Last chance to submit…
The Conference Committee welcome all PGRs in HSS to submit an abstract to present at the 2nd annual department conference, which will be held on Tuesday 4th June.
Latest research and knowledge exchange news at Bournemouth University
Last chance to submit…
The Conference Committee welcome all PGRs in HSS to submit an abstract to present at the 2nd annual department conference, which will be held on Tuesday 4th June.
The RKEDF and BU ECRN are delighted to offer funding (up to £500) to organise an event, roundtable, meeting, training, or workshop in support of research at BU.
This funding supports BU Early Career Researcher Network members to organise and facilitate an event that can be thematic, subject/discipline based, foster community engagement, knowledge exchange or networking and does the following;
– Brings ECRs and others together to share ideas, knowledge and learning.
– Provides a space for intellectual discussion.
– Helps to facilitate collaboration and future opportunities.
– Enables an opportunity for networking.
– Please note all requests are subject to approval by the RKDEF Team and must be made at least 3 weeks in advance of the event date. No reimbursements for payments will be made without prior authorisation from the team.
– All expenses must be paid by the end of the BU financial year (July 2024)
– You will need to receive written confirmation from RKDEF that your request has been successful before you can proceed with organising the event.
– The event cannot have taken place prior to submitting your application.
Eligible costs
Ineligible Costs
How to apply:
Please download and complete all sections of the EOI for BU ECRN Funding (500 words max per section) and email your completed application to: RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk by 26th April 2024. Successful applicants will be notified by 1st May 2024.
If you have any questions or queries, please contact BU ECRN Academic Leads Ann Hemingway (aheming@bournemouth.ac.uk) and Sam Goodman (sgoodman@bournemouth.ac.uk) or RKDEF Advisor Joelle Fallows (jfallows@bournem
Are you an academic, researcher or PhD candidate who would like to build a media profile and take your research to a global public audience by writing for The Conversation?
The Conversation is a news analysis and opinion website with content written by academics working with professional journalists. It is an open access, independent media charity funded by more than 80 UK and European universities.
In this interactive session we’ll take you through what The Conversation is – our origins and aims; what we do and why.
We’ll look at why you should communicate your research to the public and take you through The Conversation’s unique, collaborative editorial process.
We’ll give you tips on style, tone and structure (with examples), look at how to pitch (with examples) and look at different approaches and article types.
You will have the opportunity to discuss your research with a Conversation editor and pitch potential story ideas.
*Note the session takes place on Zoom and we expect you to turn your camera on.
Benefits of attending
To get the most out of your time with the editor, come prepared:
There are a limited number of places for this session. If you sign up and then are no longer able to attend, please cancel your registration so that your place can be re-allocated to a colleague on the waiting list.
Thank you to everyone who attended our ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 Information Session, in collaboration with the University of Southampton.
The slides from the session are available here, and if you weren’t able to attend, you can watch the recording here.
The 22nd annual Festival of Social Science will take place this year Saturday 19 October – Saturday 9 November, with the theme ‘Our Digital Lives’
This national festival offers the chance to create an inspiring event which enables you to connect your research in a creative and engaging way with a broad public audience.
For the second year, BU is partnering with the University of Southampton (UoS) and we are particularly keen to hear from researchers who have already established collaborations with UoS colleagues and may wish to run a joint event. This collaboration enables us to run an extended programme of events, broadening our impact reach and expanding our networks across Dorset and Hampshire.
Funding of up to £1,000 per event is available, and BU’s Public Engagement with Research team offers continuing advice and support on all areas of event development, planning, delivery and evaluation.
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, panel debates, performances, and workshops. Bournemouth University has been involved in the Festival for over a decade.
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;
Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we usually provide.
Before applying, you’ll have access to:
When your application is successful, you’ll get:
Apply to take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 by completing the online application form by midnight at the end of Thursday 16 May 2024.
Should you require any more information, please contact the team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.
At BU we promote and celebrate the work done to engage public audiences with our research.
The Public Engagement with Research team in Research Development and Support can help promote your event to relevant audiences through our monthly newsletters and via our social media channels.

Event descriptions may be edited for consistency in style with other content.
Share your upcoming public event or activity
If you have any questions, please contact the team publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk
Thank you for your interest in our new Seed Fund for public engagement with research. We’ve received a considerable number of applications for the funding so far.
We’re pleased to announce that we still have funding available for up to six projects. The latest we can accept applications for this academic year is 28th June and the application form will no longer be accessible after that date.
We want to provide small amounts of funding (up to £500) to help researchers develop and incorporate meaningful, two-way engagement with beneficiaries and research users. The aim is to help support a more engaged research culture across BU and accelerate the impact arising from research.
The scheme is open to researchers at all career stages, whether they have previous public engagement experience.
We would like to fund engagement activity that addresses any/all the following:
The relevant staff in the Research Excellence Team will provide support to deliver activities and will manage funds centrally. All activity and spend will need to be completed before 31 July 2024.
(Please note that this funding will not be awarded for attending conferences or networking events where the engagement with stakeholders is speculative.)
For all queries, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.
Congratulation to Dr. Orlanda Harvey (Social Work), Dr. Terri Cole (Psychology) and Dr. Jane Healy (Criminology) who in collaboration with Jade Levell, a colleague at the University of Bristol, had their article ‘Explorations of attitudes towards accessibility and accessing domestic violence and abuse (DVA) perpetrator support programmes by victim-survivors and perpetrators across five European countries’ accepted by the journal Abuse: An International Impact Journal [1]. This paper reports on an international mixed-methods study exploring victim-survivors and perpetrators’ attitudes towards perpetrator support programmes. The study includes a questionnaire survey of victim-survivors and interviews with male perpetrators conducted in five European countries.
Results showed that of the 93 victim-survivors of domestic violence and abuse, half stated they would have stayed in their relationship with perpetrators if the abuse had stopped, and a similar number reported that they believed their relationships would have been different had there been help for the perpetrator. Analysis of perpetrator interviews showed that they faced barriers to obtaining support, such as being labelled a ‘perpetrator’ which, had they been addressed, may have enhanced their engagement with services. Whilst acknowledging the need for safeguarding and justice, this paper demonstrates the importance of reflecting both victim-survivor and perpetrator needs in order for perpetrators to fully engage with support services. Moreover, it highlighted the need to address the underlying societal issues related to hegemonic masculinity, which can lead to the abuse of women being normalised and the vulnerability of men being stigmatised, through education for young people around healthy relationships.
Congratulations
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health
Reference:
Harvey H., Cole T., Levell, J., Healy J. (2024) ‘Explorations of attitudes towards accessibility and accessing domestic violence and abuse (DVA) perpetrator support programmes by victim-survivors and perpetrators across five European countries’, Abuse: An International Impact Journal 5(1): 26-45 https://doi.org/10.37576/abuse.2024.055
Day 1 – Writing for Publication Workshop – 18 June 2024, 10am-4pm
This workshop covers a range of strategies: targeting a journal, writing to prompts, types of prompt for academic writing, ‘snack’ writing, goal-setting for writing, freewriting, generative writing, analysing academic writing in your field, criteria, writing an abstract, using prompts in series, outlining, dealing with reviewers’ feedback, writing groups, micro-groups and retreats. Many of these can be used to prepare for a concentrated spell of writing at a writing retreat – which follows tomorrow. This is a practical workshop. The aim of the writing activities in this workshop is to let you try these strategies and consider how/if/where/when they could fit into your writing practice. You can use these to write for your article during the workshop, and you have a day’s writing to develop it tomorrow.
Day 2 – Writing Retreat – 19 June, 9am-4pm
Aims – To provide dedicated writing time and develop productive writing practices.
Format
This structured retreat uses the ‘typing pool’ model. We all write at the same time, for fixed time slots, using goal-setting and peer and self-monitoring for our individual writing projects. Because we all write together, we can discuss our goals at the start and end of the day (10-15 minutes). Almost all the retreat time is writing time, with regular breaks.
Learning objectives
1. Understand the Structured Writing Retreat model.
2. Structure a writing day.
3. Maintain well-being during intensive periods of writing.
Day 3 – Free Writing Day
An in-person writing day. Lunch will be provided.
Have your say
The Advance HE Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) is now open
We are keen to make sure our PGRs have the best possible experience while studying with us. To do this, we need to know what you think works well and what as a University we could do better. This is your chance to tell us about your experience as a PGR at Bournemouth University. We also kindly ask that all supervisors encourage their PGRs to participate in the survey.
Thank you to all PGRs who completed the 2023 PRES survey – we listened to you and your feedback has helped us to enhance your PGR experience in a range of areas.
The survey is now open and will close on Thursday 16 May 2024. Upon completing the survey, PGRs will automatically entered into a free prize draw. Four winners will be able to claim a £50 shopping voucher. Terms and conditions apply.
In addition, we will be making a £1 donation for every survey completed to the student mental health wellbeing charity, Student Minds.
Once you have completed the survey, you are entitled to claim a coffee voucher worth £3.20, from the Doctoral College to use at any BU Chartwells outlet. Please come to the Doctoral College (DLG08, Talbot Campus) to collect your voucher. You will need to show a screen shot of the final page of the survey in order to claim your voucher.
How do I take part?
PGRs will receive an email to your student account from the University on Monday 15 April 2024 containing a unique link which will allow 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 community, progress and assessment, skills and professional development and wellbeing.
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 2024.
We hope you take the opportunity to get involved this year and help us make improvements to your experience.
Best wishes,
The Doctoral College
For any PRES related queries, please email: PRES@bournemouth.ac.uk
Last week for the first time in over a year I received a request for a mass media interview in the UK on our research. On Easter Monday (1 April) I received an email to appear on Sky TV that very evening to speak about migrant workers and kidney health. this seemed to fit in very nicely with our recently completed study on kidney health funded by the charity The Colt Foundation, and our on-going Ensure-Nepal project funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Office.
After a lot of hassle and finally speaking to the TV research assistant over the phone it turned out Sky TV really wanted an expert to talk about poor people in South Asia selling kidney, despite what they had put in the email invitation on their interest in kidney health of migrant worker. In the end it felt like a few hours wasted on my Bank Holiday Monday. 
Then to my surprise I received a call on Wednesday from BBC Radio Scotland to speak about what babies can hear in the womb and the importance of singing lullabies. Unfortunately, I had to put that request down as this is really not my area of expertise as Professor of Reproductive Health.
Requests to appear on the media to speak about once research seem to be like buses. As the old saying goes, you wait ages for a bus and then two (or more) come along at once. And in this case, NOT only did two turn up, but they were wrong buses anyway!
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)
Today ResearchGate notified us that our paper ‘Caste Exclusion and Health Discrimination in South Asia: A Systematic Review’ has been cited 40 times [1]. This paper is based Dr. Raksha Thapa’s work for her Ph.D. in FHSS. This postgraduate project focused on caste-based inequity in health care utilization in Nepal, particularly focusing on people at the bottom of the caste hierarchy, commonly known as Dalit communities. Her Ph.D. study was supervised by Dr. Pramod Regmi, Principal Academic in the Department of Nursing Sciences, Prof. Vanessa Heaslip Professor of Nursing and Healthcare Equity at the University of Salford and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen in the Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH). Raksha published two further papers from her thesis [2-3].
References:
Have your say
PRES will launch on Monday 15 April 2024 for postgraduate research (PGR) students to complete.
Look out for an email from the University containing your unique link to the survey.
We are keen to make sure our PGRs have the best possible experience while studying with us. To do this, we need to know what you think works well and what as a University we could do better. This is your chance to tell us about your experience as a PGR at Bournemouth University. We also kindly ask that all supervisors encourage their PGRs to participate in the survey.
Thank you to all PGRs who completed the 2023 PRES survey – we listened to you and your feedback has helped us to enhance your PGR experience in a range of areas.
This year the survey will open on Monday 15 April 2024 and close on Thursday 16 May 2024. Upon completing the survey, PGRs will automatically entered into a free prize draw. Four winners will be able to claim a £50 shopping voucher. Terms and conditions apply.
In addition, we will be making a £1 donation for every survey completed to the student mental health wellbeing charity, Student Minds.
Once you have completed the survey, you are entitled to claim a coffee voucher worth £3.20, from the Doctoral College to use at any BU Chartwells outlet. Please come to the Doctoral College (DLG08, Talbot Campus) to collect your voucher. You will need to show a screen shot of the final page of the survey in order to claim your voucher.
How do I take part?
PGRs will receive an email from the University on Monday 15 April 2024 containing a unique link which will allow 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 community, progress and assessment, skills and professional development and wellbeing.
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 2024.
We hope you take the opportunity to get involved this year and help us make improvements to your experience.
Best wishes,
The Doctoral College
For any PRES related queries, please email: PRES@bournemouth.ac.uk
At Café Scientifique, you can explore the latest ideas in science and technology in a relaxed setting. Enjoy listening to a short talk before engaging in debate and discussion with our guest speaker and audience
We’ll be joined by four postgraduate researchers from Bournemouth University on Tuesday 7 May 6:30 – 8:00pm.
Come and listen to four postgraduate researchers from Bournemouth University to get an insight into how their research might answer the following questions:
All the speakers are currently working towards their PhDs and are passionate about sharing their research with the public.
This event will be held at The Black Cherry in Boscombe, Bournemouth. Although the talks start at 6:30pm, the café will be open early so we encourage you to arrive early for a drink and a bite to eat before the talk starts.
If you have any questions about this event please email the Public Engagement with Research Team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

We’re excited to share some great RKEDF training opportunities coming up in April 2024.
Click on the titles to find further details and book your place. Details of an ECRN Funding call can also be found at the end……
Wednesday 3rd April, 10:30-11:00, Online
Meet your RSA reps, hear updates on how BU is implementing the Research Concordat and give feedback or raise concerns that will help to develop and support the research community at BU.
Wednesday 10th April, 14:00-15:00 at Talbot Campus
This session is aimed at any researcher who is, who plans to be, a Principal Investigator for an externally funded research or knowledge exchange project.
Introduction to RED – The Research & Enterprise Database
Thursday 11th April, 10:00-10:30 Online
An overview of the Research & Enterprise Database and how to use RED to identify your supporting pre and post award officers.
Engaging with Schools & young people
Tuesday 16th April, 10:00-11:00, online
Engaging young people with the world of research can be a worthwhile and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. You can benefit from the opportunity to develop and put into practice your skills, build confidence and widen your research horizons.
RDS Academic & Researcher Induction
Wednesday 24th April, 09:30-11:00 Online
This event provides an overview of all the practical information staff need to begin developing their research plans at BU, using both internal and external networks; to develop and disseminate research outcomes; and maximising the available funding opportunities.
Impress the Press: How to talk to Journalists
Wednesday 24th April, 14:00 – 16:00 at Talbot Campus
A practical session covering tips and techniques for speaking with broadcast media (TV and radio) followed by the chance to put it into practice through mock interviews. No previous experience is necessary.
Monday 29th April, 10.00-11.00 at Talbot Campus
This interactive workshop is an introductory session to BRIAN (Bournemouth Research Information And Networking), BU’s publication management system. It is aimed at those who are new to BU or have not updated their staff profile for a while. Attendees will need to bring their laptop.
Research Council Development Scheme (RCDS)
RDS is continuing with the RCDS through April 2024
The RCDS is a coordinated, targeted set of activities designed to inspire and equip BU researchers to achieve greater success with Research Council funding. Attendees have been nominated by their Head of Department
The RKEDF and BU ECRN are delighted to offer funding (up to £500) to organise an event, roundtable, meeting, training, or workshop in support of research at BU.
This funding supports BU Early Career Researcher Network members to organise and facilitate an event that can be thematic, subject/discipline based, foster community engagement, knowledge exchange or networking and does the following;
– Brings ECRs and others together to share ideas, knowledge and learning.
– Provides a space for intellectual discussion.
– Helps to facilitate collaboration and future opportunities.
– Enables an opportunity for networking.
For all the details, click on the title above – deadline for submission is Friday 26th April 2024
For any further information, please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk
Please, help us to avoid any waste of resources; make sure you can attend or cancel your booking ahead of the session.
A practical session covering tips and techniques for speaking with broadcast media (TV and radio) followed by the chance to put it into practice through mock interviews.
This session is open to all academic staff with an interest in engaging with the media. No previous experience is necessary.
By the end of the session, attendees will:
Facilitated by: Emma Matthews – Research Communications Adviser & Stephen Bates – Senior Press Officer
Wednesday 24 April, 2-4pm
Talbot Campus
Engaging young people with the world of research can be a worthwhile and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. You can benefit from the opportunity to develop and put into practice your skills, build confidence and widen your research horizons.
In this session we’ll look at how to approach engagement with young people, including;
– How to pitch your research for young people
– How to establish links with schools, colleges, youth groups etc.
– How to develop activities and resources that schools and colleges will actually use.
– What support is available at BU
This session will be delivered by the BU Engagement Officer and the Schools Liaison Team.
Tuesday 16 April 10-11am
Online
Book your place here – under “Impact Essentials: Engaging with Schools and young people – 16/04/2024” in the drop-down menu
The RKEDF and BU ECRN are delighted to offer funding (up to £500) to organise an event, roundtable, meeting, training, or workshop in support of research at BU.
This funding supports BU Early Career Researcher Network members to organise and facilitate an event that can be thematic, subject/discipline based, foster community engagement, knowledge exchange or networking and does the following;
– Brings ECRs and others together to share ideas, knowledge and learning.
– Provides a space for intellectual discussion.
– Helps to facilitate collaboration and future opportunities.
– Enables an opportunity for networking.
– Please note all requests are subject to approval by the RKDEF Team and must be made at least 3 weeks in advance of the event date. No reimbursements for payments will be made without prior authorisation from the team.
– All expenses must be paid by the end of the BU financial year (July 2024)
– You will need to receive written confirmation from RKDEF that your request has been successful before you can proceed with organising the event.
– The event cannot have taken place prior to submitting your application.
Eligible costs
Ineligible Costs
How to apply:
Please download and complete all sections of the EOI for BU ECRN Funding (500 words max per section) and email your completed application to: RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk by 26th April 2024. Successful applicants will be notified by 1st May 2024.
If you have any questions or queries, please contact BU ECRN Academic Leads Ann Hemingway (aheming@bournemouth.ac.uk) and Sam Goodman (sgoodman@bournemouth.ac.uk) or RKDEF Advisor Joelle Fallows (jfallows@bournemouth.ac.uk).
Academics from the Centre for Midwifery and Women’s Health (CMWH) traveled to Winterhur, Switzerland with the Swiss European Mobility Programme.
The education and research programme, organised by the team at Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften (Zurich University of Applied Sciences), involved a workshop with midwives from across Europe ( Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Germany) discussing midwife-led care.
Professor Vanora Hundley and Dr Dominique Mylod were also invited to give a lecture on the latent phase / early labour as part of the final Gebstart conference.
They presented recently published research that was included in thespecial issue in Women & Birth at the end of last year.
This meeting and collaboration with colleagues from across Europe builds on the work of the International Early Labour Research Group.
Relevant papers:
Mylod DC, Hundley V, Way S, Clark C (2023) Can a birth ball reduce pain perception for women at low obstetric risk in the latent phase of labour? The Ball Assisted Latent Labour (BALL) randomised controlled trial. Women & Birth https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2023.11.008
Grylka-Baeschlin S, Hundley V, Cheyne H et al (2023) Early labour: an under-recognised opportunity for improving the experiences of women, families and maternity professionals Women & Birth https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2023.09.004