Hello, I am delighted to announce the publication of the special issue of British Journal of Social Work on The voice and influence of people with lived experience, which I have co-edited. The issue has been written by, reviewed by and edited by people with lived experience. To make it as inclusive as possible, contributors were able to submit academic papers, reflective papers and creative artefacts.
A special mention to PIER members and colleagues with lived experiences of social work, who formed part of a review panel and to everyone who submitted. I am delighted that two BU social work students (Shannon and Lauren) had contributions accepted and feature in the creative artefacts section of the special issue.
Due to its focus on lived experience, BJSW have made the special issue free to access. You can access the issue on the BJSW website and via this link. Please feel free to share.
The BU Research Conference returns on Wednesday 14 June, where we’ll be exploring the F word – failure: what we can learn from it, and how we can overcome it.
As well as inspiring speakers – including BU Honorary Doctorate recipient Dr Jan Peters MBE, Robert Seaborne from Inside Academia, and Professors Ann Hemingway and Sam Goodman – we also have a range of practical workshops planned to help with developing strategies and techniques to deal with setbacks and overcome obstacles.
Each workshop will last one hour and attendees will have the opportunity to attend two of the below workshops on the day:
Bounce back to your future
Some knockbacks hurt more than others, leaving our confidence dented and our energy drained. This interactive session provides space to explore who you are and create a personal vocabulary to return to in moments of doubt. You will leave with a personalised paragraph to confidently introduce yourself to collaborators and co-workers.
This workshop will be delivered by Helen Shipton of Katalytik, a confidence coach who is passionate about helping people be their best through their authentic voice.
Building Resilience
This workshop will help you explore and identify strategies to build your personal resilience capabilities. You’ll explore what is meant by resilience and why it’s so important and discuss strategies and approaches to build resilience and develop a positive mindset.
This workshop will be delivered by Rachel Curry from Organisational Development.
Improving writing practices
Professor Matthew Bennett has published more than a dozen books and 170 papers over almost 30 years in academia. In this workshop, he will share some of his personal journey with academic writing and the hard-learnt lessons along the way – covering the trials of striving for elite journals, dealing with rejection, and practical tips for better writing.
This workshop will be delivered by Professor Matthew Bennett, Professor of Environmental and Geological Sciences.
Repurposing your unsuccessful grant applications
This workshop will cover best practice for repurposing unsuccessful applications for external funding. You’ll discuss what makes a successful application, the value of feedback from funders and peers, and how to develop a revised bid.
This workshop will be delivered by Eva Papadopoulou, Research Facilitator in RDS.
Professor John McAlaney, Dr Emily Arden-Close and Dr Sarah Hodge write for The Conversation about the challenges and opportunities of using technology to support safer online gambling…
Technology can play a vital role in limiting online gambling – here’s how
Over a quarter of people in the UK gamble online at least once every four weeks. Wpadington / Shutterstock
More than a quarter of people in the UK gamble online at least once every four weeks. And 1%–2% of UK adults demonstrate moderate-to-high risk levels of gambling-related harms.
The substantive and striking changes that the rise of online gambling have introduced are acknowledged by the UK government’s recently published plans to change the law in this area.
Through smartphones or other internet-enabled devices, people can gamble online anywhere, at any time. Gambling online also often allows those experiencing gambling-related harm to more easily hide this from those around them.
The reach of online gambling by operators, and gambling overall, is further enhanced by online promotion using social media. In an analysis of Twitter posts by several UK gambling operators, we found that over 80% of tweets related to sports, but less than 11% of tweets related to responsible gambling.
Greater use of social media for responsible gambling messages would increase the impact of responsible gambling strategies. It would also enable more personalised targeting of this messaging to groups who may be at higher risk of harms, such as members of the LGBTQ+ community, who report a higher number of life stressors.
Loot boxes
There is also the increasing phenomenon of merging online gambling and other activities, notably loot boxes – which contain random game items that may or may not be desirable or valuable – in video games. These might allow the player to buy better weapons or armour for use in their game, or customise a player’s avatar. Players can purchase loot boxes in games, with either in-game or real-world currency.
From social psychology research, we know that how we behave and the attitudes we hold are strongly influenced by what we perceive to be the norm. Also, there are overlaps in the harms experienced with loot boxes, both in our research and media reports of issues that would be typically seen in gambling difficulties, such as overspending. Based on this, it seems likely that engaging with loot boxes will prime children and young adults towards becoming involved in gambling.
As has been noted by the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education trust (YGAM), awareness raising and training are needed. The concern about loot boxes is so great that they have been banned in Belgium, albeit with an acknowledgment that the ban will be difficult to enforce.
Responsible gambling tools and messages
The technologies that create the risks and challenges of online gambling can also be used to prevent and reduce harms. Various techniques – known in the industry as responsible gambling tools – are already available from operators to help players take control of their gambling. These include deposit limits and self-exclusion, where users can ask to be denied access.
However, uptake of these tools is low, and impact relies upon people recognising that they are at risk and being motivated to engage with these tools. So we welcome the suggestion in the government’s new white paper around making deposit limits mandatory, which is consistent with the views of people who have experienced problem gambling.
Our Gambling Research Group has explored how technology can be used to further prevent and reduce harms, including how players respond to personalised, targeted responsible gambling messaging based on social norms and goal setting.
This ability to receive immediate feedback regarding a harm prevention strategy from the target population is relatively new in psychology, and potentially very powerful. So including people with real experience of gambling problems in the co-creation of responsible gambling messages will result in more effective strategies.
The proposals included in the white paper would utilise some of the opportunities afforded by online technologies. For example, the use of affordability checks facilitated through credit reference agencies would likely reduce some of the harms associated with online gambling.
Similarly, online data-sharing on high-risk customers is a positive step, as many individuals engaging in problematic gambling report chasing losses until their money runs out.
Safer by design
We also welcome the proposed limit on online slots, which brings it in line with the 2019 reduction in stake in fixed-odds betting terminals, and the proposal to make online games safer by design. Our research has shown that individuals who are new to gambling are less aware of persuasive design techniques and thus potentially at greater risk from them.
Similarly, addressing gaps in legislation to ensure under-18s cannot gamble online may help prevent young people from developing problematic gambling behaviour later on. However, this impact may be limited by the UK government’s response in 2022 that no further legislation is planned to regulate loot boxes. Currently, little is known about the impact of gambling-related harms on children aged under 18.
It also cannot be underestimated how skilled gambling-addicted people are at finding a way around any restrictions. The white paper recognises the risks on unregulated gambling in online black markets, and calls for preventative action. But how this will be achieved remains to be seen.
The white paper’s new statutory levy is also a positive step that contributes to funding and the transparency of funding sources for quality gambling research, education and treatment.
While most people gamble online safely and responsibly, those who develop problems can experience severe effects. These negative consequences are not limited to the individual but can also affect those around them, including family, friends and work colleagues.
As technology continues evolving, it is vital that we continue to be mindful of the unique risks and opportunities that arise in online gambling to prevent people from being harmed.
We are launching the Bournemouth University Postgraduate Research Experience Survey for Supervisors.
You will be aware of the Advance HE Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) which has recently be open for our PGRs to provide feedback on their experiences at Bournemouth University.
This year, we are also launching the Bournemouth University Postgraduate Research Experience Survey for Supervisors. This asks you, in your role as a research degree supervisor, a similar range of questions to PRES to also give you a voice, and to provide balance and/or support to the issues raised by the PGRs.
The survey covers topics including PGR supervision; resources/research culture; progress/assessment; responsibilities; support for PGRs; research skills/personal development; and opportunities/overall experience.
Your experiences will be combined with those of other PGR supervisors to help us to understand the overall picture more clearly from the supervisors’ perspective, and the combined views of PGR supervisors will be considered alongside the views of the PGRs being reported in the PRES. The responses will be analysed and reported as appropriate.
Participation is optional but we would very much appreciate your feedback to help us further review and improve the support available for our PGRs.
To complete the survey, please click on the link emailed to you from the Doctoral College.
Your involvement will be to complete this short anonymous online. The online survey will take approximately 6 minutes to complete.
Final call for PGRs to complete this year’s Advance HE Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) which closes today!
Don’t miss the chance to tell us about your experience at Bournemouth University by taking part in the Advance HE Postgraduate Research Experience Survey which closes on Monday 15 May 2023. We are keen to make sure our PGRs have the best possible experience while studying at Bournemouth University. To do this, we need to know what you think works well and what as a University we could do better.
Upon completing the survey, PGRs will be entered into a free prize draw where you can win one of four prizes of a £50 Love2shop gift voucher. Terms and conditions apply.
In addition and as a thank you for taking part, we will be making a £1 donation for every survey completed to the student mental health wellbeing charity, Student Minds.
How do I take part?
PGRs received an email from the University on Monday 17 April 2023 containing a unique link which allows you to access and complete the survey. If you can’t find this email, contact PRES@bournemouth.ac.uk and we’ll help you to get access.
What will I be asked?
The survey will take around 15 minutes to complete. Your response is confidential and any reporting will be entirely anonymous. The survey is your chance to tell us about your experience as a PGR at BU. It will ask you to share your views on supervision, resources, research culture, community, progress and assessment, responsibilities, support, research skills, profession development, opportunities, and overall experience.
Why should I take part?
Your feedback is important. The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey is the only national survey of PGRs and so is the only way for us to compare how we are doing with other institutions and to make changes that will improve your experience in the future.
More information
If you would like to know more about the survey, please visit: PRES 2023
We hope you take the opportunity to get involved this year and help us make improvements to your experience.
Last we took a new step into the academic publishing by submitting a paper to Qeios. This Open Access journal publishes papers for free, more or less immediately and after the paper has appeared online peer-reviewers are being invited. The paper ‘Impact of Men’s Labour Migration on Non-migrating Spouses’ Health: A Systematic Review‘ [1] is part of Shraddha Manandhar’s Ph.D. study at the University of Huddersfield. Her supervisors are Huddersfield’s Prof. Philip Brown and Prof. Padam Simkhada and Bournemouth University’ Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen. This journal uses AI to find and invite reviewers, and these reviews will the be are published alongside our article. Should we advised by reviewers to make changes, edits or improvements the next version of the paper will be published online alongside the original submission and the reviews.
We have had some previous experience with the process of post-publication review, in 2017 BU’s Dr. Sarah Collard and Prof. van Teijlingen wrote a referee report for F1000Research after it published a methods paper on online focus groups [2]. More recently we published a COVID-19 paper in a so-called pre-print journal SSRN [3], but this was later in published in a traditional peer-reviewed journal called Scientific Reports[4], part of the Nature publishing family.
Collard, S., van Teijlingen, E. (2017) Referee Report For: Insights for conducting real-time focus groups online using a web conferencing service [version 2; referees: 2 approved]. F1000Research6:122 (doi: 10.5256/f1000research.11236.r21467) https://f1000research.com/articles/6-122/v1#referee-response-21467
Parajuli, R.R., Mishra, B., Banstola, A., Ghimire, B.R., Poudel, S., Sharma, K., Dixit, S.M., Shah, S., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., (2020) Multidisciplinary Approach to COVID-19 Risk Communication: A Framework and Tool for Individual and Regional Risk Assessment. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3634190 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3634190
Parajuli, R.R., Mishra, B., Banstola, A. et al. Multidisciplinary approach to COVID-19 risk communication: a framework and tool for individual and regional risk assessment. Sci Rep10, 21650 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78779-0
Apply for up to £1,000 to deliver your event and take part in a national festival of public engagement with research
What is the ESRC Festival of Social Science?
The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual, UK-wide, free celebration of the social sciences. The festival consists of a series of events run each autumn, delivered by ESRC’s ‘festival partners’, higher education institutions from across the UK. Events range from exhibitions, lectures and panel debates through to performances, guided walks and workshops. Bournemouth University has been involved in the Festival of Social Science for over a decade.
When and where will it take place?
The 2023 festival will run from Saturday 21 October to Friday 17 November 2023. Events will take place in the local area, largely off-campus, and online.
Partnership with the University of Southampton
The ESRC have changed their rules this year around which institutions can take part in the festival. As a result, instead of being a standalone contributor to the festival, BU will be collaborating with the University of Southampton (UoS). This is a great opportunity for us to collaborate where relevant, on events, planning, promotion and sharing networks. We will still be selecting, organising and running most events ourselves.
Why should I take part?
The festival is a prestigious initiative by a major research funder, and BU’s continued involvement is justified by the quality of our events and activities. Being part of this festival is an achievement worth citing and celebrating. It is an excellent opportunity to engage people outside of academia with your research and with the benefit of co-ordinated support and promotion from RDS and the ESRC.
You can apply for up to £1,000 to deliver your project.
What if I’ve never done public engagement before?
Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is the ideal place. You’ll have access to support, advice and training throughout. If you’re unsure, seek out a more experienced colleague to collaborate with.
The ESRC says that events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;
Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help.
What will I be expected to do?
Familiarise yourself with best practice for public engagement with research. Whether you’re new to this or experienced, there’s always room to improve
Submit an event proposal using the instructions below.
Events will be selected by our internal panel.
Plan, deliver and evaluate your activity or event, working with the public engagement team to shape your project into an impactful, professional and fascinating experience.
Timeline (approximate)
Open call for applications
20 June – 10 July
Application deadline
23:59, 10 July
Decisions shared
by 21 July
Event planning
24 July onwards
Festival period
21 October – 17 November
How will the collaboration with University of Southampton work?
As this is the first year we have collaborated on the festival, we will learn as we progress. However, where possible we will be looking for opportunities to collaborate with UoS on events, sharing networks and promotion. If you collaborate with UoS researchers, this could be a great opportunity to hold an event together.
Is there a theme?
The theme is ‘lifelong wellbeing’, but this is not compulsory. The ESRC want to see at least 25% of events on this theme.
Events can be on any aspect of health and wellbeing.
The theme has been chosen so that you can include events on the 75th anniversary of the NHS if you wish to, but this is not essential.
What support will I get?
Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we are normally able to provide.
To support your application, we’re holding an online information session on how to apply on Thursday 29 June 11am-12pm
This session will explain more about the festival and how to apply through our open call for proposals. We’ll hear from Dr Maxine Gee who held a successful event as part of last year’s festival and who will share experience and advice. We’ll explain how this year’s collaboration with the University of Southampton will work, and how you might find collaborators for your projects.
(please try a different browser if you are having any issues accessing this link)
Before applying, you’ll have access to:
An information session from BU and UoS, featuring previous event holders.
Advice on request from BU’s Engagement Officer, Adam Morris.
The detailed applicant guidance provided on this page.
When your application is successful, you’ll get:
Funding of up to £1,000 managed by RDS.
Training provided by the ESRC Festival of Social Science.
Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, delivering, evaluating your activity.
Wide-scale promotion and marketing of your event by BU, UoS and the ESRC.
How to Apply
Apply to take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023 by completing the online application form by midnight at the end of Monday 10 July 2023.
If you would like to prepare your application ‘offline’ you can download a copy of the form. This is for planning purposes only, you may not submit it.
We would like to invite you ALL to our very exciting CELEBRATION EVENT on 17th May 2023 in BG-302.
We have been exploring disabled, chronically ill, visually impaired and neurodivergent people’s experiences of cancer services. We also explored how using the community research model can provide a level of shared understanding between researchers and community members to enable the capture of the perspectives of individuals currently underserved by health and social care research.
This project was commissioned by Macmillan Cancer Support and Wessex Cancer Alliance, and overseen by Involving People – Help & Care, Bournemouth University’s Public Involvement in Education and Research (PIER) partnership and the Research Centre for Seldom Heard Voices.
At this event, we will be sharing the outcomes of our research project, with opportunities to take a look at the report, a film which has been developed using the attendee’s artistic creations for the visuals, with the experiences they shared in a voiceover, and to engage in a creative arts workshop. A variation of healthcare professionals, academics and those with lived experience have been invited to this event, so we can all discuss the success of the project, as well as what more needs to be done.
Everyone is welcome and there will be refreshments!
Please get in touch with Stevie Corbin-Clarke (scorbinclarke@bournemouth.ac.uk) with any queries.
I am thrilled to announce that I have been awarded a grant from OpenBright to take part in a short summer course on “Data Science: Network Science” at Utrecht University, located in the Netherlands. OpenBright award grants to support women in computing to develop their research projects.
As a PhD student, I am currently working on a research project titled “Smart Transportation Networks for Smart Cities,” under the supervision of Dr. Wei Koong Chai. The research is match-funded by Bournemouth Christchurch Poole (BCP) Council. Through the course, I am excited to further enhance my knowledge and skills in network science, which is crucial to my research work.
I am thankful for the support and recognition from OpenBright, which provides me with the opportunity to learn from some of the most renowned researchers and scholars in this field. This grant not only benefits me but also fosters the advancement of women in computing, promoting gender equity and diversity in science.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my supervisor Dr. Wei Koong Chai, for his invaluable guidance and support throughout my PhD journey.
Author: Assemgul Kozhabek, 3rd year PhD student, SciTech, Computing and Informatics department
Wish to encourage some current BU students to continue their academic journey with us?
If so, why not come along to this online webinar!
Understand the benefits of doing a PhD at BU and the process of applying including our application deadlines. Current PhD students will also give their real life views.
Anna Hillingdon has been made an external associate of the Economic Conflict & Competition Research Group (ECCRG) at Kings College.
This centre is established in partnership between the Defence Studies Department at King’s College London and the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.
Please see below for the following fellowship opportunity for researchers working in ageing that are looking to branch out into industry.
Zinc and Dunhill Medical Trust Innovation Fellowships in Healthy Ageing
The Innovation Fellowships in Healthy Ageing comprise a 6-9 month programme, starting in September 2023, which will allow UK-based researchers the opportunity to experience first-hand what it takes to build a mission-focussed start-up from scratch, and to build science-rich products and services to improve outcomes for people in later life. Researchers will also have the opportunity to engage in training, support and mentoring to help them translate their skills, explore new career opportunities, and connect with other talented researchers.
This opportunity is open to researchers at any career stage post-PhD, but we particularly welcome applications from early career researchers (you must have submitted your PhD thesis by September, 2023). The deadline for submission of applications is 12 noon 17th May. Interviews will be held in mid-May with decisions being communicated at the end of May.
May’s webinar welcomes Gregory White from Drop The Mask Productions. Drop the Mask Productions is a Community Interest Company – a passionate bunch, with heaps of creativity & great stories to tell, working with digital technologies and thriving on supporting like-minded organisations to make a difference and to change the face of the business community for the better. Drop The Mask productions creates safe, inclusive employment opportunities by removing the barriers for those with physical and mental health disabilities, creating space for everyone to reach their full potential.
Community voices is a collaboration between BU PIER partnership and Centre for Seldom Heard Voices to provide a platform and a voice to local community activists.
Today one of my co-editors of theJournal of Asian Midwives emailed me to announce that our journal has been accepted for inclusion by Scopus.
Scopus, which is owned by the publishing house Elsevier, is the world’s largest electronic database of peer-reviewed literature. The Scopus assessors of our application made some very nice comments about the Journal of Asian Midwives, for example that it:
“consistently includes articles that are academically sound and relevant to an international academic or professional audience in the field. The journal has scholarly relevance as evidenced by citations in other journals currently covered by Scopus… The journal has clear aims and scope/journal policies that are consistent with the journal’s content. Although the scope of this journal is narrow, it addresses the need of an important niche audience.”
We are very proud of this achievement and we, as editors (Prof. Rafat Jan, Ms. Kiran Mubeen, Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, with editorial assistant Ms. Abeer Musaddique), thank all our supporters, especially the library staff at The Aga Khan University in Pakistan, our reviewers, our authors and of course, you, our readers! I personally like to thank our former CMMPH (Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health) PhD student Dr. Sheetal Sharma for suggesting many years ago that I might like to help this, at the time, new journal. It is a proper well-run peer-reviewed journal, and I know that from personal experience, as a few years ago one of the papers on which I am a co-author was rejected after peer review by ‘my’ journal!
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
CMMPH (Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health)
Dr. Jane Healy, Principal Academic in BU’s Department of Social Science and Social Work is organising a national conference on behalf of the British Society of Criminology’s Hate Crime Network. The conference ‘TRANSforming the Narrative: Challenging Transphobic Hate Crime’ will be held on June 22. The conference is free, and its aims and mission statement, as well as booking information, can be found on the link: click here!
The British Society of Criminology’s Hate Crime Network’s annual conference will take place at Bournemouth University in 2023. This will be an opportunity to consider the extent of transphobic hate crimes, the experiences of victims, and the responses by criminal justice and voluntary agencies. The conference is free to attend though registration in mandatory!
Yesterday Plos ONE published our latest study on the health system in Nepal under the title ‘Barriers in accessing family planning services in Nepal during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study‘ [1]. This qualitative study, in an Open Access journal, explores what sorts of barriers are faced by women needing family planning services in Nepal during the pandemic. It was conducted in five districts of Nepal. Telephonic in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 women of reproductive age (18–49 years) who were the regular clients of family planning services. Data were coded deductively using the preexisting themes based on a socio-ecological model (e.g., individual, family, community, and health-facility levels).
The paper reports that individual level barriers included low self-confidence, inadequate knowledge on COVID-19, myths and misconception related to COVID-19, limited access to family planning services, low priority to sexual and reproductive health services, low autonomy in family and limited financial ability. Family level barriers comprised partner’s support, social stigma, increased time at home with husbands or parents, not accepting family planning services as essential health services, financial hardship due to loss of jobs, and communication with in-laws. Movement restrictions and transportation hindering access, unsecured feeling, violation of privacy, and obstacles from security personnel were the community level barriers and unavailability of preferred choice of contraception, increased waiting time, limited outreach services by community health workers, limited physical infrastructures, the behavior of health workers, stock out of commodities, and absence of health workers were health facility level barriers.
The authors conclude that policymakers and programme managers should consider strategies to ensure continued availability of the full method mix during emergency, particularly since disruptions may go unnoticed and strengthen the provision of services through alternative service delivery channels to ensure sustained uptake of such services in this sort of pandemic.
This is the latest addition to the pool of academic papers published by Bournemouth University academics on the effects of COVID-19 on health care in Nepal or issues related to Nepal [2-11].
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
CMMPH (Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health)
Simkhada, P., Tamang, P., Timilsina, L., Simkhada, B., Bissell, P., van Teijlingen, E., Sah, S.K., Wasti, S.P. (2022) Factors Influencing COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake among Nepali in the UK: A Qualitative Study, Vaccine 10(5): 780. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10050780
Khanal, S.P., van Teijlingen, E., Sharma, M.K., Acharya, J., Sharma, C. (2021) Perceived threats towards COVID-19 pandemic among Nepali migrant workers returned from India, Journal of Health Promotion 9(1):87-99.
Simkhada, P., Mahato, P., Tamang, P., van Teijlingen, E., Shahi, P. (2020) The Role of Health Promotion during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Health Promotion, 8:1-4. https://doi.org/10.3126/jhp.v8i0.32964
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.
Mahato, P., Tamang, P., Shahi, P., Aryal, N., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2020) Effects of COVID-19 during lockdown in Nepal, Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences 2(2):1-5.
Tamang, P., Mahato, P., Shahi, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Amgain, K. (2020) COVID-19 Quarantine: A Key Part of Prevention in Nepal. Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences3(1):1-14.
The title of the exchange week was “Teamwork and Collaboration in a University Context” and it was promoted for both academic and professional support staff as an opportunity for partnership and collaborative training. This event was a “BIP” or Blended Intensive Programme, which meant there were online sessions both before and after the week, five days of face-to-face activities, as well as being ‘blended’ through disciplinary and professional integration by the participants. Forty four individuals from 19 European countries were in attendance and came from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds, such as engineering, education, accounting, nursing, technology, international mobility teams, and student support services within institutions.
44 participants from 19 countries gathered in Esslingen for the week
The week was filled with activities, from networking, presentations, workshops and visits – including to the European Parliament in Strasbourg! Jamie writes about this particular visit:
“Following a presentation from an MEP, we had the opportunity to sit in on a parliament session. We quietly filed into the top rows of the circular chamber and listened (via headsets) to what was being said on the floor. On the day I visited, they were debating about the introduction of a digital Euro.
What struck me most was how truly international an institution the EU is. I witnessed 27 different countries working together to make decisions that impact the millions of citizens they represent. The MEP’s speak different languages, come from different cultures, and represent political parties across the spectrum. Yet, they can effectively communicate and collaborate.
I couldn’t help but draw parallels to our own group of 44 participants representing universities from 17 different countries (including individuals from as far away as India and the USA). We spent the week working together and getting to know one another. We connected as professionals and individuals, building a strong foundation for international cooperation amongst our universities. Learning from my international colleagues and taking the time to understand their perspectives was an enriching experience for me.”
The Visit to the European Parliament was a highlight for many
Jane also reflected on a cultural workshop later that week:
“We had a half day training session on “Working in Cross Cultural Teams” which was facilitated by Verena Brenner, a consultant for Esslingen University, and was an interactive and engaging session that offered us the opportunity to reflect on our own biases and stereotypes about other international countries. The session was designed to deepen our understanding on cross-cultural communication and collaboration in a university context and initially involved us considering where we come from and what types of backgrounds we have – as well as how they differ. I reflected upon my own Irish identity in this session, despite being based in a UK institution, and how I have adapted how I present myself to my colleagues in order to ‘fit in’ with British cultures and practices. At one point we worked in groups on a card game, where different colleagues had to move groups at regular intervals but discovered the ‘rules’ of the game had changed as they moved. This subtle task underlined to us how often it is the unspoken words that are assumed to be understood by all, yet can vary enormously between us. The benefits and opportunity of international and intercultural collaboration were discussed and shared between the group at the conclusion. I found this activity to be engaging, reflective and enjoyable.”
Terri writes:
“Personally I had such an amazing week it is difficult to find one highlight. As well as the cultural workshop, which made me reflect on both challenges and lessons to take back to my teaching practice and research teams, a social highlight was our international night. At this event the students, staff and guests brought dishes and sweet treats from their respective countries. Thankfully I smelt Durian and had ‘tried’ it before so didn’t get duped, but I have to say everything else – particularly the American students’ peanut putter and jell-o sandwiches washed down with Jack Daniels – were delicious!”
Terri and Abby from the University of Edinburgh promoting their British treats
For Jane and Terri, not only were they participating in the training week but they also travelled to Munich whilst there to visit with colleagues at Munich Police and discuss potential research collaborations. They were warmly welcomed by head of criminal investigations, Alex Horn, and discussed developing opportunities in the field of hate crime and right-wing extremism.
It was clear that our hosts had spent a great deal of effort designing an engaging and stimulating week for us all. All of the activities provided strong links to BU’s values of inclusivity, creativity and excellence. The focus was not just on enhancing student success but also inter-group successes too. International partnership opportunities are evidently beneficial on every level – from the BIP right through to the European Parliament!
Terri, Jane and Jamie receiving their certificates
Drs Alastair Morrison (Head of International Partnerships, Global Engagement Hub) and Milena Bobeva (Internationalisation Lead, BU Business School) will be visiting universities in Vietnam from 15-19 May 2023 as members of the Advisory Board to the British Council UK-Vietnam Higher Education Partnership (HEP). They will be visiting a range of institutions to develop partnerships, and progress ongoing project work funded by the British Council. For recent events, see the news story of a seminar on research excellence held at the Vietnamese Embassy in London.
The UK-Vietnam HEP Network intends to accelerate its development to support UK universities to understand the landscape, priorities and impact of the higher education sector in Vietnam, promote partnerships between the UK and Vietnam in student and staff mobility, transnational education, research and innovation, and provide networking opportunities among all stakeholders involved in higher education in the UK and Vietnam. The visit will consist of network meetings hosted by Hanoi University of Science and Technology and the Hanoi University of Mining and Geology from 15-17 May 2023, followed by visits to universities in Central and Southern Vietnam by the UK members on 18-19 May 2023, including Hue University.
It would be helpful if BU colleagues could let the Global Engagement Hub know of any active, existing links with Vietnam, and if anyone would like to develop links with any of the above universities in Vietnam, please email globalbu@bournemouth.ac.uk
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