Campus News
Changes to Medilink from Tuesday 28 May 2024
May 22nd, 2024
From Tuesday 28 May 2024, Medilink will operate as two separate services.
Medilink 1: View the timetable
- Operates between Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) and City Hospital
- Operates Monday- Friday, every 12 minutes throughout the day
Medilink 2: View the timetable
- Operates between Queens Drive P&R and Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC)
- Operates Monday- Friday, every 12 minutes throughout the day
This change means that anyone wishing to travel from Queens Drive to City Hospital will need to change buses at QMC.
UoN staff and students travelling to the Clinical Sciences Building (CSB) / Nottingham City Hospital will still be able to travel free of charge on the Medilink service – simply show your university card to the driver when boarding.
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Work progresses on ambitious Improving the Researcher Experience project
May 22nd, 2024
Significant strides have been made in advancing the ‘Improving the Researcher Experience’ project, placing the researcher at the heart of research grant processes.
The project aims to streamline processes, ensuring simplicity and efficiency every step of the way.
Driven by insights gathered from stakeholder workshops and in-depth interviews, the progress made directly addresses the pressing concerns and challenges voiced by the university’s academic community.
Focusing on the three key themes of improving award setup, communication and the recruitment of project staff, actions to date have included:
- Collaborative working of staff from across faculties, schools, and Professional Services to review and refine the award set up process to make it as efficient as possible
- Drafting communications that clearly outline the process, the support available, and the requirements from the academic, while also setting up a process to benchmark and continuously track levels of academic satisfaction
- Improving the research related staff recruitment process to be more agile and less risk-averse than present, exploring the possibilities within UniCore
These and other actions were shared in further workshops with both academics and APM staff to keep those involved in the project updated on progress and to gather feedback.
Project lead Rachel Brereton, Director of Research and Innovation Operations, explained, “The feedback was invaluable in helping us ensure the project remains on track by benefiting all involved in the research project lifecycle.
The workshops stimulated a lot of discussion and generated further great ideas, and I would like to thank everyone for their participation.”
Project sponsor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, Tom Rodden, added, “I am delighted with the progress made. This has only been possible from everyone working together on a shared vision and desire to simplify and improve our processes for fund bidding and grant management.
“While there’s undoubtedly much more to be done, I’m optimistic that by keeping up this momentum, we can revolutionise our operations. This transformation will not only bolster the university’s reputation but also help attract the best talent, crucial for driving forward our world-class research.”
Tags: research, Research and Knowledge Exchange, researcher experience
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Trusted Research safeguarding against security risks
May 22nd, 2024
To enhance the university’s security, the Trusted Research team has put in place safeguards that address MI5’s warning to UK universities about hostile foreign states targeting sensitive research.
Amid concerns that overseas funding from foreign powers may be used to steal intellectual property or threaten the integrity of universities, the UK Government is looking into a series of measures to improve national security. You can read about these measures in this article published in the Guardian.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, Tom Rodden said, “As a leading UK university, we remain in discussion with our national security services about the latest developments.
I want to reassure everyone, that at the University of Nottingham, we are in a strong position, with our Trusted Research team providing support to ensure our cutting-edge research is safeguarded while maintaining a relationship with our overseas funders that remains open to innovation and collaboration”.
Jason Feehily, Head of Trusted Research, explained this support, “For those involved in sensitive areas of research, the Trusted Research team is providing tailored training to maintain research and national security.
“As an integral part of the Trusted Research process, for the university to meet the funders requirements, it completes all necessary Trusted Research checks, identifies project mitigations, and adheres to national security requirements.
“If you have any queries around funders Trusted Research requirements or would like to discuss specific training requirements, please contact me at jason.feehily@nottingham.ac.uk”.
Tags: Jason Feehily, research, safeguarding research, Trusted Research
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Research Discovery Internships Programme: call for supervisors and interns
May 21st, 2024
The Research Discovery Internships Programme (2024-2025) call for supervisors and interns has opened.
The programme is designed to give budding researchers the opportunity to gain hands-on research experience and is open to students from all disciplines. We are committed to the highest standards of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, which are essential to a thriving and ambitious Research Culture.
Successful candidates will receive a stipend for 10h/week throughout the 24/25 academic (30 weeks) at the living wage rate.
For supervisors
As a Research Discovery supervisor, you have the opportunity to provide students with a unique learning experience, mentorship and to potentially create lasting connections with emerging scientists.
Your involvement in this programme will also help diversify the scientific community by supporting students from underrepresented communities.
Research-active colleagues from across the University of Nottingham are encouraged to submit their proposals and help us create an enriching experience for our students.
We expect our interns to work as research assistants, spending 10 hours a week on their project over a period of 30 weeks commencing in September 2024.
Projects should run throughout the academic year, be well-defined, feasible, and offer the opportunity for students to gain valuable experience and knowledge in their field of interest.
Successful projects will also receive financial support (£500 – £1,500) to cover the costs incurred by the interns once in post.
The deadline for submission of your research project is Monday 17 June 2024.
Supervisors can submit a project proposal here.
Students can find out more information here: Research Discovery Internships (sharepoint.com)
Tags: RDIP, Research Discovery Internships Programme
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Experts wanted for East Midlands Climate Ambassadors hub hosted by Nottingham’s two universities
May 21st, 2024
Expert volunteers are being sought to join the East Midlands hub of the government’s national climate education programme, being hosted by Nottingham’s two universities.
The Climate Ambassador Scheme is a £2 million Department for Education programme which will provide nurseries, schools, colleges and universities across England with free access to local experts who can help turn their climate and sustainability ambitions into action.
Regional hubs in each of England’s education regions have been established, with the East Midlands Hub being hosted by the both the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University working in collaboration as part of the pioneering Universities for Nottingham partnership.
Yesterday, (Monday 20 May) at the Education World Forum, the Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan, is calling for 1,000 expert volunteers to join the Climate Ambassadors programme.
Volunteer experts from across England are needed to support the roll-out of the scheme, which, in the first two years, aims to support 2,500 education settings on their sustainability journey.
East Midlands Hub Manager Matilda Crane said: “The Climate Ambassadors Scheme provides an exciting opportunity for anyone wanting to share their knowledge, skills and passion for supporting sustainability and climate action to inspire meaningful change within local communities, education settings and young people across the East Midlands.”
Matilda added: “By working closely with our universities networks, and beyond, we can draw upon a variety of essential skills and experiences to drive impactful, long-lasting and community-focused change towards a more sustainable future.”
The scheme was originally launched in April 2022, by the University of Reading and STEM Learning, with support from UKRI. In December 2023, the Department for Education partnered with the University and EAUC to expand the Scheme to all 30,000 education settings across England. A key aim of the extended programme, as part of the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, is for all education settings to have a climate action plan in place by 2025.
Across the East Midlands, nurseries, schools and colleges will have the opportunity to receive free support from volunteer Climate Ambassadors to progress their climate action plans, wherever they are on their sustainability journey.
The regional Hub will bring together a community of Climate Ambassadors from a range of backgrounds, including the private, public, charity and university sectors, supporting education settings to take ownership of their climate action by creating or progressing climate action plans.
Head of Sustainability at UoN Gavin Scott said: “Our region boasts a diverse range of expert skills within the sustainability and climate change sector, particularly across the universities and research centres within the region, as well as a plethora of technical industry partnerships and innovative businesses.”
Head of Sustainability at Nottingham Trent University, Laura Mayhew-Manchón said: “We are in a unique position to support education settings across the East Midlands to take bold action on climate change, by offering them the collective sustainability expertise of both Nottingham universities as well as that of our regional partners, supply chains and wider community through the Hub.”
Sign up now
Anyone interested in becoming a Climate Ambassador can sign up to the scheme now to be provided with free training and support, and be matched to a local nursery, school or college that needs help building a climate action plan.
Organisations large and small, across England, who would like to make the Climate Ambassador Scheme part of their corporate volunteering programmes can sign up as partners of the programme. By becoming a partner, organisations will have access to a structured, relevant and meaningful volunteer option for their employees, while also supporting the organisation’s community engagement and social value goals
Climate change and Sustainability is a key strand of the Universities for Nottingham partnership, a pioneering collaboration that sees the city’s two world-class universities with local partners working to improve levels of economic prosperity, educational opportunity, sustainability and the health and wellbeing of residents and the communities of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Tags: Climate Ambassador, Climate Ambassador Scheme, climate change, Climate change and Sustainability, sustainability
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Castle Meadow Campus partnership launched with The Prince’s Trust to change young lives
May 21st, 2024
The university has announced a collaboration with The Prince’s Trust to provide a Nottingham base for the organisation to help improve the lives of local young people.
In the heart of Nottingham city centre, Castle Meadow Campus is under redevelopment to transform the former HMRC base into a thriving community of students and co-located businesses and partners. Right now, it provides a home for the University of Nottingham’s City as Lab and Infinity initiatives alongside the Programme Management Office.
Alex Khanyaghma, Head of Service Delivery at The Prince’s Trust, East Midlands said: “The partnership between The Prince’s Trust and the University of Nottingham at Castle Meadow Campus is proving a fantastic opportunity to help even more young people across Nottinghamshire.
“Providing a stable base for the charity allows us to grow and broaden our offers for young people while providing a safe space for them to learn key skills and grow in confidence.
Aligning our vision with Castle Meadow Campus’ powerful desire to create a stable foundation in Nottingham will be invaluable in helping future generations of young people grow their skills and start something amazing in the East Midlands.”
Starting in May, a group of 16–25-year-olds will embark on an in-person personal development course on campus. This is just one of The Trust’s offerings for young people to gain practical skills and experience, earn a qualification, and grow in confidence.
This includes community group projects, work experience, English and maths skills and creating a standout C.V. to complement newly enhanced interview skills.
Dewi Prichard-Jones, Senior Head of Service Delivery for The Trust in Central England, highlighted the collaborative efforts stating: “This collaboration with the University of Nottingham will allow us to build on the proud history we have in Nottingham and provide a very bright future for young people through our range of programmes offering early intervention work, educational attainment, and employment opportunities.”
He also went on to say “We look forward to working with corporate, education and community partners to help create the next generation of young entrepreneurs as well as securing long-term roles for young people in retail, hospitality, digital and tech sectors and the green economy.
This can all be delivered from our fantastic new space on Castle Meadow Campus.”
The collaboration between The Prince’s Trust and the university is a strategic alignment of values and vision, aimed at making a tangible difference in the lives of young people in Nottingham.
Castle Meadow Campus is an ideal location for this partnership, offering a dynamic space for innovation and growth.
On 14 March 2024, The Prince’s Trust celebrated the partnership with the launch event of its new base. This brought together many supporters to celebrate this transformative organisation.
The evening had strong themes of partnership, underscoring the commitment to supporting young people and bolstering the local community within Nottingham City.
Keynote speakers included local beneficiaries of The Trust and key partners, mentors, and business leaders. Jason Phoenix, Castle Meadow Campus Programme Director, and Professor Sarah Speight, Pro Vice Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at the university, spoke about their hopes for the University’s developing relationship with the Trust.
Sarah acknowledged that the city of Nottingham has educational challenges and said: “Nottingham has areas of serious deprivation, and this contributes to educational disengagement and lower attainment. There are many wonderful organisations involved in supporting schools and colleges to tackle these challenges. The Prince’s Trust helps by focusing on some of the hardest-to-reach young people.”
“I believe that it can fit itself into the education and training ‘ecosystem’ in the city, adding complementary expertise, but also distinctive expertise – it can help us create a coherent pathway to support people into and through education and on into meaningful employment. We already know we share values and vision. So, the next steps are to put some of our ideas into practice and start to make that difference.”
This marks a new chapter in The Prince’s Trust’s longstanding commitment to empowering young people and strengthening communities. Together, with UoN, they are poised to contribute to a brighter, more inclusive future for Nottingham’s youth.
For more information please visit The Prince’s Trust webpages.
Tags: Castle Meadow, Castle Meadow campus, community, encouraging growth, Prince's Trust, supporting youth, The Prince's Trust
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New Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) form and guidance
May 20th, 2024
Following a review of the Equality Impact Assessment process as part of the HR Transformation Programme, a new Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) form and refreshed guidance on the EIA process have been developed in order to create a more user-friendly process.
What are Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) and why do we do them?
An Equality Impact Assessment is a process of collaborative reflection which leads to a written record of the considerations that have been given to the impact on people with protected characteristics and the actions to be taken to mitigate any negative impact.
The university is a strong supporter of equality, diversity, and inclusion for all of our students, staff, visitors, and others, in everything we do.
An important part of our work in this area is in the completion of Equality Impact Assessments.
Training
Training and support will be available to anyone responsible for the completion and sign-off of Equality Impact Assessments, including accountable persons (project sponsors, those responsible for signing off EIAs) and assessment coordinators (all staff involved in completing EIAs).
The training provision for EIAs is currently under development and more information will be added to this page shortly.
Submitting EIAs
Completed EIA forms should now be submitted to the Organisational Development Team using this EIA submission form.
EIAs which have been previously submitted, reviewed and updated should be resubmitted to the Organisational Development Team using this EIA enquiry and resubmission form.
More information
More information on Equality Impact Assessments and links to the new form and guidance can be found on the EIA SharePoint site.
Tags: edi, EIA, equality, Equality Diversity and Inclusion, Equality Impact Assessment
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Save on your summer holiday with the Employee Hub
May 20th, 2024
The university’s employee benefits platform hosted by Pluxee offers a wide range of discounted e-Vouchers and promotions to help you save on your next trip away.
Whether you’re planning a big weekend away, staycation or summer holiday, this could help you make great savings on accommodation, airport parking, car hire and transport, cruises, days out and more.
Some of the latest discounts and promotions include:
- Jet2Holidays – Save up to 10%
- National Express Coach Travel – Save up to 20%
- Cottages.com – Save up to 10%
- Eurostar UK – 4% discounted eVoucher
- TUI Holidays – Save up to 10%
- SkyParkSecure – Save up to 20%
- Easy Jet Holidays – Save up to 10%
- Air B&B – 5% discounted eVoucher
- Virgin Experiences – 20% discount eVoucher
- National Trust – 8% discount eVoucher
How can I access these discounts?
To browse all the offers, promotions and discounts available, simply visit the Employee Hub and access the discounts portal through the ‘Staff Discounts’ tab where you can view all your discounts and purchase discounted e-vouchers in advance.
Alternatively, you can download the Pluxee Discounts app directly to your mobile device to use whilst you’re out and on the go.
The discounts app is available to download via the App Store for iPhone and on Google Play, simply search ‘Pluxee UK Discounts’.
If you need help with the app or have any queries with redeeming your voucher, you can contact a member of the Pluxee team via 01908 303 531 (lines are open Monday – Friday, 9am – 5:30pm).
Tags: Pluxee, Save on travel, staff discounts
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People and Culture 2023 survey update: May 2024
May 20th, 2024
It has been just over a year since the university conducted its People and Culture 2023 survey – and the Organisational Development Team are reminding colleagues of the support available and progress made so far.
The staff engagement survey, run by administrators People Insight, was an opportunity for colleagues across our UK, China and Malaysia campuses to provide feedback on their working environment and culture, and how they are supported in the workplace.
Since the results were issued in June 2023 teams across the university have spent a lot of time reflecting on workplace experiences, taking part in focus group discussions to better understand individual results, then prioritising, planning and reviewing timescales of when actions will be implemented.
Some of the most common themes of actions logged across different teams at the university currently include:
- Helping improve – communication and collaboration between different parts of the university
This includes many colleagues across various teams reaching out to staff communities and networks to feel more connected by networking with colleagues. - Supporting Appraisals and Developments Conversations (ADC’s)
This includes running workshops on ADCs to understand them better and discuss what works well and areas for potential improvement. - Colleagues contributions being valued in schools/departments
This includes celebrating team achievements and creating case studies to demonstrate the impact of their work.
Our Engagement Champions Network were also involved in a recent workshop where colleagues shared insightful case studies on their journey of action planning in response to the survey.
The workshop, organised by the Organisational Development Team, also included discussions on how the team can help with action planning through coaching discussions, facilitating focus groups or advice with other related questions such as using the People Insight dashboard.
If you would like to find out more about the action planning support available from the Organisational Development team, please contact Rory Mogan, Organisational Development Manager or Claire Jagger, Associate Director of Organisational Development for more information.
For more information on the survey’s results and organisational key actions to help us meet objectives of the People and Culture Strategy, please visit the People & Culture SharePoint site.
Tags: Action planning, Organisational Development team, People and Culture Survey, People and Culture Survey 2023, People Insight dashboard
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