Dates for 2024’s Teaching and Learning Conference have been set, with a new hybrid event being introduced which will see the conference take place across two days, online and in-person.
‘Thinking Higher: Interdisciplinarity and the Next Generation Curriculum‘ explores the future of learning in higher education through the lens of enhanced interdisciplinarity and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
Both promise new heights of knowledge integration and collaboration across wide-ranging academic fields and professions. A more holistic understanding of the world that ensues, arguably has potential to better equip students to address complex challenges of the twenty first century such as climate change or growing societal disparities.
The conference invites participants to delve into the related themes of interdisciplinarity and AI technologies, share stories of navigating challenges and opportunities, and contemplate the next generation curriculum and future of learning.
We intend this year’s conference to run in a hybrid fashion and this year we are piloting an online day in addition to an in-person day dependent on the number of submissions.
Therefore, this year’s conference will take place across 2 days on Tuesday 23 April (Online) andWednesday 24 April2024 (In-Person) in the Monica Partridge building on the UK University Park campus with online, hybrid, and in-person options connecting colleagues both within and across campuses (UNUK, UNNC & UNM).
Registration to attend and the call papers will be coming soon.
The future of learning’ central to the conference theme also threads through UoN TeachFests, which provide collegial and collaborative spaces to share experiences and exchange ideas before and after the conference: Sutton Bonington, 19 December 2023, and University Park, 5 July 2024.
‘Phishing’ is a technique used by cyber criminals to acquire your sensitive data, such as bank details or personal information.
Often, these criminals use scam emails, text messages or phone calls to trick their victims, posing as ‘legitimate’ businesses or trusted individuals.
And whilst phishing has been around for decades, it remains one of the most prevalent forms of cyberattack, as attacks get more sophisticated each year.
Phishing attacks can have huge detrimental financial consequences on both individuals and organisations, and can cause significant reputational damage. They can also put crucial, institutional systems at risk.
Recognise, Avoid and Report
Recognising a phishing attack is one of the best lines of defence. Aside from the usual spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, consider:
Is the message threatening or intimidating? (For example, ‘Your account will be closed if you do not do xyz’)
Are you being addressed generically, rather than personally? (For example, ‘Dear user’)
Are you being asked to do something unusual? (For example, download unknown software)
Are there discrepancies in links and/or addresses? (For example, when you hover over a hyperlink, what is the destination site? Equally, what is the sender’s email address? Are there discrepancies?)
Are you being asked to disclose any personal information?
Any of these examples may be indicative of a phishing attempt.
In the message list, select the message or messages you want to report.
Above the reading pane, select Home > Report Message to report the message sender. This will send a notification to our Security Operations team, which will allow us to put blocks in place.
In DTS, our dedicated cybersecurity team use multi-layer phishing mitigations in place to defend against phishing attacks, including anti-spoofing controls, filtering systems, security software, MFA and real time link checking.
All staff are also expected to complete mandatory cybersecurity training each year, and report suspicious activity as a matter of priority, either by the ‘Reporting’ function in Outlook, outlined above, or via the IT Service Desk,
Should you have any questions or concerns regarding cybersecurity, please contact Mark Hewitt, Head of Cyber Security in the first instance.
Supported by Access and Participation Plan funds, the university are offering a Grit programme open exclusively to students of Black heritage.
Charity organisation, Grit, are experienced in delivering personal development and coaching programmes in educational settings. Workshops are created and delivered by professional coaches of Black heritage.
The aim of the intensive group workshops is to empower students to build support mechanisms and become resilient leaders.
Grit coaching identifies the root of why individuals think, feel and act the way they do, challenging self-limiting assumptions and beliefs.
Past participants have reported powerful mindset shifts, increased levels of confidence and amplified feelings of belonging and entitlement.
In the academic year 2022-23, 15 undergraduate students participated in the programme. Through the evaluation students reported experiencing a greater sense of belonging and increased confidence when engaging with other students, talking about issues that affect them as a student of colour and supporting fellow students.
The reflections of four student attendees are shared in the videos below.
We are pleased to announce that funding for the Grit Black Leaders Programme has been renewed until July 2025. The programme will be delivered twice in 2023-2024.
A key priority in the university’s current Access and Participation Plan (APP) is the reduction of the degree awarding gap which exists between Black and White students and objective 4.15 from our Race Equality Charter is to improve graduate outcomes for Black, Asian, and minority ethnic students.
There are so many ways to change the world – and the University of Nottingham is a great place to start.
Our university transforms lives in communities here in Nottingham, the UK and across the world.
And we’re asking students and colleagues from all job families to help us celebrate the university’s 100 ways to change the world.
We’re proud to be one of the one of the world’s top 100 universities* and over the coming year we will share 100 ways we make a difference to people’s lives and are helping to secure a fairer world.
We want your help in suggesting inspiring stories to feature on our growing 100 ways to change the world website.
The university staff party allowance is available again this year to enable Schools and Departments to celebrate the 2023 festive season with their staff and colleagues.
The £10 per person staff party allowance can be used to subsidise seasonal team celebrations either on or off campus. Your celebrations could be on campus or off-campus in the city’s amazing array of cafes, bars and restaurants.
Where Departments wish to book the festive option offered by Nottingham Venues (including the Orchard Hotel and Spokes Café in the Jubilee Conference Centre and Trent Building), the School or Department is authorised to pay the £15 per head.
Plus, for reservations under 20 people, receive an additional £5 off the standard price.
Please note that the allowance should only be used for recognised staff team parties or dinners and cannot cover multiple events or informal, individual celebrations.
On Campus
The team at Nottingham Venues, have developed some exciting festive options so that staff can enjoy the season with colleagues. For more information including booking details,click here.
How to claim the allowance
If you are keeping your festive celebration on campus, please book via Nottingham Venues, stating a university budget project code from which to pay the allowance.
If you wish to celebrate off-campus, please contact your local Purchasing Support team, who will be able to provide further information and may be able to arrange direct payment to the venue as a deposit to secure the booking.
If you have already booked your celebration and wish to claim the allowance, you can make a personal expenses claim through Concur under Entertainment (Employee Annual Function), providing a receipt. Please note all costs will be classed as staff costs and will come from operational budgets.
Are you working towards the Nottingham Recognition Scheme or Lord Dearing Award? Perhaps you’re considering an application for a promotion? Do you want to try out new teaching ideas or new technologies?
The Teaching and Learning Observation College (TLOC) is a collegial space for nurturing engaging and effective approaches to teaching and learning through peer observation and professional dialogues.
Discover fresh approaches through observation and sharing of practice.
Have insightful conversations to refine and improve learning and teaching methods.
Enrich the student experience, a key to recognition and promotion.
Find out more about TLOC and/or click here to ‘Be Observed’ or ‘Observe Others’.
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We are aware that some users are experiencing connectivity issues with personal and university-managed devices while using the eduroam* wireless network.
Our investigations are ongoing to determine the root cause and resolve the issue. For the latest updates, check the IT Status Page.
Please be aware that there may be short interruptions to the wireless service as we continue remedial actions.
If you are having difficulties connecting, we recommend trying the following steps:
For university-managed Windows devices:
Click Start
Search for ‘Eduroam Setup 092023’ Note: if the version is not the same, use the online installer here: Configuration Assistance Tool
For username, enter your full university email address
Enter your university password
Click Install and then Finish at the end
Restart your computer, go to the Wi-Fi list and select ‘eduroam’, you may be asked to enter your university email address and password
Click Connect
For personal and other devices:
Forget the eduroam network or any networks containing ‘eduroam’ such as ‘eduroam via partner’ by:
Navigating to your device’s Wi-Fi settings
Locate and select the eduroam network
Choose the option to “Forget” or “Remove” the eduroam network from your known networks list
Reconnect to the eduroam network by:
Searching for available Wi-Fi networks
Select “eduroam” from the list of available networks
Enter your eduroam credentials (email address and password) when prompted
If the above steps fail to connect to eduroam, please proceed with the following:
The Princess of Wales visited Nottingham this morning as part of a series of engagements across the country to mark World Mental Health Day.
The Princess of Wales paid a visit to Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to hear how the university, alongside the University of Nottingham (UoN), are ensuring students have the right mental health support around them as they begin the new university year.
During her visit, Her Royal Highness spoke to Professor Katherine Linehan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. She also spoke to Jessica Nuttall, Union Development Officer at University of Nottingham’s Students’ Union, about how the university is supporting students with their mental health.
After speaking to the Princess, Jessica said: “It was so good seeing the importance of looking after your mental health being asked for from such a significant place and figure, and highlighting how important it is for students.”
The Princess of Wales also spoke to current students Aisia Lea, Anson Yip and Joanne Joshua about their work on the Student Wellbeing Advisory board and how peer to peer support and mentoring can help new and returning students.
Her Royal Highness was then invited to participate in activities used as an induction for new NTU students which encourages students to share experiences to help them build confidence, to proactively manage their wellbeing and raises awareness of the wide range of support networks available to them.
The Princess is passionate about ensuring young people have the right tools in place to take care of their mental wellbeing, especially in relation to understanding and managing their own emotions. She is also focused on encouraging young people to build key protective factors such as healthy relationships and communities around them which will help them to lay stronger foundations as they move through life.
The city’s universities are proud to work together to share best practice on this and many other issues as part of our ‘Universities for Nottingham’ approach to positive collaboration.
On Monday 2 October the university welcomed 280 Professional Services colleagues to come together and celebrate our collective achievements over the last year at the second Annual Professional Services awards ceremony.
Held at the East Midlands Conference Centre, colleagues that attended the event included shortlisted teams and representatives from Professional Services from across our global campuses in the UK, China and Malaysia.
The evening started with a drinks reception featuring live music from Alumnus Owen Jones and magic tricks from the university’s own academic magician, Todd Landman. Guests were welcomed into the banqueting hall with music from local acapella choir, Totally Vocally, and the awards ceremony was formally opened by host Professor Jeremy Gregory, followed by a welcome speech by Vice Chancellor Professor Shearer West.
The opening speeches highlighted how this year’s event had built on the inaugural 2022 Professional Services Awards with new themes of ‘ambition’ and inclusivity. Through a phenomenal 286 nominations, all submissions showcased how teams went over and above to support others and develop new services and capabilities acorss our fantastic global university.
Professor Shearer West welcomed attendees to the event, “As Vice Chancellor, I am immensely proud of the dedicated and passionate Professional Services staff who work tirelessly to make this institution the exceptional place of learning and growth that it is. The University of Nottingham is renowned for its world-class education, cutting edge research and vibrant campus life. But none of that is possible without the hard work and expertise of our Professional Services who ensure that our daily lives here are enriched and supported”.
Winners for each of the eight award categories were announced by the Professional Services Executive Group; David Hill, Paul Greatrix, Jaspal Kaur and Margaret Monckton.
Registrar Paul Greatrix reflected that, with more than 280 nominations across the eight award categories, it had been an even harder task in 2023 for the judging panel to pick winners and highly commended teams. Chief Finance Officer, Margaret Monckton, highlighted that it had been a year of great ambition for all our Professional Services teams as we work collaboratively to delivery a huge portfolio of strategic change against a backdrop which has called upon our UoN community to come together as one like never before.
During the dinner, attendees were once again entertained by Totally Vocally and the evening concluded with the presentation of ‘Team of the Year’.
A full list of winners can be found below.
Winning Categories
Embodying University Values – Digital & Technology Services People Board
Enhancing the Campus Experience – Estates & Facilities Grounds Team
Contributing to Sustainability – Members of the UoN Sports Team
Fostering Creativity & Discovery – Careers Advisory Service UNM
Embedding Collaboration – Assessment Rehearsal Team
Supporting Potential – Researcher Training & Development Team
Thank you to all Professional Services teams who contributed to making this second PS Awards such a special occasion and for everyone who contributed to the inspirational, inclusive and celebratory atmosphere of the event.
To read the list of full nominations across all categories and see the videos of shortlisted categories, please see the event Sway. An event video and full set of professional photos will be shared later this month and will also feature on the Professional Services Awards website.
The university’s Trent building will be illuminated in blue and pink every evening this week to raise awareness and highlight Baby Loss Awareness Week 2023.
The ‘wave of light’ will culminate with a nation-wide illumination of iconic buildings on Sunday 15 October, joining bereaved parents and supporters all around the globe in lighting personal candles of remembrance.
A time to remember much-loved and missed babies, Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October 2023) aims to break the silence and support bereaved families.
Half of UK adults, said that they, or someone they know, had experienced at least one form of pregnancy or baby loss, in response to a YouGov survey published at the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week.
Within the School of Health Sciences, we work very closely with our local trusts partners, Nottingham University Hospitals, who provide care for poorly infants and support for those parents who have lost their babies.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and People Professor Katherine Linehan said: “The university is glad to join in with this year’s Wave of Light and to have our flagship Trent Building lit up in solidarity with and support for members of our community impacted by fertility challenges, miscarriage, compassionate induction/TFMR, stillbirth or infant death, or unchosen childlessness.
“We are also currently reviewing our support for staff members going through such challenging and distressing circumstances, and would encourage anyone with such lived experiences who is in a space where they currently feel able to do so, to contact Task and Finish Group lead Charlotte so that their experiences and ideas can be reflected in our planning, policies and resources”
