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Faculty of Media and Communication Seminar Series – this week – Richard Norrie from Demos

We are delighted to invite you to this week’s Faculty Seminar Series, hosted by the Politics and Media Research Group. It is this weds 4 November, 3-4pm in the screening room (W240), Weymouth house.
It is Dr Richard Norrie from the think tank Demos. See below for his abstract and bio. It promises to be a fascinating talk on the topical issue of immigration and integration.
No need to book – just come along
All welcome!
The ‘is’ and ‘ought’ of integration
In a recent speech David Cameron announced a new review to be led by Louise Casey into how integration and opportunities can be increased in divided communities. The philosopher David Hume famously argued that when it came to questions of morality, it was impossible to say what should be based on what exists – in short, you cannot get an ‘ought’ from an ‘is’. But still, whatever Casey’s review will recommend will have to reconcile what we would like to see in our communities with what is possible given the existing conditions. This presentation is all about how evidence on ethnic and religious integration can be used in order to allow us a better understanding of what can be done in order to improve things. In essence, the question is what are the constraints placed by ‘what is’ on ‘what ought to be’?
At the think tank Demos, we have recently completed the first stage of major research repository called the Integration Hubas led by David Goodhart. This website aims to bring together much of the available evidence and research on the key questions pertaining to integration. In this presentation I will review what we know about integration in terms of differences in residential patterns, economic outcomes, everyday social life, education, and identity. Then, I will present an empirical model of integration in the towns and cities of England and Wales. Provisional analysis has so far identified two key dimensions of integration – a situational dimension reflecting differences in where and how people live and an identity based dimension reflecting people’s strength of commitment to Britain. 
Throughout, I shall be returning to the questions of what is right and what is wrong in terms of integration and what can be done given the evidence we have and the limitations imposed on us. 
Dr Richard Norrie is an Associate Researcher at Demos and the lead analyst on the Integration Hub website.

His research interests include ethnic integration, political participation, religiosity, and civil society. He has co-authored reports on populist political parties in Europe, how immigration is discussed on social media, and online misogyny. He specialises in quantitative research methods.

He holds degrees from the Universities of Warwick, Oxford, and Cologne. His doctorate was awarded in 2014 with a thesis written on the subject of country context, religiosity, and participation in public life.
Richard Norrie

AHRC – Do you have strong opinions on research career development issues?

ahrcThe 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:

  • an academic from the arts and humanities
  • an arts or humanities doctoral student, who can be at any stage in their research and who does not have to be AHRC-funded. This is a good development opportunity and will allow them to gain new insights into policy and strategy in support of research career development
  • an early career post-PhD researcher in the arts and humanities who has not yet obtained a permanent academic post. They are particularly keen to hear from post-PhD researchers who are pursuing personal research with a view to a career in academia, while undertaking fixed-term HE employment as a teacher, research assistant, administrator, or any combination of these roles
  • a representative from the non-academic sector – applications are welcome from any sector with an interest in, and engagement with, research in the arts and humanities

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.

About the Research Careers and Training Advisory Group (RCTAG)

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:

  1. To provide advice to the AHRC on postgraduate and researcher development matters – including both advising on the AHRC’s longer-term strategy in this area, as well as alerting the AHRC to issues and developments in the university sector
  2. To advise the AHRC on skills-development needs in discipline areas both within and outside academia. For example, health of discipline concerns and ways in which these might be addressed
  3. To provide advice on existing or developing schemes, as required, as they evolve to meet emerging needs

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.

Process

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.

£100k funding available for climate services through Catapult-hosted ‘sandpit’

Funding opportunities

sandcastleThe Satellite Applications Catapult (an independent innovation and technology company created by Innovate UK) is hosting a two-day ‘sandpit’ event for industry, academia and end-users to develop proof-of-concept climate services projects, as part of a £100k initiative funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

The collaborative event will bring together a variety of disciplines and organisations, with the objective of developing climate services demonstrator projects which use climate information and other data to address real-world challenges faced by government and industry. These projects will primarily focus on infrastructure, food and agriculture, water, natural resources, and risk management, with projects evaluated and selected during the course of the two-day event.

Satellite Applications Catapult CEO, Stuart Martin, said: “In recent times, we have witnessed much greater usage of climate change information into business decision-making and government policy and regulation. This is only likely to accelerate in the future – particularly following the Conference of Parties (COP-21) climate negotiations this winter, which will drive requirements for new solutions.

“By engaging in this sandpit activity, we hope to provide an environment in which to join up the currently fragmented value chains from research to application. Subject to their development, we hope the feasibility projects will lead to full-scale projects which may be funded by businesses, government or through mechanisms such as the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme,” he added.

Each project will be led by a research organisation (subject to NERC eligibility guidelines) with a team comprising organisations such as satellite data providers, environmental or software companies, together with an end-user. Funding need not be spread evenly across participants but can only be used to fund eligible organisations. All projects must be completed before 31 March 2016.

Prospective participants must submit their expression of interest form by Friday 13 November 2015.

This is a great opportunity to form a network with industry and academics from other universities and could potentially result in a large funding pot.

MRC release Outputs report on policy and engagement

MRC logoMRC 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.

Research blog banner

The ESRC (Economic & Social Research Council) Festival of social science is kicking off this Saturday 7th and below are just a few of the events that are running throughout the week! Please come along and get involved.

The festival  offers a fascinating insight into some of the country’s leading social science research and how it influences our social, economic and political lives – both now and in the future. In 2015, Bournemouth University has become a Festival partner with more than a dozen events on topics including healthy eating, financial scams, mobile working, identity theft, intellectual property and dementia.

 

Pathways to Impact Part Deux!– Are you interested in LGBT and ageing issues?  Are you looking for tools to engage your group or staff about the discrimination experienced by older gay or lesbian service users and what to do about it?

The aim of this event is to share our tools with you and hear the stories from others who have used them. We are inviting them to discuss how they have used the two learning tools within their organisations’ activities.

Back in 2012/13 more than fifty participants took part in either a one-day ESRC Festival of Science event entitled, “Pathways to Impact: ageing, diversity, connectivity and community” and/or attended the two-day Master class in Ageing and LGBT Issues, “Train the Trainers” in April, 2013.  The events included activities and informal discussions about diversity, the potential damage of discrimination experienced by many older gay and lesbian citizens, and what could be done about it.  It was also an opportunity to screen the award winning, short film, RUFUS STONE and launch the “Methods to Diversity” Method Deck learning tool to inspire agencies, practitioners and communities to think about diversity within their ageing population.

The aim of this year’s event is to follow up with participants from both events to track the impact of the outcomes of those activities, film screenings and discussions. We are inviting them to discuss how they have used the two learning tools within their local communities. Our part will be to listen!

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pathways-to-impact-part-deux-tickets-18205534243

 

Church as place: an ethnography – Held on site within St Peter’s Parish Church this event will ask the question: What meanings of place and space are constructed by non-religious and religious visits to church buildings?

The event will include an exhibition relating to the research findings from our ethnographic study of church visiting, conducted by members of the Centre for Social Work, Sociology & Social Policy (Prof Jonathan Parker, Prof Sara Ashencaen Crabtree & Rev Dr Ian Terry). There will also be an opportunity to discuss and debate the value of churches in contemporary society and the role they play in today’s social life, plus ways in which accessibility can be enhanced.

The current activities associated with St Peter’s Parish Church will be shared and attendees will be invited to look around so they can actively engage with the building as they learn and ask questions about the architecture, traditional functions of the church and the importance of the benefits church can bring to those who visit.

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/church-as-place-an-ethnography-tickets-18646725859

 

Creativity and Dementia:making a connection – During this event Bournemouth University Dementia Institute (BUDI) will bring dementia awareness to life, enabling the public to engage with the topic of dementia through creative activities, including: a screening of performances from the BUDI Orchestra (formed of people affected by dementia and musicians); wayfinding; Tai Chi and music workshops and poetry sessions.

The event aims to challenge people’s perceptions of the condition and the negative stereotypes of people with dementia. It will enable the audience to see first-hand that it is possible to for people with dementia to take part, learn something new and have fun, all at the same time.

There will also be an opportunity to hear more about the Dementia-Friendly University initiative at Bournemouth University (BU), attend a screening of the film Still Alice, become a Dementia Friend, and join SportBU rowing and cycling 850,000 kilometres – a figure chosen to represent the number of people currently diagnosed with dementia across the United Kingdom.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/creativity-and-dementia-making-a-connection-tickets-18951436256

 

We look forward to seeing you at an event!

Research Professional – all you need to know

Funding opportunities

Research-Professional-logoEvery BU academic has a Research Professional account which delivers weekly emails detailing funding opportunities in their broad subject area. To really make the most of your Research Professional account, you should tailor it further by establishing additional alerts based on your specific area of expertise. The Funding Development Team Officers can assist you with this, if required.

Research Professional have created several guides to help introduce users to ResearchProfessional. These can be downloaded here.

Quick Start Guide: Explains to users their first steps with the website, from creating an account to searching for content and setting up email alerts, all in the space of a single page.

User Guide: More detailed information covering all the key aspects of using ResearchProfessional.

Administrator Guide: A detailed description of the administrator functionality.

In addition to the above, there are a set of 2-3 minute videos online, designed to take a user through all the key features of ResearchProfessional. To access the videos, please use the following link: http://www.youtube.com/researchprofessional

Research Professional are running a series of online training broadcasts aimed at introducing users to the basics of creating and configuring their accounts on ResearchProfessional. They are holding monthly sessions, covering everything you need to get started with ResearchProfessional. The broadcast sessions will run for no more than 60 minutes, with the opportunity to ask questions via text chat. Each session will cover:

  • Self registration and logging in
  • Building searches
  • Setting personalised alerts
  • Saving and bookmarking items
  • Subscribing to news alerts
  • Configuring your personal profile

Each session will run between 10.00am and 11.00am (UK) on the fuorth Tuesday of each month. You can register here for your preferred date:

24th November 2015

26th January 2016

23rd February 2016

22nd March 2016

26th April 2016

24th May 2016

28th June 2016

These are free and comprehensive training sessions and so this is a good opportunity to get to grips with how Research Professional can work for you.

HE Policy Update

Monday

UCAS

David Cameron has announced that from 2017, candidates’ names will be removed from university application forms. He announced it is part of a plan to prevent unconscious bias against candidates from minority groups.  UCAS has announced it will consult on name-blind applications with higher education institutions. The Conservatives have become the party of equality (The Guardian).

Tuesday

Research Councils

With the upcoming spending review due in November, there are concerns over funding for UK research.  Recent concerns are around the future of the innovation agency, Innovate UK. It has been reported that ministers may be exploring whether Innovate UK’s £600 million of annual grants to support business R&D could be converted into loans. The spending review is just the start of a battle for UK research (The Guardian).

Extremism

Vince Cable has said that new powers to tackle Islamist extremism on campus will lead to universities banning non-Muslim speakers such as Nigel Farage and Germaine Greer in efforts to demonstrate impartiality. Vince Cable: Fight against extremism will lead to “bland” society (The Telegraph).

Wednesday

Post-1992 Universities

A recent study by PolicyBee has revealed that traditional and elite universities in the Russell Group are less likely to produce budding entrepreneurs when compared with post-1992 institutions.  Russell Group ‘less likely’ to produce entrepreneurs compared with post-1992 universities (The Independent).

Thursday

Part-time Students

A report by the Higher Education Policy Institute has claimed that a sharp fall in the number of part-time students at England’s universities is harming the economy and limiting social mobility. The report says changes to student funding arrangements from 2012 and inflexible course structures are to blame. Warning over falling numbers of part-time students (BBC News).

Overseas Students

It is thought the Home Office intends to use data from new checks on those exiting the country, which were introduced at all UK ports and airports in April, as the basis to force universities to take more responsibility for ensuring that graduates from outside the European Union do not overstay their visas. Theresa May ‘plans on making universities ensure overseas graduates leave UK’ (THE).

Friday

TEF

Million+ have argued that the government should pull back from its plans to link outcomes from the teaching excellence framework to permission to raise tuition fees in line with inflation. TEF: pull back from link to fees, urges Million+ (THE).

PG Researcher Development Programme

PG research

PGR workshops coming up in November:

  • 5 November – SPSS workshop 4: ANOVA Analysis in SPSS
  • 6 November – ResearchPAD: A beginner’s guide…
  • 11 November – Intro to ‘Observation as a social science research method’
  • 12 November  – SPSS workshop 5: Correlation & Regression Analysis using SPSS
  • 17 November – Managing Working Relationships (supervisors & pgrs)
  • 17 November – Peer Mentoring
  • 18 November – Managing Pressure Positively
  • 19 November – SPSS workshop 6: Non-Parametric Testing
  • 25 November – An Introduction to Public Engagement
  • 26 November – SPSS workshop 7: Introducing Factor Analysis

Booking is via myBU Graduate School PGR Community (don’t forget to log on using your student username and password).

If you have any questions about the PGR Programme, please contact the Graduate School via email: pgrskillsdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

Last Reminder for the 03/11/15 Research Professional visit – Book in now!

Funding opportunities

Research-Professional-logoThere 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:

  • Building searches
  • Setting personalised alerts
  • Saving and bookmarking items
  • Subscribing to news alerts
  • Configuring your personal profile

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

 

Research Funders’ Guide is even better!

Funding opportunities, Guidance

Imap of science previously posted about the new Research Funders’ Guide available on the Research Blog under the Research Toolkit.  This introduced the major funder pages, which include a wealth of information about their research strategies, what they fund, impact reports, funder guides and success rates.

These pages have now been expanded to include:

Don’t forget, we also have the Research Lifecycle on the blog where you can see how RKEO can support you with your research plans.

 

What would TV look like without the BBC? Get involved!

The British Academy will be one of the partners of a major inquiry into the future of public service television, chaired by Lord Puttnam.british_academy_logo

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. bbc-blocks-dark

PGR Santander Mobility Awards – coming soon

PG research

Dear all,

It’s that time of year again and we are pleased to announce in partnership with Santander we will be offering 8 x £1000 mobility awards.

The competition will run between 4th November 2015 – 11th January 2016.

Stay tuned for more details.

Best wishes

The Graduate School team

santander6653 Graduate School Header V2 CF

 

New KTP Associate job vacancy

Business Engagement, Knowledge Exchange

The Faculty of Science and Technology have been awarded a KTP with Precision Acoustics, manufacturers of acoustic measurement products, in Dorchester.

The position is for a Software Development Architect.  Salary c.£26,000.  Closing date 24/11/2015.

The post is an 18 month fixed-term contract.

Please share the full job description amongst your networks.

For further information, please contact :

Dr Paul Morris at Precision Acoustics

paul@acoustics.co.uk 01305 264669

Dr Richard Gunstone at Bournemouth University

rgunstone@bournemouth.ac.uk 01202 966744

IT Software Architect Whole Page Ad v6

EU funding call now open!

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

EU heart

EU funding opportunity – are you working with SMEs?
Open call to SMEs and new entrants for industrial experiments Digital Agenda for Europe.  The call is now open (28 October 2015) and the closing date is 3 December 2015.  This call aims to initiate new business and innovation opportunities between SMEs and new entrants, major cyber physical system-platform providers, and competence centres. The maximum European Commission contribution for industrial experiments per applicant is €150,000. The funding rate is 70 per cent. The maximum duration of industrial experiment is 18 months.
For more information: https://www.eurocps.org/innovators-projects/open-calls/

KTP Academic Development Scheme Cohort 3

Business Engagement, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

Academics will be invited to apply for cohort 3 of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership Academic Development Scheme (KTPADS) from 9th November 2015.

For those who are unfamiliar with Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP), they are a three-way partnership between a knowledge base (in this case, BU), a company and a graduates.  There is knowledge transfer in all directions where academic knowledge embeds a new capability within a business to make it more efficient and profitable via a project managed by a graduate.

The aim of this scheme is to equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to engage with business and work towards a collaborative project with a business.  The end result aims to see the business using Bournemouth University as a knowledge base for a KTP.  The scheme will be made up of a series of workshops on business engagement and networking opportunities with local business, it will also include regular support from the Innovate UK regional KTP Adviser and the Knowledge Exchange Adviser (KTP).

Should you be interested in this scheme or require further information, please contact KE Adviser (KTP), Rachel Clarke on 01202 961347 or email KTP@bournemouth.ac.uk 

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