chinese sentiment. RedNote, instead of just being a backup app, turned into a rare space for cultural exchange, solidarity and cross-community support.

Some anti-racism strategies are universal across social media—sharing personal stories, expressing anger, frustration, or grief. One of the most powerful moments came from a video titled “我们是一家人 WE ARE THE WORLD” by Chinese user roxycat 猫姐（内敛优雅版）. In the video, she breaks down in tears recalling past and present experiences of racism, pleading for “less discrimination and more understanding”. Posted on January 19, the video amassed 149K likes and 18K comments by March 18—not just from Chinese users, but from Americans and other western users who actively engaged with her message. This wasn’t just another viral video. It was a digital reckoning which forced people to acknowledge racism head-on.

On TikTok, anti-racism discussions usually follow a pattern: victims share experiences, and allies respond with support or calls to action. But RedNote—perhaps because it’s a Chinese-centric space—created a different dynamic. Instead of simply reacting, non-Chinese users became active participants in cultural exchange. They were not just acknowledging racism; they were learning, engaging and reshaping their own perceptions.

Take Chinese food, for example. Instead of the tired, racist stereotypes that have long plagued perceptions of Chinese cuisine, new non-Chinese RedNote users started cooking traditional dishes, sharing their attempts online, and celebrating them. A stark contrast to the COVID-19 era, when Chinese restaurants faced boycotts and xenophobic attacks.

Then, there was humour. If there’s one way to deflate a racist narrative, it’s to mock it. The U.S. government justified the TikTok ban over national security concerns—so what did users do? They leaned in. A viral video by user Conner Frost joked about reuniting with a “Chinese spy” on RedNote, to which Chinese users cheekily responded that they were only interested in stealing pictures of American users’ pets. This playful subversion of xenophobic narratives underscores how humour can be a tool for dismantling harmful stereotypes rather than reinforcing them.

The question now is: does this camaraderie have staying power? Two months on from the ban, will American users stick around or will they ditch RedNote now that TikTok is back in full force? Right now, engagement is holding strong. As of March 18, the hashtag #tiktokrefugee had racked up 44.8 million posts on RedNote, with many users openly stating they have no plans to leave. Even users from countries with no TikTok bans, like the UK and Italy, are jumping on board. But at the same time, RedNote’s ‘For You’ page is shifting back to its usual content rather than being dominated by posts from the new users, suggesting the novelty might be wearing off. Will this be a lasting migration or just a temporary detour?

One thing is certain: the walls between Chinese social media and the rest of the world have cracked open. And that matters. Social media is often blamed for fueling division, but RedNote has proven it can also be a bridge. The challenge now is to take this beyond the screen—to turn fleeting digital moments into long-term change.

The migration to RedNote started as a reaction to political and economic chaos, but it became something far more powerful. It showed what happens when communities connect—not because an algorithm tells them to, but because of genuine curiosity and shared human experience. If we’re smart, we won’t let that go to waste.

Dr. Xin Zhao, Principal Academic in Media and Communication at Bournemouth University

A compassionate approach to Simulation: new national blog post published

Student Engagement

The Association for Learning Developers in Higher Education (ALDinHE) have a national blog focussing on pedagogic practice and the student experience. Una Brosnan (Paramedic Science) and Debbie Holley (Nursing Sciences) collaborated to create the blog (extracts below) and the full blog is available here https://aldinhe.ac.uk/take5-122-from-accidents-to-aquariums-a-compassionate-approach-to-simulation/

#Take5 #122 From accidents to aquariums: a compassionate approach to simulation
“The world of simulation and immersive learning technologies is developing rapidly and in parallel to the existing and predicted future requirements of health and care on a global scale”.
[Enhancing education, clinical practice and staff wellbeing. A national vision for the role of simulation and immersive learning technologies in health and care HEE, 2020]
This #Take 5 reflects upon ways in which paramedic students responded to a compassionate pedagogical approach to debriefing groups after a high intensity simulation experience. Their experience through changing the ambience of the debrief transformed their session from one where students reported anxiety, insecurity where lecturing staff noticed students showing signs of stress to relaxed bodies, a calm atmosphere and a readiness for self and peer reflections. This was now a space where individual voices could be heard, and deep learning took place.
Studies have shown that students can find clinical simulation to be extremely stressful and anxiety provoking (Jowesy et al. 2020 and Mills et al. 2016). Could a potential solution to controlling the amount of stressor added by the educator be to embed compassionate pedagogies in clinical simulation training? Compassionate pedagogy is a teaching approach that emphasizes empathy, care, and understanding in the educational process by focusing on and creating a respectful and understanding learning environment. Here the students’ emotional, personal, and academic needs are recognised, fostering both their professional competence and well-being. This method enhances the development of compassionate, patient-centered care by modelling empathy in the educational process.
This short illustrative video clip shows the contrast between a high stress, high intensity environment (a rail crash scenario where students were expected to triage and the treat mannequins with different injuries) to their low stress environment (a virtual aquarium of tropical fish swimming and soothing water ripple sounds) enabled by using the resources available in an immersive classroom – a Blended Learning Interactive Simulation Suite (BLIS). The ‘classroom’ is a mixed reality platform, comprising three fully interactive walls, with any imaginable scenario projected onto them, with video, audio and tactile capabilities.
Creating an atmosphere of quiet and calm is enabled through transforming the immersive classroom into an ‘aquarium’, with rippling water and fish swimming. This dramatically different space offers the student an atmosphere reducing stress and anxiety caused by the simulation and a place to consolidate their learning.
https://youtu.be/ygFshwj-kSQ?si=fk2Jog11IspjvqQ7

Crimmigration, Societies, Borders key note talk – Friday 16 May

Keynote talk as part of Crimmigration, Societies, Borders: Transformation of Boundaries and Narratives (British Academy event).
Prof. Ana Aliverti presents – At the heart of the state: the emotional and moral economies of migration policing in Britain.

Date: 16 May
Time: 3.30-5pm
Location: Shelley Lecture Theatre Talbot Campus
Overview: In this lecture, I explore the contrasting and competing rationales, emotions and values that underpin the contemporary governance of marginalised groups, and reflect on the implications of the attendant emotional and moral complex for understanding the state. I focus on migration policing in the UK as a paradigmatic example of such complex, as immigration policies have appended safeguarding and care for the vulnerable to the priority of detecting and ejecting illegal migrants. Drawing on ethnographic research I have conducted with police and immigration officers since 2016, I explore how these officers navigate competing demands for care and control, and the moral tensions and dilemmas that arise in their everyday work. In placing our gaze on the moral and affective world of these frontline staff, the paper seeks to reflect on the complexities of statecraft and rethink state power through more humane and progressive forms of governance, by retrieving a moral grammar of welfare from below forged through human proximity.
Booking now open
www.bournemouth.ac.uk/crimmigration-societies-borders

Capturing the Power of Heat: NCEM’s Breakthrough in Clean Energy Storage Gains Global Recognition

Industry collaboration, innovation, international, Knowledge Transfer, Publishing, Research assessment

The NanoCorr, Energy & Modelling (NCEM) Research Group, led by Professor Zulfiqar Khan at Bournemouth University, has made pioneering developments in the field of thermal energy storage, an area critical to the future of renewable energy. Their groundbreaking work in enhancing the performance of latent heat storage systems using phase change materials (PCMs) has been featured on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) website—marking a prestigious global endorsement of their innovations in clean energy technologies.

A Leap Toward Sustainable Energy

As the world shifts from fossil fuels to renewable sources, the ability to capture and store energy efficiently is a central challenge. PCMs—materials that absorb and release heat during phase transitions (like melting and solidifying)—offer an ingenious solution. NCEM’s research focuses on improving these materials’ thermal conductivity, stability, and compatibility with various containers, making energy storage more efficient, stable, and commercially viable.

Their study reviews and categorises organic paraffins and inorganic salt hydrates, the most promising groups of PCMs, highlighting enhancements like encapsulation, multi-PCM integration, and advanced container geometries. These techniques significantly boost energy capture rates and storage capacity, making clean energy more practical for widespread use.

Real-World Impact and Innovation

Backed by five industry-funded and match-funded projects, NCEM’s efforts have not only led to commercial patents in the UK and USA, but have also influenced engineering solutions for solar heating, industrial heat recovery, and smart building technologies. These contributions align strongly with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs):

Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Global Recognition: Why the IAEA Feature Matters

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an influential global body under the United Nations, works to promote the peaceful use of nuclear and clean energy technologies. Being featured on their platform is a significant milestone—it underscores the global relevance, technical merit, and strategic value of Professor Khan’s research. It also places Bournemouth University and NCEM at the heart of international discussions on sustainable energy systems.

This acknowledgment by the IAEA is a testament to the NCEM team’s commitment to tackling real-world problems with innovative science. It further demonstrates the potential of UK-led clean energy solutions to contribute to a low-carbon, energy-secure future for all.

A Bright Future for Clean Energy

The research led by Professor Zulfiqar Khan exemplifies how innovative materials science and engineering can drive change on a global scale. With continued support and collaboration between academia and industry, NCEM is set to play a pivotal role in accelerating the transition to clean, resilient energy systems worldwide.

 

Acknowledgements: Dr Zakir Khan (NCEM ex PGR/ Post Doc) and Professor A Ghafoor.

BU research on road network efficiency reported in Times of India

international

BU research , led by PhD graduate Dr. Assemgul Kozhabek and Dr. Wei Koong Chai, on characterising efficiency of road networks in big populous cities around the world was covered by the Times of India, the world’s largest selling English-language daily in the world. The article reported the findings from BU’s work, specifically highlighted its insights into the structure, properties and efficiency of road networks in relevant cities in India.

 

Article: “Study rates ‘efficiency’ of city road network” March 17 2025, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/study-rates-efficiency-of-city-road-network/articleshow/119086477.cms.

 

BU collaborates with University of Exeter on modelling innovation adoption

innovation, open access, Publishing

Bournemouth University (BU) has collaborated with the University of Exeter on modelling innovation adoption diffusion. The work, led by Dr. Wei Koong Chai in BU, draw on the epidemic theory and model the diffusion dynamics considering (1) the role of network structures in dictating the spread of adoption and (2) how individual’s characteristic/capability influences the path of diffusion (e.g. an individual may have different attitude or ability towards adopting a new innovation). A positive adoption decision is related to the number of neighbors adopting the innovation. The neighbors decisions are, in turn, dependent on their own neighbors and so, it forms a complex cascading inter-dependent relationship between the different individuals in the network. As such, each node in the network is unique and its relevant adoption rate must be considered separately conditioned with the activities occurring in the network over time.

The model offers insights into how the network spectrum affects the innovation exposure rate and spreading of innovation individually and across communities with different adoption behaviours. It also illustrates the effects of the embedded social structure and the characteristics of individuals in the network on the path of innovation diffusion via two use cases: (i) innovation adoption of EU countries in a Single Market Programme and (ii) innovation adoption of specific class of technology (specifically financial technologies (FinTech)).

 

Reference:

Duanmu, JL., Chai, W.K. Modelling innovation adoption spreading in complex networks. Appl Netw Sci 10, 10 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41109-025-00698-8

 

 

Paper on Nepal reaching 5,000 readers

international, open access, Publishing, Women's Academic Network, writing

Today ResearchGate informed us that our 2010 paper ‘Women’s autonomy in household decision-making: A demographic study in Nepal‘ [1] has been read 5,000 times.  This academic paper published in the international journal Reproductive Health is Open Access, hence available to anybody globally with internet access. The study explored the links between women’s household position in Nepal and their autonomy in decision making.  Using existing data (n = 8,257)  from the Nepal Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) 2006 we (Dr. Pramod Regmi and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen with colleagues from other UK universities) focused on four types of household decision making: (1) women’s own health care; (2) making major household purchases; (3) making purchase for daily household needs; and (4) visits to her family or relatives.

We found that women’s autonomy in decision making is positively associated with their age, employment and number of living children. Women from rural area and Terai region (the southern part of Nepal bordering India) have less autonomy in decision making in all four types of outcome measure. There is a mixed variation in women’s autonomy in the development region across all outcome measures. Western women are more likely to make decision in own health care (1.2-1.6), while they are less likely to purchase daily household needs (0.6-0.9). Women’s increased education is positively associated with autonomy in own health care decision making (p < 0.01), however their more schooling (school-leaving certificate and above) shows non-significance with other outcome measures. Interestingly, rich women are less likely to have autonomy to make decision in own healthcare.

 

Reference:

  1. Acharya, D.R., Bell, J.S., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P. (2010) Women’s autonomy in household decision-making: a demographic study in Nepal. Reproductive Health 7, 15   https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4755-7-15

Unique PhD processes – why they are important.………..

Centre for Excellence in Learning, PG research, Publishing, REF Subjects, student research, Training, writing

Most people only really think about the processes involved doing a PhD study when they are doing their own unique research project at one specific university. It is often only when talking to other PhD students at a conference or listening to their supervisors reminiscing about doing theirs at a different university and in a different time, that they realise there are important differences in processes between universities, and even across disciplines within universities. This is true both nationally and globally.  These differences can exist at many different stages of the PhD and Bournemouth University academics have written about several of these differences within a national context (1-6).

PhD aspects can differ from the start, e.g. the expected format of a PhD proposal (5) to the very end, e.g. possible outcomes of a viva (4), or whether the PhD includes clinical or practice components to help bridge the gap between academia and practice (2).  Variations across universities also occur in the expected layout and format of the theses (1), or the way supervisors are expected to supervise by different universities (3), or the format or timing of transfer or progress viva(6).

You might ask why this uniqueness of the postgraduate research journey matters? We argue that academics need to celebrate the diversity of the PhD process and of our postgraduate research students and recognise that excellent research can be achieved in different ways. A personalised process can ensure that postgraduate students are successful in achieving their goals.

 

Dr. Orlanda Harvey, Prof. Vanora Hundley, Dr. Vincent Marmion, Dr. Pramod Regmi, Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

 

 

 

References:

  1. van Teijlingen E (2007) PhD theses: the pros and cons (letter), Times Higher Education Suppl. Issue 1808 (August 24th): 15.
  2. Way S, Hundley V, van Teijlingen E, Walton G, and Westwood G. (2016) Dr Know. RCM Midwives Spring 64-65.
  3. Regmi, P., Poobalan, A., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2021) PhD supervision in Public Health, Health Prospect: Journal of Public Health 20(1):1-4. https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/HPROSPECT/article/view/32735/28111
  4. van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, B., Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., Hundley, V., Poudel, K.C. (2022) Reflections on variations in PhD viva regulations: “And the options are….”, Journal of Education and Research 12(2),61-74. https://doi.org/10.51474/jer.v12i2.624
  5. Wasti, S.P. Regmi, P.R., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V. (2022) Writing a PhD Proposal, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 176-183.
  6. van Teijlingen, A., Marmion, V., Harvey, O., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2024) PhD Progress and Transfer Vivas at Universities in the United Kingdom, Journal of Education and Research, 14(1): 104-116, https://doi.org/10.51474/jer/16196

 

BU Research Project named in BCP Domestic Abuse Strategy Consultation document

A team of researchers from Bournemouth University (Dr Terri Cole, Dr Louise Oliver, Dr Orlanda Harvey, Anisha Sperrin and Dr Jane Healy) are working with BCP Council on a Perpetrator Programme Review Project- This project aims to review local, national and international programmes for perpetrators of domestic abuse and literary review, alongside stakeholder engagement to make recommendations of a best practice model for a perpetrator programme.

The project is mentioned in one of three draft strategy documents that are out for public consultation.

“The three proposed strategies are as follows:

The draft Preventing Domestic Abuse Strategy 2025-2030 is the overarching strategy to our response to domestic abuse across the BCP area, detailing our proposed priorities and how we aim to take our plans forward with partnership agencies.
The draft Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Strategy 2025-2030 is focused on the provision of safe accommodation in the BCP area for survivors of domestic abuse who need support around their housing needs.
The draft Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Strategy 2025-2030 is focused on how we respond to perpetrators of domestic abuse across the BCP area. The strategy aims to prevent people from perpetrating domestic abuse, thereby preventing the harm caused to individuals, children and society.”

Here is the link to the consultation webpages, there is the option to consult on all or some of the three strategies.

https://haveyoursay.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/domestic-abuse-strategies

Promoting Human-Centred Design in Drowning Prevention

international, Knowledge Exchange, student research

The Department of Design and Engineering at Bournemouth University has a reputation for its Human-Centred Design (HCD) work.  In our interdisciplinary Sonamoni project we have HCD at its centre.  The Sonamoni project is coordinated by Bournemouth University in collaboration with the University of the West of England (Bristol), the University of Southampton, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), Design Without Border (DWB) in Uganda and Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB). The interdisciplinary team at Bournemouth University covers three faculties and six academics: Dr. Mavis Bengtsson, Dr. Kyungjoo Cha, Dr. Mehdi Chowdhury, Dr. Yong Hun Lim, Mr. John Powell, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.

Last month two staff from CIPRB, Notan Chandra Dutta and Mirza Shibat Rowshan visited DBW in Uganda, as part of so-called South-South learning. Their objective was to share (1) knowledge and experience of using HCD techniques and (2) best practices of drowning prevention in both countries. Utilizing HCD techniques, Sonamoni is working to identify and prioritize potential solutions, develop prototypes, and assess the acceptability of the interventions to reduce drowning deaths among old children under two in Bangladesh.

During the visit, Notan and Shibat participated a four-day ideation workshop with the fisher community near Lake Victoria, organized by DWB. In the workshop, different HCD tools were used along with other group activities to generate and refine ideas for the solutions. The generated ideas were recorded by visualization tools. Notan and Shibat also attended a session on the principles of creative facilitation of HCD, including the need to understand the problem, role of the facilitator and other stakeholders.  Various visualization tools were discussed, e.g.  ‘journey maps’, ‘stakeholder map’, ‘context map’ and different types of sketches.  Notan shared CIPRB’s experiences of managing the best drowning prevention practices and its challenges from Bangladesh context.

This international project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through their Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme, also includes a BU-based PhD student, Mr. Md. Shafkat Hossein.  Last week Shafkat presented our Sonamoni project in lecture to BU Engineering students at Talbot campus.

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

First paper by PhD student

NHS, open access, PG research, Publishing, student research, writing

We are delighted to announce that Bournemouth University (BU) and University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD) Clinical Match-Funded PhD researcher, Leila Kattach, has published her first academic paper. This milestone marks an important step in Leila’s research journey and highlights the impactful work being carried out within our clinical research community.
The paper, titled “Nurse-Led Models of Service Delivery for Skin Cancer Detection: A Systematic Review“, was published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing yesterday (April 1, 2025) [1]. This research consolidates evidence on nurse-led models for skin cancer detection, comparing their effectiveness to physician-led care and highlighting their potential benefits in terms of accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and patient satisfaction.
The systematic review, co-authored with Heidi Singleton, Steven Ersser, Debbie Holley, Ian Pearson, and Abdulrahman Shadeed, rigorously analyzed studies from 1992 to 2024, assessing the role of nurses in diagnosing, treating, and supporting skin cancer patients. The findings demonstrate that nurse-led models can complement or even substitute traditional physician-led care, offering high diagnostic accuracy, improved access to care, and enhanced patient education.
Key highlights from the study include:
Comparable diagnostic accuracy between nurses and ophthalmologists in skin cancer detection.
Increased accessibility and reduced waiting times for patients through community-based, nurse-led services.
Significant cost savings associated with nurse-led care delivery.
Patient preference for nurse-led models, citing convenience and enhanced education on self-examination.
The study also emphasizes the need for further research and standardized national guidelines to scale and integrate nurse-led models effectively into healthcare systems.
Leila’s research has strong implications for policy and clinical practice, advocating for:
✅ Enhanced dermatology nursing training to equip nurses with advanced skills in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.
✅ Development of Dermatology Nurse Consultant Training Programmes to support professional development and independent practice.
✅ Support for community-based care to enhance accessibility, particularly in underserved regions.
✅ Standardization of nurse-led models to ensure consistency and high standards across healthcare settings.
Leila Kattach’s research has a PhD studentship jointly funded by BU and UHD NHS Foundation Trust. The study was conducted in collaboration with academic dermatology experts, specialist clinicians, and a patient representative with lived experience of melanoma, ensuring a patient-centered approach.  Leila’s work paves the way for further exploration into nurse-led service delivery models and their long-term impact on skin cancer care, cost-effectiveness, and healthcare workforce sustainability. We look forward to seeing how her research evolves and contributes to improving patient care in dermatology.
👏 Congratulations to Leila Kattach and the research team on this outstanding achievement!
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Reference:
  1. Kattach, L., Singleton, H., Ersser, S., Holley, D., Pearson, I. & Shadeed, A. (2025), Nurse-Led Models of Service Delivery for Skin Cancer Detection: A Systematic Review. Journal of Advanced Nursing.[online first]  https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16854

 

Nepal Family Cohort Study dissemination event

international, open access, Publishing, writing

Colleagues working on our Nepal Family Cohort Study (NeFCoS) presented baseline data at a dissemination programme held today (March 28th) in Everest Hotel, Kathmandu.  Bournemouth University is a key partner in this unique long-term follow-up study in Nepal.  Our large international team is led by Dr. Om Kurmi, Associate Professor Research in the Centre for Healthcare and Communities at Coventry University.  The Bournemouth University (BU) team comprises Dr. Pramod Regmi (Principal Academic-International Health), Dr. Edwin van Teijlingen (Professor of Reproductive Health), Dr. Rebecca Neal (Principal Lecturer in Exercise Physiology) and Dr. Vanora Hundley (Professor of Midwifery).
The Nepal Family Cohort Study (NeFCoS) is a multidisciplinary cohort study into the prevalence, incidence, and determinants of various diseases from childhood to adulthood in children and their parents for over two decades.  NeFCoS is a longitudinal study which recently started collecting health and well-being data, and which will collect data repeatedly from the same individuals at certain intervals for years to come.
Today’s programme included a range of academics and policy-makers introducing aspects of the study and its preliminary findings.  Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen did a short presentation offering ‘Special Remarks on Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health’.  To date we have published one academic paper in an Open Access journal on the research protocol of this work [1].
Reference:
  1. Kurmi, O.P., Chaudhary, N., Delanerolle, G., Bolton, C.E., Pant, P.R., Regmi, P., Gautam, S., Satia, I., Simkhada, P., Kyrou, I., Sigdel, T.K., Hundley, V., Dali, P.R., Lokke, A., Hubert Lam, K.B., Bennett, D., Custovic, A., van Teijlingen, E., Gill, P. Randeva, H., O’Byrne, P.M., and Nepal Family Cohort Collaborators Group, Nepal Family Cohort Study: A Study Protocol, BMJ Open 14:e088896. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2024-088896

When is a ‘new’ paper no longer new?

BRIAN, open access, Publishing, writing

This week we had two new academic papers published online.  The first paper was an education one ‘PhD Progress and Transfer Vivas at Universities in the United Kingdom‘ [1] and the second focused on ‘Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Masters Level Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic‘ [2].  The first paper clearly states “Article History: Received: 10 Jan 2024; Revised: 17 Feb 2024; Accepted: 26 Feb 2024”, the online information for the second paper states: “Published 2024-12-31”, i.e. both are clearly identified as 2024 papers.

The problem for the authors is that both only appeared online this week.  For example, today (27th March 2025) Nepal Journals Online (NepJoL) reports the publication of the latest issue of Education Quarterly, Volume 5 Issue 1, the one in which we published, as 24th March (see picture below).  The reason this happens is because the journal editors experienced problems in the past year and did not manage to publish an issue in the calendar year, which makes the publication history look less professional.  To avoid having a year missing the most recently published issue is given an official 2024 publication date.

In a world full of problems the minor inconvenience of papers being backdated is twofold for academic authors.  First, we can not really announce the publication of a a new Bournemouth University paper since the dated stamped on it is last year’s.  Secondly, paper can’t be used for the REF as the acceptance date is also set in the past, for papers to be acceptable for inclusion in REF 2029 typically papers need to be made available on Open Access within three months after the acceptance date .

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

 

References:

  1. van Teijlingen, A., Marmion, V., Harvey, O., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2024) PhD Progress and Transfer Vivas at Universities in the United Kingdom, Journal of Education and Research, 14(1): 104-116, https://doi.org/10.51474/jer/16196
  2. Pasa, R.B., Khanal, K.P., Khatri, B.B., Adhikari, D., Kharel, S., Sharma, M.K., van Teijlingen, E.R. (2024). Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Masters Level Students on the COVID-19 Pandemic. Education Quarterly, 5(1): 53–72. https://doi.org/10.3126/jeqtu.v5i1.76745

The Great British Medalists Project reaches 600 citations and 70,000 downloads

international, open accecss

Here at BU, in work led by Professor Tim Rees, we developed what Dr Simon Timson, Director of Performance for City Football Group, described as “the primary piece of empirical research that underpins talent identification, selection, confirmation, and development practice across Olympic, Paralympic and professional sport domains in the UK”. This work underpinned preparations for the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021 Games, and still permeates talent development programmes worldwide today. The research underpinned one of UoA24’s Impact Case Studies for REF 2021: “The development of athletic talent: Driving policy change in national sporting organisations.”

The first article from this project, published OA in the prestigious Sports Medicine, just reached 600 Google Scholar citations, with over 70,000 downloads. If you’re interested in a whirlwind tour of all we know about athletic talent development—despite being published in 2016—this is still a reasonably comprehensive overview.

Alongside working with UK Sport, the nation’s high-performance sports agency, this was part of a wider collaboration with colleagues at Bangor University, University College London, University of Kaiserslautern, University of Queensland, and Queens University.

Reference.

Rees, T., Hardy, L., Güllich, A., Abernethy, B., Côté J., Woodman, T., Montgomery, H., Laing, S., & Warr, C. (2016). The Great British medalists project: A review of current knowledge into the development of the world’s best sporting talent. Sports Medicine, 46(8), 1041-1058. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0476-2 OA Link