Tagged / event

3C Event: Research Culture, Community & Cake – Wednesday 12 November, 3-4pm

Join Our Researcher Social!

The Doctoral College is excited to invite all members of the BU Research Community to our informal social event.

This is a fantastic opportunity for all researchers to connect and exchange ideas over refreshments.

It is a relaxed forum where you can:

  • Meet fellow researchers from across the university
  • Share your research and hear what others are doing
  • Develop new connections
  • Ask any questions you might have, particularly if you’ve recently started

We’d love to see you there!

Event Details

  • Wednesday 12 November, 3-4pm
  • F202, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus

Find out more and register here

If you have any questions about the event, please do get in touch with the Research Development & Culture Team: researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

World Drowning Prevention Day at BU

Next month on July 25th  Bournemouth University will join in with the world-wide celebrations of World Drowning Prevention Day 2025.  The first achievement to highlight is Dr. Jill Nash interesting piece recently published in The Conversation, in which she highlights Five ways to keep teenagers safe by the water [1]. It is also worthwhile to read last year’s contribution to World Drowning Prevention Day by Jill on the dangers of being near water and the role emotions play in making safer decisions [2].

The second major piece of research related to drowning prevention at Bournemouth University is the Sonamoni Project. The Sonamoni Project is working with communities in rural Bangladesh utilizing human-centered design (HCD) techniques.  The research project is identifying solutions to reduce the number of drowning deaths in newly mobile children (6-24 months), developing prototype, and assessing the acceptability and usability of potential  interventions. Sonamoni is coordinated by Bournemouth University in collaboration with the University of the West of England (Bristol), the University of Southampton, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), Design Without Border (DWB) in Uganda and Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB). The interdisciplinary team at Bournemouth University covers three faculties and six academics: Dr. Mavis Bengtsson, Dr. Kyungjoo Cha, Dr. Mehdi Chowdhury, Dr. Yong Hun Lim, Mr. John Powell, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.

This international project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through its Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme, also includes a BU-based PhD student, Mr. Md. Shafkat Hossein.  He recently published the first article related to drowning prevention in Nepal [3].

References:

  1. Nash, J. (2025) Five ways to keep teenagers safe by the waterThe Conversation June 20th.
  2. Nash, J. (2024) Why so many people drown at the water’s edge The Conversation July 25th.
  3. Hossain, M. S., Pant, P. R., van Teijlingen, E., Sedain, B., & Rahman, A. (2024). Drowning Prevention should be a Public Health Issue in Nepal. International Journal of Social Sciences and Management, 11(4): 83–87.

NIHR Global Health Research Academy 2025

The 2025 NIHR Global Health Research Academy Member event will take place on Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th May.  The NIHR recognizes that career progression is a common challenge for early-career researchers. This year the event’s theme is ‘Empowering Early-Career Researchers: Navigating Careers in Global Health’. This two-day online event aims to equip participants from across the globe with the skills and knowledge to navigate and build a career in global health research.

Bournemouth University staff and students participating in the NIHR Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation Call 4: Drowning Prevention for newly mobile infants under 2 years in Bangladesh programme have been invited.  This NIHR-funded project is called Sonamoni and BU’s student Md. Shafkat Hossain, whose PhD assessed the work in Bangladesh, is one the participants, as is our colleague from Bangladesh Notan Dutta.  In the afternoon BU’s Edwin van Teijlingen who will be chairing a session on ‘Funding & Grant Writing’.

Sonamoni is being coordinated by Bournemouth University in collaboration with the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research (CIPRB) in Bangladesh as well as the University of the West of England, Bristol, the University of Southampton, Design Without Borders (DWB) in Uganda, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). This project, with Prof. Dr. Aminur Rahman (at CIPRB) as Bangladesh lead,  includes the above mentioned BU-based PhD project.  The interdisciplinary team at Bournemouth University covers three faculties through: Dr. Mavis Bengtsson, Dr. Kyungjoo Cha, Dr. Mehdi Chowdhury, Dr. Yong Hun Lim, Mr. John Powell, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.

Plenary talk by Dr Regmi on Hidden Health Burden of Nepalese Migrants

Last week, BU academic Dr. Pramod Regmi delivered a plenary talk on the struggles faced by Nepalese migrant workers from departure to return at the 22nd Britain-Nepal Academic Council (BNAC) Conference, held on 24–25 April in Liverpool. The session included two other panelists, including Prof. Padam Simkhada from the University of Huddersfield, he is also a BU Visiting Professor.

Dr. Regmi’s talk highlighted the health burden experienced by Nepali migrants throughout their migration journey. Labour migration from Nepal poses significant risks at all stages. Many aspiring migrants lack access to accurate information and support, while those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds face high documentation costs and illegal recruitment fees, affecting their mental health and placing strain on their families. Abroad, migrants often suffer exploitation, unsafe working conditions, overcrowded and unsanitary housing, limited access to healthcare, and high medical expenses. Female migrants face additional risks such as sexual violence, unintended pregnancy, exploitation, and unemployment. Upon return, especially for those who experienced abuse or trafficking, reintegration is hindered by social stigma and a lack of support services. Nepal’s weak economy further limits their ability to utilise skills gained abroad.

This presentation was informed by a long history of BU research into the health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers, led by Dr. Regmi, Dr. Nirmal Aryal, Dr. Orlanda Harvey, Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, and current PhD students Yagya Adhikari and Anjana Regmi Paudyal in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences.

A round table discussion after the session focused on four questions:

  1. How can we better inform migrants during the pre-migration stage?
  2. How can we reduce the health vulnerabilities of Nepali labour migrant workers abroad?
  3. What are the barriers to, and opportunities for, reintegration when migrants return?
  4. How can we facilitate increased research collaboration in destination countries engaging local academic institutions?

Bournemouth University also contributed to two other presentations related to a project studying the impact of federalisation on Nepal’s health system. This study was funded by the UK Health Systems Research Initiative to examine the consequences of Nepal’s transition from a centralised political system to a federal structure in 2015. These two papers were presented by BU collaborators Prof. Julie Balen (Canterbury Christ Church University) and Ms. Amshu Dhakal (Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal).

BU’s Dr. Regmi, Prof Edwin van Teijlingen and Dr Nirmal collectively have over 40 publications on Nepalese migrants’ health and well-being issues. Their recent publications on the topic include studies on modern slavery [1], kidney disease [2–4], pre-departure training of aspiring migrant workers in Nepal [5], moral panic and societal fears around migrant workers and COVID-19 [6–7], Nepalese migrant workers in Malaysia [8–9], left-behind families of migrant workers [10], migrant workers and the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup [11–12], Nepalese migrants in the UK [13], as well as a comprehensive literature review [14]. They are also a founder members of Health Research Network for Migrant Workers in Asia: www.hearmigrants.org 

 

References:

  1. Paudyal, A. R., Harvey, O., Teijlingen, E. van, Regmi, P. R., Sharma, C. (2024). Returning Home to Nepal after Modern Slavery: Opportunities for Health Promotion. Journal of Health Promotion12(1), 125–132. https://doi.org/10.3126/jhp.v12i1.72713
  2. Aryal, N., Sedhain, A., Regmi, P.R., KC, R. K., van Teijlingen, E. (2021). Risk of kidney health among returnee Nepali migrant workers: A survey of nephrologists. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 12(12), 126–132. https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v12i12.39027
  3. Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., Sedhain, A., KC, R.K., Martinez Faller, E., Rijal, A., van Teijlingen, E. (2021) Kidney health risk of migrant workers: An issue we can no longer overlook. Health Prospect 20(1):15-7
  4. Regmi, P.Aryal, N., Bhattarai, S., Sedhain, A., KC, R.K. and van Teijlingen, E. (2024) Exploring lifestyles, work environment and health care experience of Nepalese returnee labour migrants diagnosed with kidney-related problems, PLoS One 19(8): e0309203. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309203
  5. Regmi, P.Aryal, N.van Teijlingen, E., KC, R.K., Gautam, M. and Maharjan, S. (2024). A Qualitative Insight into Pre-Departure Orientation Training for Aspiring Nepalese Migrant Workers. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 9 (7).
  6. Aryal, N.Regmi, P., Adhikari Dhakal, S., Sharma, S. and van Teijlingen, E. (2024). Moral panic, fear, stigma, and discrimination against returnee migrants and Muslim populations in Nepal: analyses of COVID-19 media content. Journal of Media Studies, 38 (2), 71-98.
  7. Regmi, P., Dhakal Adhikari, S., Aryal, N., Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Fear, Stigma and Othering: The Impact of COVID-19 Rumours on Returnee Migrants and Muslim Populations of Nepal, International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health 19(15), 8986; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19158986
  8. Chaudhary, M.N., Lim, V.C., Faller, E.M., Regmi, P.Aryal, N., Zain, S.N.M., Azman, A.S. and Sahimin, N. (2024). Assessing the basic knowledge and awareness of dengue fever prevention among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. PLoS ONE, 19 (2).
  9. Chaudhary, M.N., Lim, V.C., Sahimin, N., Faller, E.M., Regmi, P.Aryal, N. and Azman, A.S. (2023). Assessing the knowledge of, attitudes towards, and practices in, food safety among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 54.
  10. Adhikari, Y., Regmi, P., Devkota, B. and van Teijlingen, E. (2023). Forgotten health and social care needs of left-behind families of Nepali migrant workers. Journal of Health Promotion, 10, 1-4.
  11. Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Excessive mortalities among migrant workers: the case of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences, 4:31-32. https://doi.org/10.46405/ejms.v4i0.455
  12. Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. and Regmi, P. (2022). Migrant Workers in Qatar: Not just an important topic during the FIFA World Cup 2022. Health Prospect: Journal of Public Health, 21 (3), 1-2.
  13. Simkhada, B., Sah, R.K., Mercel-Sanca, A., van Teijlingen, E., Bhurtyal, Y.M. and Regmi, P. (2021). Perceptions and Experiences of Health and Social Care Utilisation of the UK-Nepali Population. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 23 (2), 298-307.
  14. Mahato, P., Bhusal, S., Regmi, P.,  van Teijlingen, E. (2024). Health and Wellbeing Among Nepali Migrants: A Scoping Review. Journal of Health Promotion12(1): 79–90. https://doi.org/10.3126/jhp.v12i1.72699

 

European Migration Research and Impact – Invitation to a Roundtable Discussion

Date: Wednesday, 7th May, 10am-12pm

Venue: K101 Talbot Campus

Ticket booking: European Migration Research & Impact – Invitation to Roundtable Discussion Tickets, Wed 7 May 2025 at 10:00 | Eventbrite

As part of our recently awarded, British Council-funded “Springboard” project, titled ‘Between vulnerability and resilience: gendering anti-migrant nationalism and migrant responses’, we would like to invite colleagues and PGRs from across BU and AUB with related research interest to a Roundtable discussion on European Migration Research & Impact on 7th May, from 10am to 12pm.

The panel will feature European and BU colleagues actively involved in researching migration across the continent and in the UK, bringing together both internal and international, cross-disciplinary expertise and experience of how to build impact into their projects from scratch. It will also benefit from specialised RDS/REF insights on building research impact. We plan to critically explore different types of potential impact, how to develop impactful research, and discuss both opportunities as well as limitations in achieving meaningful impact through migration research. We hope this panel will aid, inform, and inspire both early and advanced academics interested in migration research, including and beyond Europe, and we welcome lively contributions and discussions. The event will also provide an opportunity for academics across disciplines, working on or interested in related topics, to network with colleagues within and beyond the university.

The Springboard grant awarded by the British Council aims at deepening, specifically, German-UK academic collaborations and developing research projects together. The project is led by Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers (PI), Dilvin Dilara Usta and Anna Wimbledon (Co-Is), all of BU’s Centre for Seldom Heard Voices (CSHV). Beyond British Council funding, project development has kindly been supported by BU’s Global Engagement, RDS, and the FHSS faculty teams as well as the CSHV. Our current international partners include (international lead team only) Carolin Leutloff-Grandits from the B/Orders in Motion research centre at the European University Viadrina (EUV), Frankfurt (Oder), Germany; our long-term partner Linda Gusia of the Sociology Institute and Gender Studies Programme of the University of Prishtina, Kosovo; and Emma Shercliff of the Arts University Bournemouth.

This international team, including further senior researchers, ECRs and PGRs from all the involved partners, is coming together in early May for a dedicated workshop to develop its collaborations, links, and future project plans. (To avoid confusion: the Springboard project and workshop is both complementary to and separate from, Dilvin’s and Anna’s current British Academy-funded project on Crimmigration, which runs in parallel and aims at building collaborative networks, specifically, amongst UK-ECRs and with local non-academic partners; see recent announcement for this associated event, taking place on 16th May).

International Springboard team members Carolin Leutloff-Grandits, co-editor of Migrating Borders and Moving Times (2017) and author of Translocal Care Across Kosovo’s Borders; and Dr Marija Grujić, currently co-leading a project on Gendering asylum infrastructures in Germany and the UK, both of the B/Orders in Motion research centre at EUV, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, have kindly agreed to speak on the European Migration Research & Impact roundtable. Furthermore, we are delighted to welcome Dr Ingrida Kerusauskaite-Palmer of the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences (Institute of Law), Vilnius, on the panel, who recently completed policy-relevant research on the local, societal impact of Ukrainian migration to Central Europe, and who also is a Visiting Fellow at FHSS. Finally, we are particularly pleased to confirm attendance of BU academics and migration experts, Alina Dolea (who has studied and advised on Romanian migrations) and Nicola De Martini Ugolotti (who has worked with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Italy and the UK), as well as of RDS impact manager, Amanda Edwards, as panellists. Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers will chair the panel discussion who, herself, has a long history in studying, specifically, Albanian migrations and societal responses.