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Welcome to our weekly in Focus update...... |
Past Issues << | Issue 29: Monday 20 November 2006
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Charter Mark assessor, Paul Harrington, visited our Stratford and Docklands campuses last week. Charter Mark is the government award for excellence in customer service.
The assessor who was very happy with what he’d seen here will be recommending that we receive the award. Alan Ingle expressed his gratitude to all staff who had contributed so much to us achieving Charter Mark.
We should hear officially in the next couple of weeks from the Cabinet Office who finalise giving out the award once they have received the assessor’s report.
For more information about Charter Mark and to read our self-assessment visit http://www.uel.ac.uk/chartermark/
Mike Moore, Director of Personnel Services is very pleased to announce that we will beintroducing a Childcare Voucher Schemefor all staff from 1 January 2007,via a service provided by the Busy Bees organisation. The scheme mayentitleyou to savings of up to £2,392p.a.(subject to individual circumstances). The vouchers can be used to pay for most types of childcare andarecurrentlynon-taxable and exempt from National InsuranceContributions.
For further details pleasecontact Busy Bees onfreephone 08000 430 860orvisit www.busybeesvouchers.com or Alison McGrand Personnel Manager Tel: 020 8223 4329
Email: a.mcgrand@uel.ac.uk or Personnel Services web pages http://www.uel.ac.uk/hrservices/index.htm
The 4th annual conference for Field and Programme Leaders took place on 25 and 27 October at the Excel conference centre.
This year the morning of the conference focused on E-Learning and was led by Dina Vyortkina, the new E-Learning Manager in the School of Distance and E-Learning.
The School of Distance and E-Learning are currently working on the migration WebCT to the upgraded version, UEL Plus. Dina and her team are focusing on building up the provision of staff development to ease the transition to the new system and advancing the use of UEL Plus features to provide a better student learning experience.
Dina outlined the future plans for the school which include:
building up the staff development provision
developing ways to engage more staff around the university in e-learning
undertaking additional research on e-learning
re-designing the role responsibilities for the LTAs
reviewing the University’s E-learning strategy and
applying for bids for external funding.
Benchmarking
Joan Painter, LTA for the School of Psychology, gave a presentation on the current E-learning benchmarking exercise the UEL has been selected to participate in between October 2006 and February 2007.
This benchmarking initiative provides us with an ideal opportunity to evaluate what we do and develop an action plan for further enhancement of our support for student learning. In addition it puts us in a strong position to bid for HEA Pathfinder status and further funding is available at that stage.
The objective of the benchmarking exercise is to:
inform the process of embedding learning technologies,
assist in developing institutional structures, culture and expertise and
encourage cross institutional collaboration.
Benchmarking working group
A working group, coordinated by Dina Vyorkina and comprising of representatives from different Schools and Services, and an external HEA consultant, has been established. The group will be collecting data from around the university and conducting surveys and questionnaires. Therefore all UEL staff are encouraged to participate and provide input wherever possible.
Further information
For further information about the conference and copies of the presentations or if you would like to find out more about how you can use e-learning to support your learning and teaching please contact: d.vyortkina@uel.ac.uk
Tutors are expected to take pastoral responsibility for students, but there is little opportunity to reflect on what this might involve and how best to undertake the task.
Our Chaplaincy is offering two open sessions for tutors to share skills and good practice in this area, and to discuss issues arising from these responsibilities.
All welcome.
Wednesday 22 Nov 2 pm at Stratford UB032 (the Chaplaincy Centre)
Wednesday 29 Nov 4 pm at Docklands EBG07
The London Boat Show Media Centre is there both to support the 800plus journalists visiting the Show, ensuring that they have all the information and facilities they require and also to generate news coverage for the Show. They are looking to fill the three places above with students to work alongside their team to help run the centre: dealing with general enquiries, staffing the reception desk, answering the office phone, assisting with press registration, helping with the catering facilities and generally looking after the office. They may also need help looking after press teams and assisting with their logistics.
The working hours are from Thursday 04 January - Sunday 14 January, 9am - 5pm. However, on Press Day (Friday 5 Jan) it’s an 8am start.
All those interested in the above positions should send an email with covering letter to apatel@britishmarine.co.uk. Closing date 3 December 2006.
To conduct your own search of current funding opportunities, or to set up email alerts specific to your interests, visit www.researchresearch.com. If you intend to submit an application for funding please contact Becky Whitham in the Graduate School.
To conduct your own search of current funding opportunities, or to set up email alerts specific to your interests, visit www.researchresearch.com. If you intend to submit an application for funding please contact Becky Whitham in the Graduate School.
The Royal Academy of Engineering
Deadline: 19 January 2007
The Academy's Public Engagement Grants Programme “Ingenious: engaging citizens; engaging engineers” offers 2 levels of funding to raise public awareness of the rich diversity, nature and impact of engineering and provide public engagement learning and training opportunities.
Activities and Development grants offer between £4000 and £40,000. Individual grants are available up to £2000.
The Wellcome Trust: Biomedical Ethics Small Project Grants
Deadline: ongoing
To meet the direct costs of a modest research project falling within the objectives of the Wellcome Trust's Programme, where such expenses cannot be met by the applicant's host institution.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation: Residential and nursing care
Deadline: 15th December
This call for proposals is issued by the Independent Living Committee (ILC) at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The focus of the ILC's work is about citizenship, entitlement, choice and control. All of our work is informed by Social Model Approaches and we have a commitment to supporting user defined approaches and outcomes.
John Smith’s Bookshops who are working in partnership with us on the UEL Progress Card initiative have donated a £25 John Smith’s gift voucher to give away to the first person to answer this question:
Which European city to did Professor Price recently visit as a representative of the Council of Europe?
Email: infocus@uel.ac.uk with your answer. Winner drawn 25 November.
Don’t forget staff are entitled to a 10% discount on most purchases and John Smith’s will soon be stocking a range of exciting Christmas gifts.
For details visithttp://www.uel.ac.uk/staff-development/documents/ForthcomingStaffDevelopmentCoursesl--Nov06-Jan07-2.doc
Brush up your IT skills and get an internationally recognised qualification online. Contact Greg Price, Organisational Development Manager on ext 4361 or email g.price@uel.ac.uk
You’ll have noticed banners going up on our campuses for the Knowledge Dock ‘Enterprise Factor’ Business Plan competition is a marvellous opportunity for start-up businesses to win £10,000 to transform their ‘on paper’ idea to a fully functional business. Please forward this information to potential participants.
For more information visit www.knowledgedock.com/efactor
If you have a story or some information for In Focus update email them to me Karen O'Connor at infocus@uel.ac.uk.
Please print off copies of In Focus update for colleagues who may not have easy access to email.
© 2006
