BU Research Blog

We are seeking volunteers at BU to help with a piece of research looking at the evolution of HE institutions and the evolution of individuals in the context of institutional evolution.  Professor Matthew Bennett and Dr Colleen Harding are conducting a research project which examines the evolution of BU during the last 25 years from an organisational development perspective.  BU has been selected as a case study, as part of a broader piece of research which involves two other institutions.  Both of the Principal Investigators have been participant observers during much of the change that has taken place at BU during the last decade and are ideally placed to conduct this research.  Our study extends back to the early 1990s through to the launch of the current strategic plan in 2012.  The case study will be used to develop ideas and models of institutional change applicable to the Higher Education sector as a whole. 

We are keen to invite volunteers, both past and present members of staff, who joined (and left) BU at different stages along its development journey, to contribute their thoughts and reflections on different periods of the institution’s history.  We are seeking volunteers both through an open call and by targeting individuals with direct invitations who we feel may have lived through critical periods of the institution’s history.  It is entirely up to you to decide whether or not to take part.  There is no limit to the number of participants that we are seeking.  In the first instance the research will take place between September and November 2014 and consists of a one hour interview with one of the Principal Investigators.  This will be organised at your convenience, just email either Matthew or Colleen to set up a time and place.  You will be asked to sign a consent form and given a participant information sheet for the study.  The research has been ethically approved by BU.  All the data will be held confidentially and will be used in such a way as to ensure that all participants cannot be identified from the research.  If you are interested in being involved in the research we would very much like to hear from you, so please contact Matthew or Colleen by email: mbennett@bournemouth.ac.uk or charding@bournemouth.ac.uk