Campus News
STEMM-CHANGE Reverse Mentoring programme: applications for further cohort invited
June 22nd, 2020
The EPSRC-funded STEMM-CHANGE project is launching further cohorts of its reverse mentoring programme.
Due to a recent increase in demand, applications to the programme are being re-opened, with this next round closing on Friday 3 July.
If you are unable to participate at this time, a further cohort will be opened towards the end of July. The late July round will be open to staff in all subjects.
The programme is led by Stacy Johnson, School of Health Sciences and supported by Lucy Williams, Project Officer.
What is reverse mentoring?
Reverse mentoring is when a person in a senior position (the reverse mentee) is mentored by someone in a more junior position to themselves (the reverse mentor).
In this case, senior staff at the University will be paired up with staff in STEMM disciplines who have protected characteristics or under-represented differences . These include:
- LGBTQ staff
- Staff with disabilities
- BAME staff
- Women
- People with caring responsibilities
- People with flexible work patterns
- Religion or belief
The aim is to give a senior member of staff insight into what it is like to be someone working in a STEMM subject in Higher Education with an under-represented difference.
The programme provides an opportunity for staff to engage in honest, open and respectful conversations about the experiences of people with a range of social characteristics and identities, the opportunities that diversity offers and the barriers that staff with protected characteristics can face in STEMM subjects.
How is the programme structured and what support is available?
A few adjustments have been made in light of the impact of COVID-19. Starting July 2020, it is suggested that pairs start their relationships virtually, transitioning to face-to-face meetings as they hopefully become possible as time passes and social distancing measures are relaxed. Originally, relationships were expected to last about 6 months, but there can be greater flexibility on the duration of the mentor/mentee relationships now.
This should allow everyone to take into account childcare, home schooling, redeployment to the NHS frontline and all of the other work and personal commitments and pressures that have multiplied due to COVID-19.
Reverse mentors will have the opportunity to attend a 3 hour training course and reverse mentees will attend a 90-minute preparation session.
The time that reverse mentors and reverse mentees spend with each other will be agreed by each pair, but it is anticipated that you will meet for one hour per month.
Reverse mentors will have access to optional virtual monthly peer support sessions and mentors and mentees will also have facilitated reflective practice sessions at the midpoint and end of the programme.
How do I become a reverse mentor?
Any member of staff who identifies as being from an under-represented group (as above) can be a reverse mentor if they are willing to share their experiences with someone who is different to themselves.
Find more information about being a reverse mentor and sign up
How do I become a reverse mentee?
Any senior member of staff who believes they would benefit from being reverse mentored by a junior staff member who is different to them can sign up to become a reverse mentee. Reverse mentoring could help in your role as a leader in the University and contribute to removing barriers to inclusion and delivering the University’s EDI efforts.
Next steps
If you would like to be a reverse mentor or mentee, you will need to sign up to the programme via the links above. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 3 July 2020.
Preparation and training will be provided for both mentors and mentees.
Before applying, please make sure you are free on one of the following days:
For mentors:
Tuesday 7 July: 9.30am-12.30pm, Microsoft Teams meeting
Thursday 9 July: 1pm-4pm, Microsoft Teams meeting
For mentees:
Tuesday 7 July: 12.30-2pm, Microsoft Teams meeting
Wednesday 8 July: 2-3.30pm, Microsoft Teams meeting
For more information about reverse mentoring please contact Inclusion Matters Project Officer, Lucy Williams.
Tags: Reverse mentoring, STEMM, STEMM Change
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Statement from the University working with UCU, Unison and Unite
June 22nd, 2020
As the University of Nottingham implements plans for recommencing essential research and teaching, the wellbeing and safety of staff and students remains the overriding priority.
Regular meetings have taken place with union representatives during the development of the University’s recovery programme to ensure the health and safety of all staff and students.
Representatives from Unite, UCU and Unison have contributed to the development of the University’s health and safety measures, ensuring that they follow government guidelines but also meet the highly specific local needs of the institution.
These include tangible measures people will see on campus such as signage, handwashing stations and one way movement of people, as well as training, advice and support for people returning to work and/or dealing with the impact that lockdown measures and working from home have had on mental health and wellbeing.
Any buildings and facilities that reopen are subject to rigorous health and safety inspections. Health and safety union representatives will be taking part in site visits to further consider how measures will affect returning staff and students and to ensure that they are fully supported and protected.
This remains an ongoing and collaborative process that will evolve as new national guidelines are developed. This collaborative work aims to ensure that the University of Nottingham experience remains as broad and inclusive as possible.
Tags: essential research, health and safety, research, UCU, UNISON, UNITE
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Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s blog: progressing on the road to recovery
June 22nd, 2020
In today’s blog I want to focus on some of the tangible ways in which the University’s road to recovery is progressing.
I’m delighted to be able to share news that four of our buildings are opening this week, with a further two planned for next week.
The buildings are listed below although it wouldn’t be a recovery blog unless I stressed the overriding, and most important, message that unless you are invited to return to campus you must continue working from home.
W/c 22 June; Chemistry Building, University Park; BioDiscovery Institute, University Park; Monica Partridge Building, University Park; Advanced Manufacturing Building, Jubilee Campus.
W/c 29 June; Plant Sciences, Sutton Bonington; Vet School, Sutton Bonington.
Each week we will be refreshing a list of the buildings which are being prioritised and the target dates for re-openings. You will be able to see the next buildings being worked on including the Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre at University Park and the Sir Colin Campbell Building at Jubilee Campus.
As well as facilitating early return to teaching for the courses that need it we are working towards the aim of having all priority research buildings and facilities open by the end of July, and all other buildings required for University operations during August and September ready for the start of term.
Staff with queries about where their place of work sits in the opening schedule should consult the list or speak to their Head of School or line manager who will be updated by the workstream lead for their area.
Again I must stress that even if the building you normally work in is re-opened you must not return to campus unless asked to do so. This is for a number of reasons included in a return to work process that we will be communicating with line managers. This process sets out the ways in which we are supporting staff returning to campus such as with health declarations, impact assessments and health and safety training.
The re-opening of our campus has been no mean feat and made possible by the efforts of the estates, health and safety and research workstreams who are working at pace to ensure that buildings meet the latest government guidelines around social distancing, that the movement of people around the campus can be done safely and that any new cleaning and maintenance protocols are addressed. In short we are ensuring that staff only return when it is safe.
As we progress these openings we can enable a stepping up of our essential research, much of which has continued during the lockdown, as well as facilitating priority teaching and Discover something extraordinary, our online open day experience, which launches this week.
You may have seen mention of some our research in the media over the last few months particularly Nottingham’s involvement in developing a COVID-19 vaccine, looking for new treatments and looking beyond this outbreak to identify future threats. Research facilities are being prioritised based on a number of factors including financial sustainability, research reputation, time sensitivity and supporting student qualifications. You can read more about this approach in Professor Dame Jessica Corner’s blog.
This week I hope to attend a tour to see some of the health and safety measures that have been put in place to enable our safe return and I’m encouraged by the work that has taken place alongside union representatives, more of which you can read about here. We are planning to capture some of these measures by video to share with you and give a sense of what the campus will look like when we all do return in the future.
Colleagues are also looking at how we might present a different look and feel to our campus for students arriving in September. This will be a strand of our Welcome Campaign, which will also incorporate a Welcome Back to returning students.
Looking ahead to the start of the academic term I’m reassured by a survey from Universities UK that shows our approach is in line with how other universities are intending to welcome back students, specifically that 97% of universities (including ourselves) confirmed that they will provide in-person teaching, and 89% are planning to provide in-person sporting, fitness and wellbeing activities, offering the full range of student support.
I hope this gives you an indication of where the University’s recovery pathway sits alongside the rest of the country, as well as giving you a sense of the real progress made.
As always I’m grateful for your patience, professionalism and commitment to helping our recovery.
Professor Andy Long
Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Tags: blog, deputy vice chancellor, DVC blog, recovery, Recovery Group
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New Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Curriculum Leadership announced
June 22nd, 2020
Following an internal recruitment exercise, Mark Bradley, currently Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and Student Experience in the Faculty of Arts, has been appointed as the new University Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Curriculum Leadership. Mark takes up his new role on August 1st this year.
In this new role, Mark will be working closely with Professor Sarah Speight, who assumes the role of Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and Student Experience, also with effect from August 1st. He will chair the Teaching and Learning Committee and work with academic and professional service leads on quality assurance and enhancement. Mark will also maintain a close working relationship with the Students’ Union to promote effective student engagement.
Mark said : “I have been working closely alongside University leaders in teaching and learning for over five years, and I am looking forward immensely to working with this terrific team in a new capacity. Our University – alongside the whole sector – is facing some unique challenges, but I am confident that we are in an extremely strong position.
I am committed to helping students across the University to overcome these challenges and do their very best work. At the top of my priority list is open and equal access to education for all, and positive student outcomes, whether that is further study or preparing them for the workplace and their careers ahead.
I also look forward to working closely with colleagues in Schools and Professional Services to ensure that our postgraduate and distance-learning provision is sector-leading, and I will be collaborating with the new Researcher Academy and Nottingham Global Online to enhance the education and student experience of these student cohorts.”
Mark is a very experienced teacher and leader who served as Faculty Director of Teaching prior to his appointment as Faculty APVC. He has worked closely with the Office for Students as a Pilot Subject Panel Member, and Interdisciplinary Humanities lead, for the Teaching Excellence Framework. Mark’s research and teaching expertise, which has earned him promotion to the role of Professor of Classics from August 1st, focuses on the ancient senses, the intellectual culture of ancient Rome, and its legacy in the modern world.
Professor Sarah Speight is delighted that Mark is taking on this role. She said: “Mark’s deep understanding of the University, and his commitment to student well-being and success will be invaluable as we plan and prepare for the challenges of the next academic year.”
Tags: Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Curriculum Leadership, Education and Student Experience, pro vice-chancellor for Education and Student Experience
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New IT customer service platform – coming October 2020
June 22nd, 2020
Last year a transformational project was started to replace our existing IT service management tools.
So far, the project has delivered a new Change Management and Configuration Management Database (CMDB) system.
The existing Self Service portal and IT support tool have served us well over the years but they have not kept up with the times in terms of automation, customer experience and integration to other systems and University processes.
Information Services is pleased to announce that in late October 2020, a new IT customer service platform, Ivanti Service Manager (ISM) will be introduced.
ISM aims to introduce streamlined workflows and tasks to ensure support requests and incidents are directed with greater efficiency and less process waste, which will remove the need to contact the IT Service Desk via email.
A new and more comprehensive Self Service portal will offer:
- a swifter and more accurate response
- increase the number of online service requests
- availability off campus
- a mobile app
- improved customer experience
Director of IT Service Delivery, Jason Phoenix said “Introducing Ivanti Service Manager is a key strategic objective for Information Services and is a step-change in Service presentation and customer satisfaction”
IT Service Desk Manager, Jon Cox said “As the Service Desk Manager, I’m acutely aware of the need to gather the right information first time so that the correct solution can be provided as quickly as possible. Also, to automate support requests where possible so that the response, in such circumstances, can be immediate and available 24/7. The Ivanti Service Manager platform enables us to do exactly this and to do it well.”
Nearer the time, Information Services will provide more guidance on using the new IT Self Service portal when it becomes available.
Tags: IT Self Service, IT Service Desk, IT Services, Self Service Portal, service management
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Maintaining a University Windows-managed device
June 22nd, 2020
During times of prolonged remote working, it is important that university devices are maintained while on or off campus.
Based on feedback and reported issues by users, Information Services have some advice for users with a Windows university managed device they are using off campus.
When a university device is not connected to the university network (wired or wireless), it is not maintained in the usual way as it would be when on campus. As such, in some cases devices won’t receive important Windows and security updates.
Because of this, it is essential that users with a university Windows device they are using off campus (e.g. at home) follow some key steps to ensure the device is kept up to date and maintained.
To maintain your device, the following actions are recommended:
- Restart your device that is on or off campus at least once a week
- Connect to the university Virtual Private Network (VPN) once a week for 2 hours
- Ensure your device has enough air flow so the fan is not blocked
- Remember to save and back up files to your OneDrive / Teams
Dealing with repeated restart prompts
If you recently receive regular prompts to restart your university device to update from Software Center, please follow the guidance below to help to address this issue:
- Ensure you are connected to the Virtual Private Network
- Search for Control Panel
- Select ‘Configuration Manager’
- Click on ‘Actions’ (tab)
- Click on ‘Machine Policy Retrieval and Evaluation Cycle’ followed by ‘Run Now’
- Click on ‘Application Deployment Evaluation Cycle’ followed by ‘Run Now’
- Perform a further restart
Please note, after clicking ‘Run Now’ on steps 5 and 6, the action takes place automatically and will not prompt once complete.
For more information about known issues with preventative and reactive actions, please see the Digital Network blog.
Reminder of remote working tools
While most university services, applications and systems are available off campus, some may require the use of remote working tools. Here is a summary of tools available:
- Office 365 – use Office 365 from anywhere to access Office applications, your email and access files on OneDrive. Collaborate and communicate with colleagues via Teams for meetings, audio and video calls, instant messaging via chat and sharing files. Find out more on the Office 365 customer guides (log in required).
- Windows Virtual Desktop – use this new virtual desktop to access University software that may not be available on your personal or work device when away from campus. It offers a similar experience to using a University networked PC.
- Virtual Private Network (VPN) – a VPN connection provides a secure connection between your device and the University network. Use this to access systems you require that are not available via a normal, open Internet connection. Also use VPN to regularly maintain security and Windows updates on your University device when off campus as described above.
More information can be found on the IT Services – Working remotely webpage.
If you have any questions regarding maintaining your university devices and remote working tools, please contact the IT Service Desk or Campus IT Support.
Tags: Microsoft Teams, One Drive, software, software update, VPN, windows, Windows 10, Windows update
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Town halls for researchers: register for new sessions
June 19th, 2020
Close to 1,000 researchers, postgraduate researchers and research support colleague have attended a series of virtual town halls to share ideas, raise questions and concerns, and to offer mutual support.
A new series of these virtual forums has been announced:
Monday 29 June 12.30-2pm – for postgraduate researchers and their supervisors
Reserve your place
Monday 6 July 2.30-4pm – for the wider research community
Reserve your place
Friday 17 July 1pm -2.30pm – for the wider research community
Reserve your place
The town halls, conducted via Teams, will again be hosted by Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange.
Dame Jessica said: “I have found hosting these sessions very valuable, offering an opportunity to hear questions and concerns from colleagues as we work towards establishing our ‘new normal’ way of working.”
Themes arising at the first series of town halls include our progress towards recovery; time frames to resume on-campus research activity; the effect of lab closures and the curtailing of field work and clinical trials; concerns over health and safety and maintaining social distancing; the balance between teaching and research; adapting to new ways of working, often combined with caring responsibilities; and the changing funding landscape.
The last town hall also saw discussion on what research could look like in a world after the virus. What would we do differently; what are the opportunities to work better together and collaborate more effectively?
FAQs and guidance for researchers have been updated following the town halls. Where circumstances require an individual response, for example to postgraduate researchers on visas, extensions and funding, colleagues are receiving guidance and support on a case-by-case basis.
Nottingham and Anne McLaren research fellows are also being invited to a second town hall and will be contacted directly.
As well as focusing on our recovery, this second series will look ahead to the future of research in the post COVID-19 world.
Dame Jessica added: “I’m keen to hear from researchers on where we might focus our resources and capitalise on our strengths to help to inform our approach. As you register, you will also be invited to submit a question in advance, and once again I will be joined by a panel of representative colleagues from across the University.”
Tags: PGR, Post graduate researchers, professor dame jessica corner, research, Virtual town halls
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Update from Professor Dame Jessica Corner
June 19th, 2020
In her latest blog, Professor Dame Jessica Corner provides an update on the fantastic progress being made towards the return of research to out UK campuses.
Read the blog on the Research Exchange webpage.
Tags: academic research, blog, professor dame jessica corner, research, Research Excellence Framework
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Professor Tom Arie,1933 – 2020
June 19th, 2020
A former academic staff member of the Department of Healthcare of the Elderly at the University , Professor Tom Arie, died on Sunday 24 May 2020, at the age of 86.
Often described as one of the founding fathers of old age psychiatry, Professor Arie developed the first department to formally integrate geriatric medical and psychiatric services, and spent 19 years establishing the University of Nottingham as a leading centre for old age psychiatry.
As well as serving as chair of the Old Age Faculty of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and chair of the Geriatric Psychiatry Section of the World Psychiatric Association, he was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1995 Birthday Honours for Services to Medicine.
His contribution and the impact his work has had is reflected in his obituary in the Guardian.
Tags: elderly healthcare, obituary, Professor Tom Arie, psychiatry
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How is lockdown affecting your relationships?
June 17th, 2020
Researchers in Nottingham are part of a team investigating how the coronavirus lockdown has impacted people’s relationships and routines.
The University is working with a team of experts in social networks from The University of Manchester, the University of East Anglia and London Metropolitan University, on launching, collating and analysing the results of a nationwide questionnaire.
The study will explore how personal relationships may have changed during lockdown, including how confinement has impacted domestic, work, leisure and social habits.
The anonymous survey is open to everyone and can be completed on computers, tablets and smartphones.
Participants will be asked questions about the conditions of their housing; their work situation, such as whether they have been furloughed or are working from home; as well as their daily activities both before and during lockdown. The survey will take around 20 minutes to complete.
A similar study has successfully been carried out in France, which received more than 16,000 responses and found that women were the ‘great communicators’ of lockdown, developing new contacts and strengthening old friendships.
The UK researchers hope to be able to compare the responses in order to assess the impact of lockdown across the two countries.
The survey will be open for people to take part until Saturday 15 August 2020, with initial results expected to be published in the autumn.
Tags: lockdown, relationships, research, survey
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