Campus News

The journey to our next-generation network

August 7th, 2023

Digital and Technology Services are in the process of implementing a Next Generation Network (NGN) that will transform the university’s existing network, enabling a more efficient and reliable service.

The NGN includes a Wide Area Network (WAN) that will improve network connectivity across the university. By deploying the latest technology across our campuses, we can boost network efficiency and reliability, improve security and provide a service that can adapt to the university’s demands.

In the coming months, engineers will be on-site at various locations across the university installing cabling for the WAN, which is the first step to enabling the benefit that the new network will bring.

During this stage, you may not notice any changes to the service, although there may be brief periods of outage.

We understand that network disruptions can be inconvenient, and we will keep you informed about any necessary outages related to the WAN and/or NGN migration and implementation.

The dates for this initial work on the WAN are detailed below. The work is expected to begin at 6pm and be completed before the start of the next working day.

Site and date

Kings Meadow & University Park & QMC Intersite Ciena Links – Tuesday 5 September
Law and Social Sciences – Tuesday 12 September
Jubilee Campus – Tuesday 19 September
Castle Meadow – Thursday 21 September
UNIP – Tuesday 26 September
Nottingham City Hospital – Thursday 28 September
Queens Medical Centre – Tuesday 3 October
Royal Derby Hospital – Thursday 5 October
Sutton Bonington Campus – Wednesday 11 October

We may suggest using alternative locations for on-site work to minimise disruptions. You can also check the IT Status Page for the latest maintenance notifications.

Your feedback

As part of improving the university’s network services, we value user feedback to ensure we are meeting the needs of users across our institution. To evaluate the impact of the upcoming WAN upgrade on your network experience, we are conducting a survey.

This survey focuses on gathering information about your current network experience, finding areas for improvement and assessing the effectiveness of the WAN upgrade once it is completed.

Your responses will enable us to make informed decisions and ensure that the network meets your present and future needs.

We kindly request a few minutes of your time to complete this survey, and greatly appreciate all the responses we receive.

Similarly, if you have questions or want to share your experiences with the university network, please contact the Digital Transformation Team.

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Digital Core project timeline

August 4th, 2023

The Digital Core project team are working through several key areas to ensure we can all start using our new and improved HR, Finance and Procurement processes and system in 2024.

During the past year, the Digital Core project team have actively been engaged in configuring our new HR, Finance and Procurement system, which will enable us all to start working with the new processes. This system will replace many of the university’s dated legacy IT systems.

The project team have also been working closely with colleagues across the university to ensure the project’s aims can be achieved.

This includes offering staff improved HR, Finance and Procurement services though a modern and simple system; providing a single location for core processes, such as booking leave, accessing mandatory training, claiming expenses and making purchases; having a clear view of how the university is structured; keeping our data more secure in the face of new online threats; and better meeting our GDPR, HESA, EDI and statutory obligations.

We can expect to start using the new processes and system during May 2024. Previously this go-live date was anticipated as being during Q1, but this slightly revised timeline allows the project team to overcome two technical challenges:

  • Testing system integrations – running until the end of December 2023
    This testing will ensure our other existing IT systems will be able to continue to receive or send data to the new system (our integrations). The project team have been working over the past year to assess changes to ways of working, specify solutions, create documentation, and develop new data flows between the new system and our existing IT systems.
  • Checking and migrating data to the new system – running until May 2024
    The team will continue to work through a series of data checking and migration points, which will ensure data is in a more complete state when it is transferred into the new system.

The following key activities will also be completed ahead of the rollout:

  • Modelling what Digital Core will mean for each area – from September 2023
    The project team is committed to giving a clear understanding about how the new processes will work in practice for faculties and departments. They will work closely with each area and support teams through the changes.
  • Testing the new system – January 2024 to March 2024
    Comprehensive testing of the new system will take place during this time, and we will be seeking volunteers to help do this. This testing will give us all additional comfort in knowing that the new system works as it should.
  • Delivery of training – February 2024 to May 2024
    A variety of training will be offered to all staff during this time. Training plans will be shared with each area in the autumn.

The project’s progress will continue to be monitored closely. The project team are actively taking on board the lessons the university learnt from the rollout of Campus Solutions.

They are also continuing to work closely with other universities, and Oracle, to learn from their experiences of the new system and ensure this project is delivered in the best way possible for our staff.

For further information regarding the Digital Core project, please visit the SharePoint site or email digitalcore@nottingham.ac.uk.

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Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences – new location explored

August 2nd, 2023

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is exploring a new location and facilities as part of a Discovery Project looking at the infrastructure required for delivery of the faculty’s vision.

A key driver for the Discovery Project is faculty location and environment. This includes co-locating colleagues effectively, and the recognition that the structure and layout of the current Medical School Building does not support the way we need to work, teach, and research in the future.

Engagement sessions have taken place with key stakeholders over recent months. The overwhelming feedback was that a new and very different space is needed to enable the faculty to realise its full potential.

Several potential sites have been considered for the development of a new space, but there is only one large enough – the site of the former bonded warehouses and gasworks to the north of the Jubilee Campus. The Discovery Project will explore this location as the main development site.

A number of elements are being considered at the development stage, including:

  • the need for significant further infrastructure and facilities development at Jubilee Campus which will be required to support the current and additional students and staff
  • requirements for activity that will need to remain embedded in and adjacent to the QMC
  • dependencies with other faculties and facilities on University Park

This a is a large-scale, complex project, with construction elements not expected to start for at least two years. In the meantime, the university will continue to maintain and invest in the existing facilities.

The Discovery Project team is working in partnership with Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH) to ensure that where we have critical adjacencies – for example in some types of clinical research. These are provided for in plans for their Tomorrow’s NUH programme and our timescales continue to align with the revised Tomorrow’s NUH timeline.

A new Strategic Change Board for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science has been established, chaired by the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jane Norman, to oversee the development of the new infrastructure and other major faculty improvements across education, research and culture.

Professor Norman said: “We recognise that current disparate locations for the faculty have evolved over many years, and we want to ensure our next steps are taken strategically. The next phases of the Discovery Project will continue to be informed by stakeholder engagement.

“Our teaching and research collaborations with Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH), are crucial and will be maintained regardless of the location of the new building. NUH’s status as a teaching hospital and the excellent relationship between the University and Nottingham University Hospitals will be maintained.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, which are giving careful consideration. I hope that you can share in my excitement about this time for the faculty.”

The University Executive Board supports the change programme and will  invest in additional staffing to manage the project going forward.

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Update on personal tutoring project

August 2nd, 2023

The personal tutoring project team is proud to announce the ongoing work of its innovative “Rethinking Personal Tutoring” project, aimed at delivering a consistent and enhanced experience for students.

With the Getting in Shape Team, and UX researchers, extensive consultation has taken place with key interested parties, resulting in an innovative model being developed. 

The project’s model will be piloted in the School of Law and the School of Psychology, with widespread support from all areas of the university, including key support services.

The pilot phase is scheduled to run throughout the academic year 2023/2024, during which data will be collected to inform any decision regarding a wider rollout across the entire university, whilst supporting ongoing improvements to the model.

One essential aspect of the model involves eliminating the need for every academic to act as a personal tutor. Instead, each school will establish a dedicated team consisting of academics (Academic Guides), students (Peer Guides), and APM support (Senior Administrator – Here For You Guides Support).

These teams will receive improved assistance from the university’s support services, leading to enhanced data management and case handling. This measure also aims to reduce university risk associated with record keeping and data management. 

The “Rethinking Personal Tutoring” project also adopts a general coaching approach, empowering students to become active participants in their own academic and personal journeys. This approach encourages students to support one another and fosters a collaborative learning environment. 

“We are thrilled to embark on this exciting and novel project,” said Andrew Fisher, University Senior Tutor.

“Our aim is to eliminate the inconsistency in personal tutoring experienced by students and ensure that every student receives the support they need to succeed from the correct place. We envision that this will also free up academic time and allow colleagues who are passionate about this area of student support professional recognition.” 

Additionally, the Guides teams will have the capacity to undergo specialised training and development to better support specific groups of students, including mature students and students leaving care for instance.

This targeted approach will ensure that the diverse needs of all students are met, further enhancing the overall student experience and delivering on the ESE Strategic Deployment Plan.

We are currently in the process of operationalising the model within the pilot schools. Regular updates on the progress of the project will be provided. 

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New Principal Executive Officer to the Vice-Chancellor to join in September

August 1st, 2023

Rav Kalsi will join the university in September as the Vice-Chancellor’s new Principal Executive Officer.

This role has been established to provide direct support for the Vice-Chancellor in the full range of her commitments within and beyond the university.

Rav will be involved in planning, co-ordinating and supporting the Vice-Chancellor’s international and national activities, including partnership engagement, reputation building and organisational outreach. He will also provide leadership and management of a small executive support team within the Vice-Chancellor’s Office.

The role will be key in developing and overseeing the governance arrangements relating to our international campuses, and Rav will work directly with the Director of Governance and Assurance, reporting to UEB as appropriate.

Rav is currently Performance and Improvement Manager at Nottingham City Council. His previous roles at the City Council include Executive Officer assisting the Leader.

There he undertook prominent policy and project work, managed change programmes and led on projects as part of the Council’s ongoing transformation agenda, advising the Leader on all national policy and legislation pertinent to Nottingham.

He has been the lead for Strategic Partnerships across Nottingham as well as leading on international link projects for the Council.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Shearer West said: “I look forward to Rav joining the university and to working closely with him on key projects, both at home and internationally.

“His experience makes him an excellent candidate for this new role. The university will benefit from the skills and expertise he will bring.”

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Update to university Wi-Fi certificate – action required

July 31st, 2023

On Thursday 3 August at 7am, Digital and Technology Services (DTS) will be updating the eduroam wireless security certificates to maintain a secure wireless network for all users. 

Following the update, all eduroam users will see a warning on their device stating that their connection “may not be secure”. 

You may be prompted to log in to eduroam again to accept the new certificate and ensure a secure internet connection via eduroam. 

In order to reconnect to university Wi-Fi after the update, you will need to: 

  1. Accept the new certificate when prompted OR 
  2. Re-connect using the eduroam Configuration Assistance Tool (CAT) or Geteduroam 
  3. Failing that, forget the eduroam wireless network and re-connect to it – instructions on how to do this can be found on the DTS website 

Reminder – for eduroam, your username is your university email address. For example: 

  • Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught students: ‘username@nottingham.ac.uk’ 
  • Postgraduate Researchers, Staff and Associates*: ‘firstname.lastname@nottingham.ac.uk’ 

*Associates without a university email address should use: ‘username@nottingham.ac.uk’ 

Please note, you may see eduroam® in your wireless list or during the setup, this is normal and denotes eduroam as a registered trademark. 

University-managed Windows devices should automatically update if they are connected to the Virtual Private Network whilst being off-campus. 

If the update needs to be started manually, go to Start > University Network > Eduroam Setup 082023 which will load a screen to take you through each step (or search for “Eduroam Setup 082023” after you click on the Windows icon). 

Although you may be able to connect to the eduroam wireless network without validating the server certificate, your connection may not be secure, and your data may be at risk. 

Certificate security information 

After the update, you may experience a security or certificate warning when first connecting to eduroam. To ensure your safety, check that the certificate you are presented with matches the following information: 

  • Server thumbprint: 3c e1 c2 e4 2d 31 b8 c9 2c 18 ca f4 05 c9 88 34 f5 40 e3 ab 
  • Server common name (CN): radius.nottingham.ac.uk 
  • Issued by: GEANT OV RSA CA 4 
  • Issued to: The University of Nottingham, NOTTINGHAM, Nottinghamshire, GB 
  • Valid from: 28 ‎July ‎2023 01:00:00 
  • Valid to: 12 ‎August ‎2024 00:59:59 

You can also install the certificate yourself before connecting by using the CAT tool. 

If you need any support, please raise a request using the Self Service Portal or by phoning the IT Service Desk on 0115 951 6677. 

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Temporary bus stops: Sutton Bonington and University Park

July 28th, 2023

A number of temporary bus stops will be in place while roadworks on Sutton Bonington and University Park campus continue.

Please find the latest information about each campus below:

Sutton Bonington

Between Friday 28 July and Monday 31 July the 901 Service will be unable to serve the stop on Sutton Bonington Campus due to various roadworks on site. The 901 Service will be serving both stops on College Road.  Departure times from College Road (opposite The School of Biosciences – Main Entrance) will be the same times as normal campus departure times.

University Park

On Tuesday 1 August and Wednesday 2 August 2023 some hopper bus services will be affected by resurfacing of Portland Hill on University Park campus.  Service times remain unaffected.

  • 901 Sutton Bonington Service – will operate from Keighton Hill. Anyone who usually gets this bus from East Drive area will need to walk to Keighton Hill to catch the bus.
  • 902 King’s Meadow Service – this service will operate from Keighton Hill. Anyone who usually gets this bus from East Drive area will need to walk to Keighton Hill to catch the bus.
  • 903 Jubilee Campus service – unaffected.
  • 904 Royal Derby – this service will operate from Portland Terrace and will be unable to serve East Drive. Anyone who usually gets this bus from East Drive area will need to walk to Cut Through Lane and use the Portland Hill (Stop UN36) or Library Road (Stop UN32) stops.

These changes aim to minimise disruption to services. Passengers are encouraged to ensure they leave plenty of time to make journeys.

Departure times from Keighton Hill and Portland Terrace will be the same as East Drive.

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Local pay negotiation outcome

July 28th, 2023

Further to the announcement of a local three year pay deal in 2022, the details of the 23/24 pay award for our level 1-3 staff have now been finalised.

The local pay negotiation process covers all staff in the APM and Technical Services job families at levels 1-3, and all staff in the Childcare Services and Operations & Facilities job families.

As previously communicated in Campus News, for Technical Services staff at levels 4-6 it was agreed with the campus trade union that national arrangements will be implemented in line with APM and R&T staff at levels 4-6.

Level 1-3 staff subject to local pay negotiations will see an increase in pay between 6.7% – 8.5% from 1 August 2023, with the majority receiving 7.3% or more.

For the 96% of level 1-3 staff who are eligible for an incremental increase this percentage will be made up of the consolidated increase for the relevant spine point (as detailed in the table below) plus the value of the consolidated increment.

For the 4% of colleagues at level 1-3 who are not eligible for an incremental increase due to being at or above the standard maximum for their grade, the percentage will be made up of the consolidated increase for the relevant spine point (as detailed in the table below) plus a non-consolidated, one-off payment at the value of an increment.

The table below shows the cost-of-living percentage increases which apply for each spine point.

As part of the three-year pay award from 1 August 2023, the maximum CRSP employee contribution rate will increase to 7% with an increased matched employer contribution of 14%. This means a total potential pension contribution of 21% will be possible from 1 August 2023 for staff who choose to take advantage of the additional contributions.

All elements of the local pay award, including those eligible for incremental progression, will be implemented from 1 August 2023 and will be included within salary paid at the end of August 2023. Updated Salary Scales will be published shortly.

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£500 (pro rata) Non-consolidated award for all staff levels 1 – 7

July 28th, 2023

As the academic year closes, it is a good opportunity to reflect on the many achievements of our institution over the past year.

We are very pleased to inform you that the university has taken the exceptional decision to allocate additional funding to make a one-off, non-consolidated, pro-rata award of £500 for all contracted colleagues at levels 1-7. This will be made to all eligible colleagues in post on 31 July 2023 and will be based on their FTE at that date.

This decision has been made in recognition of the important and diverse contributions of colleagues across the institution. The 22/23 financial year surplus is being used to fund these awards.

Payment of the Non-Consolidated Award will be made within salary at the end of August 2023.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shearer West, said: “This is an important decision designed to recognise the multiple contributions made by staff across the university throughout this year to help us achieve our aspirations in a challenging environment.”

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Nottingham Research and Anne McLaren fellowships

July 27th, 2023

The University of Nottingham is inviting applications from outstanding postdoctoral researchers who will join the next cohort of prestigious Nottingham Research and Anne McLaren fellowships. 

Our fellowships are essential to our mission of delivering exceptional research that transforms lives in the UK and across the world. They bring world-class talent to the university and offer outstanding people already here the opportunity to develop their career. 

The fellowships offer:  

  • three years’ independent research funding 
  • the link to a permanent academic post, subject to performance  
  • childcare costs  
  • access to mentoring, career development and networking  

Our fellowship schemes

  • Anne McLaren fellowships are aimed at outstanding female postdoctoral researchers in science, technology, engineering and medicine, who are at the early stage of their academic careers and wish to establish a research career in the UK  
  • Nottingham Research fellowships are aimed at outstanding postdoctoral researchers who are at the early stage of their academic careers from all academic disciplines represented at the university  

Both schemes are open to external and internal candidates. Applications are invited from all academic disciplines across the university. 

Find out more about Anne McLaren and Nottingham Research fellowships 

Please register your interest by Friday 6 October 2023 via the relevant school/faculty vacancy.

Please note: you must discuss your research proposal with your host school/faculty and you must have been awarded your PhD to apply.  

Apply for your fellowship 

Jane Wellens, Head of the Researcher Academy, which manages the fellowship schemes and supports researchers across the university, said: 

“Our fellowships schemes have, to date, enabled more than 100 inspiring researchers to develop their career as part of the university’s thriving research community.  A key element of our offer is that the fellows transition from three years of independent and fully-funded research to the opportunity of a permanent academic post at Nottingham. 

“We are committed to creating and supporting a dynamic, inclusive and welcoming research culture and environment and recognise that exceptional people come from many backgrounds, with diverse career paths and circumstances that are as individual as they are. 

“Eligible researchers from all disciplines are encouraged to discover more about these prestigious schemes and what they offer and we look forward to seeing the fabulous ideas that prospective fellows detail in their expressions of interest.” 

What our fellows say

“For my areas of focus, Nottingham is unbeatable for its world-class facilities.”
Pearl Agyakwa, Anne McLaren Research Fellow, Faculty of Engineering

“The link to a permanent position following the fellowship represents genuine investment in early-career scholars by the university.”
Teresa Baron, Nottingham Research Fellow, Department of Philosophy

“My fellowship has given me an academically rich and interdisciplinary research environment to further develop my skills.”
Ben Brewster, Nottingham Research Fellow, the Rights Lab Beacon of Excellence

For further information about the scheme or the application process, please contact the Fellowships Team.

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