Campus News
Celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Thursday 16 May 2024
May 7th, 2024
Join colleagues across the university to celebrate accessibility achievements and to understand the work that still needs to be done.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is a worldwide celebration of digital accessibility efforts, now in its thirteenth year. And here at the University of Nottingham, we have a lot to celebrate as a sector-leading institution in accessibility.
Celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day event
Colleagues across the university are invited to join University of Nottingham Libraries’ Learning Technologies team on Thursday 16 May, 2-3.30pm at A03 Monica Partridge Building for an event exploring the origins of accessibility, the idea of ‘core accessibility’ (the simple habits that everyone can adopt that make a huge difference and the frameworks that will support you) and finally, the various challenges of digital accessibility and how to handle them.
‘Voices of Accessibility’, a short film made with students will also premiere at the event, where attendees will hear first-hand how important the small changes are for our students.
The event will be of interest to everyone creating digital content- whether in teaching and learning, research, or professional services contexts.
We encourage people to attend the event in-person for the opportunity to meet colleagues across the university and a slice of cake or two.
Book your place at the event here.
Can’t make it to the event on 16 May? The session will be recorded and made available through the Accessibility Community of Practice.
Upcoming training sessions
Learning Technologies also run regular online sessions on core accessibility principles as well as targeted sessions on topics such as accessible document, multi-media and more.
You can find out more about accessibility efforts at the university by visiting the Nottingham Accessibility Practices SharePoint.
Tags: accessibility, Accessibility Awareness, Accessibility Awareness Day, Digital Accessibility, Global Accessibility
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New device purchasing and management standard and procedures introduced
May 7th, 2024
A new Device Purchasing and Management Standard and Procedure have been introduced to ensure that the supply of IT devices follows a standard, controlled process.
From Wednesday 8 May 2024, all requests for desktops/iMacs, laptops/MacBooks, tablets/iPads must be validated prior to raising a purchase order in Agresso.
This is in response to UEB’s budget control announcements, but the university is also taking steps towards having an improved IT asset management system overall.
The new process for those requesting equipment is:
- requestor submits a request in Ivanti (attach a business justification for non-standard and additional devices)
- DTS validates the request using existing records and data, and updates the asset register
- Requestor proceeds with raising the request in Agresso as normal (but also attach the Ivanti validation)
- DTS performs an additional verification step in Agresso prior to financial processing
This process applies to regular purchasing of equipment. Whilst bulk ordering should be avoided, in these circumstances staff should liaise with DTS Campus IT Support prior to making any requests.
There is no change to the supply and subsequent disposal of devices.
These changes apply to all staff, associates and post-graduate researchers that purchase devices using university budget or grant funding. These devices are owned by the university.
Additional information can be found on the DTS equipment order webpages.
Tags: Agresso, budget control, DTS, Finance processes, POs, Purchase Orders, university finance, University finances
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Appraisal and Development Conversations (ADCs): update for 2024 and beyond
May 7th, 2024
The Appraisal and Development Conversations (ADCs) cycle for 2024 has now started. ADCs intend to facilitate a safe and trusted space for all staff to take part in an open dialogue about performance, development, aspirations and objectives moving forward.
From May to September, all colleagues should have an ADC with their line manager (or appropriate alternative appraiser) to:
- reflect on their achievements over the past year
- discuss their personal development and professional ambitions
- agree on future objectives
In preparation for this year’s annual ADC, we recommend all staff refresh their understanding of ADCs and review the updated guidance documents. To improve the guidance for both appraiser and appraisee we have:
- Updated the ADC guideline documents
- Updated to ADC word document in line with preparation for UniCore
- Refreshed the Moodle space for supportive learning materials
- Developed the appraiser discussion guide to include a question bank to help facilitate an effective conversation
- Updated the e-learning ADC information video to improve accessibility
You can find all central materials on the ADC webpages.
We have also created new optional training sessions, which will run over the summer for appraisers and appraisees, focused on making the most of the ADC.
The first sessions will run on Tuesday 21 May 2024, and can be booked via Central Short Courses.
ADCs moving to UniCore (2025):
For 2024, please continue to document the ADC conversation on the Word form, which can be found on the ADC pages of our website.
From 2025, documenting the ADC process will move online to the new UniCore system. Once the system is live, we recommend that individuals transfer their performance and development goals onto the online system to prepare for a fully online ADC in 2025. Further information and training for using the system will be provided once the system is live.
Examples of good practice
We also know there are lots of examples of excellent work being carried out locally to optimise the ADC process.
If you’re interested in sharing how you’re enhancing the ADC process in your team/department, please reach out to us. We’d love to gather best practices to contribute to future process improvements. Please contact hr@nottingham.ac.uk.
Tags: ADC, ADCs, Appraisal and Development Conversations, progression, staff progression
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Plans commencing for Walled Garden, University Park
May 7th, 2024
Plans to reinvigorate the Walled Garden to the east side of Highfield House on University Park campus have begun, with work starting on site in mid-April.
The Campaign and Alumni Relations Office, in partnership with Estates, have proposed that the garden will provide a tangible location on campus where supporters of the university will be recognised, specifically for gifts left in their will.
These generous bequests will be commemorated by plaques mounted on a ‘donor wall’ to acknowledge their contribution towards the university and their impact on the wider community.
Work is due to be completed by mid-June, depending on the weather – with hopes that students and staff can enjoy the garden by the end of June. The works have been made possible thanks to a legacy will that was left with the university.
Improvements to the garden include increased accessibility, new shrub and flower planting, new seating around the relocated water pump feature, relocating the existing pergola and refurbishing the wall at the northern end to create the ‘donor wall’.
The garden will continue to provide a tranquil, secular space that can be used for contemplation and reflection by the wider university community in order to support the mindfulness and wellbeing of our students, staff and alumni whilst also celebrating legacy giving.
Tags: community, garden, gift in will, walled garden, Wills
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New features now live on the online prospectus
May 7th, 2024
A new personalised area of the Find Your Nottingham online prospectus has been launched and you can learn more about the latest features that are available for our prospective students and offer holders.
These new features allow our prospective students to:
- create an account to see and bookmark personalised content based on interests and application stage
- manage communication and content preferences
- update contact details stored in the hub area
This additional touchpoint means we can promote personalised and relevant content to prospective students and applicants, with the use of eight different student personas (such as undergraduate/home/applied or undergraduate/international/offer holder). This new platform also allows us to gather more data to inform decisions about our student recruitment marketing activities, and ultimately support our conversion efforts.
Resources and further information
- FAQs for staff can be found on the Digital Engagement SharePoint
- A guide for students is also available to help them use the features
What happens if I experience any issues or would like to feedback suggestions?
If you have any feedback on the Find Your Nottingham new features, you can share this in our feedback form.
Suggestions will be assessed for relevance, priority and actioned accordingly.
Tags: Find your Nottingham, Find Your Nottingham online prospectus, Online prospectus
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Open conversations: framework launched
May 7th, 2024
The university has launched a new framework to support people to have open conversations.
Open Conversations are at the heart of the culture we want to see thrive across the university. To support this a new open conversations framework has been launched.
The Organisational Development team have created a SharePoint site to act as a Framework, providing people with resources and tools to support colleagues with all types of conversations they wish to have.
To accompany the framework, the Organisational Development (OD) team are hosting Open Conversation workshops. These face to face and virtual workshops promote the fundaments of open conversations and provide a space to learn and share thinking on the how we can approach all the conversations we have using the principle of an open conversation. The suite of workshops includes:
For more information on dates and times of any of the open conversations workshops please visit our Training pages.
If you would like to discuss how the OD team can support your team with approaching open conversations, please contact the OD team.
Colleagues may find the open conversations framework and workshops beneficial in approaching ways of working conversations, in relation to the launch of the university’s Agile Working Framework.
What is an open conversation?
A spoken interaction between two or more people, where those engaged in the conversation feel able to speak openly, and contribute or raise relevant ideas, questions or concerns.
It’s the approach you take to the conversation and the skills you use, rather than the topic or the depth of personal information you share.
An Open Conversation is:
- purposeful, and outcome-focused
- two way
- based on empathetic listening
- where questions are used to explore and build understanding
- non-judgemental
- being open to not having the answer
- believing in the ability of the individual to solve problems
- empowering others to learn, develop and make decisions
- enabled by self-awareness
Our Open Conversations programme will underpin our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) ambitions by contributing to a culture where staff feel able to discuss matters relating to EDI with confidence that they will be taken seriously.
Find out more
For more information on Open Conversations please visit the dedicated SharePoint site.
Tags: edi, Open Conversations, open conversations framework
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May is for wild flowers and hedgehogs
May 2nd, 2024
This year the university is once again leaving some of our green spaces to grow wild as part of No Mow May.
Nature charity Plantlife run the annual No Mow May movement, asking everyone to lock away lawn mowers and leave gardens and parks to bloom and go wild for a month. The grounds team are supporting this biodiversity initiative across all our UK campuses.
The loss of flower meadows in the UK over the past 90 years has led to a steep decline in bees and other pollinating insects. Gardens and green spaces have hence become an increasingly important habitat, especially when areas are left undisturbed.
As well as providing a feast for pollinators, this also helps tackle pollution, reduces urban heat extremes, and locks away atmospheric carbon below ground.
Our campuses offer a rich mosaic of habitats to local wildlife. And when grass is mown less, the more pollinators will make a home and support the broader ecosystems.
New wild spaces have also been created for No Mow May, and if you are out and about on campus you may spot signs of some of them. This includes:
- On grounds adjacent to the Downs (a Local Wildlife Site) and along the northern boundary of campus between the A52 and Derby Hall
- On Jubilee, there are new No Mow areas outside Melton Hall, and near to the tennis courts. Additional spaces have also been sown with wildflower seed, including a grassed spaces within Newark Hall which is part in a wildflower experiment
- There are numerous wild pockets on Sutton Bonington and at Highfields Sports Ground that are deliberately being left unmown
- At Riverside Sports Complex, as part of an ongoing biodiversity project with funding from Severn Trent Water, spaces alongside the sports pitches, where new native hedgerow are being planted, are also being left for the benefit of wildlife
More widely, the university is committed to reducing the frequency of mowing, and in some areas it has stopped completely.
Edges and margins are increasingly being widened and left to grow wilder.
Find out how to #nomowmay at home with help and resources on the Plantlife website.
Hedgehog Awareness Week (5-11 May)
Hedgehog Awareness Week highlights the problems hedgehogs face and how you can help them. Over the last 20 years, hedgehog numbers in rural areas have plummeted.
In response, passionate members of the university formed the UoN Hedgehog Friendly Campus Group. They raise awareness of the plight of the hedgehog and take action across our campuses.
6pm, Thursday 9 May 2024
Learn how to track hedgehog activity on campus, at home, or in your local community with a footprint tunnel workshop from the Hedgehog Friendly Campus Group.
Meet at the Djalongly Terrace (top of the steps outside the Portland building), UP.
Go! Wild
There is no shortage of ways to get involved and help wildlife both on and off campus this Spring.
- Find out about and take part in hands-on nature related activities at UoN. Conservation sessions happen on Wednesdays and include plant and hedgehog surveying as part of the above initiatives.
- Log your wildlife friendly actions on Green Rewards to earn points and win prizes. Join us in creating a thriving place for nature and wildlife with the Green Rewards Nature Nurturers Earn points with four new challenge activities until 30 June.
Tags: conservation, Go! Wild, Green Rewards, Hedgehog awareness, Nature nuturers, No Mow May
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Cascade Grants Programme
May 1st, 2024
Students can apply for up to £10,000 to fund projects that enhance the student experience with the Cascades Grants Programme. This could be academic, pastoral or extracurricular.
Since becoming established in 2007, the programme has provided over £1 million to support student-led initiatives, including:
- Community First Responders
- Liter of Light
- Global Buddy Scheme
- Foodprint
If you know of any students who may be interested, please encourage them to find out more and apply. The deadline to apply is Tuesday 16 July 2024.
Tags: Cascade Grants Programme, funding, student experience
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Changes to review process for non-research purchase orders
April 30th, 2024
Purchase orders that are not for research purposes and are £10,000 or more will go through an approval process made by a newly formed Financial Control Group.
This comes as part of the university’s efforts to close the existing budget gap by implementing tighter spending controls.
Although some progress has been made and we have seen overall spend reduced across the university, unfortunately this is insufficient at present and further measures need to be considered.
Next steps
UEB have established the Financial Control Group, chaired by Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engineering, Professor Sam Kingman.
The main role of the group will be to review all non-research purchase orders over £10,000 (including VAT) and provide final sign off, taking into consideration priorities such as potential impact on student and staff experience, value for money and strategic importance.
The group first met last week (W/C 22 April) and will continue meeting weekly for the foreseeable future.
Purchase order process
Nothing about the current process in relation to raising and completing purchase orders will change. Purchase orders are to be raised and approved as per the normal process.
Once approved, orders will be diverted to the finance team for collation and only submitted to the Financial Control Group for final review if £10,000 or over.
Please follow the correct process and raise purchase orders in advance of requesting goods or services – any retrospective orders will be highlighted to the Group. Orders raised will also be tracked by supplier, so repeat orders for the same supplier that fall under £10,000 will be monitored.
As this is a new process that we are working through, it may result in delays in purchase order approvals – we will endeavour to expedite this as much as possible, thank you for your understanding.
If you have any further questions please contact your departmental finance representative.
Tags: Agresso, Finances, Purchase order process, Purchase Orders, University finances
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Introducing the agile working framework
April 30th, 2024
The university is updating its guidance on ways of working to better accommodate the evolving needs of our diverse workforce. This week, our updated Agile Working Framework launches, following the recent publication of our Flexible Working Code of Practice.
The Agile Working Framework addresses informal, day-to-day flexibility in our work practices. This replaces the previous Hybrid Working Guidance, which was tailored to the specific circumstances of the pandemic.
The updated guidance emphasises that decisions should be made at the most effective level, empowering line managers and their teams to determine the most suitable working arrangements for their operational needs.
The university will not be imposing a single organisation-wide target for attendance on campus, instead, we’re providing a set of principles and expectations to guide nuanced decision-making tailored to local contexts.
This update reflects our commitment to adaptability and inclusivity, ensuring that all staff members can benefit from flexibility in working arrangements, regardless of their ability to work from home.
The Agile Working Framework should be used in conjunction with Flexible Working Code of Practice, which includes the process for raising and responding to formal flexible working requests under the statutory procedure. It’s crucial for both line managers and staff to understand the distinctions between these differing approaches and when to apply each one.
The Agile Working Framework and associated documents are more than just directives on physical location; they’re tools to support line managers and staff in crafting effective working practices that align with operational responsibilities. As such, they will continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of the university.
We encourage all staff members to familiarise themselves with the updated Agile Working Framework and Flexible Working Code of Practice. There are also comprehensive supporting materials available on the agile working SharePoint site, including case studies, frequently asked questions and additional managers guidance.
Your commitment to embracing these new approaches will contribute to a more flexible, inclusive, and resilient workforce at the university.
Briefing sessions for staff
To help colleagues in understanding and implementation, the Agile Working and Organisation and People Development teams are available to facilitate briefing sessions.
These sessions aim to support those line managing a team in navigating the new frameworks and harnessing their benefits.
These sessions can be booked using this link. If there is greater demand than places, more sessions will be scheduled.
Tags: Agile working, Agile working framework, agile working Sharepoint, Flexible working code, Flexible working policy
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