Campus News

Thanking our Campus Stars #WeAreUoN

September 25th, 2020

Many of you told us how much you appreciated the hard work of our Campus Stars, who kept our campuses well-maintained and safe during lockdown.

Whilst the majority of our University community was working or studying remotely during lockdown, key colleagues remained on campus to keep essential services running and to keep the members of our community that remained on campus safe and supported.

The Campus Stars campaign was launched to showcase these colleagues and highlight the crucial work they do.

Thank you for your comments – and welcome back!

Campus Stars: Diane Holland

Campus Stars: Ian Savage

Campus Stars: James Gardner

Campus Stars: Jodie Chatfield

Campus Stars: Kamal Swarup

Campus Stars: Kate Beaumont

Campus Stars: Margaret Pearce

Campus Stars: Mark Chester

Campus Stars: Mark Pycroft

Campus Stars: Matt Carlile, Chris Moore and Nadine Holmes

Campus Stars: Michael Wilcox

Campus Stars: Neil Saunders and Jennifer Hankin

Campus Stars: Ray Eddyshaw

Campus Stars: Sue Mellors

Campus Stars: Aaron Swinscoe

Campus Stars: Andrew Tinsley

Campus Stars: Artur Kocoń

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Libraries re-opening update including reservations and loans

September 25th, 2020

The phased re-opening of our library buildings and services continues next week with more libraries opening their doors, extensions of services at others plus the expansion of the Click and Collect service.

Re-opening libraries and service extensions
Our three remaining libraries will re-open on Monday 28 September, taking us to our full complement of eight library buildings open for selected services.

The following libraries will re-open or extend their services from Monday:

  • George Green Library (University Park)
  • Denis Arnold Music Library (University Park)
  • Business Library (Jubilee Campus)
  • Greenfield Medical Library (Medical School, QMC)
  • Djanogly LRC (Jubilee Campus)

For the full list of which services are available at each library, visit the phased re-opening schedule webpage.

Access to study space
To provide safe and socially distant access to our spaces, the capacity of our libraries and number of study spaces has been reduced.

It is important to us that we continue to provide study space access to as many students as possible, so we have introduced a new online booking system, Click and Study. This replaces the previous Office 365 room booking system.

Bookings are initially limited to two three-hour bookings a week per person. We will continue to review this limit to ensure we’re providing the best possible access to our spaces.

From Monday 28 September, individual study space will be available at all libraries. All study space must be booked in advance using Click and Study (except for Music Library).

Click and Collection expansion
During the summer, book reservations were only available for items on the shelves in our open libraries. With all eight libraries now open, Click and Collect is expanding to offer access to all books from Monday 28 September.  This means that you will be able to request any book in our collections, even those currently out on loan to other staff or students.

Books that haven’t been requested will continue to automatically renew every day as normal.

If you request a book that is in high-demand (requested by others), it will be issued for seven days only and will not auto-renew. We will let you know if this is the case. We have extended the high-demand loan period from two days to seven days based on student and staff feedback.

Returning books
If you have a book on loan and it is requested by another user, you will receive an email to let you know that your loan will no longer auto-renew and that you have seven days to return the item. Return the book before the date to avoid fines.

Please return your book to the boxes outside libraries to allow us to quarantine these for 72 hours. We will waive fines for the days that books are in quarantine. Visit the individual library pages to find out more. Books can also be returned by post to Hallward Library.

If for any reason you are unable to return your book using the above options, please email the Library helpline.

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Professor Dame Jessica Corner: research remains our priority as the new academic year begins

September 25th, 2020

The start of the academic year is always a special time in the life of a university, and this week feels particularly significant. Thanks to the remarkable efforts of many hundreds of people we have welcomed staff and students back to our campuses.

I’m sure I am not alone in feeling a buzz as our stunning campuses come back to life after an extended summer break and we can take a great deal of satisfaction in the tremendous team effort that has ensured that our final research-related areas and facilities are reopening.

Research remains an absolute priority and this message remains at the core of our conversations with you as we work together to return to pre-pandemic levels and look to grow our research in a post-COVID world.

We are planning further town halls for researchers to discuss this challenge, and our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shearer West, will invite colleagues from across our research community to join her in a series of conversations to further explore how we can seize opportunities to do research differently, and better. These conversations will help inform our response to the challenges and opportunities of the Government’s UK Research and Development Roadmap, while also developing our thinking on the University’s future research strategy.

Discover more in the latest research update from Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange.

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Local Testing Solutions set up at University Park

September 25th, 2020

A new coronavirus test centre will open at University Park next week as part of a pilot for new walk-through sites accessible on foot or bike.

Tests still need to be booked by either ringing 119 or booking via the NHS website.

Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus, however mild, can get a free swab test that takes less than a minute.

The main symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

The new site is hosted by the University of Nottingham, in the grounds of the Visitor Car Park. It is designed for people to access either on foot or bike, not by car and therefore parking will not be available.

Those being tested will be required to follow public health measures, including social distancing, not travelling by taxi or public transport, practising good personal hygiene and wearing a face covering throughout (including travelling to and from the testing centre).

Testing at the new site will start from Monday 28 September and the facility will be open to staff, students as well as members of the local community.

A further walk-through site is being planned for the University’s Jubilee Campus and is set to open in October.

You can find a Campus Map here for reference.

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Campus Solutions – support and advice

September 24th, 2020

Deputy Registrar Stephen McAuliffe has written to Heads of Schools to outline a new range of support for users of Campus Solutions to help overcome any issues that staff or students may experience during the start of term period.

Support for Academic Staff
To support academic staff and personal tutors in responding to student queries or requests for help with Campus Solutions, Student Services has introduced three tiers of additional information.

  • colleagues should initially refer to a newly published set of the most Frequently Asked Questions which should address the most common student queries
  • if you can’t find the answer, please refer the student to the guidance information they have been sent via email or direct them to the upgraded Student Services Help webpages
  • students can also complete an online form or have a virtual chat with Student Services staff during opening hours.

For urgent cases where a student presents a significant issue owing to registration problems, staff can use this dedicated form to raise the priority of the case, where it should be resolved within 24-48 hours. This route would be appropriate, for example, where a student who cannot pay their rent and is risking eviction because they cannot register and receive their student loan. Students with important but non-urgent issues should be directed to the other routes above.

Support for Students – Student Services Centres
Student Services has increased its digital capacity and introduced virtual chat to resolve more student queries than has been possible in previous years. Early experience with virtual chat suggests more issues can be resolved more quickly as students can be put off by queuing in-person. In a normal year, Student Services process some 1,600 queries each week, and it is estimated that they  can now resolve a further 300 enquiries each week.

To ensure Student Service Centres can remain Covid-secure, they have adopted a similar approach to teaching where some contact will be online and other contact can be scheduled to be in-person.  While Service Centres will host pre-booked appointments they will be closed to ‘walk-up’ enquiries, and instead staff will provide information and answer questions via outdoor stands.  These are open weekdays from 10am to 2pm on Portland Hill, outside Physics Building, adjacent to the Exchange on Jubilee and by the Barn on Sutton Bonington.

For more detailed student enquiries there we have four routes in place from self-help to individual appointments:

  1. Firstly, students are encouraged to make use of the online materials found here which have been substantially enhanced from previous years so that students can follow what they need to do more easily.
  2. If students cannot solve the issue by reading the advice, then the second step is via a new real-time virtual chat that connects a student with a member of staff directly. Students can access the chat from Student Services Help
  3. The third step is to log the issue as a problem using an online form and this is available here. Where a student would benefit from or requests a phone call will be arranged with Student Services staff.
  4. Finally, if the student’s query can’t be resolved online, by phone or virtual chat, then a pre-booked appointment will be made for them to attend a Student Services Centre.

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NHS COVID-19 contact-tracing app – download now

September 24th, 2020

The NHS COVID-19 contact-tracing app is now live and available for people to download, replacing current paper contact tracing systems.

The app will use Bluetooth technology to track time and distance between smartphone devices. It also offers a QR code check-in capability, allows users to book a free test and has an isolation countdown timer to remind people to quarantine.

To support its use the University will display QR codes in buildings and temporary structures across campus, and at every café and catering outlet and free study space, including those within buildings.

Once they download the app staff, students and visitors will be able to check in by scanning the codes as they move across the University. You will not need to scan to say you have exited a location. Once a QR code is scanned information will remain on a user’s phone for 21 days.

If an outbreak is identified the location ID will be sent to all devices that have the app downloaded. It will then check if users have visited that venue and, if they have, provide an alert with advice on what to do.

This information is not shared with the University who will continue to support contact tracing by also running our own WIFI tracing programme.

Use of the app is voluntary but encouraged to help the national fight in preventing the spread of the virus and ensure that our campuses are as safe as possible.

For common questions and answers about the app, including use of personal data please visit the NHS COVID-19 app support pages.

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Changes in road use on University Park and Jubilee Campus – UPDATED Mon 26 Oct

September 23rd, 2020

A number of roads across the University estate are now pedestrianised to enhance the safety of staff and students.

The alterations enable social distancing measures and reduce numbers of people on pavements in busy areas. Staff and visitors should review how the closures and alternations might affect their journeys so they can plan accordingly. Road closures are applicable to all vehicles inclusive of staff cars, deliveries, and UoN fleet vehicles. Along with temporary hubs, and COVID testing centres being constructed at Visitor Car Parks, some parking is affected.

Changes on University Park
Coates Road is pedestrianised between 8.30am and 6pm. This increases the space for pedestrians and avoids large concentrations of staff and students in the areas around Coates Auditorium, Engineering Buildings, Biodiscovery Institute and routes to the Medical School.

All vehicular access to the parking and delivery bays adjacent to the Engineering Laboratories must enter from Science Road, no longer from the A52. Access to the tower is via the A52 exit, a new one way system is in place around the tower.

East Drive is closed to all vehicles from the junction with Portland Hill to the Trent Building. The road is a shared space for pedestrians and cyclists. The car park on the East side of the Trent building is closed and used for temporary structures.

Deliveries to the Porland building should use the service yard and delivery bays on Portland Hill. Deliveries to the Trent building should use the delivery bays in Trent Building’s western car park.

Cut Through Lane footpath is widened between Keighton Hill roundabout and Portland Hill. Cars and cyclists will still be able to travel through although bus stops will be closed. Bus users will be able to use the stops at East Drive and George Green Library.

Library Road is closed in one direction from Cut Through Lane towards the Downs (northerly direction) to enable sufficient space for safe queue management to Hallward Library.

For any further queries, a list of Frequently Asked Questions can be found below:

Q: How do I access and leave the Engineering car parks?
A: All vehicles should access Science Road.

Q: How do I access and leave the Tower car parks?
A: All vehicles should use the A52 exit and exit via a new route past Chemistry.

Q: Where is the exec parking at Trent?
A: Executive parking at Trent has moved to the Western car park.

Q: Does this block the accessible bus?
A: The UoN accessible bus will be allowed to enter the Coates Road and East Drive pedestrianised zones.

Q: Should I inform delivery drivers?
A: Yes, please make them aware of the alterations and inform them of dedicated delivery bays in the following locations; Portland Hill, Trent West Car Park, Between L3 and L4, Jubilee Atrium.

Q: I have deliveries arriving on Coates Road between 08:30 and 18:00:
A: Some deliveries to the Centre for Biomelcular Sciences are allowable during the hours of 8:30 to 6pm, all other Coates road deliveries should be before 8:30am, after this time drivers should be directed to the delivery bays between L3 and L4.

Q: Do these changes apply to UoN vehicles?
A: With the exception of the accessible mini-bus the road alterations apply to all UoN vehicles.

Q: Is Accessible Parking lost?
A: Some bays are lost which are proportional to the number of standard bays lost. If you are directly affected by the loss of a bay please contact Brendan Sexton.

Q: How do I access Newark and Southall Hall car park?
A: Enter the Jubilee Campus through the north gate and drive south to the car park.

Q: I am concerned by the lack of parking:
A: We will closely monitor the loss of parking, due to current government and university restrictions we expect the number of staff and visitors to be lower than normal for the coming months.

Q: Are cycle routes affected?
A: Cyclists can use pedestrianised cones on Coates Road and East Drive but should cycle slowly and with awareness and respect of pedestrians who have right of way. Space on the northbound carriageway has been factored in to allow cyclists to cycle north on Library Road and Spine Road. Cyclists can use Cut through Lane as normal.

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Changes for UK and Malaysia users of Academic Workcentre in Campus Solutions

September 23rd, 2020

A number of enhancements have been made to the Academic Workcentre to provide you with a better experience.

So that you can clearly see the association you have with students, you will now see a much wider range of associations:

  • Associations with individual students, such as personal tutor, PGR supervisor, project supervisor etc.
  • Associations with groups of students, such as Head of School, Programme Director, Exams Officer, DLO, Senior Tutor, PGT Director of Teaching etc.
  • Module and course groups for Module Conveners and Contributors

You can view your associations by selecting ‘My Students’ and clicking on one of the associations on the left (note that ‘ADCM’ is currently shown where you are a Module Convenor/Contributor).

These associations have been built through working closely with all Schools. Even where the association is built, a student may not be visible in the relevant view until they have completed online registration and online module enrolment.

The speed of the Academic Workcentre has also been improved. Associations and changes will be updated overnight to minimise processing time during the day.

You can now search for any student, not just students that you have an association with. Simply select ‘Search for students’ to search for a student in your respective country (UK or Malaysia):

  • If you do not have an association with a student, you will see their photo, student ID number, term-time contact details, email, their course, modules and advisors
  • If you have an association with a student, you will see more detailed information, including accommodations, study plans and home contact details

In addition, the tiles on the Academic Workcentre homepage have been given a new look to make them more intuitive.

If you want a more in-depth introduction to the changes, please watch the Academic Workcentre features video to find out how to use this new functionality.

Requesting support with Campus Solutions
If you see an incorrect population of students under ‘My Students’, please complete a view request form.

If a student is missing from your module or course list, ensure that the student has completed online registration and online module enrolment. Following action from students, timetables, class lists, email distribution lists and Moodle access will then be updated overnight. If you still cannot see the student, please contact your local Student Services team.

To report errors in curriculum data, contact your local Student Services team.

If you are unsure about how to view student information, view the Campus Solutions user guides and training that are available.

For any other problems please complete a support request form.

A list of all the common start-of-term issues, along with the latest numbers of affected students, is available on the Campus Solutions status page. This page is updated every day.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we work together to welcome our students and commence the new academic year.

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Our commitment: keeping our community safe

September 23rd, 2020

The University is a vibrant, supportive and caring community. To protect the wellbeing of our own community – and those around us – we all have our part to play.

For our students we have updated our code of discipline to extend to social distancing measures and we have encouraged them to sign up to the COVID pledge and make a visible commitment to upholding them.

We are expecting the same adherence to COVID secure measures from all in our community (although the pledge is specifically for students – as staff we are all contractually obliged to uphold guidelines and policies).

We can do this most effectively by following the five pillars of our health and safety response: wear a face covering inside buildings, follow hygiene procedures, follow signage on campus, maintain social distancing, and do not come on to campus if you feel unwell, display COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with anyone with symptoms.

We, as a community, will trust others to follow our shared rules and values where possible. This is not about enforcement but about emphasizing personal and shared responsibility, to ensure that we are keeping each other healthy and safe on our campuses.

We also understand that there are serious legitimate reasons for people not wearing face coverings and please read Professor Ellen Townsend’s blog on the need to show kindness and compassion for those who might not wear a mask.

However, where there are instances that you feel things need to be improved or you think there has been a health and safety breach please do raise it with your line manager or engage in conversation with the person involved, if you feel able. A central reporting system is available here for issues that cannot be resolved locally. This replaces the reporting system previously shared as part of the COVID pledge.

Now more than ever we all need to work together to ensure our campus environment protects the most vulnerable among us.

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Celebrating 50 years of Medicine and 30 years of Nursing at the University of Nottingham

September 21st, 2020

The University of Nottingham will be hosting a year of celebrations to mark 50 Years of Medicine and 30 Years of Nursing.

2020 marks not one but two anniversaries in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University, both 50 and 30 years of medicine and nursing. To mark these significant anniversaries, there will be a whole year’s worth of activities held throughout 2020 and 2021, culminating in a Gala Dinner on campus next spring.

To begin the celebrations, the University will be hosting an online launch event on Wednesday 23 September to celebrate the history of the two schools and to hear from inspiring staff, students and alumni.

The idea for a Medical School at Nottingham was first suggested after World War II. Healthcare in the East Midlands was badly under-resourced. But it was not until a grant was awarded in 1964 that the University was able to establish the first new Medical School in England in the 20th century. The School grew from humble beginnings in the cowsheds and caravan behind the Portland Building on University Park, where it was based before the QMC was opened in 1977.

Geoff Davies was one of the first cohort of 48 students who joined the Medical School when it opened in 1970. After graduating, Geoff joined the RAF, where he stayed for 22 years before becoming a GP and latterly setting up a private occupational health company.

Geoff said: “It was very special to be in the first year of the new Medical School and I think we all felt very proud of what was being built. The staff were exceptional and listened very carefully to our feedback, as much of the course had never been tried before.

“The key advice and lessons I took from my time at the University all began with the letter C, and I have used these words as guiding principles my entire career. They were – to be compassionate towards patients; to communicate – with patients, their families, and your own colleagues; to continuously review your practice – to look at what you so and how you can do things better; and to be confident in your own opinion. I’ve applied these principles to every aspect of my working life and they have always stood me in good stead.”

In 1990 The Department of Nursing Studies was established in the University, recruiting its first undergraduate students. The Mid-Trent College of Nursing and Midwifery (North and South Lincolnshire, Mansfield, Derby and Nottingham) merged with the University on 1 August 1995 creating a School of Nursing with some 2,000 students, also incorporating the Schools of Physiotherapy and Audiology.

Over the past 30 years the School of Nursing has evolved to become the School of Health Sciences which incorporates Nursing, Midwifery, Physiotherapy and Sports Rehabilitation.

The School of Nursing, always a leader in education, was one of the first adaptors of Project 2000 bringing a revolution in the way nurses are educated.

Both medical and nursing students from the University have stepped up to help the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Final year nursing students, who were all in the last six months of training, stepped up and were counted as official NHS staff during the crisis, and 260 final-year medical students were also graduated early, in order to support the NHS during a period of unprecedented pressure.

Professor John Atherton, Pro Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University, said: “During what has been an incredibly difficult time for people within the health profession, it gives me great pride to be able to mark the start of our year of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Medical School and 30 years of nursing education in Nottingham. Now, more than ever, we want to celebrate the dedication and commitment of our colleagues and students, and to mark these important anniversaries with a series of events stretching out across the next academic year. The launch event will be a great opportunity to hear from staff and students and past alumni, and to hear about the great work taking place across these two fantastic schools.”

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