Campus News
Work continues on University Park Arboretum
May 2nd, 2018
The University of Nottingham is undertaking a series of phased improvement works to the University’s Arboretum, on University Park campus.
The improvement works aim to maintain and improve the health of the existing tree stock, to identify and carry out essential arboricultural works to ensure longevity and the safety of users.
Alongside these works will be a new programme of tree planting to enhance the campus.
The latest phase of improvement works commenced Monday 7 May 2018 and will see the planting of 98 specimen trees focusing enhancements on the approach to the Main Visitor Car Park, the Cripps Hill Roundabout and along key routes.
The new planting aims to deliver bold spring and autumnal interest through glades of Japanese Maples backed by the foliage of conifers including Cedars and Gingkos to a new Cherry Walk to deliver a stunning spring-time display of blossom.
Planting will also include less common species such as Giant Redwood to enhance the Arboretum Collection.
Tags: Arboretum, arboriculture, Cedars, cherry blossom, Giant Redwood, Gingkos, Japanese Maples, trees
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Refurbished bike sale at George Green quad
May 2nd, 2018
Nottingham Bikeworks will be selling fully serviced, second hand bikes at George Green quad from 10am-2pm, Friday 25 May.
Bikes will be available for purchase on the day from £60. A range of frames will be available including road, hybrid and mountain bikes. Each bike comes with a minimum 30 day guarantee against any mechanical faults.
The event will coincide with the drop in Dr. Bike event at George Green quad.
Nottingham Bikeworks are a not-for-profit community enterprise which works with an increasing number of community groups, schools and other local organisations delivering a range of projects and courses that use bikes and cycling to develop practical skills and build confidence.
Tags: bike, Bike sale, cycle, cycling, Dr Bike, Nottingham Bikeworks
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Temporary parking space closures near CBS expansion (University Park)
May 2nd, 2018
Some car parking spaces near to the Centre for Biomolecular Sciences (CBS) will be unavailable during May 2018.
Around 16 parking spaces are expected to be blocked off at any one time between the site of the CBS building and the L2 building, to enable the renewal of a large water main.
Please see this map for more details.
The closures will be implemented on Tuesday 8 May 2018 and are expected to continue for approximately 3-4 weeks — we apologise for any inconvenience.
Tags: car park, CBS, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, Coates Road, commute, parking, science road
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New analytics platform available to UK staff
May 1st, 2018
A new University-wide analytics platform — ‘Tableau Server’ — is now available to all UoN UK staff.
All University of Nottingham UK staff can now access a wide variety of student analytics produced by the Strategy, Planning and Performance (SPP) Division, on this market-leading interactive data analytics and reporting platform.
You can access this new service from any browser at analytics.nottingham.ac.uk using your UoN username and password.
(You must be authenticated on the University network, either by being on-site or connected via VPN; offsite access will be provided in later phases.)
The analytics cover virtually all aspects of taught provision and our student population, such as postgraduate applications; UG and PG enrolments for every School and course; progression and completion; module mark analysis; NSS and league table analyses; enrolment data for the whole sector and more.
UoN student analytics — some examples
The PG Applications workbook pulls data directly from Campus Solutions to report applications, offers, and accepts at Faculty, School, Division and course level, with trends and breakdowns by level of study, fee status, age, gender and country.
The NSS Sector Results Explorer uses data for all UK institutions to analyse NSS performance for subjects offered at Nottingham in their relevant competitive contexts, so you see areas of strength or weakness at University, School and subject level.
Analytics at the University of Nottingham
Although currently used mainly for student analytics, over time Tableau Server will be used for sharing analytics and reporting across a range of University functions and activities as other Professional Services develop the requisite capabilities to take advantage of this platform.
The interactive, customisable analytics provided have been designed on the basis of extensive input from Nottingham staff over the last two years and are intended to be easy to use. In addition, Tableau Server offers many new features,including the ability to ‘subscribe’ to analytics content. For example, you can choose to have a report on the latest status of postgraduate applications for your School or course mailed directly to you at any chosen frequency, including a link to the live report on Tableau Server. You can also customise your views, meaning you can tailor any analysis to show the data and performance for your Faculty, School or course by default.
You may find it useful to attend a brief training session to introduce you to the new features. SPP will run several sessions through April and May, continuing to do so as long as required.
Introduction and training sessions
If you are among the 1000+ University of Nottingham staff members already familiar with SPP’s student analytics and have been using them via the free ‘Tableau Reader’ (which you’ll no longer need when exclusively accessing Tableau Server), you’ll be glad to know that the ways of interacting with analyses and visualisations will remain mostly unchanged. For users like you, we have a short training session on how to access Tableau Server and how you can take full advantage of the powerful new features.
If you’ve not previously used the extensive student analytics available to all University of Nottingham staff (and you have a role where this would be useful) we will have training sessions that cover how to access Tableau Server and how to use the wide range of basic features and correctly interpret the analyses.
Tableau Server – Training schedule and Session sign-up
Note: Tableau Server is superseding the ‘SPP Tableau Catalogue’, which we will decommission in June. Colleagues requiring any of the SPP student analytics should ensure they are using the new platform.
Who to contact
If you follow the analytics.nottingham.ac.uk link and have any identity or access issues (meaning you can’t connect to the ‘analytics@Nottingham’ service on Tableau Server), please contact the IT Service Desk via https://selfservice.nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 95 16677.
For any other queries, including analytics, training or support, please contact analytics@nottingham.ac.uk.
Tags: analytics, Planning and Performance, SPP, strategy, Tableau Server
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Network disruption at Derby, Ropewalk House and Oakham
May 1st, 2018
A message from Information Services
Information Services are aware of a current network loss at Derby (all sites), Ropewalk House and Oakham. This is due to a damaged cable on University Park. Cable repairs are in progress. Further updates will be posted on the IT Status page and on @UoNSmartBar Twitter.
Update: The cabling has now been restored and the connections to Derby, Ropewalk House and Oakham are being monitored.
Tags: access, Derby, internet, interruption, network
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New University password policy
May 1st, 2018
A message from the Chief Information Security Officer:
“This week will see the introduction of a new university password policy. This is part of our programme to enhance network security and protect personal, commercial and research data.
It follows the introduction of intruder lockout last year (a temporary lock-out function where 5 incorrect login attempts are made) and this year’s implementation of the screen lock security feature.
The new password standards for the University are recognised security standards. The following will apply:
- a minimum length of 7 characters
- a combination of upper case, lower case, numbers and special characters
- a control to prevent common words being used as passwords
The introduction of more complex passwords will remove the need for these to be regularly changed — i.e. users will be able to keep their password for life.
In the next few months we will be requesting that all staff change their passwords. Student passwords will follow ready for the new academic year.
Detailed communications will be issued directly to staff from May 2018″
Jason Carter
Chief Information Security Officer, Registrar’s Office.
Tags: Information Services, IT, Jason Carter, password policy, security
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Month of the Mind
May 1st, 2018
During May 2018 we will be celebrating our third 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 important role in supporting our students to maintain good mental health, as well as supporting employees in a changing and evolving environment.
Schedule of events
This year, our Month of the Mind programme will include:
- Healthy Body, Healthy Mind
Throughout May: Various locations
The Department of Sport is offering a programme of activities throughout the month, including fitness classes, breakfast clubs and mindfulness classes. Sessions will take place across University Park, Jubilee, Sutton Bonington and Kings Meadow Campus and are open to all staff. A small charge will be required to book on to any of these sessions with all proceeds going to the ‘Mind’, a mental health charity.
Open to all staff. - ‘My experience as a transgender woman’ with Jessica Lynn
6-8:30pm, Tuesday 29 May: A40, Sir Clive Granger Building
We are delighted to welcome Jessica Lynn, international speaker and outspoken advocate for transgender issues, to the University. Her talk will cover her transition and assorted issues both legal and ethical involving gender identity. She gives her audience an inside look into her psyche before, during and now after her transition, which emboldens the fact that people who transition at an earlier age go on to lead more open, fulfilling lives because of it. Previous audiences have said that Jessica is able to put words to feelings of gender dysphoria that can be otherwise difficult to grasp, from early childhood development onto adulthood. She delves into coping mechanisms, which highlight some of the different forms self-harm can take, and how she found peace ultimately by living in her true gender.
All staff and students welcome. - Leading from the Edge with James Hilton
1:00-2:30pm, Thursday 24 May: A39 Sir Clive Granger Building
A talk from James Hilton – a former head teacher and an international writer, author and speaker, who helps people to navigate the stresses and strains of the modern workplace.
James’ talks are designed to help existing and aspirant leaders to consider the impact of work-related stress within a leadership context. James Hilton talks about the elephant. He shares his leadership story and it’s one, like yours, of managing in turbulent times. James loved his job and he cared greatly. But how do you cope when everything on your ‘to do’ list is ‘urgent’ and ‘important’? James openly talks about his past battles with work related stress and shares some of the coping strategies he learned in his recovery after a period of absence.
This event is open to University of Nottingham staff only. - ‘Anomalisa’ (2015) – Film Screening and Discussion
6-8pm, Tuesday 15 May: The Screening Room, Hallward Library
A screening of Anomalisa (2015) followed by a discussion facilitated by Sarah Hinds, Counsellor (University Counselling Service) around the issues presented in the film. Nominated for an Oscar award for ‘Best Animated Feature Film of the Year’ in 2016 and described as ‘A masterpiece’ and ‘The most human film of the year’, Anomalisa is a feature length animated film about Michael Stone, an author that specialises in customer service and a man who is unable to interact deeply with other people. His low sensitivity to excitement, and his lack of interest made him a man with a repetitive life in his own perspective. But, when he went on a business trip, he met a stranger – an extraordinary stranger, which slowly became a cure for his negative view on things who may possibly change his mundane life.
Rated 15.
All staff and students welcome.
Don’t miss out
We hope that you enjoy Month of the Mind 2018 and find it interesting, informative and stimulating.
To find out more about the University’s Events Calendar please email the People and Culture team.
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: Month of the Mind, Month of the Mind 2018
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University of Nottingham Malaysia reputation campaign
April 30th, 2018
Monday 30 April sees the launch of our first ever reputation campaign in Malaysia, to increase awareness and raise the profile of the University of Nottingham Malaysia.
You will see lots of activity – all of which will drive traffic to the new campaign page. These activities will include:
- Press and media activity in the UK, China, and Malaysia
- Increased social media activity across all social media channels in the UK, China, and Malaysia using hashtag #UNMworld
- New video content
- Web activity to include homepage take-overs at all three campuses
- Out of home advertising to include digital screens at the Giant Cube (Bukit Bintang) and CuBIG (Bukit Bintang)
- A series of events taking place on our Malaysia campus and in Kuala Lumpar, including:
- The International Teaching Partnership Development Forum
- Nottingham Asia Advisory Board
- Going Global campus visit
- A programme of events delivered by Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff, including a Malaysian-themed experiment as a live version of his Periodic Table of Videos series
- Nottingham in Malaysia reception
The campaign will run for four weeks and promotion is focused on the following key messages:
- Teaching and learning: quality British education and our exceptional graduate employment rate of 90%
- Research strengths in food; health and environment
- Reaching out into ASEAN and further developing our global connections and partnerships
To support our very first Malaysia reputation campaign, we’d like your help. If you see or hear anything that inspires you, take a photo, video it and share your thoughts on your usual social media channels using the hashtag #UNMworld.
Tags: discover our world, Malaysia, reputation campaign, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus., UNMC
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Staff engagement workspace and flick books
April 30th, 2018
The University has created a new staff engagement workspace which aims to provide guidance and support, share good practice and keep staff up-to-date with progress across the University.
We would particularly like to introduce a new series of staff engagement flick books which will keep you updated on the University’s staff engagement activities. The first flick book provides an overview of the University’s results and identifies a number of areas that are being prioritised.
Following this, we will be publishing a series of ‘A spotlight on…’ flick books that provide more information on some of the different activities and projects that are happening in response to the survey. ‘A spotlight on PDPR’, and ‘A spotlight on wellbeing’ are ready to view.
We are also recognise the value of sharing good practice across our departments. To support this we are starting to build a resource bank of case studies. This enables departments and teams to share with others the positive initiatives that they have introduced as a result of the survey.
The University has also been analysing the survey results broken down by a range of factors including personal demographics and employment characteristics. The full breakdown of these results can now be viewed on workspace. The People and Culture team will be working with the staff networks where improvements and change are needed.
For more information about the changes following the survey, please email peopleandculture@nottingham.ac.uk.
Tags: PDPR, people and culture, Staff engagement, Staff Engagement Workspace, staff networks, wellbeing
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New resources to help you get the best from your staff
April 30th, 2018
The success of the University depends on getting the best from our people, and one way we do this is through effective performance management.
To help you enhance the performance of your staff, the Leadership and Management Academy, in collaboration with staff from across the University, has developed a new suite of online learning resources to help everyone get better at performance management. These resources are available to all staff at UK campuses of the University.
You can access these resources now on the LMA Hub.
Performance management is about more than an annual discussion, it’s about ongoing conversations that help to develop and improve performance throughout the year. Good performance management is about how you get the best out of everyone on your team. In the resources you’ll find practical guides, tips and information to help you with ongoing performance management, as well as videos and eLearning scenarios to help you put these ideas into practice.
The innovative design of these resources puts you in control. If you’ve got two minutes you can download the key essentials, or perhaps a conversation guide. If you’ve got a little longer you can watch a video where people from across the University share their experience and expertise, or you can practice your skills using the scenario based eLearning. You can learn how you want to learn, in the time that you have available to you.
This learning has been created through co-creation, with staff from across the University feeding back on and contributing to each stage of development to ensure that it is relevant and effective for everyone. It can also grow from here, so if you have a perspective that you think would add to the relevance and usefulness of the resources please get in touch with Richard Sanderson to discuss this further.
Access the suite of online learning and much more — including our development programmes, coaching and mentoring offers, and further online learning resources — on the LMA Hub.
Tags: elearning, Leadership and Management Academy, learning, LMA, lma hub, Performance Management, Richard Sanderson, training
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