Campus News
Interdisciplinary discovery: the next step in our ambitious research vision
April 17th, 2019
The University has set out an ambitious programme to build upon the success of our Research Priority Areas (RPAs) and refresh our commitment to interdisciplinary discovery.
RPAs will be replaced by Interdisciplinary Research Clusters (IRCs). These will continue to be managed by Global Research Theme leads and this renewed programme of investment will allow us to further develop our capability to competitively address challenge-led research questions.
The primary focus of the GRT/IRC programme will be to continue to develop, sustain and grow a balanced portfolio of discovery and challenge-led research and impact, typically aligned to the priorities of research councils, charities, and other major funders.
For details of how RPAs can apply to become IRCs, and for information on the process to create a new cluster of interdisciplinary discovery, please visit the Research Exchange blog.
Tags: Global research, Interdisciplinary Research Clusters, Research Priority Areas
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Call for contributions to German university visits
April 16th, 2019
Colleagues attending the Going Global conference in Berlin, or with contacts at the Heidelberg, Tuebingen or Konstanz universities in Germany, are invited to contribute to the events surrounding the conference.
A delegation from the University of Nottingham is attending the British Council-led Going Global conference in Berlin from Monday 13 – Wednesday 15 May. This is an opportunity to build networks, showcase our research and demonstrate our University values in the current political climate.
Going Global is a conference for leaders in international education to debate the future of further and higher education. The conference provides a unique platform for knowledge sharing, connects local, national, regional and global agendas and provides a global network for policy makers and practitioners working in the field of international education.
To maximise this opportunity, activities are being built around the conference and key education and industry stakeholders will be invited to these events in Berlin.
Visits to the Heidelberg, Tuebingen and Konstanz universities in Germany will also be included in this visit and colleagues with relationships in these institutions are invited to contact Josh Hawkins at Joshua.Hawkins@nottingham.ac.uk.
Colleagues attending the Going Global conference in Berlin on Monday 13 – Wednesday 15 May, or with stakeholders who should be invited to this event, are also invited to get in touch with Josh Hawkins at Joshua.Hawkins@nottingham.ac.uk to share information that may be useful for this trip.
Tags: Berlin, British Council, Going Global
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Month of the Mind 2019 — programme of events
April 12th, 2019
During May we will be celebrating our fourth annual Month of the Mind events programme which focuses on raising awareness around mental health and wellbeing.
1 in 4 people experience mental health issues each year in the UK (NHS England, 2016) but there is still stigma attached to mental illness which means many people avoid getting help.
Universities play an increasingly important role in supporting our students to maintain good mental health, particularly as 27-29% of students report clinical mental health issues each year (YouGov, 2016). They also play an important role in supporting employees in a changing and evolving environment. In 2017/18, 44% of all working days lost due to ill health across all sectors were due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety (Health and Safety Executive, 2018).
Schedule of events
This year, our Month of the Mind programme will include:
Improving sleep quality: A mindfulness-based approach to insomnia
12:30pm-1:30pm, Tuesday 30 April, Tuesday 7 May and Tuesday 14 May: A01 Highfield House
Recent statistics indicate as many as 1 in 3 people experience insomnia.
This series of 3 lunchtime workshops for University of Nottingham staff will explore evidence-based factors which influence sleep and explore potential lifestyle changes which can improve it.
- Workshop 1: Fight or flight – noticing the impact of physiology and lifestyle factors on sleep
- Workshop 2: Letting go – can mindfulness really help insomnia?
- Workshop 3: Awareness of the body – explore methods for releasing tension in the body and discover research-based tips to improve sleep quality.
Book your place at https://mindfulnessforinsomnia.eventbrite.co.uk.
Wellness in the workplace: Befriending performance anxiety
2pm-3pm, Monday 13 May: B1, Law & Social Sciences Building
Performance anxiety can manifest in many different areas of our lives. Whether you are giving a presentation, preparing for a professional review or facing a difficult conversation, there are proven methods that can help you feel more grounded and supported.
This hour-long interactive session for University of Nottingham staff led by professional pianist Dr Xenia Pestova, Director of Performance, Department of Music, will guide you through simple breathing techniques, focus exercises and gentle stretches incorporating yoga and Qi Gong influences to help you understand and befriend performance anxiety.
Booking is essential as places are limited. Once fully booked a waiting list will be held. Please email: peopleandculture@nottingham.ac.uk.
Healthy body, healthy mind — free exercise sessions
Monday 13 May-Friday 17 May 2019: various locations
Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness but it can also improve your mental wellbeing.
As part of Month of the Mind, the Department of Sport are offering free places for staff for a range of exercise sessions. Events will take place across our UK campuses. Find out more at https://exchange.nottingham.ac.uk/events/free-exercise-sessions/.
Minding the Mind: Supporting your mental health at work
12pm-2pm, Monday 20 May: A08, Institute of Mental Health
We all have mental health. We are all likely to be affected, directly or indirectly, by mental health problems at some point in our lives. Research informs us that mental health problems are a global issue affecting 676 million people worldwide (WHO, 2015). Recent research (Hughes et al., 2018) identifies HE staff and students as a particularly vulnerable group.
The University is committed to tackling this important issue by raising awareness of mental health, supporting those who are experiencing mental health problems and training some of our staff as Mental Health First Aiders, to support both peers and students.
This panel discussion and Q&A will explore what the University can do to better support staff mental health.
Book your place at https://mindtheminduon.eventbrite.co.uk.
Minding the mind and body
5:30pm-6:30pm, Monday 20 May: B2, Hemsley, University Park.
An hour-long workshop for University of Nottingham staff and students, led by Dr Val Watson, Head of the University Counselling Service, as part of a rolling programme of gentle exercises designed to encourage mindfulness practice.
Find out more at https://exchange.nottingham.ac.uk/events/minding-the-mind-and-body/.
Dance for health and wellbeing
9am-10am, Thursday 23 May: Portland Building, University Park
There’s plenty of advice around about sitting and inactivity being bad for your health. In recent years a growth in dance and wellbeing scholarship has resulted in new ways of thinking that place the body, movement and dance as significant for improved health and wellbeing.
This workshop is a facilitated hour of movement and dance based on ideas from a movement meditation practice called ‘5 Rhythms’ which was developed by Gabrielle Roth. The music follows a pattern of flow, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness and your dancing/movement can be as gentle or energetic as you feel comfortable with.
Find out more: https://exchange.nottingham.ac.uk/events/dance-for-health-and-wellbeing/
Don’t miss out
We hope you enjoy Month of the Mind 2019 and find it interesting, informative and stimulating.
For updates throughout the month, please subscribe to the People and Culture blog and follow us on Twitter.
For further details of events taking place this month, please visit the University’s Event listings.
Tags: mental health, Month of the Mind 2019, people and culture, wellbeing
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Knowledge Exchange prizes awarded at NIA event
April 12th, 2019
The Nottingham Impact Accelerator Knowledge Exchange Prize event took place on Friday 22 March in the Great Hall on University Park Campus.
The event marked the inaugural year of the Nottingham Impact Accelerator (NIA), an internal initiative that draws together devolved Research Council funding streams to support translational research and knowledge exchange.
The NIA is part of the University’s Knowledge Exchange strategy which aims to embed and support KE and impact across all disciplines. It awards around £2.2m per annum to support KE projects at Nottingham. If you have a KE project that you would like to progress we would encourage you to visit the NIA website or contact the NIA team. The NIA Hermes funding call to support the development of early stage KE projects across all disciplines, and the BBSRC and EPSRC IAA calls are currently open for applications.
Registrants at the event heard from representatives of two previous NIA KE Prize winning projects: Dr Dani Ropar of the School of Psychology (‘Influencing practice and policy to help detention officers better support autistic individuals in police custody’) and Dr Ivey Geoghegan (Industrial secondment to LR Suntory).
Pictures of Dr Dani Ropar and Dr Ivey Geoghegan with Sir John Peace, founder and former Chairman of Experian, at last year’s event.
Professor Dame Jessica Corner, the University’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, welcomed attendees and went on to announce this year’s winners, details of which can be found below.
Dr Isobel O’Neil (Nottingham University Business School) with Professor Dame Jessica Corner.
Dr O’Neil was awarded a prize to fund her project, ‘EDI-Entrepreneurship Toolkits: A framework for enhancing entrepreneurial mind-sets and professional legitimacy for underrepresented groups.’
Dr Matt Bell (School of Biosciences) with Professor Dame Jessica Corner
Dr Bell was awarded a prize to fund his project, ‘Using digital technologies to enhance grassland management within the National Trust.’
Dr Philippa Tomczak (School of Sociology and Social Policy) with Professor Dame Jessica Corner
Dr Tomczak was awarded a prize to fund for her project, ‘Reducing Prison Suicide and Self-Harm: Applying Lessons from Previous Deaths, Consulting with Stakeholders and Implementing Overseers’ Recommendations.’
Tags: NIA, Nottingham Impact Accelerator, Research awards
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Nottingham Impact Accelerator funding — applications open
April 12th, 2019
The Nottingham Impact Accelerator is pleased to announce that calls for expressions of interest are now open for the BBSRC IAA, EPSRC IAA and Hermes funding streams.
The University administers a number of internal funding streams to support translation of research outputs and the transfer and exchange of knowledge between the University and the wider economy. Support mechanisms include secondments to industry and proof of concept funding to further develop new ideas arising from research carried out at the institution. Awards range from travel grants of up to £3,000 to translational research awards up to £100,000.
The deadline for applications is 12pm on Monday 13th May. Further details including application forms can be found on the NIA Workspace or by contacting NIA@nottingham.ac.uk.
Tags: NIA, Nottingham Impact Accelerator, Research funding
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Extra support for students during the assessment period
April 11th, 2019
Throughout the Spring revision and assessment periods, Study Support Assistants will be available across our campuses to offer support and advice to students as part of a new project pilot.
The University has recruited and trained 10 new Study Support Assistants who will be working across Student Service Centres based at University Park, Jubilee, Sutton Bonington and QMC campuses.
If students are experiencing any challenges with their assessments, they can drop in to get support from these new advisors. Challenges can range from managing revision and coursework schedules to coping with stress. The Study Support Assistants are on hand to help students develop strategies and techniques for managing their workloads, or simply to provide emotional support.
Meetings work on a drop-in basis, though appointments can be made by emailing assessmentsupport@nottingham.ac.uk. Skype meetings could also be arranged.
The schedule for week commencing Monday 15 April 2019 can be found at the bottom of this article, although students should be aware that this schedule may change marginally in the following weeks. A definitive schedule for each of the following weeks can be found in the appropriate Student Service Centre or by emailing assessmentsupport@nottingham.ac.uk.
We would appreciate the support of all staff in signposting students to this new service.
Study Support Assistant schedule:
- University Park Central (Portland Building):
- 9am-5pm, Monday
- 9am-5pm, Tuesday
- 9am-5pm, Wednesday
- 9am-5pm, Thursday
- University Park East (Physics Building):
- 9am-5pm, Monday
- 9am-5pm, Tuesday
- 9am-5pm, Wednesday
- 9am-5pm, Thursday
- Jubilee (Exchange Building)
- 9am-5pm, Monday
- 9am-5pm, Tuesday
- 1pm-5pm, Wednesday
- 9am-5pm, Thursday
- Sutton Bonington (The Barn)
- 9am-5pm, Tuesday
- 9am-5pm, Wednesday
- QMC (Medical School)
- 9am-12:00pm, Monday
- 1pm-5pm, Tuesday
- 3pm-5pm, Wednesday
Tags: exams, Revision, student services, Study Support
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Clearing and Adjustment — staff volunteers welcomed
April 11th, 2019
The Admissions team is currently planning for the annual Clearing and Adjustment event. Recruitment is a key part of the University’s business and we are looking for administrative staff volunteers to work on our Clearing Hotline in August.
The continued support from administrative staff across the University is always a big factor in helping us run a successful Clearing and Adjustment operation and we really appreciate any help that colleagues can provide.
You can find more information and the volunteer form here: Clearing Hotline Volunteer Form 2019.
Tags: Clearing and adjustment
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Brexit: Global and Political Affairs Unit briefing — 11 April 2019
April 11th, 2019
The Global and Political Affairs Unit (GPAU) has published its latest briefing on Brexit.
The document, last updated on Thursday 11 April 2019, is intended to address some of the key questions you may have about Brexit and what we know so far about the process of leaving the European Union. Read the briefing.
Tags: Brexit, Brexit briefing, EU referendum
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Times Higher Education Awards
April 11th, 2019
Nominations are now open for the annual Times Higher Education Awards.
These annual ‘Oscars of Higher Education’ celebrate excellence in research, teaching, student support and international practice across the sector. Colleagues are encouraged to consider nominations that would profile the excellence found across our University.
To co-ordinate the highest standard of entries in an intense competition, colleagues are invited to submit a 300 word precis of their nomination to jenny.stevenson@nottingham.ac.uk by Friday 3 May 2019.
Nominations will be reviewed by a senior panel led by Registrar Paul Greatrix. Approved nominations will then receive full drafting support to enter the competition by the deadline of 5 June 2019.
Staff and students at the University of Nottingham have free access to the Times Higher Education online through an institutional subscription. If you currently have an individual subscription, let it expire and click THE Institutional Subscription to set up your free account.
Full details of the awards categories and criteria are posted at Times Higher Education Awards – please note entries are only usually considered where the majority of activity is delivered in the 2017/18 academic year.
The awards ceremony will take place in London on 28 November 2019.
The award categories are as follows:
• THE Lifetime Achievement Award
• Business School of the Year
• Widening Participation or Outreach Initiative of the Year
• Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year
• Outstanding Strategic Planning Team
• Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
• Research Project of the Year: STEM
• Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year
• Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year
• Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community
• Outstanding Support for Students
• Outstanding Entrepreneurial University
• Outstanding Library Team
• Outstanding Estates Strategy
• Outstanding Marketing/Communications Team
• Most Innovative Teacher of the Year
• Outstanding Financial Performance
• International Collaboration of the Year
• Outstanding Contribution to Leadership Development
• Excellence in Registry Services
• Outstanding Technician of the Year
• University of the Year
• THE DataPoints Merit Award
Tags: the awards, Times Higher Education
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New compulsory information security training
April 10th, 2019
This week colleagues at the University will receive an email from “UoN Information Security” with a safe link to the new set of training modules which will form our second training campaign. This follows the success of the first campaign which ran from July last year to March.
The new modules cover data protection and destruction, and data security while travelling. New staff will also have a ‘GDPR overview’ module.
As cyberattacks have become more frequent, hackers are more sophisticated, and identify theft is on the rise, we need to be more aware of the right and wrong ways to handle data and keep it safe.
The total viewing time is about 30 minutes, depending on how much you already know about the subject. The modules can be watched together or separately and each ends with a quiz. Completion of them all is compulsory for staff at our UK campuses.
Tags: cyber security, Data Protection, GDPR, Information security
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