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Welcome to our weekly in Focus update...... |
Past Issues << | Issue 60: Tuesday 10 July 2007
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Over a hundred graduating students from all over the world gathered on Friday (6 July) for this year's International Celebration of Success.
Our Chancellor, Lord Rix, personally awarded degrees, diplomas and certificates to graduating students from more than forty different nations, as far afield as Botswana, Bangladesh and Brazil.
Distinguished guests at the ceremony included representatives of the governments of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nigeria, as well as the Vice-Chancellor of Amity University in India, representatives from our partner institutions in China, and Cllr Omana Gangadharan, Civic Ambassador of Newham.
Addressing the assembled graduates and their families, Lord Rix said: “It is now ten years since I was installed as Chancellor – July 16 1997 to be exact, at the award ceremony for overseas students. Not only was this ceremony my first official duty, but it has always been one I have enjoyed immensely over the years.
“International students are very active here, both in student life and in the wider community. The experiences you have shared and friendships you have forged will stand you in good stead on the road that lies ahead.”
For the full story visit: http://www.uel.ac.uk/news/latest_news/stories/graduation07-int.htm
Dr John Preston from the CREATE research group (Community, Resistance, Education, Activity, Traditions, Equality) in the School of Education has received research funding from a new ESRC initiative to examine how students in five European countries experience educational inequalities.
The study will involve gathering survey and interview data on student perceptions of meritocracy in education. John will be managing the project entitled Experiencing Inequality as part of an inter-university consortium called the Centre for Learning and Life Chances in Knowledge Economies and Societies (LLAKES).
District Manager Alan Newcombe of Jobcentre Plus has confirmed to our Personnel Manager Alison McGrand that we are able to continue using the Positive about disabled people Two Ticks symbol.
The five commitments made by us under the symbol are:
1.To interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy .
2. To have a mechanism in place to discuss with disabled staff about what can be done to make sure they can develop and use their abilities.
3.To make every effort to ensure that if a member or staff becomes disabled they remain in employment.
4. To take action to ensure that all staff develop the appropriate level of disability awareness needed to make the commitments work.
5. To review the 5 commitments each year and what has been achieved. To plan ways to improve on our achievements and to let our staff and Jobcentre Plus know about our progress and future plans.
Alison said of this positive outcome: "I am very pleased that we have successfully undergone the review of the five commitments. The review is of great help as it identifies areas where we have made progress and those where we can plan and work for improvement. The symbol gives a clear message as to our commitment to best practice in employing people with disabilities."
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Thursday, 12 July
6.30 - 8.00 pm Reception from 6.00 pm
Docklands Campus, West Building WB.G.02
Admission: FREE
Speaker: Michael Edwards, Professor of Planning, The Bartlett School, University College London
Discussant: Massimo De Angelis, from our Business School.
Professor Michael Edwards is an economist and planner working on property markets and their relationship with urban planning and development systems at UCL's Bartlett School of Planning. He has recently been active in critical debates on the London Plan and is joint chair of the King's Cross Railway Lands Group which has been active for 20 years in mediating conflicting pressures on the edge of central London.
The FOURTH ANNUAL DOCKLANDS LECTURE sets the context in which major development in the Thames Estuary is widely seen as a solution to many of the capital's region's problems.
Professor Edwards critically examines the interpretations of housing crisis offered by many current analysts and politicians including Gordon Brown.
Contrasting scenarios for the Thames Gateway are presented, and lessons are drawn from the history of urban development in the UK and internationally. The lecture draws on a chapter Professor Edwards has contributed to the forthcoming book, London's Turning: the Prospect of Thames Gateway, edited by Phil Cohen and Mike Rustin, London, Ashgate 2007.
Please RSVP to Email: leri@uel.ac.uk For more information visit: www.uel.ac.uk/londoneast
Cultural Studies Now
19 - 22 July 2007
In a technocratic age of cosmopolitan capitalism, is there still a place for a Cultural Studies which is both
politically committed and relentlessly experimental in its intellectual, institutional and creative practices?
Cultural Studies Now will be the largest conference of its kind to have been held in the UK for many years. Explicitly addressing the present, past and future fate of the discipline conceived as a radical intellectual project, the conference will feature over 100 panels on a wide range of topics, with contributors from every continent.
Keynote addresses will come from Ien Ang, Rosi Braidotti, Kuan-Hsing Chen, Jeremy Gilbert, Alan Grossman, Judith Halberstam, Stuart Hall, Dick Hebdige, Doreen Massey, Áine O'Brien and Horace Ové.
Registration (including food by Leon Lewis):
Full conference £200 (students and concessions £140) day rate £60 (students and concessions £45)
Only two weeks left to book your place!
Please see our website for full details and registration:
http://www.uel.ac.uk/culturalstudiesnow
David Woodhouse has provided a series of links so that we can access information and news from our Academic Board, Governing Body and Corporate Management Team.
Please see the following links:
Academic Board: http://www.uel.ac.uk/qa/committees/acaboard.htm
Board of Governors: http://www.uel.ac.uk/governors/board.htm
Good news from the CMT: http://www.uel.ac.uk/vcg/news/index.htm
To conduct a search of current funding opportunities , including all the major competitions , 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 Tim Brooks (Acting Research Funding Officer) in the Graduate School. Tim is retaining his other responsibilities within the Graduate School so the more notice you can give, the better!
Following our team's win in last month's 10th Rotary Dragon Boat Festival, the UEL Dragons are racing again on Thursday 12 July. With a 4pm start from the London Regatta Centre the racing boats will go right past our Docklands Campus.
Our practice session is planned on Wednesday evening 11 July for (arrive 5.45pm) 6pm, at the London Regatta Centre.On Thursday the 12 July at 4pm UEL’s Dragon Boat team will speed past the Docklands campus in our bid to repeat their June race win and raise money for the Anthony Nolan bone marrow transplant trust.
The team so far are: Vicki Moreton, Miriam Watt, Patrick Wilson, Andrea Terezak, Adam Beechey, Karen O'Connor, Bernie Englefield, Mike Raddie, Dina Bavisi, Hussein Allee, James Shillito, Kim Hastings, Nadia Grubnic and Mike Riches.
You can sponsor The Dragon Boat challenge by following the ‘justgiving’ link, all donations attracting ‘Gift Aid’ – http://www.justgiving.com/UELDragon
We need at least fifteen people so if you're interested in taking part as a rower or a supporter please get in touch with Karen O'Connor Email: infocus@uel.ac.uk
London Bikeathon takes place this year on Sunday 15 July
Jan Bernet is encouraging more people to join our London Bikeathon UEL team.
If you'd like to take part contact Jan Bernet on Email: j.bernet@uel.ac.uk
Bikeathoners include, Jan Bernet, Ted O'Donnell, David Douglas, Del Basi, James Hiew, Colin Jones, Paul Kernaghan, Rosalynd Milroy, Kevin Pearch, Greg Price, Mike Raddie, Patrick Wilson.
You can sponsor The London Bikeathon team by following the ‘justgiving’ link, http://www.justgiving.com/UEL , all donations attracting gift aid.
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
In June, Dr Iain MacRury, co-director of London East Research Institute (LERI) and Richard Derecki, Senor Scrutiny Manager of the London Assembly, presented key findings from our London East Research Institute's report A Lasting Legacy for London, Assessing the Legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, at an international conference at the Humanistic Olympic Studies Centre at Renmin University, Beijing.
The LERI report was circulated amongst Olympic scholars from 16 countries at the conference. Respondents to the paper commented positively on the active collaboration in Olympic planning between a university and the city government in London.
For further information about our London East Research Institute visit: http://www.uel.ac.uk/ssmcs/research/leri.htm
Senior Lecturer, Margaret Heath organised a successful Upgrading Event recently for 14 of our Business School Postgraduate students.
The event was attended by Clair Cook, Continuing Professional Development Manager of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Upgrading Panel comprised Graham Symon, Jonathan Crawshaw and Margaret Heath.
The panel upgraded 12 people to Chartered Member of the Institute with 2 of them, Paul Rouhan and Melanie Virginie, being recommended for Fellowship. Based on relevant managerial experience, Chartered Member and Fellow membership of the CIPD strengthen students' professional credentials and make sure that their skills and expertise are fully recognised.
During the Event Sinead Ryan and Wendy Bowhill were presented with CIPD Essex, Ipswich and East London Branch prizes. The Ron Shepherd Award is given to students who attain the highest level of achievement and for 'personal endeavour' in CIPD qualification programmes .
Tat Bodeye and Don Nowell of the Ron Shepherd Trust presented the prizes of cheques for £100 after describing a little of the late Ron Shepherd's roles as Ford Personnel Director, UEL Governor and CIPD Vice President of Training and Development.
If you would like items included in In Focus Update please send them to me by Wednesday of the preceding week at infocus@uel.ac.uk
Please print off a copy of In Focus Update for those of your colleagues who may not have easy access to email.
© 2006
