Campus News
Hopper Bus update – March 2023
March 23rd, 2023
Roadworks on the A52, which resulted in our Hopperbus services being diverted, have now come to an end.
From Monday 27 March, all Hopperbus services will revert to their normal routes around University Park.
Services over the Easter break
There will be some changes to the Hopperbus services over Easter as per the below:
- 901 and 902 – will continue to operate to the current year-round timetable.
- 903 and 904 – will operate the non-term timetable from Saturday 1 April – Mon 1 May.
- Friday 7 – Tues 11 April – There will be no hopper services on any routes over the Easter weekend.
- Monday 1 May (bank holiday) – No services on the 902,903 or 904, and Sunday service on the 901.
Further information about the Hopperbus services, including timetables and a map of the bus stops on campus, can be found here.
Tags: A52 roadworks, Bus services, hopper bus, Hopper bus service, hopper services
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Teaching and Learning conference 2023: follow-up workshop announced
March 23rd, 2023
There is just over one month to go until the annual Teaching and Learning Conference.
Our keynote speaker for this year is Professor Ruth Healey. Ruth is a Professor of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education at the University of Chester, UK. She has actively researched into learning and teaching since 2004 and has developed a particular expertise in student engagement and partnership.
Building on this year’s Teaching and Learning conference, Professor Ruth Healey will deliver a follow-up online workshop focusing on the policy and practice of student engagement and partnership in learning and teaching.
Through the lens of real-world case studies, the workshop provides opportunities to reflect on and explore your aspirations for staff-student partnerships within the context of your role and engage in partnership project action planning.
The workshop is scheduled for Wednesday 3 May 2023, from 12noon – 1.30pm (UK time). It is open to all staff and students across our three campuses.
Please click to save the date to your calendar.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a contribution for this years Teaching and Learning Conference. We are in the process of reviewing submissions and will inform presenters of outcomes on Wednesday 29 March 2023 and look forward to sharing the conference programme with attendees in April 2023.
All interested colleagues and students, please register to attend the conference, and find full details about the conference on the conference webpage.
Key Dates:
Notification of review outcome: Wednesday 29 March 2023
All revisions (if appropriate) submitted: Wednesday 13 April 2023
Tags: teaching and learning, Teaching and Learning Conference, Teaching and Learning Conference 2023
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Postgraduate Researchers from diverse backgrounds: A framework for defining, measuring and supporting success
March 22nd, 2023
The Researcher Academy has launched a new framework to help colleagues promote a more diverse and inclusive recruitment environment for postgraduate researchers.
The Researcher Academy is the network for researchers, and staff who support them, at the University of Nottingham. We work together to promote a healthy research culture, to cultivate researcher excellence, and develop creative partnerships that enable researchers to flourish.
This framework is the latest addition to the Researcher Academy’s portfolio of best practice guides aimed at supporting colleagues to recruit, retain and support postgraduate researchers with the highest potential and desire to succeed in a diverse researcher community.
Efforts to increase the diversity of the PGRs we recruit must be accompanied by work to ensure that ongoing support is effective, rooted in inclusivity, and tied to the needs of our postgraduate researchers. Measures for success in postgraduate research are not well-established beyond narrow measures such as thesis submission and completion rates, career destinations and publication metrics.
By including broader and more inclusive parameters, we benefit not only researchers from diverse backgrounds but our whole researcher community.
This framework offers practical actions and approaches that are flexible by design and can be easily adapted to the structures and needs of different schools, faculties and higher education institutions. It is based on PGR-led research and highlights case studies of existing and emerging practice and specific experiences of PGRs from different backgrounds.
This framework is an output from a Collaborative Enhancement Project funded by QAA Membership. This project is led by the Researcher Academy at the University of Nottingham in partnership with the Scottish Graduate School of Social Sciences, the University of Leeds, The University of Warwick and the UK Council for Graduate Education.
You can access the guide here.
Tags: ], diversity, EDI in recruitment, PGR diversity, PGRs, postgraduate research, Researcher Academy
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Researcher Academy’s annual Tri-Campus Awards
March 21st, 2023
The Researcher Academy’s annual Tri-Campus Awards are an opportunity for us all to come together to recognise and celebrate postgraduate research students and colleagues who have made exceptional contributions to our researcher community.
Research technicians and administrative staff are often the unsung heroes of our community and this year, we are extending our awards to recognise and celebrate the important contribution they make to research.
We invite all members of the university community to nominate a postgraduate researcher, postdoctoral researcher, research team, research supervisor, research technician or administrative colleague who deserves to be celebrated.
Finalists will be invited to the Researcher Academy Tri-Campus awards ceremony taking place on University Park in May 2023.
Award Categories
Postgraduate Researcher Awards
- Contribution to the Nottingham Research Community
- Policy Impact – Emerging Star and Best Initiative Awards
- Public Engagement with Research – Emerging Star and Best Initiative Awards
- Research Benefit to a Community Award
- Team Award for Commitment to Enhancing the Research Culture and Environment
Staff Awards
- Contribution to the Nottingham Research Community
- Outstanding Research Technician of the Year
- Outstanding Technical Team of the Year
- Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year
- Research Benefit to a Community Award
- Team Award for Commitment to Enhancing the Research Culture and Environment
- Award for Services to the University of Nottingham Postgraduate Researchers
Submit your nomination using the link below by Friday 14 April 2023.
Tags: Research community, Researcher Academy, researchers, Tri Campus Awards
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Industrial Action – ACAS and USS update [UPDATED]
March 20th, 2023
Following a meeting between UCEA and the Joint HE Trade Unions on Tuesday 14 March 2023, facilitated by ACAS, agreement was reached on terms of reference for detailed negotiations covering a review of the UK HE pay spine, workload, contract types and equality pay gaps.
Article updated following UCU Higher Education Committee decision on 17 March 2023
The Joint HE Trade Unions and UCEA issued a joint statement and undertook to consult their respective constituencies on these terms of reference as a basis for commencing those negotiations. The UCU Higher Education Committee met on Friday 17 March and voted not to put the proposals to consultation and to continue industrial action.
Universities UK (UUK), on behalf of USS employers, also issued a joint statement with the University and College Union (UCU) outlining how both parties are working together on the future of USS pension scheme benefits.
The joint statement on USS confirms that UUK and UCU’s shared commitments are to: “prioritise the improvement of benefits to pre-April 2022 levels, where this can be done in a demonstrably sustainable manner; working together so that this, and future, valuations are undertaken on a moderately prudent and evidence-based basis, taking account of the open and long-term nature of the scheme so that we do not return to dispute at each valuation; and to work together on a constructive dialogue with the Pensions Regulator (tPR) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).”
The statement also confirms that UCU and UUK have agreed to develop and implement a robust and transparent mechanism for managing risk which can provide more sustainable benefits and contributions for future valuations, and reiterated UUK and UCU’s shared agreement to a scheme governance review.
The dispute resolution process on the national pay award 2023-24 was facilitated by ACAS and led to UCEA making a revised pay offer for 2023-24, although an impasse rather than an agreement on the pay uplift was reached. University employers have confirmed that they will implement the pay offer in two phases from 1 February and 1 August 2023.
Tags: CAS, Industrial Action, pay award, UCU, Universities UK, UUK
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Celebrating the diversity of our global university community all year round
March 15th, 2023
We have successfully delivered two UK diversity festivals alongside a series of well received UK equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) recognition months, all of which aim to embrace and celebrate difference.
We are now reviewing how we engage with our staff and students to celebrate the diversity of our global university community aligned with our People and Culture Strategic Delivery Plan.
Following feedback from those involved in these activities, we intend to reshape our diversity festival into a year-round series of global events and activities and to augment this with recognition months and other engagement events. This will enable us to provide a platform for more minority groups, spread activities throughout the year (making them easier to plan, deliver and attend) and enable us to engage with more staff and students and those who might not have engaged with our events previously.
People are our most important asset. Our vision is to create a safe and trusting space for open dialogue where staff and students can thrive in their roles and studies and an environment where everyone can contribute and be appreciated for who they are.
Celebration of recognition months will continue through 2022/2023. Event management, informal learning and development programmes are being developed for all levels of leader aligned with embedding our values. The global annual diversity programme will be announced through 2023/2024.
Tags: Annual diversity programme, diversity, edi
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Introducing the university’s Data Protection Officer
March 14th, 2023
The University’s new Data Protection Officer (DPO), Tracy Landon, recently joined us from Nottingham Trent University.
Based in the Governance and Assurance Department, Tracy and has extensive experience in data protection leads the University’s information governance operations.
As DPO her primary responsibility is to ensure that all personal data held by the University is processed in compliance with data protection laws and regulations.
In her role Tracy is keen to educate all colleagues on the important part they play in protecting and processing data to maintain public trust in the University and protect the individual and institution from the damage caused by data breaches. She says:
“Data protection is essential for the University. It ensures that individuals’ personal data is processed lawfully, fairly and transparently. This means that individuals have control over their data and can trust the University to handle it responsibly.
“Good data protection practice also helps protect the University’s reputation. Breaches and incidents could damage the University’s reputation and erode trust. Having a DPO in place demonstrates that the University takes data protection seriously. “
Tracy and her Information Compliance team provide advice and guidance to staff and students on how to collect, store and process personal data safely. They also audit the University’s data protection practices to ensure they comply with data protection law and investigate and report data breaches to the Information Commissioner’s Office. She says:
“The role of a DPO should be visible and supportive and I am very happy to meet colleagues across our campuses to provide advice and guidance on any matter concerned with data protection.
“A small piece of good practice in data protection can insulate people from significant legal penalties. By ensuring staff are equipped with the knowledge, resources and support necessary to undertake their roles, we can all help to manage personal data responsibly.
“I or any of my colleagues are very happy to speak individually or attend team meetings to talk through data protection queries and to better understand your roles and data protection needs so that we can provide you with the very best support and training.”
To arrange a session with Tracy of the team, please contact DPO@nottingham.ac.uk and for further information and a range of resources to support good data protection, please visit Information Compliance.
The University’s annual Information Security online training is currently available to staff, and reminders will be issued shortly to colleagues who have yet to complete this training. You can complete the training, which should take no more than 30 minutes by following this link https://nott.ac/securitytraining.
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VC staff surgeries: Thursday 30 March, 9.30am – 10.30am
March 14th, 2023
The next set of ‘staff surgery’ sessions are now available for colleagues to discuss any issue with Vice-Chancellor Professor Shearer West, on Thursday 30 March 2023, from 9.30am – 10.30am.
Booking your session
To register for a session, please email BA-VC-Surgery@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk with your preferred date from the list below and a brief agenda for the meeting.
Places are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so colleagues are encouraged to book early.
You will be contacted within two working days of your request confirming the date and time.
Further surgery sessions are available on:
- Tuesday 18 April, 10.30am – 12noon (via Microsoft Teams)
- Thursday 25 May, 9.30am – 11am
- Monday 19 June, 3pm – 4.30pm
- Tuesday 18 July, 2.30pm – 4pm
Further information is available at VC Staff Surgery.
Surgery sessions are usually held in the Vice-Chancellor’s Office. Appointments may take place via Microsoft Teams if preferred, or where sessions are noted as being virtual.
Tags: VC Staff Surgeries, VC Surgeries, Vice-Chancellor Surgeries
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National industrial action at the University
March 14th, 2023
We are sorry to inform you that the University of Nottingham is among 150 universities across the country that will experience national industrial action by members of the University & College Union (UCU), in the form of strike action on 15-17 and 20-22 March 2023.
Action short of a strike, where staff work to contract and do not undertake voluntary activity, continues.
The University recognises that any period of industrial action will be challenging, appreciates that colleagues do not undertake industrial action lightly and respects their right to participate.
We also recognise that students will be concerned about the potential impact of industrial action on their studies and the University’s priority will be to minimise this.
The university has published staff information about the industrial action as well as student FAQs and we will keep staff and students updated with further information as it becomes available.
For further information, please visit:
- Universities and Colleges Employers Association (national pay negotiators)
- USS 2020 Valuation (national USS pension)
- University and College Union (UCU)
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National Pay Award 2023-24
March 14th, 2023
The Universities & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) has advised universities to implement its revised national pay offer for 2023-24 for R&T and APM staff at Levels 4-6 who are covered by the national pay settlement.
This will provide colleagues in the R&T, APM and TS job families at Levels 4 – 6 with a national uplift for 2023-24 of either 5% or 6% depending on their point on the pay spine. At the University of Nottingham, the award will also be applied to TS staff at Levels 4-6; R&T and APM staff at Level 7.
Staff in these groups earning up to £30,502 will receive a total national uplift of 6% and those earning £31,411 or more will receive a total national uplift of 5%.
Whilst the full award will be payable from 1 August 2023, a 2% uplift or £1,000 – whichever is the greater – will be paid backdated to 1 February 2023. This element will be paid in salaries from the end of March and the University aims to pay February arrears at the same time.
UCEA has also advised that around half of the staff covered within national negotiations are also eligible for an additional pay progression increase (increment), this will apply from 1 August 2023 and is expected to be a further 3% increase.
Local pay award for staff at Levels 1-3, Technical Services, Childcare Services, Operations & Facilities job families
The University implemented a three-year pay award for staff in these groups of a 18.5% average that exceeded any other offer available in the higher education sector at that time, with an average of 8.2% paid in the current 2022-23 year. The University will shortly engage in the joint local pay negotiation process with the campus trade unions and update staff on the proposed settlement for 2023-24 as soon as it is able to do so.
USS pension
The latest quarterly monitoring figures of the USS pension scheme continue to show an improvement in the scheme’s financial position since the last valuation.
In a statement issued on Friday 17 February, Universities UK and UCU said this would allow for a return to a comparable level of future benefits as existed before the April 2022 changes, as well as achieve a reduction in costs for members and employers.
UUK and UCU have committed to joint collaboration through the 2023 valuation process to achieve the optimum outcome for all stakeholders after appropriate consultation.
ACAS-facilitated talks
Each year UCEA enters pay negotiations with the trade unions to agree the pay award for that year. For the 2023-24 pay negotiations this was split into two phases – phase one focusing on pay, and phase two focusing on non-pay items.
The dispute resolution process for phase one has been facilitated by ACAS and led to UCEA making a revised pay offer for 2023-24, although an impasse rather than an agreement on the pay uplift has been reached.
The trade unions and UCEA are continuing ACAS facilitated talks, as part of phase two to determine the work necessary on non-pay items such as contract types, workload, and pay gaps. Further information will be provided once there is an update on the progress of discussions at ACAS.
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