Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Goverment Pension Scheme (LGPS) Members' Pension Contributions with effect from 1 April 2013

On 1 April 2013, the salary bands applicable to member contributions will change. The revised structures and contribution rates that will be applied to members’ salaries are set out here...
If you have any queries about the revised structures, please contact your pension scheme:
1.TPS
2.LGPS
Or please contact your HR Manager.

Chartwells will be celebrating Chinese New Year – To celebrate, Chartwells are hosting a special themed day in the Edge and Green Refectory on Thursday 14 February. A special banquet-style menu will include favourites such as: Cantonese lemon chicken, Singapore chow mein, vegetable pancake rolls and many more items. All this is available for only £4.75, so don't miss out on the Chinese New Year celebrations!

Children's Garden offer free childcare taster – The Children’s Garden is looking to expand its childcare opening times and weeks in the near future. Therefore to assess demand, they are offering UEL staff a FREE taster session on ‘Extension Week’, 25-28 March 2013 inclusive.The last Ofsted inspection awarded ‘Outstanding’ in all areas. The Children's Garden is currently able to accept children 3-7yrs, full or part-time, but hopes to be able to lower the age range in future years. To book a free taster, contact the Children's Garden here...

Shoppers pick popular brands despite negative consumer ratings – Leading researcher on consumer choice, Dr Volker Thomas, found that “It is not that people ignore negative information completely, as a higher percentage of famous products were chosen (over 80%) when the information was positive rather than negative. We also find that people take longer to make decisions when the ratings are negative for famous products. Yet in the majority of cases (65%) they ultimately select the famous brand even if it is rated unfavourably compared to an unknown brand.” To read the report and findings, please click here...

UEL expert features on Radio 4 discussion– Professor Maggie Humm was invited to Radio 4 to discuss the significance of Virginia Woolf's unpublished work, which will be released by the British Library this summer. Based at ADI her areas of expertise include Woolf studies, amateur photography and feminism. Maggie features from 8.21am onwards, to listen click here...

Grow your love tomorrow – The Sustainability Team will be holding a Grow Your Own taster session in association with Student Eats. Please come along tomorrow, to plant some seeds or to take away a small planter to love and nurture. This session will run from 12.30-1.30pm opposite the raised beds, next to the UEL Connect and Clinical Education Building, Stratford Campus.

Worming their way into our hearts – UEL’s wormery has been in operation for under a year, under the careful stewardship of the Sustainability Team and colleagues. Located in the herb garden at Stratford, the worms are fed on scraps saved from the Facilities’ office such as tea bags. Did you know wormeries are excellent systems for converting food and plant material into rich compost and nutritious, organic fertiliser – which we will be able to use on our vegetable beds at Stratford and Docklands. So some of your food waste is being turned into a rich resource through which we can nurture our growing plants!

Call for Abstracts for the Research and Knowledge Exchange Conference – The deadline for Abstracts for the Research and Knowledge Exchange Conference is fast approaching. The focus for this year’s conference, which takes place on Wednesday 26 June, will be `Inside Outside: Creating external and community links’. For more info click here...

Call: Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation small pump-priming grants – The foundation invites applications for its small pump-priming grants. These grants support projects in arts and culture, science, technology and many more. For more information on types of projects supported click here...

Call: (NWO) innovation research incentives scheme vici awards – The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) invites applications for its innovation research incentives scheme vici awards. These grants are for excellent senior researchers who have shown that they have the ability to successfully develop their own innovative lines of research and to act as coaches for young researchers. For more information on candidate requirements and application deadlines click here...

Call: John Templeton Foundation new assessments and measures of virtues grants – The foundation invites applications for its new assessments and measures of virtues grants. These aim to support the development of methods for measuring and assessing virtues in individuals. The Foundation funds organisations worldwide and prefers to fund projects affiliated with non-profit institutions. Each grant is worth up to US$250,000 for a period of up to two years. The closing date for applications is 1 April 2013; please note applicants should address one or more of the following ‘big questions' which can be found here...

Free training opportunities for students throughout the term – UELSU is running a Leadership Skills Training Day on Saturday 16 February to help students build skill sets necessary to be a strong leader. The Students' Union is also offering a free two-hour training session every week at each campus. These sessions will run on Tuesday at Docklands Campus and Thursday at Stratford campus from 4-6pm.To refer students to more info click here...

Taylor Bennett Foundation Scheme – Is now recruiting black, Asian and minority ethnic graduates for their spring 2013 PR and Communications traineeship programme. The opportunity is open to eight recent graduates who will receive professional training, learning how companies reach and engage stakeholders, the UK media and digital channels and other essential PR skills. Students can apply here...

SMART team hosts Money Awareness Week – Students have been benefitting from attending money-awareness events running this week at both campuses. To inform students of remaining events click here...

Student volunteering week – Students can take advantage of the remaining volunteering events by clicking here...

UEL Student-led Teaching Awards – The first Student-led Teaching Awards event will be held at SportsDock on 11 April 2013. Students can nominate UEL staff who they feel have made a real difference to their learning and development. Winners will be identified by a panel of judges and awarded on nominations not votes. Nomination categories can be found here...

UELSU elections – UELSU will be holding elections for sabbatical officers, part-time officers and delegates to NUS conferences this semester. For more information or to note key voting dates click here...

Six UEL teams reach the semi-finals of BUCS cup– The following teams: men’s basketball firsts, women’s basketball firsts, men’s football firsts, netball firsts, women’s tennis and men’s volleyball first won their matches and further progress to the penultimate rounds of the British Universities and Colleges Sports Cup. The semi-finals will take place on Wednesday 20 February and support will be greatly appreciated! For more information on upcoming fixtures visit here...

Are you struggling with injury?– Then why not join UKSCA accredited strength and conditioning coach Duncan Ogilvie (former professional basketball player and GB senior squad member) who will cover various aspects of injury prevention such as recovery. This session will look at practical ways to prevent injury. From self-massage techniques to relaxation skills, this multi-disciplinary session will help give athletes some of the basic skills to reduce injury risk.The session will be taking place on Friday 15 February from 6-7.30pm in CC1.17 Stratford Campus.

Newham Volunteers Workshop – Want to give something back to the local community? If so please attend the workshop as active Newham will be providing volunteering opportunities in the Newham area. The introduction workshop will be taking place on Tuesday 26 February 4-6pm at SportsDock.

Sport Makers Workshop – Sport Makers is part of the official London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sports legacy. 40,000 people are already signed up nationwide. Sport Makers make sport happen. They bring the inspiration, the support, the organisation or the skill to others. Their passion for sport makes the whole thing possible. To find out more, come to one of two free workshops organised for February: Tuesday 19 February 5.30-7.30pm, Stratford Campus and
Wednesday 20 February 1-3pm, SportsDock. For more info or to book a place please email Claire Smith.