Campus News
Please support the University’s #MeantToBe campaign
August 3rd, 2015
As many of you will be aware, the University is placing a strong focus on student recruitment over the coming year. To kick start this, the External Relations team has recently launched a campaign based around the hashtag #MeantToBe, which will be running prior to, during and after A level Results Day. Its aim is to celebrate the success of those who confirm and secure places with Nottingham and to create a buzz on social media about the University with the aim of attracting applicants and converting offer-holders.
As part of this, we have set up a Thunderclap which will put out the following message from the accounts of people who sign up:
Remember whatever you get – it’s just the beginning. Be what you’re #MeantToBe at #UniofNottingham #resultsday #UoN [plus a link to the University’s Clearing and Adjustment web page]
Once you have signed up, this message will be sent from your account(s) at 8:30am on A level Results Day, Thursday 13 August.
For those who aren’t familiar with the concept of a Thunderclap, it is a website that enables posts to be sent by many individuals from different social media accounts at exactly the same time on a specific date. This activity helps get hashtags trending and should therefore in turn promote the University at a key time when students are making their final decisions about where to study.
For more information, please visit the FAQs on the Thunderclap website.
What we would like you to do
If you have a Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr account, please visit the University’s Thunderclap page and sign upbefore Thursday 13 August to allow the message to be sent from your account(s).
Please note that there is no obligation for you to do this as we appreciate that this message will be sent from your personal account(s).
Alternatively, if you’d prefer not to sign up to the Thunderclap but would like to support the campaign, please feel free to use the hashtag on any relevant social media posts about the University or the academic area that you work in.
Thanks for your co-operation in support of this campaign.
Prof Karen Cox
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Tags: MeantToBe, Professor Karen Cox
Posted in News | Comments Off on Please support the University’s #MeantToBe campaign
Malaysia Campus 15th Anniversary – this week’s highlights
July 30th, 2015
Do you love or hate durian fruit?
Never tried what some describe as the ‘Marmite of Malaysia’? Well, read our blog to see if this infamous and native Malaysian food tickles your tastebuds.
More facts and milestones about Malaysia Campus’ early days, as we celebrate its 15th anniversary, are remembered on Twitter.
If you have a story to tell on your experiences at UNMC, please contact emma.lowry@nottingham.ac.uk, and you will be put into a prize draw for travel vouchers worth £200.
Follow the celebration campaign on Twitter #UNMC15.
Tags: anniversary, campus, celebration, Dr Hung Woan Ting, event, global, international, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Malaysia 15th anniversary, Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, UNMC, UNMC15
Posted in News, People | Comments Off on Malaysia Campus 15th Anniversary – this week’s highlights
Electric vehicles spark energy savings in Nottingham
July 29th, 2015
The University of Nottingham has welcomed nine vehicles with a difference to its fleet, all in the name of a cleaner Nottingham.
Nine Renault Kangoo electric vehicles will be used across University campuses as part of a sustainability strategy and pledge to reduce carbon impact, in line with Nottingham city’s wider commitment to electric vehicles.
Cutting cost and carbon footprint
The new electric vans will account for around 15 per cent of the vehicles used by the University’s Estates and Catering teams on a daily basis, and have many benefits over vehicles which run on fossil fuels like petrol and diesel including:
- zero CO2 emissions, resulting in cleaner air and cutting the University’s carbon footprint
- cost-effectiveness – at around three pence per mile, the vehicles cost pennies a day in electricity
- quiet running, reducing noise pollution
The environmentally-friendly vehicles can travel up to 80 miles before they need recharging. Early feedback from drivers of the vans has been very positive, and the University’s Estates Office is also working closely with University academics to monitor the performance of the vans.
Colin Harley, Maintenance Operations Manager, Building Services and driver of one of the new vehicles, said: “These electric vehicles are ideal for our needs at the University. They have power in abundance, are even easier to drive than a petrol or diesel automatic, and with the normal distances we drive around campus they only require charging once a week.”
A cleaner commute
To support the wider use of electric vehicles, the University has installed charging stations, where staff and visitors can charge their personal electric vehicles free of charge. Anyone with a valid parking permit or a Pay and Display ticket can charge their vehicles at charging points located at the rear of the Mathematics Building, University Park and at Innovation Park, Jubilee Campus. Further charging points are planned to open at the University’s King’s Meadow and Sutton Bonington Campuses over summer 2015. And as an added bonus, staff who drive zero emission cars and electric vehicles also enjoy the lowest parking permit costs on University campuses.
Andy Nolan, Director of Sustainability, said: “The University is committed to reducing its environmental impact both locally and globally. The electric vehicles offer significant improvements to local air quality and reduce noise levels too as well as having some carbon reduction benefits. We are also making the charge points available to staff with electric cars for use during the day in the hope we will see more staff choose cleaner and more efficient cars to make their journey to work.”
A greener university, a greener city
The University’s sustainable transport initiatives reflect the commitment the city of Nottingham has to cleaner vehicle technology. Nottingham City Council currently boasts a fleet of more than 50 electric buses, the largest of its kind in Europe, and on 23 July was announced as a winner of over £30,000 funding from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, a team working across government as part of the Department for Transport, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills and the Department of Energy & Climate Change. This fund will be used to undertake a feasibility study for electric taxi fleets in Nottingham alongside seven other UK cities to promote ultra-low emission vehicles.
The new Renault Kangaroo electric vans are not the first sustainable vehicles to be used by the University – in 2013, the Faculty of Engineering invested in a hydrogen-fuelled van, with a refuelling station at Jubilee Campus, as both a green initiative and an opportunity study the true cost of hydrogen fuel. Nottingham’s reputation as a leading green university is currently at an all-time high, with University Park and Jubilee Campuses recently securing prestigious Green Flag awards for the 13th and third years in a row respectively and Greenmetric naming the University number one in the world for sustainability in January 2015.
For more information about sustainability at The University of Nottingham, visit www.nottingham.ac.uk/sustainability
Tags: energy, green, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham City Council, renewable energy, sustainability, transport, travel, University Park, vehicle
Posted in Environment, News | Comments Off on Electric vehicles spark energy savings in Nottingham
Nottingham campuses are among the greenest spaces in Britain
July 28th, 2015
The University of Nottingham has secured a prestigious Green Flag award for both its Jubilee and University Park campuses — for the third year in a row.
Nottingham was the first university to be awarded a Green Flag in 2003 for University Park, and it has continued to rack them up every year since. This is the third year that Jubilee has also received the accolade.
The University is among a record-breaking 1,582 parks and green spaces that will receive a prestigious Green Flag Award today — the mark of a quality park or green space.
Recognising the best
The award recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces across the country. A Green Flag flying overhead is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent facilities. It is handed out by environmental charity Tidy Britain.
Any Nolan, Director of Sustainability at The University of Nottingham said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded a Green Flag for both Jubilee and University Park Campuses once again. It confirms the high quality of our campuses, our commitment to sustainable development, biodiversity and, most importantly, for the enjoyment of our students, staff and visitors. We know how important the quality of our campuses is to them all.”
Exceptional space
The 120 hectares University Park campus is renowned for its large leafy campus and is one of the big draws for prospective students. Highlights include Highfields Lake, large areas of long-established woodland, Lenton Firs rock garden and the tranquil Millennium Garden.
Jubilee Campus was established in 1999 on a former industrial site and has been transformed into an environmentally-friendly campus with lakes, open green spaces and unique architecture.
Earlier this year the University was also named the world’s most sustainable university for the second year in a row in the Greenmetric 2015 league table.
Tags: award, green, Green Flag, Jubilee Campus, sustainability, University Park
Posted in Environment, News | Comments Off on Nottingham campuses are among the greenest spaces in Britain
East Midlands Innovation in Healthcare Awards – apply now
July 27th, 2015
Medical staff across the East Midlands are invited to enter an awards scheme that will showcase their incredible work to transform health and social care services for local people.
The second ever East Midlands Innovation in Healthcare Awards are run by the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN) to recognise and celebrate innovation throughout the region. Prizes are available across six categories and entries are invited from staff at all levels, especially those on the front line and at more junior levels who have introduced changes to tackle problems and improve services.
The entry deadline is Friday 14 August and the awards are open to all organisations involved in health or social care including NHS trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups, universities, councils, companies and third sector/voluntary organisations.
There are six categories in total. Winners will receive £3,000 to help develop the innovation, with £1,000 for two runners-up in each category:
1. Patient identified innovations
2. Improved access, experience and outcomes for under-served communities
3. Front line innovations
4. Medical technology
5. Technology enabled care services
6. Innovation through integration
In addition to the prize money EMAHSN offers wider support to develop innovations: for example, last year’s awards provided a launch pad to help a number of winners secure major grant funding and spread their projects within and outside the East Midlands.
For more information about the awards, categories and judging process, visit the EMAHSN website or follow @EM_AHSN on Twitter.
Tags: award, awards, City Hospital, East Midlands Academic Health Science Network, East Midlands Innovation in Healthcare Awards, health, Innovation, NHS, Nottingham University Hospitals, prize, QMC
Posted in News, Opportunities | Comments Off on East Midlands Innovation in Healthcare Awards – apply now
Coates Road restricted for large vehicles
July 24th, 2015
Over the past 12 months, a number of heavy goods vehicles and coaches have become ‘stuck’ when entering the campus via Coates Road requiring Police intervention.
By requesting these deliveries to use alternative entrances, we hope to reduce the chances of this happening and reduce the risk to campus users. Staff may have noticed a temporary sign on Clifton Boulevard which says ‘Not Suitable for HGVs’ on the Highway. The Estates Office continue to work with the Highways Agency to find a more permanent and effective solution but unfortunately the problem still occurs.
To help reduce the likelihood of this happening, could all staff please advise any deliveries requiring larger vehicles and HGVs to your building to use either North, West or South Entrances and not to use Coates Road. When ordering goods or services please advise the contractor or supplier to use North, West or South Entrance. The same applies when requesting coach or bus hire.
The Estates Office thank you for your co-operation.
Tags: access, Coates Road, delivery, engineering, Estates, science, traffic, transport, travel, University Park
Posted in Environment, News | Comments Off on Coates Road restricted for large vehicles
Vote Inside Out of Mind for National Lottery Award
July 24th, 2015
Nottingham Lakeside Arts and Meeting Ground Theatre company are appealing for votes for their production of Inside Out of Mind in this year’s National Lottery Awards.
Vote Inside Out of Mind before midnight on Wednesday 29 July. The production fought off tough competition from 620 organisations to reach the public voting stage in this year’s National Lottery Awards — the annual search for the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects.
To vote, please go to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards/arts or telephone 0844 836 9708 and follow the campaign on Twitter: #NLAwards.
Tags: award, awards, Inside Out of Mind, National Lottery Awards, Nottingham Lakeside Arts, performance, take part, theatre, vote
Posted in News | Comments Off on Vote Inside Out of Mind for National Lottery Award
Malaysia Campus 15th Anniversary – this week’s highlights
July 24th, 2015
To celebrate our 15-year anniversary as the first UK university to establish an overseas campus in Malaysia, we’ve asked staff and students who’ve spent time there for their memories.
This week’s round up of Malaysia Campus anniversary stories are:
- Documenting the global story of the University, including the development of its Malaysia campus, can prove tricky in the digital age, in this blog post archivist Sarah Colborne asks for help from alumni and former staff.
- The Malaysian ‘black panther’ has revealed its leopard spots, after being captured by ‘night vision’ photography developed by the School of Geography at UNMC.
- More facts and milestones about the campus’ early days are remembered on Twitter.
If you have a story to tell on your experiences at UNMC, please contact emma.lowry@nottingham.ac.uk, and you will be put into a prize draw for travel vouchers worth £200.
Follow the celebration campaign on Twitter #UNMC15
Tags: anniversary, campus, celebration, Dr Hung Woan Ting, event, global, international, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Malaysia 15th anniversary, Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, UNMC, UNMC15
Posted in News, People | Comments Off on Malaysia Campus 15th Anniversary – this week’s highlights
Flying the rainbow flag for Nottinghamshire Pride
July 23rd, 2015
From Friday 24 to Monday 27 July, The University of Nottingham will fly the rainbow flag over the Trent Building, University Park in support of Nottinghamshire Pride.
Nottinghamshire Pride is an annual LGBTQ celebration. This year’s event takes place on Saturday 25 July and promises to be bigger than ever with the slogan “Be Colourful, Noisy and Proud!”. The march will set off from Castlegate at 11.30am, and the Pride stage will open at 12pm in Lace Market Square.
The University is marking Pride the evening before with a free event in collaboration with New Art Exchange – ‘Kings of Queens’ and ‘Drag Kings of the UK’ – from 6.30-8.30pm on Friday 24 July. There will be film screenings, a Q&A and more – join us at New Art Exchange, Gregory Boulevard, NG7 6BE.
Tags: community, flag, LGBT, LGBTQ, LGBTQ Staff Network, Nottinghamshire Pride, Pride, rainbow flag, University Park
Posted in News, People | Comments Off on Flying the rainbow flag for Nottinghamshire Pride
New organisation design model approved
July 23rd, 2015
As announced by the Vice-Chancellor, Project Transform has reached a key stage in the transition to a new way of working for the University, which puts students firmly at the heart of everything we do.
The Transform Programme Board has approved the proposal to move to a new organisation design model, which will see many of the student services previously provided in schools and professional services departments moving online and into Service Centres located across our UK campuses. This will ensure a streamlined, consistent student experience which helps us deliver our vision to operate globally, deliver locally and engage personally.
Project Transform aims to improve substantially the support for students and academic staff around the student journey. As well as new systems and processes, there has been an intention from the outset to revise how support is organised to improve service quality and efficiency. A Working Group of students, Professional Services and academic staff chaired by PVC Professor Sarah O’Hara has been investigating the optimum organisational model for student administration.
The roles, organisation structures, and number of posts required to deliver this new model will be defined over the next two months, and presented to the Transform Programme Board for approval on 6 October 2015.
We will then move into a period of consultation with Trade Unions and staff whose roles are affected by the proposed changes. All affected staff will have confirmation of their roles by April 2016 at the latest.
The objectives for Project Transform identified that our operating model should be reviewed as part of the implementation of a new IT system and to support business processes.
Student support services are currently delivered through a range of central services, student Service Centres and twenty-three Schools organised into five Faculties. Service delivery is not integrated and as a result is often inconsistent, which can impact negatively on the student experience.
The introduction of a new, powerful student management IT system, simplified and joined up business processes and an ambition to significantly enhance the student and staff experience require a new model.
We will bring delivery of most student services and administration together through a series of Service Centres distributed across the University’s UK campuses. This provides a number of benefits that directly address the shortcomings of the current operating model:
- A conveniently located and expert service for all students irrespective of where they study.
- Bringing what are currently central services closer to academic staff improving their interactions with those services, whilst retaining key academic-related student activities in local environments
- Providing an integrated and inclusive career structure for APM staff within a new unified organisation and breaking down existing barriers between the ‘centre’ and schools.
- Substantially reducing costs across the University by restricting the need to provide expertise in the new systems and processes to a small number of locations, and by making the implementation and maintenance of standardised processes more manageable.
Visit the Project Transform workspace for:
- The full briefing paper that went to UEB and Programme Board
- FAQs on how the changes could affect roles and processes at the University
- A list of contacts for more information
You’ll need to be logged into workspace for these links to take you directly to the documents.
Professor Karen Cox
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Project Transform sponsor
Tags: organisation design, Organisation Design Working Group, Project Transform, Service Centres, structure, transition
Posted in Announcements | Comments Off on New organisation design model approved