Latest research and knowledge exchange news at Bournemouth University
Don’t miss our drop-in sessions where we can offer you support in planning your event for Festival of Learning 2017.
Our next session is on Thursday 24 November and we’ll be there for you from 11am-12pm at Naked Coffee Shop (next to RLH, Lansdowne).
Come to see us and don’t miss out on the opportunity to share your research and expertise by being a part of the Festival!
We’re hoping to see you there!
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences
Need help designing a questionnaire?
This two-day Masterclass will help you get started through a series of expert lectures, group discussion, and hands-on sessions, covering both tool development and administration.
Facilitators:
Professor Vanora Hundley – Professor of Midwifery
Professor Edwin van Teijlingen – Professor of Reproductive Health
Dr Zoe Sheppard – Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Methods
Booking information:
The fee of £200.00 includes two days with the course facilitators, refreshments and class materials. Please note that resources will be provided electronically and that accommodation and travel costs are not included.
BU staff/PGRs – To book on please contact rfreeman@bournemouth.ac.uk
External delegates – please register online at:
https://questionnairemasterclass.eventbrite.co.uk (places limited)
The Higher Education and Research bill reached its report stage yesterday (21st November). I wrote about this in the policy update last week and on the intranet here. The opposition (including the Lib Dems and SNP as well as Labour) used the amendment process to address concerns about the changes in the bill relating to research, alternative providers etc., but also to link discussions to Brexit, student immigration, student fees, loan arrangements and the Teaching Excellence Framework, as well as adult education – none of which are covered by the Bill.
UUK published a briefing for MPs attached to a blog on what they want to see changed:
Institutional autonomy is the first thing on their list and is linked to their second point as well. They are proposing a series of amendments that have not been picked up in the drafts so far.
They are proposing an additional change to clause 2: “for the OfS to have regard (under Clause 2) to “the need to act in a manner compatible with the principle of institutional autonomy”.”
They are asking for changes to the bill (Clauses 13, 25, 26) which
Autonomy of research councils – this is their point 7, they propose inserting a requirement for the SoS to undertake consultation before proposing to add or omit a council, or change the name of a council and strengthening parliamentary scrutiny for any proposals to add or omit a council, or change the name of a council, by requiring the SoS to obtain an affirmative resolution.
In the end, after a long debate that was very poorly attended by all sides (lots of pictures of empty green benches on twitter with accompanying outrage) the MPs flooded in for the voting on amendments at the end, and the Bill was approved by 279 to 214, so it now goes into the Lords. The report is here.
Most of the amendments were not pushed to a vote and many not debated at all:
None of this is surprising as many of these issues related to things that are not core to the bill and so were opportunistic – the immigration and loans issues were the subject of lively debate but were always unlikely to go through.
If you are interested in the maintenance grants/loans debate, the House of Commons published a short and interesting briefing in October on the impact of the changes.
On international students, there was an interesting response from Jo Johnson that caused a ripple on twitter – after all the concern about TEF being used to limit international student numbers – we are expecting the consultation imminently so this was interesting (thanks to Wonkhe for finding the quote on Hansard):
“We have no plans to introduce any cap on the number of non-EU students who can come to the UK to study. No decisions have been made on tailoring or differentiating non-EU student migration rules on the basis of the quality of the higher education institution, or on how that might be achieved…
“We want compliance to be a strong feature of our system. It is important that the sector should do all it can to be compliant with Home Office regulations… [the Home Secretary] mentioned compliance and quality. High-quality institutions are compliant institutions; they are one and the same.”
Unfortunately, the UUK amendments and more interesting and detailed concerns about the bill itself were not discussed and so it will now be up to the Lords – unless efforts in the meantime prompt another round of government amendments.
Don’t miss our drop-in sessions where we can offer you support in planning your event for Festival of Learning 2017.
Our next session is on Wednesday 23 November and we’ll be there for you from 2pm-3pm at Poole House Atriume.
Come to see us and don’t miss out on the opportunity to share your research and expertise by being a part of the Festival!
We’re hoping to see you there!
Higher Education and Research Bill – The bill will reach the report stage on Monday 21st November, and a long list of new amendments have been proposed. The amended version of the bill following the committee stage is here. The list of amendments is here (although it is being updated daily so best to look here)
The government’s own amendments were described by Jo Johnson in a blog on Wonkhe – an unusual and interesting step.
The other amendments proposed are also interesting – including amendments relating to Brexit and immigration issues, and student loans, rather than matters directly covered by the Bill, but which show the direction that the debate may be going to take – e.g. on student loans, using TEF as a measure of quality for immigration controls on student numbers, monitoring international staff and student numbers and requiring Parliamentary approval for the TEF. See our summary on the intranet pages here
The House of Commons library produced a useful briefing on the committee stage of the HERB on 16th November 2016. The written evidence and transcripts of the Committee’s sittings are available on the Higher Education and Research Bill 2016-17 page of the Parliament website. This includes BU’s submission – we were one of only 11 HE institutions to submit individual responses (out of 63 sets of evidence).
Separately, the government published guidance on how UKRI and the OfS would work together.
Teaching Excellence Framework – The HEA have published their literature review on “defining and demonstrating quality teaching and impact in HE” – which was announced in March when we were all grappling with the TEF year 2 technical consultation. It notes “the lack of robust empirical evidence found by this review” “with the literature dominated by opinion pieces based on secondary, documentary analysis rather than rigorous comparison group studies.” The review therefore points for a need for more implementation research but also a shared understanding on what “quality teaching” in HE is and why it matters, and then on how to measure it. With that caveat in mind, it sets out what the indicators are, from the literature, showing an interesting correlation with TEF criteria. I’ve put the list of criteria on the TEF pages on the intranet. The review looks at student/alumni feedback as measure of quality and refers to a number of publications that question whether student satisfaction is a good proxy for quality, although it may support quality in institutions as a robust mechanism for feedback.
Brexit – The House of Commons Science and Technology committee’s report into leaving the EU has been published. Read my seperate blog on the BU research blog here – it calls for more reassurance on staff mobility and funding and a Chief Scientific Adviser in the Department for Exiting the EU.
International Students – There has been much activity this week – some of it is reflected in the amendments to the HE and Research Bill as noted above – many of those filing amendments to the Bill spoke in the Westminster Hall debate
University finance – UUK have launched an interactive tool looking at University spending – responding to the HEPI student experience survey last year that reported that 75% of students did not feel that they have enough information on where their fees are spent – something that is of concern when so many students also have concerns about value for money (only a third said that they are receiving good or very good value for money) – something that is cited by the government regularly. It is worth noting that BU has a very clear explanation of our own finances on the website that was developed alongside SUBU last year to make sure that we are presenting helpful information in a clear way.
Social mobility and widening participation – A report by the Social Mobility Commission was issued this week. The report includes a series of conclusions and recommendations. Specifically relevant to universities, it recommended introducing an annual social mobility league table for universities, and ensuring that there is HE local provision in all areas of the country. The prior attainment issue (at GCSE) affecting HE access is one that has been highlighted a lot recently – and is one of the factors behind the schools policy that is currently out for consultation. HE “cold spots” have also been identified as an issue, and the focus on local geography is consistent with the approach that is being taken by the government, most recently with the National Collaborative Outreach Programme, targeting specific post-codes and linked to measureable outcomes, and Justine Greening’s announcement of new “opportunity areas” at the Conservative Party conference, so it will be interesting to see what the reaction is.
Student Finance – consultations
The government consulted in 2015 about extending loans to PGR students on means-tested basis and announced with the 2016 budget that they would launch a technical consultation on the detail, which has been launched with a closing date of 16th December 2016 (Consultation on postgraduate doctoral loans). BU is preparing a response to this consultation – please contact policy@bournemouth.ac.uk if you would like to be involved and read the summary here.
In the Autumn Statement in 2015 the Government announced it would introduce new undergraduate part-time maintenance loans to support the cost of living while studying. The Part-time Maintenance Loans Consultation seeks views and evidence on the introduction of the part-time maintenance loan. Please contact policy@bournemouth.ac.uk if you would like to contribute and read the summary here. The consultation closes on 16th December 2016.
Bournemouth University’s media and communication studies co-exist thanks to multiple international links. Among them are links with learned societies, one of which is the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA).
The election of the new ECREA’s Executive Board took place during the General Assembly held in Prague on the last day of the 6th European Communication Conference (12th November, 2016). Among the elected members of the board is academic from BU’s the Faculty of Media and Communication.
The Board have elected among themselves the President, Vice-President, General Secretary and Treasurer.
Ilija Tomanić Trivundža was elected as the President of ECREA, John Downey as Vice-President, Irena Reifová as the General Secretary and Paweł Surowiec as the Treasurer.
The Executive Board consists of the following colleagues:
President:
Ilija Tomanić Trivundža, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Vice-President:
John Downey, Loughborough University, UK
General Secretary:
Irena Reifová, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
Treasurer:
Paweł Surowiec, Bournemouth University, UK
Members of the Board:
Ali Murat Akser, Ulster University, UK
Christina Holtz-Bacha, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
Galina Miazhevich, University of Leicester, UK
Miguel Vicente-Mariño, University of Valladolid, Spain
Representatives from Kidney Research UK conducted a site visit to Bournemouth on Monday hosted by the Department of Life and Environmental Science (Dr. Paul Hartley and Shruthi Sivakumar) as well as Prof. John Fletcher. The event was attended by clinician-researchers from Bristol and Brighton Universities and was intended as a ‘meet and greet’ between the charity and its funded researchers. The day was highly productive and KRUK’s representatives were very impressed by BU’s research labs, projects and learning environment (especially the spanking new Leica SP8 confocal microscope).
BU currently holds an Innovation Award from KRUK for the use of fruit flies to study the genetics of kidney failure in diabetes. This work is important because kidney disease is a common condition and major contributing factor to cardiovascular disease worldwide. Astonishingly, there are still very few treatments beyond dialysis and a very poor life expectancy (3 years) when diagnosed with kidney disease in your 40’s.
The charity stressed that they are highly receptive to new applications that tackle this problem. Funding is not restricted to basic science or clinical research…so if you have any good ideas…let them know and get an application started!!
http://www.kidneyresearchuk.org/research
An informative powerpoint by KRUK is available as pdf format – let me know if you’re interested in having a copy (phartley@bournemouth.ac.uk)
SIGNEC U.K. is a special interest group for NEC set up by Prof Minesh Khashu, Consultant in Neonatal Medicine, Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Visiting Professor at Bournemouth University. NEC or Necrotising Enterocolitis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in preterm newborns. We do not understand well what causes NEC and unfortunately there has not been much progress in this area of clinical care in the last couple of decades. This led Prof. Khashu to set up this group.
The aim of SIGNEC U.K. is to facilitate knowledge sharing, networking and collaboration to optimise research and improvements in practice.
SIGNEC U.K. includes neonatologists, paediatricians, surgeons, dieticians, transfusion medicine specialists, epidemiologists, basic science researchers, nurses, trainees and other healthcare professionals with an interest in NEC and health improvement.
The group and its conferences attract the best researchers in the field from all over the world to share recent advances and improvements in practice. The conferences are unique in terms of scientific meetings as they have very strong involvement from parents/families. The work of this group has been very well received by clinicians, researchers and parents and it has become an important part of the global academic neonatal/prematurity/NEC calendar.– Prof Minesh Khashu
Recently, the 4th international SIGNEK UK conference in London brought together all these specialists in the field, as well as parents, to discuss the latest basic and clinical research findings and improvements in practice.
My supervisor Dr Simon Dyall and I were delighted to be invited to attend this event, since, together with Minesh, we are looking at the role of essential fatty acids in perinatal health. As stated above, NEC is a major health concern in the perinatal period, which potentially benefits from essential fatty acids. Furthermore, the event was a perfect opportunity to network with people working in the field of perinatal health and to get more ideas for future research.
One of my personal highlights was the panel discussion on laboratory models of NEC, which was the first in the world to happen at SIGNEC UK 2016. Furthermore, I was impressed by the active involvement of parents, some of them who have lost a child to NEC, in the conference.
One of the non-scientific/clinical highlights was of course the tour through Chelsea Football Stadium during the lunch break.
Many thanks to Prof Minesh Khashu for organising the event and for the invitation and to Bournemouth University for the funding which made my attendance possible.
If you would like to learn more about SIGNEC UK or attend next year’s conference, please contact Prof Minesh Khashu at mineshkhashu@gmail.com
If you would like to learn more about our research, please do not hesitate to contact me at inessel@bournemouth.ac.uk
Isabell
Prof Jane Murphy, Joanne Holmes, Dr Michelle Heward, Ben Hicks and Sophie Bushell attended the 26th Annual Conference of Alzheimer Europe which took place in Copenhagen, Denmark from 31 October to 2 November 2016.
This years conference theme was ‘excellence in dementia research and care’, and addressed numerous aspects of developing a dementia-friendly society, exploring the challenges concerning excellence in diagnosis, medical treatment and research as well as innovative person-centered care related to the progress of the disease and living well with dementia in society.
Jane and Joanne presented a poster on their work on ‘Nutrition and dementia care: Developing an evidence-based model for delivering person-centred care in nursing homes. Michelle discussed the findings from a recent project focusing on hospital care in her paper on ‘Promoting excellence in hospital care for people with dementia: a UK case study’. Ben presented a poster on his recent project ‘How does Cage Cricket enhance the perceived life experience of people with dementia and their care partners?’. Sophie presented a paper showcasing her PhD research ‘Improving wellbeing for people with dementia living in a purpose built care environment by introducing self-chosen activities’.
Two Faculty of Management academics, Dr Mohamed Haffar and Dr Elvira Bolat, are selected as keynote speakers for the 6th International Conference on Modern Research in Management, Economics and Accounting, which is held on 15th November at London South Bank University.
Dr Haffar from the Department of Leadership, Strategy and Organisational Behaviour is presenting on the following topic, ‘Guidelines for organisational sustainability in an era of radical change: The vital role of employees readiness and commitment to change’. Dr Bolat from the Department of Marketing is talking about ‘Digital transformation and its implications for academia and practice’.
The MEAConference aims to pave an international way for leading academics, active researchers, experts, industry leaders and interested scholars to communicate and exchange their viewpoints on latest scientific findings and practical experiences in the fields of Management, Economics and Accounting. Besides, the Conference attempts to examine the scientific and practical challenges in their application process across all geographical regions as well as at diverse local, national, regional and international levels.
Don’t miss our drop-in sessions where we can offer you support in planning your event for Festival of Learning 2017.
Our next session is on Tuesday 15 November and we’ll be there for you from 4pm-5pm at Executive Business Centre Cafe.
Come to see us and don’t miss out on the opportunity to share your research and expertise by being a part of the Festival!
We’re hoping to see you there!
Alongside Bournemouth University’s midwifery and other health and social care students who graduated in last Friday’s ceremony, BU honoured prominent midwife Sheena Byrom OBE with an Honorary Doctorate for her services to the profession. Sheena Byrom gave an inspiring speech at Friday’s Graduation. Sheena said, “If they can keep in their hearts the passion and the drive they had when they first came to the university, it will help them to be more resilient and keep them motivated towards what they want to do. Healthcare is a blend between love and science and both are equally important. In practice, it is key that they have the skills, but the things that makes the difference are love and compassion.”
Alongside Sheena two students from the Centre of Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health(CMMPH) graduated with a PhD in Midwifery. Dr. Alison Taylor received her PhD for her qualitative research on breastfeeding. Her thesis is entitled ‘It’s a relief to talk ….’: Mothers’ experiences of breastfeeding recorded on video diaries. Dr. Rachel Arnold was awarded her PhD for her research Afghan women and the culture of care in a Kabul maternity hospital.
Congratulations to all BU undergraduates and Rachel, Alison and Sheena!
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
CMMPH
We are pleased to announce a two-day Systematic Review Masterclass at Bournemouth University.
One way of collating and assessing the best possible evidence is through a method called ‘systematic reviewing’. Systematic reviewing is a specific research method whereby a structured, rigorous, and objective approach is used to provide a critical synthesis of the available evidence on a particular topic. This masterclass will examine the rationale for systematic reviews and take participants through the various elements of a systematic review: selecting (electronic) databases; literature searching; data extraction; data synthesis; interpretation and reporting.
The Masterclass will be run by Vanora Hundley (Midwifery), Edwin van Teijlingen (Sociology), Clare Killingback (Physiotherapy) and Chris Wentzell (Librarian), in the Executive Business Centre, Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth on 27 & 28 February 2017.
Booking price and information:
The fee of £200 for this masterclass includes two full days with the course facilitators, all refreshments and all class materials. Accomodation and travel costs are not included.
See the flyer https://research.bournemouth.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Systematic-Review-masterclass-2017.pdf or http://tinyurl.com/j29et2w if you tweet.
Select http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/masterclass-systematic-review-2017-tickets-27428576611 to book your place now. Places must be booked by 1 February 2017.
For further information please contact:
Tel: 01202 962184
Email: epegrum@bournemouth.ac.uk
Don’t miss our drop-in sessions where we can offer you support in planning your event for Festival of Learning 2017.
Our next session is on Monday 14 November and we’ll be there for you from 8:30am-10am at Fusion Building – coffee area.
Come to see us and don’t miss out on the opportunity to share your research and expertise by being a part of the Festival!
We’re hoping to see you there!
Don’t miss our drop-in sessions where we can offer you support in planning your event for Festival of Learning 2017.
Our next session is on Friday 11 November and we’ll be there for you from 12:30pm-1:30pm at EB204, Executive Business Centre.
Come to see us and don’t miss out on the opportunity to share your research and expertise by being a part of the Festival!
We’re hoping to see you there!
Pupils at the Jewell Academy in Bournemouth have built a scale-model of Stonehenge in the school grounds using 80 house-bricks. The work was as part of an outreach visit by Professor Tim Darvill from the Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science to introduce young scholars to the results of recent research at Stonehenge. Orientated on the mid-winter sunset the model should survive long enough to help celebrate the end of term and the start of the winter festival in six weeks time!
In the Bournemouth University Dementia Institute (BUDI), we currently have several research projects actively looking for people with dementia and their informal carers to take part.
If you know of anyone with dementia or a carer of someone with dementia who may be interested please let them know.
Current opportunities include taking part in a Tai Chi study where they get to receive free Tai Chi classes to assess the benefits of Tai Chi to their health and wellbeing.
These are currently being held for 4 weeks in the Christchurch and Eastleigh areas (with more opportunities next year in other areas including Bournemouth and Poole).
They will need to get in contact as soon as possible to avoid missing classes!
For more information about the Tai Chi study please see the flyer here and contact Yolanda Barrado-Martín on Tel: 07801 890258, Email: ybarradomartin@bournemouth.ac.uk.
Other projects include studies where they visit the university to take part in novel tasks that look at our ability to navigate our way through virtual environments, or keep a diary about their engagement in leisure activities throughout their usual week.
For more information about other BUDI projects please click here or contact the BUDI office via budi@bournemouth.ac.uk and/or telephone 01202 962771
BU staff can login below:
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