Latest research and knowledge exchange news at Bournemouth University
Kieron Flanagan in The Guardian has written an article on proposed changes to the structure of the Research Councils.
The article focuses on why funding cuts are not the only thing that should worry scientists. Plans to put all research funding in England into a single body should also be of concern, and will raise eyebrows in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Read the full article here.
David Matthews wrote an article in the THE on the fall in success rates at the research councils.
In 2014-15, there were 7,780 applications to research councils, according to calculations by Times Higher Education, a 12 per cent increase on the year before despite efforts to deter weaker bids.
Success rates fell at five out of six councils, halving in the case of the Economic and Social Research Council to just 12 per cent (the Science and Technology Facilities Council was excluded from the analysis).
The overall success rate dropped by half a percentage point to just under 28 per cent, and would have fallen much further had it not been for an “abnormally” high level of funding in 2014-15 at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, where success rates shot up.
Read the whole article here, including a useful table of success rates for each research council.
Asian-Pacific Journal of Public Health published an editorial with Dr. Pramod Regmi as its first author. The editorial ‘Importance of Health and Social Care Research into Gender and Sexual Minority Populations in Nepal.’ The authors argue that despite progressive legislative developments and increased visibility of sexual and gender minority populations in the general population, mass media often report that this population face a wide range of discrimination and inequalities. LGBT (lesbian, gay, and bisexual, and transgender) populations have not been considered as priority research populations in Nepal.
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
CMMPH
Reference:
Regmi, R.R., van Teijlingen, E. Importance of Health and Social Care Research into Gender and Sexual Minority Populations in Nepal
Asia Pac J Public Health 2015 27: 806–808,
Back in July, I Chaired a Pre-Award Review meeting to discuss a number of recommendations put forward by DDRPPs and as a result of feedback received through the pre-award surveys that are sent to academics who have submitted applications within the last year. The meeting included Professor John Fletcher, Professor Christine Maggs, Professor Vanora Hundley, Dr Richard Berger, Dr Richard Shipway, Deborah Wakely, Kelly Deacon-Smith, Zita Lovaszy and Kerri Jones. Professor Robert Britton also contributed written feedback on the recommendations.
One of the recommendations was to change the way we carry out peer review at BU.
There was a strong message from academics that it should be their responsibility to ensure that their application is of the highest quality before it is submitted to an external funder. Therefore, it was agreed that faculties would manage their own peer review and determine at what level this will be provided. Whilst there may now be slight differences to the peer review options available in each faculty, they all have quality approvers, some have mentors available, and all of them emphasise that RPRS is still available through RKEO, as is the use of a RKEO Research Facilitator to assist with development of an application. It is now the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to ensure that a form of peer review/ quality approval is carried out on their application. Through an APF request sent by RKEO, the Principal Investigator will be asked to confirm what type of peer review has been undertaken and by whom and to confirm that the content is correct (including costs agreed with RKEO). An application cannot be submitted until the PI has confirmed that it is ready to go. Applicants applying through e-submission routes (such as Je-S, e-GAP, etc.) should note that they still have to submit a final application to RKEO five working days before a call closing date. This enables RKEO to carry out thorough checks in line with funder guidance to ensure that your application isn’t rejected due to a technicality.
To clarify, this means that it is no longer mandatory for any applications to go through the internal peer review process known as RPRS. However, as said above, this service is still available through RKEO. Also, RKEO will no longer administer the quality approval process as this will be the responsibility of the PI.
RKEO have been working over the summer to finalise new Intention to Bid forms with each Faculty, which sets out the peer review options for applicants and provides a list of quality approvers for that faculty. Please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer for the new Intention to Bid form:
More information on the other recommendations will be publicised in due course. If you have any queries about the new process then please contact Jo Garrad, Funding Development Manager, RKEO.
RKEO were proud to watch Dr Jennifer Roddis, Research Facilitator, RKEO, graduate yesterday as Doctor of Philosophy. Jenny has worked incredibly hard to achieve her PhD whilst working full-time at the same time. Jenny’s PhD explored perspectives and understanding of living with a long-term condition, specifically asthma or thrombophilia, from the point of view of affected individuals. She identified some interesting findings from the study, including identifying some of the reasons that individuals stop taking their medication and how they learn about their condition.
Well done Jenny!
This week saw publication of a new CMMPH paper in BMC Health Services Research. This methodological paper ‘Assessing the performance of maternity care in Europe: a critical exploration of tools and indicators‘ is a collaboration between several European maternity-care researchers based in Spain (Ramón Escuriet, Fatima Leon-Larios), Belgium (Katrien Beeckman), Northern Ireland (Marlene Sinclair), the UK (Lucy Firth, Edwin van Teijlingen), Switzerland ( Christine Loytved, Ans Luyben) and Portugal (Joanna White). Dr. Ans Luyben is also Visiting Faculty in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences at Bournemouth University. The underlying work was supported by the European Union through a COST Action called Childbirth Cultures, Concerns, and Consequences headed by Prof. Soo Downe at the University of Central Lancashire. COST is seen by the EU as an important tool in building and supporting the European Research Area (ERA).
This paper critically reviews published tools and indicators currently used to measure maternity care performance within Europe, focusing particularly on whether and how current approaches enable systematic appraisal of processes of minimal (or non-) intervention in support of physiological or “normal birth”.
The authors conclude: “The review identified an emphasis on technical aspects of maternity, particularly intrapartum care in Europe, rather than a consideration of the systematic or comprehensive measurement of care processes contributing to non-intervention and physiological (normal) birth. It was also found that the links between care processes and outcomes related to a normal mode of birth are not being measured.”
Professor Edwin van Teijlingen
CMMPH
Professor Tom Watson of the Faculty of Media & Communication has been appointed to the Academic Advisory Panel of AMEC (the Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication). He joins six other leading communication measurement and evaluation researchers from Australia, Germany, UK and US. The Panel is chaired by Professor Jim Macnamara of the University of Technology Sydney.
The panel’s role is to “provide expert advice and input to AMEC in relation to research methodology and methods, education and learning, and standards”.
“The measurement of public relations and corporate communication is an important and perennial professional issue,” said Professor Watson. “AMEC is the international body for the communication measurement sector and includes all the major media measurement suppliers in more than 30 countries.”
Professor Watson’s co-authored book (with Paul Noble), Evaluating Public Relations is now in its third edition. “Increasingly, there is a shift from measurement to evaluation, with the understanding of the value created through communication becoming a critical issue for communicators. In the book’s latest edition, we focused more on concepts of value. Creating world-wide standards on value is becoming more important and so the AMEC initiative to create this high-level link between research and practice is very timely.
The AHRC is seeking people that are interested in research careers and training in the arts and humanities, to replace several members on the Research Careers and Training Advisory Group (RCTAG). Potential candidates should have an active interest in research career development issues, relating to both careers in academia and in wider sectors.
AHRC are looking to recruit:
In determining membership of the Group, the AHRC will ensure that a range of institutions and subjects is covered, though it does not expect individual members to represent their institution or subject.
The AHRC’s RCTAG was established in January 2013 and provides advice on postgraduate support and career development for researchers, and on future strategy in these areas.
The Terms of Reference for the Group are as follows:
The Group reports to the AHRC’s Advisory Board. Its advice forms the basis of policy development within the AHRC. Membership of the Group is for an initial period of two years, and will commence from 1 January 2016. The Group normally meets three times a year (twice as a Group and an annual meeting with the Network). Members are also consulted on issues outside of the formal meetings.
To be considered for membership of RCTAG, please complete the online form here: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/RCTAG_2015/, also uploading a CV (maximum two-sides), and submit these by Friday 6 November 2015. A CV exceeding the page length will render the application ineligible.
Applications will be considered on the basis of the case that applicants have made for their potential contribution to the group and how well this is supported by the applicant’s experience in this area. In reaching a decision on the composition of the Group, the AHRC will consider not only the individual strengths of applicants, but also the balance of expertise and equality of representation, including regional coverage.
All applicants must have an interest in, understanding of, and engagement with researcher development issues at the postgraduate and/or postdoctoral level and beyond. There are a variety of ways in which this can be demonstrated, which will depend on the capacity in which applicants are proposing to join the Group.
The AHRC will be looking for some evidence of engagement with these issues, whether this is through a formal or professional role at an institution, or through membership of a body concerned with researcher development matters. They do not wish to be prescriptive about the type of activities that applicants might include as they are open to a variety of experience that might demonstrate an active interest and engagement with researcher development.
MRC have just released their Policy and Engagement chapter of their Outputs Report, which comprises of examples where MRC-supported researchers have influenced policy and have been involved in public engagement. This is one in a series of chapters making up the 2014/15 Outputs, outcomes and impact of MRC research report.
Click here for a summary of the topics covered or here for the full report. This is really interesting to see what MRC are funding and the potential impact of research.
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) are developing ideas about the next phase of AHRC funded studentships, which will recruit students from October 2019. As part of this process they are looking for the arts and humanities community to reflect and comment on their proposals.
Find out more here including how you can participate.
There is still time for you to attend our Research Professional visit taking place on the 3rd Nov and get expert help with setting up your personal account and searches!
Every BU academic has a Research Professional account which delivers weekly emails detailing funding opportunities in their broad subject area. Jordan Graham from Research Professional is visiting BU on the 3rd of November 2015 to demonstrate to academics and staff how to make the most of their Research Professional account.
This will include:
Location and the session timings are:
Talbot campus P424
10.15 – 11.15 – Research Professional presentation
11.15 – 11.45 – RKEO interactive session setting up searches
Lansdowne campus S103
13.30 – 14.30 – Research Professional presentation
14.30 – 15.00 – RKEO interactive session setting up searches
After the presentation, the RKEO Funding Development Team will be on hand for an interactive session where they will help you set up your Research Professional account, searches and offer advice from a BU perspective.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about funding opportunities and to meet the Funding Development Team, particularly if you are new to BU.
Please reserve your place now at a BU Campus to suit through Organisational Development
The British Academy will be one of the partners of a major inquiry into the future of public service television, chaired by Lord Puttnam.
The Inquiry, www.futureoftv.org.uk, which is based at the Media and Communications department, Goldsmiths, University of London, is set up to consider the nature, purpose and role of public service television today and into the future. It aims to address ways in which public service content can be most effectively nurtured taking into consideration a growing range of services, platforms and funding models. More details can be found here.
There is an exciting opportunity to attend a free event where you can join a panel of policymakers and practitioners as they take on this hotly debated topic to consider how this British institution should be funded. Details are as follows:
Tuesday 15 December 2015, 6-7.30pm
The British Academy, 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH
Chaired by Lord (David) Puttnam, former Deputy Chairman of Channel 4 (2006-12)
Confirmed speakers:
Greg Dyke, former Director-General of the BBC (2000-4)
Claire Enders, founder, Enders Analysis
Brian Eno, musician and producer; delivered the BBC Music John Peel Lecture 2015
More details and how to register can be found here. 
Prof. Lee Miles and Dr. Lenia Marques presented their latest research outcomes at the ATLAS (Association for Tourism and Leisure Education) annual conference, which took place in Lisbon (Portugal), between 20-23 October 2015.
In this international encounter, the topics and discussion were around the umbrella theme of “Risk in travel and tourism: Geographies, behaviours and strategies”.
Prof. Lee Miles, representing the Disaster Management Centre developed further contact and cooperation with scholars of tourism by presenting two papers at the conference. The first single authored paper was on “Integrating Crisis Management and Tourism? Key Roles for Policy Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurial Resilience?” that represents an area of major research development at BUDMC. This was followed by an additional paper, co-authored with colleague Richard Gordon, that explored conceptualising blame wars during and after the onset of disasters affecting the tourist sector, entitled “Blame Games and Meaning Making: Influencing Decision-Making on Disasters for Tourist Destinations”.
Dr. Lenia Marques participated in an ATLAS SIG (special interest group) meeting with a focus on events, which she has been part of since its foundation in 2011. In this meeting, she presented the first results of a joint research project with Maria Podesta, researcher at the Politecnico di Milano (Italy). The paper analysed how knowledge-based events are playing a strategic role in place-making. This topic relates closely to the challenges policy-makers and the events sector are currently facing in developing relationships between urban development and social cohesion.
The papers led to fruitful discussions and the conference was also a good opportunity for networking activities.
BU Professor Ann Brooks has been made a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS).
Ann Brooks is Professor of Sociology at Bournemouth University since January 2015. Ann has held senior positions in universities in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand and has held visiting fellowships and scholarships in Singapore and the USA. She was a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Health and Community at Plymouth University in 2014 and was previously a Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore and a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. She is author of Academic Women (Open University Press, 1997); Postfeminisms: Feminism, Cultural Theory and Cultural Forms (Routledge, 1997); Gender and the Restructured University (Open University Press, 2001); Gendered Work in Asian Cities: The New Economy and Changing Labour Markets (Ashgate, 2006); Social Theory in Contemporary Asia (Routledge, 2010); Gender, Emotions and Labour Markets: Asian and Western Perspectives (Routledge, 2011) and Emotions in Transmigration: Transformation, Movement and Identity (Palgrave 2012) (with Ruth Simpson). Recent books include: Consumption, Cities and States: Comparing Singapore with Cities in Asia and the West (Anthem Press, 2014) (with Lionel Wee); Popular Culture, Global Intercultural Perspectives (Palgrave, 2014); and Emotions and Social Change: Historical and Sociological Perspectives (Routledge, New York, 2014) (edited with David Lemmings). Her latest book is: Genealogies of Emotions, Intimacies and Desire: Theories of Changes in Emotional Regimes from Medieval Society to Late Modernity (2016 Routledge, New York).
Further information on this year’s new Fellows can be found here!
Congratulations!
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Hello!
Thank you to everyone who attended 14:Live on the 22nd of October, it was an extremely fascinating half an hour with Dr Edward Apeh .
Edward Apeh gave a valuable insight into the importance of our personal data in the cyber landscape. The legitimate and illegitimate use of our personal data is outlined along with the mechanisms to keep our personal data secure and procedures for handling circumstances when the security of our personal data is compromised.
14: Live will be returning to Talbot Campus on the 17th of November and will be hosted by Professor Edwin Van Teijlingen. So look out on the Research Blog and the student portal events page for updates on when 14: Live will be returning, we look forward to seeing you all again in September were there will again be 30 x tokens for a FREE Papa Johns pizza!
Would being a speaker at 14: Live interest you? or do you just want to find out more about student engagement with research events, if so, please feel free to contact ocooke@bournemouth.ac.uk
Principal Academic Dr Tim Breitbarth (Department of Sport & Physical Activity) was invited by German Football Association (DFB) to provide CSR communication expertise to its Social Responsibility Commission. Speaking yesterday, his input focused on the interlink between CSR integration and communication, and concluded with some strategic and operational suggestions. The impact of Tims’ consultation will be felt, his presentation sparked lengthy discussion and reflection amongst members of the Commission who proposed additional action and follow-up work.
Input perhaps never been more timely
At present the DFB is challenged by investigative media stories about non-transparent financial transactions in the context of hosting the 2006 FIFA World Championship. The long-standing Commission comprises of leaders of the association (e.g. vice president, director, heads of regional football associations), leaders from civil society organisations and other relevant external experts.
Expertise on CSR drawn upon by media and academic sources
Recently, Tim was interviewed a few times on his area of expertise, e.g. for the article “Where the money comes from” in Le Monde diplomatique (www.exacteditions.com/read/diplomatique/july-2015-43324/13/3). Furthermore, amongst other, he was the lead convenor of the well-attended workshop “CSR communication in sport” at the recent 23rd European Association for Sport Management in September; is the lead guest editor of the special issue “Governance and CSR management in sport” in Corporate Governance (ABS 2*), published in summer (www.emeraldinsight.com/toc/cg/15/2); and is co-organiser of and moderator at the industry-focused 1st German CSR Communications Congress, held in November (www.csr-kongress.de).
With the new Work Programmes being released, UKRO have pulled out all the stops to ensure that their subscribers have the latest information. To access subscriber content, please register as a BU member of staff. You will then have access to all the latest EU news and can sign up for email updates direct to your inbox.
As this blog is open to external users who may not be UKRO subscribers, there is only a limited amount that can be placed on this blog.
Highlights include:
*If a link has not not been given to an event page, you will need to register with UKRO to access the booking form / further information.
If you have any queries concerning EU funding opportunities, please contact Emily Cieciura, RKEO Research Facilitator: EU and International for further assistance.
BU staff can login below:
April’s Café Scientifique – Should we help machines understand and respond to our emotions?
Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) 2024 – 2 WEEKS LEFT
Working with The Conversation: online training session – Wednesday 8th May Public Engagement Opportunity: Share your research with the public at Café Scientifique
Apply for up to £1,000 to deliver an event and take part in a national festival of public engagement with research
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024
Research Information Network
Horizon Europe News – December 2023