Campus News
Have you got a great idea for an app?
September 29th, 2015
Do you have a brilliant idea for an app that uses open data sets to support university students through their learning journey?
Universities UK in partnership with the Open Data Institute and digital technologies charity Jisc are launching a challenge to developers in universities and the digital industries to produce a demo of a mobile app that uses open data to help university students through their learning journey.
Applicants are invited to submit a short video and description of their ideas to the Elevator website. Students and staff will be able to vote on the ideas and a short list of finalists will be selected to participate on the mashup day. To be successful, ideas will not only have to show that they enhance the student journey, they must also demonstrate effective use of open data to provide their intended service.
The challenge will culminate in an “Open data mashup day: enhancing the student journey” on 17 November at Woburn House in central London. On the day, challenge finalists will rapidly develop their ideas and pitch to a panel of judges. The winning team will be be eligible to receive £5,000 worth of support from Jisc to potentially develop the idea into a prototype app.
Tags: APP, competition, Computer Science, data, Jisc, mobile app, Open Data Institute, student experience, student journey, Universities UK
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Vote Nottingham to be England’s ‘Home of Sport’
September 28th, 2015
Nottingham has been nominated to be England’s ‘Home of Sport’ – and your vote could make the difference!
Throughout the summer, nominations have been coming in from all over the country, and Nottingham is now up against five other destinations (Manchester, Rugby, London, Yorkshire and Gloucestershire), in an attempt to be crowned England’s official Home of Sport according to VisitEngland.
Vote for Nottingham online before Monday 19 October. The winning destination will be announced on Friday 23 October. You can also use #HomeofSport to join the conversation on social media.
Image: Mattbuck on Wikipedia
Tags: city, competition, Home of Sport, Nottingham, sport, VisitEngland, vote
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Time for action – standing up for gender equality with HeForShe
September 28th, 2015
The University of Nottingham is excited to welcome the inaugural HeForShe #GetFree Tour to campus for a vital discussion on the importance of gender equality.
On Wednesday 30 September, the University will host talks from senior University staff, the Students’ Union, representatives from UN Women and a keynote speech from Emma Barnett, Women’s Editor of The Telegraph and University of Nottingham alumna.
Launched in September 2014 by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson, HeForShe is a new effort to bring a global conversation on gender equality to people around the world. The HeForShe #GetFree Tour will encourage students, staff and the public to explore their understanding of gender issues, empowering them to take a lead in advancing equality in their environments and communities.
Kick starting the conversation
As well as The University of Nottingham, the HeForShe #GetFree Tour will visit five other universities in the UK and France: University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University of Leicester, the London School of Economics and Political Science, University College of London, and the Paris Institute of Political Science (Institut d’études politiques de Paris).
The event at The University of Nottingham will be introduced by Professor Sir David Greenaway, featuring talks from Emma Barnett and Rob Jennings, Students’ Union Activities Officer, and a panel debate with Professor Karen Cox, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Angharad Smith, President of the Students’ Union and Jessica McGhie, HeForShe IMPACT Corporate Champion. As part of the #GetFree Tour and to open up the gender debate to new students, the Students’ Union set up a mural during Welcome Week for students to share their feelings, and see this as an opportunity to kick start a conversation which can be built on in future.
Angharad Smith, President of the Students’ Union, said: “With the HeForShe movement coming to Nottingham, we are using this opportunity to bring together a variety of student groups to start an Umbrella campaign led by students to tackle concepts such as ‘lad culture’ and issues such as sexual consent, gender inequality and sexual violence. At 6pm on Wednesday October 7 we will be meeting in the Hub in the Students Union to discuss these matters to give all of our students the opportunity to have their voices heard.”
Asking men to speak out for gender equality
The University of Nottingham was an early adopter of the Athena SWAN Charter, which recognises good employment practice for women working in science, engineering and technology in higher education and research, and is one of only five universities with a Silver Award. However there is still much work to be done, which is why the University has teamed up with HeForShe to offer students, staff and the community the opportunity to come together in a united voice at the start of the academic year.
Professor Sir David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor at The University of Nottingham, said: “I am looking forward to this event, which is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our values as a University. We fully support the HeForShe agenda and recognise the importance in encouraging men to speak out and stand up for gender equality. Our staff and students are working together on this, and by hosting this event on our University Park Campus we hope to raise awareness of these issues to staff, students and our local community.”
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, said: “It is this generation of young people who will be the ones to steer our societies and our economies into the living reality of what it means to be equal. Their energy and dedication to making this change happen are inspiring. The GetFree tour is a perfect way for us to connect directly with thousands of students. We are grateful to the universities for their warm welcome and hope that this is just the beginning of a journey around the world on the road to gender equality.”
About UN Women and HeForShe
UN Women is the UN entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.unwomen.org
Created by UN Women, the HeForShe solidarity movement for gender equality provides a systematic approach and targeted platform on which men and boys can engage and become change agents towards the achievement of gender equality. HeForShe invites men and boys to build on the work of the women’s movement as equal partners, crafting and implementing a shared vision of gender equality that will benefit all of humanity. For more information, visit http://www.heforshe.org/
More information and registration details
The University’s HeForShe Forum takes place at 2.30pm, Wednesday 30 September at Keighton Auditorium, University Park. All welcome. Follow the conversations on Twitter using #HeForShe and #GetFreeTourUK, or book your place online.
Image (left to right): Dan Rattigan, Education Officer, Emma Ehrenberg, Women’s Officer, Rob Jennings, Activities Officer and Emma Quaedvlieg, Women’s Officer. Pictured with HeForShe mural, collecting quotes about gender equality from University of Nottingham students.
Tags: Angharad Smith, Athena SWAN, David Greenaway, diversity, equality, event, gender, HeForShe, Karen Cox, UN Women, United Nations
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Hearing loss study – take part
September 28th, 2015
Researchers from the Human Factors Research Group are looking for participants in a study about the daily experiences of people who are hard of hearing.
They are looking for people aged from 7 to 60 years old with mild to severe hearing loss (but not be completely deaf) who must be users of BTE, ITE, ITC and CIC hearing aids (i.e. no hearing aids which require surgery). If you or a friend/ family member is eligible and interested in participating, please contact Dr Hallewell using the details below. All participants should be interested in using technologies to improve their hearing.
The study will be comprised of two parts: a questionnaire for the hearing aid user to be completed at home and an interview with both the hearing aid user and a friend/ family member which will last approximately 90 minutes (30-60 minutes for children, with a break). The hearing aid user will need to bring a friend, family member (including children) or spouse (who ideally does not have hearing loss) with them to the interview – this should be someone they communicate with frequently. The reason we ask the hearing aid user to bring someone is because we would like to gain a greater insight into how their hearing aid(s) help them to communicate with other people in different situations. At the end of the study the hearing aid user will be compensated for their time with a £25 High Street shopping voucher (or the same value Amazon voucher for children), and the friend/family member will be compensated for their time with a £20 High Street shopping voucher (or Amazon voucher for children).
This study is part of the 3D-Tune-In project. The project aims to help people use neglected hearing aid functionalities that could greatly improve their quality of life and their interactions with other people and their surrounding environment. We will be developing digital technology applications to help people learn about different hearing aid functionalities as well as enable them to practise changing between functionalities in different simulated situations to meet changing demands. We also aim to help people without hearing difficulties to understand how hearing loss can affect everyday activities and how hearing aids can help to improve people’s hearing in different situations.
If you would like more information about the 3D-Tune-In project, please visit their website.
For more information about the study or to sign up, please email M.Hallewell@nottingham.ac.uk or call 0115 951 4040 and ask for Maddy Hallewell.
Tags: 3DTune-In, hearing, Human Factors research group, Maddy Hallewell, money, research, study, take part
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Sports membership for just £120
September 25th, 2015
Enjoy unlimited access to University sports facilities and classes for just £120*.
With excellent indoor and outdoor facilities, amazing choice and state-of-the-art equipment available at each campus, getting involved and meeting new friends has never been easier.
All members enjoy unlimited access to:
- three fully equipped Fitness Suites
- all indoor campus sports facilities
- over 100 weekly group exercise classes
- the University’s swimming pool
- online booking and fast track access
To join, call into any Sports Centre reception or visit nottingham.ac.uk/sport
* £120 offer valid for memberships purchased before Monday 5 October 2015, standard fee of £135 applicable from 5 October onwards. Price shown for UoN Students only, cost may vary for other groups. Membership ends on 31 July 2016.
Tags: sport, sport membership, swimming pool
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Give something back as an IT Community Champion
September 24th, 2015
Are you a member of staff with a couple of hours a week available over two or four weeks to help older people join the digital age?
Community Partnerships is looking for volunteers for its IT Community Champions project which it runs in conjunction with Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire. Volunteers provide 1:1 support on tablets for 1 ½ hours a week over a four week period, covering the basics of email and using the Internet. You can volunteer for all four weeks or the first or last two weeks, depending on your availability. There are courses scheduled at the Jubilee Campus from:
- 1-2.30pm on Mondays from 2 November to 23 November 2015
1-2.30pm on Wednesdays from 27 January to 17 February 2016
1-2.30pm on Tuesdays from 19 April to 10 May 2016
The course has run several times in recent years with volunteers from Information Services. We’re now looking to increase the frequency of courses and the number of learners that can be supported so are opening up this volunteering opportunity to staff from across the University. You don’t have to be an expert on tablets but you will need to feel comfortable finding your way around an unfamiliar device. We’ll provide some guidance and support and you’ll be with other volunteers as the teaching all takes place in one room.
If you’d like to register an interest or just find out more, contact community@nottingham.ac.uk
Tags: community, Community Partnerships, Information Services, IT, IT Community Champion, Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire, staff, volunteering
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Chinese stone lions take pride of place in Nottingham
September 23rd, 2015
Nottingham’s Chinese sister city of Ningbo has given the city two magnificent Chinese stone lions which will be officially unveiled at Highfields Park at The University of Nottingham on 21 September.
The gift of the lions, which were lifted into place by crane this week, further strengthens the decade-long links between Nottingham and Ningbo, and in a reciprocal gesture, Nottingham is presenting a full-size replica of the famous Robin Hood statue to Ningbo as part of a delegation visit later in November this year.
The lions will be officially unveiled at a special ceremony by Councillor Jon Collins and Ningbo Vice-Mayor Mr Wang Jianhou at Highfields Park on 21 September, as part of the Chinese delegation visit to Nottingham.
The delegation includes more than 100 representatives from business, local government and education as well as a 16-strong troupe of Tai Chi performers who will demonstrate their art in a display during the welcoming ceremony on 21 September.
The two stone lions will be placed on plinths in front of the lake at Highfields Park, looking at each other, with their bodies facing towards the Jesse Boot statue, with the University’s Trent Building behind. Each statue is more than two metres tall and weighs 3.5 tonnes on its plinth.
The male lion stands with his paw on a ball, representing supremacy over the world, while the female stands holding her cub, representing nurture. The statues are suggestive of the lions guarding the Forbidden City, and statues of guardian lions have traditionally stood before Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, and the homes of the powerful.
Following the unveiling ceremony, representatives from Ningbo will travel by tram from The University of Nottingham tram stop over the iconic Ningbo Friendship Bridge across the A52 and into the city centre, where they will see the original Robin Hood statue neat Nottingham Castle and be guests at a civic dinner at the Council House.
Professor Hai-Sui Yu, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement at The University of Nottingham said: “The generous gift of two stone lions, which complement the icons of Old Market Square, will act as a unique, visual symbol of enduring relations between Nottingham and Ningbo.
“Our links to Ningbo began in 2004 with the establishment of the first sino-foreign collaborative university in China (The University of Nottingham Ningbo China). Our pioneering relationship has gone from strength to strength, with growing student numbers and research funding and industry and government partnerships in fields such as marine economy and technology, digital economy, advanced materials and sustainable energy technologies”
Councillor Jon Collins, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “We are honoured to receive the gift of these Chinese lions from the city of Ningbo to celebrate the tenth anniversary of our association. This particular site has been chosen for the lions, symbolically standing at the entrance to the University and the gateway to the City.
“It is a fitting gesture to the University’s pioneering work in establishing itself in Ningbo and opening the door to wider connections being made across the city.”
Tags: China, Council, Hai-Sui Yu, international, Jon Collins, Ningbo, Nottingham City Council, The University of Nottingham Ningbo Campus, UNNC
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Dr Bike dates for September and October
September 23rd, 2015
Appointments are now available for free Dr Bike maintenance services this month.
Use the links below to book yourself into a 30 minute slot:
- Monday 28 September – University Park
- Tuesday 29 September – Jubilee Campus
- Wednesday 30 September – King’s Meadow Campus
- Thursday 1 October – Sutton Bonington
- Friday 2 October – Coates Road, University Park
Tags: bike, cycling, Dr Bike, free, maintenance, sustainability, transport, travel
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David Ross Sports Village – virtual tour
September 22nd, 2015
Take a virtual tour of the David Ross Sports Village in our new video below.
The state-of-the-art £40 million David Ross Sports Village is due for completion in late 2016, and promises to be a fantastic new addition to University Park Campus providing all our sports teams and clubs with a great range of innovative new facilities in a lively and inclusive environment.
While construction is underway temporary facilities are available, ensuring that staff and students can continue to enjoy sporting and recreational activities on University Park. Find out more about these facilities on the University of Nottingham Sport website.
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Robin Hood Half Marathon
September 22nd, 2015
On Sunday 27 September the Robin Hood Marathon is taking place, and the route will run through University Park.
Please be advised that on Sunday there will be road closures within the city and on campus to facilitate the marathon. Anyone entering University Park in a vehicle should do so though either the North or West entrances and leave campus via the North Entrance. Details on the route and details of road closures can be found online.
The hopper bus will continue to operate between Sutton Bonington and University Park campus, but will be unable to serve Derby Road, Broadmarsh bus station and Victoria bus station. On University Park campus, the bus will be unable to use the East Drive or Arts Centre stops. Instead, for journeys to Sutton Bonington, the bus will depart from George Green Library bus stop at 9.50am, 11.50am, 2.10pm and 4.10pm. The full route (stopping in the city centre, at East Drive and the Arts Centre), will resume with the 5.20pm journey from Sutton Bonington.
Tags: car, hopper, hopper bus, marathon, Robin Hood Half Marathon, sport, transport, travel, University Park
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