Category / Knowledge Exchange

Masterclass: Writing for Policy and Building your Online Profile – 7th September

Knowledge Exchange

This is a free online event for academics interested in policy engagement, run by Showrunner Communications on 7th September, 13:00-15:00. You can sign up via Eventbrite.

During this session, participants will learn to write for policy stakeholders, including advice on drafting comment articles and blogs, and Select Committee and Government consultation responses.

This session will also focus on building participants’ professional social media profiles and emphasising their expertise online.

Showrunner’s training workshops build the understanding and skills that academics need to effectively achieve policy impact throughout their careers.

This session will be delivered by Nicky Hobbs and Jennifer Harrison, who are communications, policy, and education specialists, in partnership with Showrunner Communications and the Future Leaders Fellows Development Network.

Jennifer Harrison

Jennifer has a distinctive track record within the fields of policy, public affairs, and communications, on behalf of national and local government, the voluntary and community sector, and higher education. Her work has been used by think tanks and policy institutes, directly influenced legislative and policy change, and has represented policy interests at the highest level, including meetings with ministers, in regional and national media, and at parliamentary inquiries.

Jennifer was Durham University’s first policy engagement lead, working with academics to successfully achieve REF and societal impact. This included helping to secure the first ever parliamentary inquiry into urban soil health, securing changes to criminal justice legislation, and campaigning to end irresponsible lending practices that exacerbate poverty. She has been Chair of the Russell Group Political Affairs Network and has contributed widely to thought leadership across the sector, including policy blogs and conference speaking engagements focusing on the nature of policy engagement and research impact.

Nicky Hobbs

Nicky is a communications and engagement leader with over two decades of experience, Nicky has run programmes and led teams for multiple private and public sector organisations.

Nicky has led award-winning communications departments in two Russell Group universities; UCL and Queen Mary and stakeholder engagement at a Government department. At Queen Mary, Nicky led communications for the ground-breaking City of London Institute of Technology which opened in 2022. As a consultant, she has led engagement campaigns for multiple social enterprises and charities and has significant expertise in developing high-impact digital content with a focus on higher and further education.

 

BU case study included in knowledge exchange repository shared by Knowledge Exchange Concordat

Knowledge Exchange

The Knowledge Exchange Concordat (KEC) Advisory and Operational group has produced a repository of resources to support higher education providers improve their knowledge exchange (KE) practices.

The repository has been created in partnership with the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) and features good and innovative practice in knowledge exchange across eight different KE principles, including a set of toolkits and guides available for use by HE institutions.

BU’s IP Policy, Research Intellectual Property Strategy and Evaluation Committee (RIPSEC), and the IP commercialisation management framework are among the case studies being shared. Our approach was chosen specifically as an example of good practice and innovation in the sector.

The repository, which includes a set of knowledge exchange toolkits and guides available for use by higher education institutions, will be launched at the KEC Repository of Good Practice Launch event tomorrow (20th July 2023).

The event will be hosted on Zoom between 10am-11:15am. Lesley Hutchins, Research Commercialisation Manager at BU, will be a guest speaker at the event. You can register for the event on the Knowledge Exchange Concordat website.

Read the BU case study – Research and Intellectual Property (IP) Policy

Filming day for the DEALTS2 instructional video for dementia trainers

Fusion, Knowledge Exchange

Try to imagine living with dementia. Now consider how it might feel caring for a person with dementia. Both concepts are challenging to imagine. However, understanding such concepts is key to improving the delivery of care.  

On 27th June 2023, the cameras were rolling live on Lansdowne Campus at Bournemouth University. Dr Michelle Heward and Director Jon Nichols (Jon Nichols Video Production) were filming a train-the-trainer video designed to support those wishing to use the Dementia Education and Learning Through Simulation 2 (DEALTS2) toolkit confidentially in their own training. The DEALTS2 programme, commissioned by Health Education England, is a training package that uses simulation-based activities to place staff into the shoes of a person with dementia. 

Social care providers including Managers, Support Workers, and Developmental Leads who deliver dementia training to staff in their care homes, day centres, and home care services across Dorset came in to receive training and were filmed for the video. There was a fantastic buzz as everyone arrived welcoming the opportunity to “refresh their dementia knowledge” and were excited to “gain new ideas to deliver dementia training”.  

Delivered wonderfully by Dr Michelle Heward, the training was enjoyed by all especially during the simulation activities. These scenario activities included cost-effective and fun tasks such as making origami swans with varying levels of challenging instructions, some deliberately frustrating! Designed to stimulate understanding of living with dementia to inform the care provided, the tasks were considered as “helpful”, “informative”, and “thought provoking and relevant to their service and carers”.  

After a reinvigorating day filming, care providers were “excited to go away and use the DEALTS2 training” and felt “confident” in delivery of the “excellent” resources. It was fantastic to hear most organisations are hoping to use the DEALTS2 resources within their own organisations in the next few months.  

Thanks to everyone who came along, agreed to be filmed, and helped produce the train-the-trainer video. Everyone did an amazing job and appeared unfazed by the camera during the demands of film production. Thanks also to Harry the boom operator and local actors Alex, Samuel, Rae, Amelia, and Nora who supported the day. The DEALTS2 train-the-trainer video was only possible with all your help. Currently in the editing process, watch this space to see how everyone got on!

For more information or to access the DEALTS2 training programme please visit: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/dementia-awareness/dementia-education-learning-through-simulation-2  

Lyndsey Bradley, BSc final year undergraduate
Research Assistant
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences 

Ageing and Dementia Research Forum – 29th June – Digital Health Coaching DIALOR

Fusion themes, Knowledge Exchange

Details of the next ADRC ageing and dementia research forum are listed below. The forum is an opportunity for staff and PhD students to get together to chat about research and share experiences in a safe and supportive environment. Specific topics are discussed but there is also time for open discussion to mull over aspects of research such as project ideas and planning, ethical considerations and patient and public involvement.

Date, time, and campus Research areas
29th June 2023

15.00-15.45

BG601, Bournemouth Gateway

Lansdowne Campus

 ‘Digital health coaching for older people with frailty in Wessex (DIALOR) ’Rachel Christie

If you would like to discuss your research ideas at a future meeting, please email Michelle mheward@bournemouth.ac.uk

We look forward to seeing you there.

Ageing and Dementia Research Centre