BU Research Blog

December 2, 2023

New sociology book published late November

BU research, Featured academics, Global engagement, international, Publishing, Research news, Uncategorized, Women's Academic Network, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to Dr. Hyun-Joo Lim on the publication of her latest book North Korean Women and Defection: Human Rights Violations and Activism which was published last week by Bristol University Press. The book covers the recent North Korean diaspora which has created female refugee groups fighting for the protection of women’s rights. Presenting in-depth accounts of North Korean women defectors living in the UK, this book examines how their harrowing experiences have become an impetus for their activism. Dr Hyun-Joo Lim, who is Principal Academic in Sociology in the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, reveals how North Korean women defectors’ have an Utopian dream of a better future for fellow North Korean women. This dream is vital in their activism. Unique in its focus on the intersections between gender, politics, activism and mobility, the book will inform debates on activism and human rights internationally.

Well done!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

November 27, 2023

Workshops on India and Nigeria with ACU

BU2025, Centre for Excellence in Learning, Fusion, Global engagement, international, Student Engagement amorrison

Country and Culture Insights: India – 12 December, 9am-10:30am, F109 (Talbot campus)
Country and Culture Insights: Nigeria – 12 December, 10:30am-12pm, F109 (Talbot campus)

These two workshops follow the ‘Cultural awareness and cross-cultural communication‘ workshop on 7 December and provide an opportunity to consider the countries and cultures of India and Nigeria in more detail, with specific examples of lived experience from Indian and Nigerian colleagues, and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).

The sessions will take place both online and on campus. Staff are encouraged to attend in person if possible.

The workshop objectives are:
• To enhance understanding of the countries, cultures and education systems that our largest cohorts of international students come from;
• To develop awareness of some specific cultural differences and identify ways in which BU staff can help students from these countries to adjust;
• To highlight individual variations and experiences, alongside generalised cultural “norms”.

The workshop will include:
• A live virtual presentation from the Association of Commonwealth Universities on the Nigerian/Indian student market, education system and culture, plus any other relevant socio-economic factors that impact the student experience;
• Panel discussion featuring Indian/Nigerian participants;
• Open Q&A session on intercultural experiences and communication challenges.

Facilitated by:
Caroline Earth, Orientation and Cultural Adaptation Officer
Jana Kuncova, Head Of International Mobility And Experience
Alastair Morrison, Head of International Partnerships

To find out more information and register, please go to BU’s Organisational Development page.

November 27, 2023

Workshop on cultural awareness and cross-cultural communication

BU research, BU2025, Business Engagement, Fusion, Global engagement, international, Student Engagement, Training, Uncategorized amorrison

Thursday 7 December 2023, 13.00 – 15.00, F305 (Talbot campus)

This workshop is for anyone working with international students at BU, (both academic and professional services staff) who would like to learn more about cross-cultural communication. Look out for another blog post on spotlight sessions on India and Nigeria the following week on 12 December, with participation from the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).

The workshop objectives are:
• To increase awareness of the importance of intercultural communication in the higher education context.
• To provide you with practical strategies for integrating cross-cultural communication skills into both your written and verbal interactions with international students.
• To promote a culturally inclusive environment that benefits both students and staff.

The workshop will include:
• Exploring cultural theory and how this informs our interactions with international students
• Discussing ‘culture shock’ and its potential impact on students
• Practical tips about how to communicate effectively with international students

Facilitated by:
Caroline Earth, Orientation and Cultural Adaptation Officer
Jana Kuncova, Head Of International Mobility And Experience
Alastair Morrison, Head of International Partnerships

Tea & coffee will be provided.
For more information and to register, please look at BU’s Organisational Development page.

November 20, 2023

Congratulations to Dr. Rachel Arnold

BU research, Featured academics, Global engagement, international, Postgraduate Research, Publishing, Research news, Uncategorized, Women's Academic Network, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to Dr. Rachel Arnold, whose paper ‘Parallel worlds: An ethnography of care in an Afghan maternity hospital‘ has been cited twenty times according to a message from ResearchGate. This is one of the paper originating from Rachel’s PhD in the Centre for Midwifery and Women’s Health. Rachel’s has published several more papers from her PhD research [2-4] and she also co-authored a further paper on health management in Afghanistan with our former PhD student Dr. Shaqaieq Ashrafi [5].

References:

Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I., 2018. Parallel worlds: An ethnography of care in an Afghan maternity hospital. Social Science and Medicine, 216, 33-40.
Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I., 2015. Understanding Afghan healthcare providers: A qualitative study of the culture of care in a Kabul maternity hospital. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 122 (2), 260-267.
Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I., 2019. Villains or victims? An ethnography of Afghan maternity staff and the challenge of high quality respectful care. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 19 (1).
Ryan, K., Brown, S., Wilkins, C., Taylor, A., Arnold, R., Angell, C. and van Teijlingen, E., 2011. Which hat am I wearing today? Practising midwives doing research. Evidence Based Midwifery, 9 (1), 4-8
Ashrafi Dost, S., Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E. (2023). Management capacity in theAfghan Ministry of Public Health pre-Taliban: A mixed-methods study of political and socio-cultural issues. Razi International Medical Journal, 3(1): 9-18. DOI:10.56101/rimj.v3i1.67

November 19, 2023

Social Capital in Crises: Waves in Climate Change, Oil, Economic Shocks and Migrations – Local Economic Development Impacts in Europe

BU research, Events, Featured academics fvidler

A talk by BUBS Professor Dr Davide Parrilli, member of BU University Senate and the external editorial board on “European Planning Studies.” Hosted at the Committee Room, Fifth Floor, Poole House, BU Talbot Campus, Fernbarrow, 2-3pm, Wednesday, 22 November, 2023. This important cross-disciplinary seminar welcomes all, being of high relevance to current global news.

“Local Economic Development and the Challenge of Critical Social Transformations”

Abstract
“Local economic/production systems have been a focus of actions and discussion for many years across Europe. Within an evolutionary perspective, these systems change and adapt to respond to new changing scenarios, challenges and demands of the wider social and economic community. It is the case of the challenges raised by climate change and 2016 Paris Agreement or the recent COP27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh, or by exogenous shocks to supply and demand due to present international crises. In this presentation the discussion centres around the evolution of local economic systems and identifies a specific challenge and gap that could and should be addressed soon both theoretically and from a development policy perspective. This is the social capital linked to the important migration waves that have modified the social spectrum of European socio-economies and are producing a strong impact on the way local economic development works. Open discussions and dynamic and comprehensive actions are required to address these important transformations, whilst recognising the “social embeddedness of economic action” and promoting the social capital that ignites the competitive capacity of these local economic systems.”
Best wishes,
Davide

M. Davide Parrilli, PhD (Birmingham), MPhil (Sussex), SFHEA, FeRSA
Professor of Regional Economic Development
BUBS PhD Programme Coordinator
BUBS Output Champion
Professorial Member of University Senate
Bournemouth University Business School
AACSB Accredited; SBC Accredited; EFMD Member
& Associate Editor/Editorial Board of “European Planning Studies”

Posted by Fiona Vidler MBA MSc MLIBF – Note: For any further information or RSVP this Free Event, please do contact direct the esteemed BU Professor Dr Davide Parrilli dparrilli@bournemouth.ac.uk

November 5, 2023

BU Economics Professor appreciated by researchers at Baltic’s Doctoral Summer School 2023 as civil war broke out

BU research, conferences, Featured academics, Global engagement, Research Supervision fvidler

Professor Jens Hölscher (BUBS AFE) travelled with his classic iconic book and prepared paper on ‘The Successes and Failures of Economic Transition’ to Estonia’s Doctoral Conference (27-29 June 2023).

Professor Jens Hölscher had received an invitation to be an international advisor, including a guest lecture and workshop. He provided specialist feedback critique guidance for thirty early researchers and PhD researchers, designed to enhance research project skills. Estonia, a developing country had stated its goals: learning from important connection opportunities for academic contacts with well-known leading international researchers. Professor Jens Hölscher, has over 140 economics finance business publications – journals and multimedia sources – listed on ResearchGate alone and is co-editor of Palgrave’s (Macmillan’s Global Publishing) book series “Studies in Economic Transition”.

Professor Jens Hölscher’s 2023 lecture highlights are: “taking stock of the experiences of over 30 years of economic transition and attempts to identify successes and failures with regards to both, theory, and policy. The motivation is driven by the prospect that lessons might be learned for the future not only for transition countries but for emerging markets in general. This lecture proceeds by looking at concepts of transition with the benefit of hindsight. As there is widespread agreement now that the original concept of the ‘Washington Consensus’ has failed to fulfil expectations of growth and development, the state of the art seems to be confusion. The role of the state in a market economy appears to experience a renaissance.”

The Doctoral School in Economics and Innovation states that it is a partnership between University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn University, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonian Business School and Bank of Estonia in Eastern Europe. It is financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the institutional package measure for R&D institutions and higher education institutions (ASTRA). To put it into perspective, this Doctoral School is situated on the edge of the eastern flank of Eastern Europe, with Estonia recently rising to be an emerging economy with increasing high European firm productivity (a population of 1.3 million, global size rank 156) with lessons for the developed West.

Professor Jens Hölscher’s experiences included: driving from BU to Berlin then Kiel, sailing twenty hours to Klaipeda/Lithuania, driving beyond the Riga bridges/Latvia then onwards to the remote rural lakes south of peaceful Tallinn/Estonia (a round trip of 4000 km) to make a difference to researchers. His choice to sail, circum-navigated midway a sudden outbreak of civil Russian war near the borders, with an increased land and air military presence, coinciding with nearby preparations of the thirty-one members of NATO, and the EU, for the nearby Vilnius Summit, Lithuania, on 11–12 July 2023.

An Independent report follow-up post conference report by Fiona ‘Stewart’ Vidler MBA MSc MLIBF BUBS on her BUBS AFE Advisor’s topical relevant latest contributions to research on economic transition, emerging market economies, trade, institutions, firm productivity, SMEs and access to finance in 2023.

November 3, 2023

New health policy paper published this week

BU research, Featured academics, Global engagement, international, mrc, open access, Publishing, Research news, Uncategorized, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

This week the Nepal Federal Health System Team published its latest paper the international journal Health Research Policy & Systems [1]. This Open Access paper ‘Overcoming the challenges facing Nepal’s health system during federalisation: an analysis of health system building blocks‘ reports on two separate methods: interviews and participatory policy analysis workshops, to offer an in-depth understanding of stakeholders’ practical learning, experiences, and opinions. Participants included policymakers, health service providers, local elected members, and other local stakeholders. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated into English, and analysed thematically using the six WHO (World Health Organization) health system building blocks [2] as its theoretical framework.

Wasti et al. found that participants noted both opportunities and challenges around each building block. Identified opportunities were: (a) tailored local health policies and plans, (b) improved health governance at the municipality level, (c) improved health infrastructure and service capacity, (d) improved outreach services, (e) increased resources (health budgets, staffing, and supplies), and (f) improved real-time data reporting from health facilities. At the same time, several challenges were identified including: (a) poor coordination between the tiers of government, (b) delayed release of funds, (c) maldistribution of staff, (d) problems over procurement, and (e) limited monitoring and supervision of the quality of service delivery and data reporting.

The paper concludes that since federalisation, Nepal’s health system performance is improving, although much remains to be accomplished. For Nepal to succeed in its federalisation process, understanding the challenges and opportunities is vital to improving each level of the health system in terms of (a) leadership and governance, (b) service delivery, (c) health financing, (d) health workforce, (e) access to essential medicines and technologies and (f) health information system.

This publication is the fourth one originating from our Nepal Federal Health System Project, our major collaborative project examining the consequences for the health system of Nepal’s move to a federal government structure [2-5]. This is a joint project (2020-2024) led by the University of Sheffield and in collaboration with Bournemouth University, the University of Huddersfield, Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS) and PHASE Nepal. This longitudinal interdisciplinary study is funded by the UK Health Systems Research Initiative [Grant ref. MR/T023554/1].

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

References:

Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E.,Rushton, S., Subedi, M., Simkhada, P., Balen, J. for the Nepal Federal Health System Team (2023) Overcoming the Challenges Facing Nepal’s Health System During Federalisation: An Analysis of Health System Building Blocks, Health Research Policy & Systems 21(117) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-023-01033-2
World Health Organization (2007) Everybody’s business: strengthening health systems to improve health outcomes. WHO’s Framework for Action. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Sapkota, S., Panday, S., Wasti, S.P., Lee, A., Balen, J., van Teijlingen, E., Rushton, S., Subedi, M., Gautam, S., Karki., J., Adhikary, P., Marahatta, S., Simkhada, P., for the Nepal Federal Health System Team (2022) Health System Strengthening: The Role of Public Health in Federal Nepal, Journal of the Nepal Public Health Association 7(1):36-42.
Adhikary, P., Balen, J., Gautam, S., Ghimire, S., Karki, J., Lee, A.C.K., Marahatta, S.B., Panday, S., Pohl, G., Rushton, S., Sapkota, S., Simkhada, P.P., Subedi, M., van Teijlingen, E. for the Nepal Federal Health System team (2020) The COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal: Emerging evidence on the effectiveness of action by, and cooperation between, different levels of government in a federal system, Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences 3 (3): 1-11.
Rushton, S., Pandey, S., van Teijlingen, E., Subedi, M., Balen, J., Karki, J., Simkhada, P. on behalf of the Nepal Federal Health System Team (2021) An Investigation into the Impact of Decentralization on the Health System of Nepal. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 7(1): 3–14. https://doi.org/10.3126/jmmihs.v7i1.43146

November 2, 2023

New publication on positionality

Featured academics, Global engagement, international, PG research, Publishing, Research news, student research, Uncategorized, Women's Academic Network, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Today the journal Health Prospect published Raksha Thapa’s paper ‘Researching Dalits and health care: Considering positionality’ [1]. This methodological paper is based on Dr. Raksha Thapa’s recently completed BU project on caste-based inequity in health care utilization in Nepal, particularly focusing on people at the bottom of the caste hierarchy, commonly known as Dalit communities. Her PhD study was supervised by Dr. Pramod Regmi, Principal Academic in the Department of Nursing Sciences, Prof. Vanessa Heaslip Professor of Nursing and Healthcare Equity at the University of Salford and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen in the Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health. This is the third paper from her PhD work; the first one was published in the Journal of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences [2] and the second one in the Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health [3].

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen & Dr. Pramod Regmi

FHSS

References:

Thapa, R., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Heaslip, V. (2023) Researching Dalits and health care: Considering positionality, Health Prospect 21(1): 6-8.
Thapa, R., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Heaslip, V. (2018) Uptake of Health Services by People from the Dalit Community, Journal of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences 1(2): 1-6.
Thapa, R., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Heaslip, V. (2021) Caste Exclusion and Health Discrimination in South Asia: A Systematic Review, Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health 33(8):828-838.

November 1, 2023

Join a team in BU’s inaugural Ocean Hackathon – 17-19 November 2023

Business Engagement, Global engagement, Industry collaboration, international, Knowledge Exchange, Uncategorized amorrison

Would you or your students like to join a multi-skilled team from academia and business to hack solutions to local issues affecting the ocean?

Join us at BU’s Ocean Hackathon, part of a global event across 14 locations worldwide that gives teams 48 hours to create solutions to local issues affecting the oceans. The Hackathon will begin late afternoon on Friday 17th November 2023, and conclude on Sunday 19th November 2023. The winning teams from each location will come together in Brest, France for the Grand Finale in December 2023.

We are currently seeking team members to take part, ‘hacking’ solutions to our local challenges. We’d be particularly grateful if academic colleagues can encourage their students at all levels to participate and stress how great it would look on their CVs. Anyone can join a team, including students, academics, and local businesses. Participants with expertise in sustainability, and/or skills in coding, AI, data analysis and business development are actively encouraged to join a team.

Six challenges have been set for Bournemouth teams to solve. They are:
• A mobile app designed to geo-tag data to track marine plastics and litter
• Monitoring coastal cliffs through the use of AI
• Predicting migration times of bats and birds across the English Channel from meteorological data
• Decoupling sewage ‘overflow’ spills from emerging contaminants in water courses
• The possibility for seaweed farms and wind farms to work together for sustainability
• An interactive tool for the identification of marine life.

Full details of the Bournemouth challenges can be found on the Ocean Hackathon website.

Registrants will be placed in multi-disciplinary teams with the expertise to be able to solve the challenges submitted. At the end of the Hackathon, a judging panel will crown the team with the best solution as winners, who will then go on to represent Bournemouth at the Grand Finale in Brest, France in December 2023.

Participating individuals must be available for the entirety of the Hackathon, which will take place in Bournemouth University’s Bournemouth Gateway Building, Lansdowne Campus. Food and drink will be provided throughout the weekend.

For more information about the event, and to register, visit the Ocean Hackathon website, or contact the Global Engagement Hub at globalbu@bournemouth.ac.uk.

October 29, 2023

BU Live with Kyiv, Germany, USA Institutes for Transition Economics – Productivity of Firms Labour Academia

BU research, BU2025, Global engagement, Research communication fvidler

‘Innovation and Productivity of Firms, Labour, and Academia in Times of Violence’ was the most relevant session. Kyiv (Ukraine) had assessed academia output publications with R&D as a measure of productivity for national innovation, showing the impacts of conflict. Then the USA attempted to quantify impacts of variables for the Mexican Drug War effects upon manufacturing firm productivity. Presentations were given on the complex global geopolitical issues of Ukraine reconstruction. This online economics IZA workshop with EACES, presented research productivity models and rationale for causal impacts, with attending international researcher collaborations: including IZA, IOS, Ifo, BiB, EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) and ISET(Georgia). The Chairman concluded this event was one of the best in its field for 2023.

Labor Markets and Innovation during Times of War and Reconstruction (iza.org)

The initial need is for BU (post-2022 global events) to develop the BUBS existing relationship engagements and build new connections for managing transition economics and shaping the presentation of future BU key empirical analyses on firm productivity in transition economies. So, to achieve its future international research outputs end 2024/2025 – ultimately aligning with BU 2025 strategies for international publications and KE.
Fiona ‘Stewart’ Vidler MBA MSc MLIBF BUBS – her independent report on this event –
on behalf of her two BU AFE advisors, both published in IZA Policy Papers 2019: Professor Jens Hölscher (member, past president of EACES) and Dr Peter Howard-Jones (EACES best thesis award winner 2021 BU with institutional economist links to LSE, London School of Economics).

Follow Link for full details. Note: Photos (faces/names) use on all media is fully approved by organisers appearing with abstracts, papers, you tube recordings – credit source links from Germany: IZA (Institute of Labour Economics) and as an event from EACES (European Association for Comparative Economics Studies) online global workshop conference (27-28 October 2023).

October 20, 2023

Prestigious research exchange award

Awarded & submitted bids, BU research, BU2025, Featured, Featured academics, Global engagement, Impact, innovation, international, Publishing, Research news Zulfiqar Khan

Professor Khan has been recently awarded prestigious research exchange funding by Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. Tsinghua University ranks 1^s^t in Asia and 12^th World Ranking and 9^th World Reputation. The collaboration between Professor Khan and Professor Yonggang Meng of Tsinghua University has been in place since 2009-2010 and has resulted in multiple exchange visits and academic achievements. Building on his ongoing collaborative research with Tsinghua University, which is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of PR China and Global Visiting Fellowship Award from Bournemouth University, has led another output which has been accepted for publication in Tribology Letters, a solid quartile one journal in mechanical engineering. This recent collaborative work offers valuable insights into the mechanisms of achieving super low friction in liquid-lubricated sliding point contacts. Its potential applications in various industries and contributions to academic understanding make it a significant endeavour with far-reaching impacts.

The central question being explored by Professors Khan and Meng, along with their research teams, is the key to achieving super low friction in water-based ultralow or super low friction experiments. This question carries significant importance for both academia and industry.

In academia, understanding the factors that influence super low friction can advance our knowledge of friction reduction mechanisms. This research contributes to the academic understanding of this critical field and can serve as a foundation for further investigations.

In the industrial context, the impacts are substantial. Achieving super low friction has the potential to improve the efficiency of mechanical components and reduce energy consumption in various industries. This knowledge will lead to the development of more efficient machinery and systems, saving resources and costs for industries.

October 16, 2023

Interview with BU’s Dr. Nirmal Aryal in main Nepalese newspaper

BU research, Featured academics, Global engagement, Impact, international, Research communication, Research news, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

Dr. Nirmal Aryal, who is a part-time researcher in the Department of Nursing Sciences, was interviewed in Nepal by a journalist for Kantipur, the largest Nepali-language newspaper of the country. Nirmal was interviewed after our successful research dissemination events last week in both the capital Kathmandu and in Janakpur (in the south of Nepal). These dissemination programmes reported on a study into the risk of kidney damage in Nepalese migrant workers. This study, led by Bournemouth University’s Dr. Pramod Regmi,was funded by The Colt Foundation in the UK. Dr. Nirmal Aryal is also research associate in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Research Unit of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

The interview with Nirmal Aryal in Nepali can be read online, click here!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

October 16, 2023

PhD training workshop in Kathmandu

Featured academics, Global engagement, international, Publishing, Research news, Research Training, Uncategorized, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Yesterday (Sunday 15th October) Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen from BU’s Department of Midwifery and Health Sciences presented a PhD Thesis Writing Workshop at Tribhuvan University (TU), the largest and oldest university in Nepal. The session was organised by Prof. Dr. Bhimsen Devkota in the Graduate School of Education, he is also Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences at BU. Prof. Devkota is currently also involved in a major grant application to the NIHR. This application is together with colleagues in Pakistan and led by Prof. Vanora Hundly in the Department of Midwifery and Health Sciences.

Most people, including students, in Nepal only have one day, Saturday off as weekend. So teaching on a Sunday is normal here. As you would expect from an audience of largely PhD students, during and at the end of the session there was a very good range of very good questions. The teaching session was also an opportunity to promote our textbook ACADEMIC WRITING AND PUBLISHING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL SCIENCES. This book was published April last year in Kathmandu.

October 12, 2023

Dr Alina Dolea thanked by UK Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit

BU research, BU2025, COVID-19, Fusion, humanities, Impact, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team, policy, Public engagement, Research Centres, Uncategorized edolea

Dr. Alina Dolea, Associate Professor in Strategic Communication and Public Diplomacy and Deputy Head of Department in Humanities and Law, received a letter of thanks from the UK Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit (MSOICU).

Dr. Dolea contributed with expertise and insights from her research on Romanian diaspora community in the UK to the Romanian and Roma Cultural Resource, a deliverable that MSOICU developed for the Home Office. In addition, on September 13, 2023 she delivered the webinar for the launch of the resource together with a Romanian NGO representative and a Romanian police officer in the UK, a format that was considered very successful.

There were over 80 police officers in the pilot webinar – the handout and the recording of the webinar have been since shared with all police force modern slavery leads and related stakeholders.

For the handout and the webinar, Dr. Dolea provided a historical background on the formation of the Romanian nation and the Romanian Roma community (including their discrimination and Holocaust during WW2), key aspects of Romanian and Roma cultures (language, religion, family life).

She explained the main reasons for emigration and the emotional costs of migration, the issue of lack of trust in authorities, but also trust in each other (fractured during Communism).

She also provided recommendations for communicating and engaging with Romanian and Roma victims or potential victims of modern slavery and organized immigration crime, as well as a list of further readings that were incorporated in the final documents.

October 9, 2023

Dissemination kidney-disease research Kathmandu

BU research, Events, Featured academics, Global engagement, international, policy, Research communication, Research news, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

Yesterday, Sunday 8th October we held an event in the capital of Nepal to disseminate the findings of our study of the kidney health of Nepalese migrant workers working abroad. The study included 718 migrants and 725 non-migrants from Dhanusha district which has the highest number of labour migrants working abroad. Our study found that 5.8 % of our migrant samples had some sign of kidney injury compared to non-migrants (3.6%). The study also reported other lifestyle risk factors in migrants than non migrants. Labour migration has become an integral part of Nepali society, over a quarter of the country’s national income is from remunerations, i.e. workers sending money home from abroad. It is therefore important to measure and record these problems related to kidney health to get policymakers and other relevant stakeholders to implement culturally adapted and feasible interventions to promote healthy lifestyle and improve working conditions.

This mixed-methods study adopted Disadvantaged Populations eGFR Epidemiology Study (DEGREE) protocol which combines a questionnaire around living and working conditions abroad with biological measurements. This study, funded by the UK-based Colt Foundation, is the first of its kind in Nepal. The BU team comprises Dr. Pramod Regmi, Principal Academic and Dr. Nirmal Aryal, Postdoctoral Researcher, both in the Department of Nursing Science, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, in the Department of Midwifery & Health Sciences. This event yesterday in Hotel Radisson in Kathmandu was first of two dissemination events, the second one will on Wednesday 11 October in the fieldwork area. In Kathmandu some 45-50 people attended including on of the regional ministers of Labour, Employment & Transport.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

October 6, 2023

Training on federalisation in Nepal

BU research, Featured academics, Global engagement, Impact, international, Public engagement, Research communication, Research news, Training, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

Today our collaborators Drs Sujata Sapkota and Sujan Gautam from Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS) organised and ran another training and orientation session for Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) in a hotel in Kathmandu. The discussions in Nepali in today’s session are very lively with great participation from guest trainers as well as from the FCHVs. Many FCHVs are worried about their changing roles, and even the potential disappearance of the role.

The sessions with FCHVs are crucial capacity building as part of our interdisciplinary study ‘The impact of federalisation on Nepal’s health system: a longitudinal analysis’. I had the pleasure of saying a few words about our international project which started in 2020 and will run to 2024. It is funded by the Health System Research Initiative, a UK collaboration between three funders: the MRC (Medical research Council), the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and the Welcome Trust. The research team includes researchers from MMIHS (Kathmandu), and PHASE Nepal (Bhaktapur), the University of Sheffield, Bournemouth University, and the University of Huddersfield (the three original UK co-applicants), and researchers now based at the University of Greenwich, the University of Essex and Canterbury Christ Church University.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

October 5, 2023

Non-code sharing: Academic travel

BU research, Featured academics, Global engagement, research methods, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

Selective Travel offers interesting combinations of airlines to fly to far away destinations. This is great as it offers staff the opportunity to seek out the cheapest flight combination or the one with the shortest stop-over time, especially when traveling on research project funded by charities. What is not always clear is that these airlines in in your deal don’t share codes, as I found out at Heathrow two yesterday when I checked in for a my flight to Nepal. This trip to Nepal is part of The Colt Foundation study into the risk of kidney disease in Nepalese migrant workers. The first leg was with British Airways (BA) to Delhi and the onward flight was with Air India to Kathmandu. I could not check in online nor on one of the machines at Heathrow as BA treated this as a flight to India and I have no visa for India. I needed to queue thrice to speak to BA staff member who could check me in to Delhi, she also informed me that Air India and British Airways don’t code share, and I should get my onward ticket in Delhi. However, she could check in my luggage and send it on to Kathmandu! Arriving in Delhi I was told at the transfer desk for Air India that my ticket was not ready yet, as my luggage had to be located. after I told the guy my BA story. Luckily I had a stop-over of five hours, because after an hour or so there was still no sign of y ticket. It finally arrived a little later, and luckily I have traveled often enough in South Asia not to be worried by delays in paperwork, bureaucratic procedures, and the simple statement; “You have to wait, Sir”.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMWH

October 2, 2023

Panel Discussion on Research Challenges for Resilient and Responsible Collaborative Networks: Insights from Bournemouth University

BRIAN, BU research, EU, Impact, Public engagement, Publishing, Research news lxu2012

Dr. Paul de Vrieze had the honor of serving as an international scientific expert in a panel discussion on “Research Challenges for Resilient and Responsible Collaborative Networks” at PRO-VE 2023, which took place on September 28, 2023. In collaboration with Dr. Lai Xu, Dr. de Vrieze shared insights into the scientific challenges surrounding resilient and responsible collaborative networks.

Scientific Panel of Research Challenges for Resilient and Responsible Collaborative Networks

Dr Paul de Vrieze as a International Scientific Expert for Scientific Panel of Research Challenges for Resilient and Responsible Collaborative Networks

Our research, conducted as part of the EU FIRST project, uncovered critical areas where businesses and organisations face challenges in adapting to the digital landscape. Despite the increasing digitisation of interactions and the transformation of informal collaborations into collaborative networks, SMEs still lack a comprehensive digital understanding and capability.

Our perspective on the scientific challenges in achieving more resilient and responsible collaborative networks includes:

How to effectively measure the resilience, execution, performance, and environmental impacts of collaborative networks?
Strategies for monitoring and enforcing invariants within collaborative networks.
Leveraging prediction and simulation techniques to enhance system quality.
Bridging the gap between laboratory-based collaborative networks and practical implementation.
Ensuring the security of collaborative networks in an increasingly digital world.

During the PRO-VE 2023 conference, Dr. de Vrieze also presented our work on “Securing Collaborative Networks: Requirements for Supporting Secured Collaborative Processes.” This research aims to address the vital need for securing collaborative processes within these dynamic networks.

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