The first editorial of The Lancet Public Health [1] highlights a public health issue close to our work in Bangladesh, namely the risk of drowning, especially in young children. “Anyone can drown. No one should” are the words of the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) in its first Global status report on drowning prevention, published two weeks ago (Dec. 2024). According to The Lancet Public Health this landmark report dissects the drowning burden globally, at the country level, and the trends since 2000, presents an overview of the key strategies to prevent drowning, and provides a benchmark for tracking prevention efforts in the future. Importantly, this report sheds light on a tragic, neglected, mostly preventable public health issue.
We are grateful to The Lancet Public Health for raising this important issue in 2025, since Bournemouth University (BU) is currently engaged in research project in this field called ‘Sonamoni’. This an interdisciplinary study is a collaboration with CIPRB (the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh), the University of the West of England (in Bristol), the University of Southampton, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), and Design Without Borders (DWB) in Uganda. Sonamoni aims to design and develop interventions to reduce the number of young children drowning in Bangladesh.
This public health project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through its Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme. For more information, visit the NIHR website.
The interdisciplinary team at BU includes three faculties and six member of staff: Dr. Mavis Bengtsson, Dr. Kyungjoo Cha, Dr. Mehdi Chowdhury, Dr. Yong Hun Lim, Mr. John Powell, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen. We recently published the first paper ‘Drowning Prevention should be a Public Health Issue in Nepal related to this project [2].
On Boxing Day and the following day (Dec. 27th) a member of our research team, Amshu Dhakal based at Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHSS), presented findings from our Nepal Federal Health System Project in Kathmandu. The event, Nepal Health Conclave 2024, was organised by the Ministry of Health and Population and supported by WHO (World Health Organization) Nepal and UNFPA. The event aimed to help strengthen Nepal’s health services. This year’s conclave, themed “Bridging the Gap Between Global Expertise and National Needs”, brought together Nepalese diaspora health professionals and national stakeholders to foster collaboration and innovation in health systems.
Amshu presented two posters at the event: (1) The Impact of Decentralisation on Health Systems: A Systematic Review of Reviews which systematically reviewed how decentralisation affects health systems globally, highlighting key opportunities and challenges across WHO’s six building blocks; and (2) Transforming the Health System in Nepal: The Impact of Federalisation, which examined how the transition to a federal system reshaped Nepal’s health system, identifying gaps, opportunities, and actionable recommendations for improvement.
Our research team produced policy briefs in collaboration with government officials/stakeholders from all three levels of government. The policy briefs can be accessed at the website of our Nepal Federal Health System Project. This study was funded by the UK Health Systems Research Initiative [Grant ref. MR/T023554/1] to study the consequences for the health system of Nepal’s move from a centralised political system to a more federal government structure in 2015. This joint project was led by the University of Sheffield in collaboration with Bournemouth University, the University of Huddersfield, Canter Bury Christ Church University and two institutions in Nepal, namely MMIHS and PHASE Nepal.
In late 2022 further funding was awarded by the Medical Research Foundation to Prof. Julie Balen, from Canterbury Christ Church University, to disseminate the findings of our UK Health Systems Research Initiative-funded research in Nepal. In terms of academic dissemination, we have published eight papers from this interdisciplinary project [1-8].
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health
References:
Koirala, B., Rushton, S., Adhikary, P., Balen, J., et al. (2024) COVID-19 as a challenge to Nepal’s newly federalised health system: capacities, responsibilities, and mindsets, Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health (online first) https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539524125012.
Sapkota, S., Rushton, S., van Teijlingen, E., et al. (2024) Participatory policy analysis in health policy and systems research: reflections from a study in Nepal. Health Research & Policy Systems, 22 (No.7) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-023-01092-5 .
Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., et al. (2023) Selection of Study Sites and Participants for Research into Nepal’s Federal Health System, WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health12(2):116-119.
Sapkota, S., Dhakal, A., Rushton S., et al. (2023) The impact of decentralisation on health systems: a systematic review of reviews. BMJ Global Health 8:e013317. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013317.
Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E., Rushton, S., et al. (2023) Overcoming the Challenges Facing Nepal’s Health System During Federalisation: An Analysis of Health System Building Blocks, Health Research Policy & Systems21(117) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-023-01033-2
Sapkota, S., Panday, S., Wasti, S.P., et al. (2022) Health System Strengthening: The Role of Public Health in Federal Nepal, Journal of the Nepal Public Health Association 7(1):36-42.
Adhikary, P., Balen, J., Gautam, S., et al. (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.
Rushton, S., Pandey, S., van Teijlingen, E., et al. (2021) An Investigation into the Impact of Decentralization on the Health System of Nepal. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 7(1): 3–14. https://doi.org/10.3126/jmmihs.v7i1.43146
The Festive Season is a good time to clean up and clear out the pile of paper collected throughout the proceeding year. One the many pieces of potentially useful information I archived was a three-page article from the April edition of the monthly magazine Prima[1]. Most certainly not the most academic magazine, but useful all the same, as it was a piece encouraging readers to write their own book.
The six steps or recommendations in Prima were:
Figure out what you want to write;
Make time to write;
Find your writing method;
Forget about perfection;
Keep going (even when the going gets though);
Find writing buddies!
I found it interesting as these six steps in this piece overlap a lot with the advice we have been giving to budding academics for years [2].
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)
References:
Gibson, F. (2024) How to write a novel and get published, Prima (April edition): 38-40.
Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Hundley, V. with Shreesh, K. (2022) Writing and Publishing Academic Work, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books
This past week, as part of her work with McMaster University in Canada, Bournemouth University’s (BU) Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH) postgraduate PhD student Joanne Rack published a paper in BMJ Open. This Open Access paper explores the strengths and weaknesses of midwifery research in Canada [1]. Joanne is currently doing a Clinical Doctorate in the specialising in personalised care for women of advanced maternal age. This PhD study is matched-funded by University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust and Bournemouth University [BU].Her PhD is supervised and supported by Professors Vanora Hundley and Edwin van Teijlingen in CMWH, Prof. Ann Luce, deputy dean in BU’s Department of Communication & Journalism as well as Dr. Latha Vinayakarao in Poole Maternity Hospital.
The second midwifery paper ‘Importance of Expanding Midwifery-led Units and Midwifery Care in Reducing Maternal Deaths in Nepal‘, which is also Open Access, has a different international focus, this time on Nepal [2]. The paper is co-authored by Dr. Preeti Mahato and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen. Dr. Preeti Mahato, formerly in BU’s Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, is currently based at Royal Holloway, University of London.
References:
Ruby, E., Brunton, G., Rack, J., et al. (2024). Exploring the landscape of Canadian midwifery research: strengths, gaps and priorities – results of a scoping review. BMJ Open14:e087698. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2024-087698
Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2024). Importance of Expanding Midwifery-led Units and Midwifery Care in Reducing Maternal Deaths in Nepal. Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences 6(1). https://doi.org/10.46405/ejms.v6i1.537
The next round for the UKRI Future Leader Fellows is coming up. A previous FLF leader, Professor Matt Ryan is visiting Bournemouth University to speak about applying to the FLF scheme and how it has impacted his career.
Professor Matt Ryan, Professor of Governance and Public Policy from Southampton University, will be visiting on 28 January 2025, 2-3pm for an ‘in person’ talk on the Talbot campus. His talk will focus on applying for the Future Leader Fellowship. Matt is the perfect speaker, having been a Future Leaders Fellow since January 2020 through his Rebooting Democracy project. This aims to understand which innovations in public participation restore and sustain democracy. Matt has held visiting positions at the University of Canberra, as JQYA International Fellow at Geothe University- Frankfurt, and as a Turing Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute. He is founding co-director of the Centre for Democratic Futures and Policy Director at the Web Science Institute. His research crosses several disciplinary boundaries and focuses on democratic innovation, participation in politics and policymaking, as well as improving social research methods.
We are pleased to announce there will be a new round of funding available for public engagement with research activity early in the new year. BU’s Engaged Research Seed Fund aims to continue our ambition to embed an engaged research approach across the university in order to improve the quality of our research and help us respond to societal needs.
BU Engaged Research Seed Fund: what next?
We will be sharing guidance for applicants and information on how to apply early in January. As before, the fund will operate on a rolling basis and provide small, individual awards up to £500 to kickstart or develop engagement. It could be used, for example, to carry out a pilot activity to build networks in preparation for a funding bid or to develop an engagement activity for a new community.
Applicants will need to describe how the seed funding will lead to further engagement and how that engagement will be used to enhance external bidding or accelerate the translation of research into impact.
Success stories from the pilot scheme
Between February and May 2024, we received 13 applications and funded 7 projects, totalling £3,131.
Engagement activities included: a collaborative workshop on psychosocial research and Shakespeare’s Periclesat the Young Actors Theatre, London; a hybrid pilot public lecture/debate on law and ethics entitled ‘Your rights to the right diagnosis in Dorset’; involvement in a community-run ‘Live Well with Pain Café’ session to gain lived experience perspectives; and a school-based event run in conjunction with Southwest Police Regional Cyber Crime Unit Prevent team.
Feedback from award holders:
“This funding truly enabled a pilot project that allowed us to explore a topic, try out some ideas, connect with partners and the public, and collaborate on a new research project”
“The Seed Fund was invaluable in realising [our] project… This proves that even small amounts of funding – like £500 – can make a huge difference in facilitating projects when the right conditions are there”
What is public engagement with research?
UKRI defines public engagement as ‘any activity that seeks to break down the barriers between research, innovation and society’, while Wellcome describes engaged research as ’embedding stakeholder perspectives across the research lifecycle – from agenda-setting, funding and research design through to implementation, monitoring and evaluation’.
“We know that when wider society is involved, research and innovation become more relevant and useful for everyone. For these reasons, a key priority for everyone working in research and innovation must be to forge deeper connections with wider society” UKRI Public Engagement Strategy
Public engagement with research encompasses a range of activity, with co-production at one end of the spectrum and public lectures at the other. To aid understanding of the many activities that public engagement encompasses, Wellcome have even created The Public Engagement ‘Onion’:
If you are interested in applying for the seed fund, you may want to look at the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement’s website for a wealth of free resources and advice on designing, delivering and evaluating public engagement.
For informal enquiries about the funding, please email Impact Manager Amanda Edwards.
This scheme offers five early career researchers the opportunity to be ‘researchers in residence’ where they will work with programme makers at BBC Radio 4 and produce a piece of writing to be recorded for radio.
If selected, you’ll also take part in learning and development opportunities with AHRC around working with the media, engaging the public with research and how to work with policy makers.
You’ll be an up-and-coming early career researcher with a passion for sharing ideas with the largest possible audience.
AHRC are looking for applications from a diversity of backgrounds, research disciplines and institutions, particularly candidates who can demonstrate:
how one area of their research could make a strong, clearly expressed and engaging piece of writing for BBC radio. The scheme will match researchers with programmes or BBC units, so we are looking for discussion ideas for those programmes which draw upon your own research or your knowledge of trends in your subject area
how this research could have the potential to either change public opinion or influence policy
creativity, originality and the potential to talk and write about other areas within the arts and humanities in an accessible and interesting manner, particularly to a wider audience
that they are comfortable talking and writing about ideas from beyond their own research area in an accessible and interesting way
a wide range of interests through their review and description of their current research
high standards of scholarship: clear explanations in interesting, well-written, jargon-free language, that is editorially and stylistically suitable for a BBC audience
To apply for the New Generation Thinkers scheme, you must be:
a UK resident
over the age of 18
currently working or studying at a UK research organisation that is eligible to receive funding from UKRI. See Eligibility of your organisation
studying a relevant area of research. See ‘Your research history’
You must also be either:
currently studying for your first PhD and having made considerable progress on your research, for example within one year of submission
within eight years of the award of your first PhD, excluding any period of career break such as parental leave, caring responsibilities, health reasons, or reasons consequent upon the COVID-19 pandemic
within six years of your first academic appointment at an organisation that is eligible to receive funding from UKRI, excluding any period of career break such as parental leave, caring responsibilities, health reasons, or reasons consequent upon the COVID-19 pandemic. This must be a paid contract of employment, either full-time or part-time, which lists research or teaching as the primary function, including research assistantships
You do not need to have a permanent contract of employment to be eligible, provided you meet the conditions at the time of your application.
If you have applied to the scheme before, you may apply again provided you have never been selected as a new generation thinker in any given year.
Each person is allowed to submit only one application. The application will ask how your research aligns with one of the programmes or units. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and BBC may then match you to any one of the five programmes or units.
Struggling to effectively communicate the potential impact of your research in funding applications? This training session on Tuesday, 28 January 2025 from 10am to 12noon, will equip you with the practical tools and knowledge to develop effective plans of impact, articulate these in proposals and increase your success rates.
This session is intended for academics working on a proposal at the time of the session. It could be an early-stage idea, or a specific proposal for a funder. Please bring your proposal with you to the session to work on.
Key benefits:
Maximise your impact: Learn how to identify, measure, and communicate the real-world significance of your research in funding proposals
Write more competitive proposals: Master the art of crafting compelling impact plans that resonate with funding panels.
Save time and effort: Discover efficient strategies to integrate impact considerations into your research process and proposals
Gain actionable insights: Apply your newfound knowledge to your current or future funding bids.
Where: Fusion building. In-person only, not hybrid.
Last chance to book the final place for a one-off event
Are you curious about the stories behind successful research at BU? Want to hear from our academics about their journeys, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the role the Research Development and Support (RDS) team has played in their success? This is your chance to gain invaluable insights, ask questions, and discover how RDS can support your own research aspirations.
Chaired by Jeff Bray, our speakers include Tom Wainwright, Jane Henriksen Bulmer and Alain Simons who will share their research experiences and discuss how RDS has helped them along the way. Get the inside scoop on top tips, common pitfalls, and how to find funding opportunities, plus what’s coming up in the research landscape.
To wrap things up, we’ll be hosting a relaxed networking lunch, giving you the chance to meet the RDS team in person, chat with fellow researchers, and connect those final dots in your own research journey.
This in-person session on Wednesday 12 February 2025, 1pm to 2pm, is aimed at Academics, Researchers and PGRs with an interest in discussing work/life balance within Academic roles and careers.
The session aims to discuss approaches to setting and maintaining healthy work/life balance whilst also managing the demands of their role. It will follow an open, discursive model and invite responses from ECRs with input from the Academic leads.
By the end of the session, attendees will have acquired knowledge of models and techniques to healthy professional practice with regards to time management, wellbeing and working practices, and have had the opportunity to discuss their specific circumstances with peers and experienced Academic mentors.
Thank you to all of our presenters, poster exhibitors, session chairs and of course delegates who supported the 16th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference. It is always a highlight on the Doctoral College events calendar and we hope you all enjoyed the day.
We were thrilled with the energy and enthusiasm on the day, and we were delighted to see a strong turnout of PGRs and colleagues showing their support and helping to promote a positive research culture and community across BU.
Here is some of the feedback received:
“Always an uplifting and inspiring event. I highly recommend attending in any capacity – as a guest or contributor.”
“Loved the atmosphere”
“I enjoyed it all. I gained confidence in exhibiting my poster and enjoyed networking with others.”
If you attended, either as a presenter or delegate, we would love to hear your feedback via this anonymous feedback form.
Your feedback will help us improve future conferences so please let us know your thoughts, or just let us know what you liked most!
Feedback collection will close soon – 11 December 2024.
You can see some highlights of the day on LinkedIn #BUPGRConf24 and a video here.
Virtual Exhibition and Postgraduate Research Showcase
Did you miss the conference? Do not worry, you can visit our Virtual Exhibition on the BU website and in February you will be able to visit the Atrium Gallery to view a selection of the conference posters.
We will be holding a celebration event on Wednesday 5 February 2025, with more information to follow so watch this space!
The Doctoral College team have been delighted with the large number of nominations that have come in recently for the ‘Doctoral College Outstanding Contribution Awards’. We wish to extend our congratulations to all recipients who have received their award certificate.
Here are some of the wonderful nominations we have received:
“Elizabeth’s support is instrumental in advertising our suite of studentships, including the ESRC SW DTP. This is critical to supporting the recruitment of high quality PGRs and increasing our PGR numbers. Thank you :)”
“Thank you, Abier, for all of your support with organisation of the 2nd HSS PGR Conference. Your support for this event has had a positive impact on the sense of PGR community and connection that we have in HSS. Thank you.”
“Tash has supported the Doctoral College with the promotion of studentships for several years. Her quick response has been invaluable in the recruitment of high quality PGRs and in turn helping to grow the PGR numbers. I know Tash has moved on to a new role so wish her luck with that! Thank you.”
Why not make someone’s day and take five minutes and nominate a PGR, academic or professional staff member for a Doctoral College Outstanding Contribution Award to say thanks and give recognition for their hard work?
These awards recognise the outstanding contributions to postgraduate research degrees at BU by any PGR, academic or professional staff member. They can be nominated throughout the year by any member of the postgraduate research community to anyone that they feel is exceptional, has exceeded expectations, and has had a positive impact on the postgraduate research culture at BU.
Eligibility
You can nominate anyone involved in postgraduate research at Bournemouth University to receive an award certificate. There are no award criteria, as long as the submission falls within the guidelines, whoever you’ve selected will receive a Doctoral College Outstanding Contribution Award!
How to nominate
We’ve made it really easy for you to nominate someone for a Doctoral College Outstanding Contribution Award – it’s just a short online nomination form!
For one final time in 2024, join this drop-in session 1pm-2pm on Wednesday 4 December, online. This is an open session for all BU ECRs and PGRs, to discuss any issues around career development, or the ECR experience with the peer network, and receive advice and guidance from the network’s academic leads.
Meet The Leverhulme Trust, at 1pm on Wednesday 4 December (online). The Trust has been funding research for almost 100 years supporting fundamental and higher-risk research. You will hear from the Director of Leverhulme about the funding schemes they offer, advice for applicants, Strategy and Looking into the future. Please send Eva Papadopoulou your questions in advance.
On 4 December, 9am until 1pm, in person at BGB – learn from REDCap expert, Will Crocombe, about data collection and management best practices in research and why REDCap is better that MS Excel or Qualtrics for almost every type of data collection, either through online surveys or direct entry into a database.
On 5 December, 9am until 4pm, in person at BGB – this advanced, one-day, course for those with some REDCap knowledge will be led by our external REDCap expert, Will Crocombe, and will cover:
Data management – data workflow, queries and audit trail, site management
Simple randomisation – stratified lists
Electronic consent – design and setup
Longitudinal data collection – events and repeating forms
Surveys – patient data collection
Mobile data collection – using the REDCap mobile app
On Wednesday 11 December 2024,10:00-14:00, in person at Talbot campus – hear from BU academics about their journeys, the challenges they’ve overcome and the role the Research Development and Support (RDS) team has played in their success. Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out! If you’re interested, please be sure to book your ticket — and if you can’t make it, kindly let us know so someone else can take your spot. For further information on this event please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk
This Knowledge Transfer Partnership development session is in person, at Talbot campus, on Wednesday,18 December at 1pm. It will cover the tools needed to ensure systematic design capture, to encourage engagement and promote co-formulation of the project.
Please help us in avoiding any waste of resources; make sure you can attend or cancel your booking prior to the session. For any further information, please contactRKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk
This is an open session for all BU ECRs and PGRs, to discuss any issues around career development, or the ECR experience with the peer network, and receive advice and guidance from the network’s academic leads.
The ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 has come to an end, successfully bringing together diverse audiences to explore, learn, and engage with BU’s research.
The 2024 festival, which included 324 nationwide events, had ‘our digital lives’ as a central theme. Many of the events examined the relationship between humans and digital technology, exploring current threats and opportunities, as well as imagining what life might be like in the future.
For the 13th year, BU took part in the festival, drawing over 250 attendees to five engaging events, two of which were also featured in the University of Southampton’s Arts and Humanities Day on Saturday 9 November. In partnership with the University of Southampton for the second consecutive year, the festival showcased a programme of events, ranging from discussions on well-being and cybersecurity to an exhibition highlighting the voices of young LGBTQ+ individuals.
Avonwood Primary School
Our festival programme began with ‘Underwater Farms – The Magic of Seaweed’ an exciting opening event for 61 year 3 students at Avonwood Primary School.
Activities with pupils at Avonwood Primary School
BU researchersAnastasia Vayona and Kirthana Pillay visited two classes, where they introduced children between the ages of 7-8 to the wonders of seaweed as a food source and highlighted how underwater farming could play a crucial role in creating a more sustainable future for agriculture. The children were particularly keen to try the seaweed scones!
“…a really informative and fun event that was perfectly pitched for the age of participants…it gave them a chance to explore food and nutrition in a fun, interactive context” feedback from a teacher at Avonwood Primary School
The next event in our programme, ‘Take a Meno(pause)’ – exploring well-being through yoga for mid-life -was an interactive session at Pavilion Dance, focusing on the benefits of yoga during the menopause years.
Yoga practice led by Dr Hecquet
Dr Juliette Hecquet’s research looks at yoga’s effectiveness in managing the physical and emotional symptoms of perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. By integrating body and mind, yoga promotes health, strength, and overall well-being during this life stage.
Yoga breathing exercises
Participants learned how yoga can enhance physical and mental health and how mindfulness can support the transition through mid-life. The session also included a guided yoga practice led by Dr Hecquet, with poses and breathing exercises designed to deepen relaxation and improve well-being throughout the menopause journey.
“…very professional and I thoroughly enjoyed it.” feedback from an attendee
Board game activities at Cybersecurity Family Fun day in Poole Dolphin Centre
BU’sCyGamBIT Team hosted a ‘Cybersecurity Family Fun Day’ at Gather, the hub for community events at the Dolphin Centre in Poole. During half term, this interactive cybersecurity day gave participants of all ages the opportunity to discover practical tools to enhance digital safety, with hands-on activities that made learning about cybersecurity both fun and accessible
Guided by BU computer science researcher Dr Jane Henriksen-Bulmer and CyGamBIT co-founder and BU PhD student Emily Rosenorn-Lanng, families left with practical takeaways to help keep their information secure and a better understanding of how digital safety affects everyone.
“…granddaughter loved how it taught her about safety online” feedback from an attendee
The ‘Communities of wellbeing: the digital lives of LGBTQ+ young people’ exhibition was displayed at the Lighthouse in Poole from 26 October – 16 November. The artwork highlighted the powerful stories of young LGBTQ+ individuals, who shared their experiences of creating inclusive online spaces where they feel safe, joyful, and have a sense of belonging.
Exhibition displayed at the Lighthouse in Poole
Dr Jayne Caudwell and Dr Francesca Gaunt hosted a series of workshops with LGBTQ+ youth. Through these group discussions, six key themes emerged, including topics like the experience of coming out as LGBTQ+ in online spaces. These conversations inspired the creation of artwork reflecting the themes explored.
The exhibition images and content from the workshops will also be used to create a digital version of the exhibition, coming soon!
“…inspiring – we all have far more in common than our differences – we all need respect and acceptance” feedback from an attendee
Our online workshop, ‘Teaching for Wellbeing: Connecting Practice with Socio-Emotional Support’, led by Dr Esther Anwuzia, covered effective teaching practices to support students’ well-being in today’s challenging environment.
Former teachers Elaine Baker-Smith and Jerry Whitton with a combined 55 years of experience also participated in the session, offering their perspectives on effective teaching practices, and promoting student well-being.
Dr Anwuzia’s research explores how heavy workloads restrict teachers’ ability to reflect beyond teaching and grading. Since the pandemic, an increasing number of students with social and emotional difficulties are absent from school. Focused teaching can help build students’ confidence and support responsible decision-making.
Teacher Zoom Event
The workshop provided an opportunity for teachers to connect, exchange insights, reflect on their experiences, and explore strategies for making a positive impact on students’ lives.
“… I remember having a teacher who explained information in lots of different ways to help with our understanding”
“…really brilliant presentation!” feedback from attendees
Watch this event
A Special Feature – Southampton Arts and Humanities Day
For the first time, BU researchers were invited to participate in the University of Southampton’s Arts and Humanities Day, which took place on Saturday 9 November in the city’s Cultural Quarter. The day offered a range of free interactive activities, workshops, talks, performances, and exhibits.
Attendees had the opportunity to engage with the Young LGBTQ+ stories exhibition, which attracted more than 90 viewers, while Dr Esther Anwuzia hosted a drop-in session on Connecting teaching with student wellbeing, making her own connections with more than 30 educators and members of the public.
Southampton Arts and Humanities Day
Thank you
A big thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to this year’s ESRC Festival of Social Science. Your involvement helped make our events a meaningful celebration of the positive impact social science has on our communities.
Applying for the ESRC Festival – what you need to know
Event leads were chosen through a competitive internal application process, with selections determined by a panel of researchers and professional services staff. BU’s Public Engagement Team provided support to help bring their creative and engaging event ideas to life.
If you’re considering participating in a future ESRC Festival of Social Science, now is an ideal time to start preparing your proposal. Begin by exploring the 2024 festival open call to gain insight into what we look for in applications for 2025.
If you would like to start discussing your ideas, please get in touch with the public engagement with research team at publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.
The festive break is fast approaching and with that, there will be reduced staffing across the University. To ensure we can maintain comprehensive pre-award support and to help with forward planning, 29th November will be the latest date an ITB can be submitted for any bid with a deadline before 8th January.
For bids due before 8th January for which an ITB is received after 29th November, a Facilitator will work with you to find a suitable alternative call.
In some cases BU’s Fast Track route may be an option. Please check if your activity meets the Fast Track requirements and if it does, you are encouraged to use it.
Last chance to register for the 16th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference 2024. We are so excited to welcome you on Wednesday 27 November!
This conference is a celebration of the incredible work being carried out by our postgraduate researchers, and we are proud to provide this platform for sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration and building connections. Whether you are presenting, exhibiting, or attending, this is a wonderful opportunity to network with fellow PGRs, colleagues from across the university and external visitors.
Registrations close at 10:00 Tuesday 26 November, so don’t miss your chance to book! Lunch will be provided.
This conference is open to external participants, please share this invite with companies and organisations you are cooperating with.
The first editorial of The Lancet Public Health [1] highlights a public health issue close to our work in Bangladesh, namely the risk of drowning, especially in young children. “Anyone can drown. No one should” are the words of the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) in its first Global status report on drowning prevention, published two weeks ago (Dec. 2024). According to The Lancet Public Health this landmark report dissects the drowning burden globally, at the country level, and the trends since 2000, presents an overview of the key strategies to prevent drowning, and provides a benchmark for tracking prevention efforts in the future. Importantly, this report sheds light on a tragic, neglected, mostly preventable public health issue.
We are grateful to The Lancet Public Health for raising this important issue in 2025, since Bournemouth University (BU) is currently engaged in research project in this field called ‘Sonamoni’. This an interdisciplinary study is a collaboration with CIPRB (the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh), the University of the West of England (in Bristol), the University of Southampton, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), and Design Without Borders (DWB) in Uganda. Sonamoni aims to design and develop interventions to reduce the number of young children drowning in Bangladesh.
Guided by BU computer science researcher 
Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition
C.A.I.R.E.E.S. Conference: Harnessing AI for a sustainable future
Writing for The Conversation interactive workshop – Wednesday 5th March
Congratulations on new paper by BU PhD graduate
Update on UKRO services
European research project exploring use of ‘virtual twins’ to better manage metabolic associated fatty liver disease
BU Professor has been invited to a series of plenary and invited lectures.