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Welcome to in Focus Update… |
Past Issues << | Issue 218: 26 October 2010 |
Bollywood superstar Preity Zinta will swap the sweltering subcontinent for icy East London when she crosses the globe to accept an Honorary Doctorate from UEL this week. The screen icon and tireless campaigner will attend a special ceremony at UEL’s Docklands Campus on Friday 29 October, where she will receive an Honorary Doctorate of the Arts for her contribution to world cinema and humanitarian work. In addition, Lord Dholakia OBE and Professor Lord Parekh will be bestowed with Honorary Doctorates in Law. As a passionate campaigner for social and racial equality, Lord Dholakia is considered to be the most significant Indian politician working in the west. Lord Parekh is considered to be one of the great political philosophers of the twentieth century, having devoted his life to the academic study of political systems and multiculturalism in India and England. Prior to the ceremony at 12 noon, the special guests will be taken on a tour of the University by Vice-Chancellor Professor Patrick McGhee. They will all also attend a drinks reception before a press conference at 2pm. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to events@uel.ac.uk as soon as possible, as places are limited.
Annual Staff Planning ConferenceThe annual staff planning conference, which took place on Friday 22 October at the ExCel Centre, successfully brought together staff from across the University to discuss this year’s theme of ‘Excellence in the eyes of our students’. This year’s conference had a very strong focus on the student experience and going the extra mile. The event included talks from staff who have pioneered initiatives which have improved the student experience, video testimonials from budding UEL students, and an interactive ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ style workshop. The videos and interactive technology were well received, and in addition the event offered a great opportunity to explore discussion topics with colleagues. If you wish to watch the ‘500 miles’ video in which many staff participated, please contact Oliver Knight. If you have any ideas of themes for next year’s conference, please contact the Head of PR and Communications, Sara Hazzard.
UEL is pleased to announce that the University’s graduation season is fast approaching, with the first ceremony being held on the afternoon of Monday 1 November for CASS School of Education. Five further ceremonies are due to be held for the remaining Schools, all of which will take place at the Barbican Centre in central London, with the last ceremony placed in mid-December. For any queries regarding graduation, please refer students to the graduation webpage (uel.ac.uk/graduation) or advise interested parties to contact the Graduation Team.
'PassiveHaus': UEL invites architecture students to protect the environment Students from across the country have taken part in an innovative event which explored how new approaches towards architectural design can protect the environment. The ‘PassiveHaus’ Student Conference, held at the Docklands Campus, gave MA Architecture: Sustainability and Design students the opportunity to demonstrate how their work could reduce carbon emissions. Sofie Pelsmakers, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader, said, “It gave the students a real insight into how innovative, creative design can provide tangible benefits to the environment by helping us to reduce carbon emissions”. Click here for the full story.
The 2012 Office and CASS School of Education are working with the Field Studies Council, a national outdoor education charity, to develop the London Field Centre on the Olympic Park as part of the Olympic legacy. UEL is holding a seminar with the FSC to discuss the developing academic partnership on Monday 15 November, 12 noon – 3.30pm, at the View Tube next to the Olympic Park. Any colleague with a relevant teaching, research or service interest is welcome to attend. For the FSC website, click here. For the View Tube website, click here. For further details, or to book a place by 8 November, contact Neil Herrington.
As a result of increased interest amongst its members, the ILM will be raising the profile of coaching over the next twelve months. As part of its campaign, it has selected UEL as a partner in recognition of the national and international profile of the coaching psychology programmes at the University. Together, ILM and UEL will be hosting five conferences across the UK and Ireland to promote the benefits of coaching. UEL coaching psychology specialists Dr Christian van Nieuwerburgh (pictured) will be delivering keynote addresses at these events, sharing findings from their respective areas of research. Further information can be found here.
UEL research shows that London 2012 will set new world standards on Olympic legacy A report informed by a ‘think piece’ undertaken in 2009 by the University of East London shows that London is breaking new ground in preparing for the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The UEL study upon which the report drew was written by Professor Gavin Poynter and Dr Iain Macrury of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and commissioned by the Department for Communities and Local Government, to provide a local socio-economic and policy context. Click here for the full story.
Oxford and Manchester Professor of Sociology and a Fellow of Nuffield College, Professor Anthony Heath, spoke about the ‘Ethnic Minorities’ Voting Behaviour, Political Engagement and National Identity’ at UEL’s Docklands Campus on 20 October. Dr Fariba Salehi, UEL’s Head of Development and Alumni and the event organiser, said, “There are so many different religions, ethnic groups and cultures in the world, and there is only one way to reflect on this reality, and that is by positively incorporating it into our cultural and political agenda.” For further information please contact Fariba on 020 8223 6016, or click here for the full story.
National Energy Saving Week: 25
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29 OctoberMonday saw the launch of UEL’s ‘Switch-Off’ campaign, tying in with our participation in National Energy Saving Week. From 25 – 29 October, UEL is asking everyone to turn off lights when they’re not in the room, printers and monitors when they’re not in use, and to wear a jumper instead of cranking up the heating. Did you know that leaving your PC monitor on overnight wastes enough energy to microwave six dinners! Energy-aware staff (in some lucky departments) who switch their monitors off overnight should also watch out for chocolates being left on their computers by the elusive ‘Energy Angels’. Visit the website for energy FAQs, or contact Green Thing.
Last year, a UEL-led collaborative bid on behalf of the KnowledgeEast HEI partnership was awarded funding to provide internship opportunities for unemployed graduates in local SMEs or larger businesses. UEL recently celebrated placing its 500th intern with a special cake-cutting ceremony at Docklands Campus. Students have been placed in a variety of companies from different sectors working on projects in human resources, information technology and events management, marketing and many more fields. For further information about the scheme, please click here.
Question Time comes to UEL A scathing top-level report uncovering major shortfalls in child welfare in the UK was recently discussed at a special event hosted by UEL. A UNICEF publication showed the UK languishing in last place on a league table of how the world’s richest nations faired in safeguarding child wellbeing. With the Netherlands performing most successfully in this area, a delegation of Dutch teachers was invited to debate the issue at Woodbridge High School in Redbridge. This was followed by a Question Time-style session. For the full story, click here.
UEL is at the forefront of efforts to test the design of green roofs across Greater London, after the successful launch of a new sustainability research centre in the new Barking Riverside Development on Friday 22 October. Green roofs are one way to help mitigate the effects of climate change arising from the built environment, and are increasingly being seen as an important part of making cities less damaging to the environment. London is rising to the challenge, not just by hosting the recent World Green Roof Congress 2010, but also through Mayor Boris Johnson’s draft Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. For more information, please contact Darryl Newport.
Top Ten Award for the Thurrock Learning Shop Silver Surfer’s Day, hosted by the Thurrock Learning Shop (a joint venture between UEL, Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation and the East of England Development Agency), was recently judged to be in the top ten of the most successful Silver Surfer's events in the country (out of a total of 1,600). The special event, held in celebration of Adult Learners’ Week in May of this year, is the biggest national campaign to promote the use of digital technologies to older people. The Thurrock Learning Shop runs a full programme of events, workshops and short courses. Please contact Daphne Burke for further information.
For the latest on our activities visit the news releases section of our website www.uel.ac.uk/news
National Energy Saving Week: 25
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29 October
This week sees the launch of UEL's ‘Switch Off’ campaign, whereby everyone is asked to turn off lights when not in a room, printers and monitors when they’re not in use, and to put on a jumper instead of cranking up the heating. For further information, please visit uel.ac.uk/greenthing or email
Jon Emmett.
Widening Participation for Postgraduates: Research, Policy and Practice, Wednesday 27 October, 10.30am
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4pm (KD 2.13, Docklands Campus)
This free, one-day conference from UEL is focused around the current widening participation agenda at postgraduate level,which is both under-researched and under-developed in terms of policy and practice. To book a place on the conference, click here.
Black History Month 2010: Breeze will blow you away… Thursday 28 October, 5.30pm
This event comprises a free feast of poetry, prose and inspiration from black women writers, including the acclaimed ‘dub’ poet Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze and sci-fi writer Tosin Coker. For further details, please contact
Judith Preece at
j.a.preece@uel.ac.uk.
Indian Honorary Award Celebration: Friday 29 October,11.30am – 1pm (Main Lecture Theatre, Royal Docks Business School)
A celebration of the achievements of key public figures: Bollywood actress Preity Zinta,
politician and campaigner Lord Dholakia OBE and political philosopher Professor Lord Parekh. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to events@uel.ac.uk.
The Writing Centre Presents 'A conversation with Martina Cole': Wednesday 3 November, 2.30pm – 5pm (WBG.02 Lecture Theatre, Docklands Campus)
An exciting event that gives past and present students the chance to meet a successful author and discuss writing, literature and psychology. Please RSVP your attendance to events@uel.ac.uk.
WISE UP! UEL Health, Safety and Wellbeing Events
A wide-range of health, safety and wellbeing exhibitors will be present. There will also be several competitions and our ever-popular goody bags. So whether you want to check your fitness levels, get some advice on healthy eating, find out about stress management or have a soothing massage, put the dates in your diary now. All staff and students welcome.
- Tuesday 2 November, Stratford Campus Computer Centre, 10am–4pm
- Tuesday 9 November, Docklands Campus East Building, 10am–4pm
Vice-Chancellor's Prizewinners Awards: Monday 22 November (Stratford Campus)
A celebratation of first- and second-year student prizewinners. For more information, please contact Dinaz Trudeau.
Volunteering Awards: Wednesday 24 November, 6.30 – 8pm (Docklands Campus)
A celebration of UEL students' commitment to volunteering over the past year. Refreshments and canapés will be served at 6pm. If you wish to attend, please RSVP to Danielle Bailey at volunteering@uel.ac.uk.
See Events Calendar for a full listing: www.uel.ac.uk/marketing/support/eventscalendar.htm
UELSports would like to enter UEL teams into a new adult indoor cricket league. We are looking for teams to enter into the competition which will run on Thursday evenings from 18 November, through until February, held at Lister Community School between 6pm and 9pm. The league will follow a traditional indoor format. Games will consist of six players a side and each innings will last twelve overs. The duration of each game will be approximately 80 minutes.
For more details or to register your name for a joint UEL team(s) please contact David Cosford.
UELSports is happy to announce that a half-day social tennis tournament will be held for all registered UEL Tennis members on Saturday 30 October, 2 – 5pm. The tennis will be mixed doubles with balanced pairings drawn on the day. The aim is to have fun and ensure that everyone has a decent chance of winning. Cakes, snacks and drinks will also be on offer to provide energy, reward and/or consolation! The first prize will be a UELSports Kit, and the runners-up prize will be two cans of tennis balls.
- Time: Saturday 30th October, 2 – 5pm.
- Location: West Ham Park, Stratford E15 3QJ (Click here for a map, and here for the Park webpage).
- Parking is available in local streets. The tennis courts are on the south side of the park. Nearest gate is at the junction of Portway and Park Road.
Families and friends are all welcome to attend.For those who haven't visited it, West HamPark is one of the best in London and has many attractions and facilities on offer for all ages. To sign up for the tennis event, please click here.
UEL Tennis Membership
Membership costs are £50 per year for staff, and £25 for students. Benefits of membership include:
- regular programme of group coaching sessions (up to four times a week).
- balls and court hire provided (New Beckton Park & West Ham Park).
- access to indoor tennis courts at the Score Centre in Leyton during the winter.
- the chance to represent UEL in matches against other clubs.
- inter-club tournaments and social play.
- entry to a ballot for Wimbledon tickets (the LTA annually allocate tickets to all registered tennis clubs according to the number of registered British Tennis members they have on their books).
- use of the Strength & Conditioning Centre facilities at the Stratford Campus
How to pay: payment can be made by phone to UEL Cashier (020 8223 2974 or 7526), quoting code A100205, or email David Cosford requesting a one-off payment be deducted from your salary.
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Call for participants: Achieving adaptable assets – sustainable integrated infrastructure. Deadline: 1 December 2010. EPSRC is inviting expressions of interest from eligible individuals to attend an interactive workshop (sandpit) to be held at a venue near London from 24 – 28 January 2011. This five-day sandpit will focus on innovative ways to explore a cross-utility approach to sustainable asset design and management. For more information please visit the EPSRC’s website.
Association for the Study of Medical Education, Small Grants. Deadline: 3 December 2010.The Association invites members (including undergraduate student members) to submit a description of a research study or evaluation of an innovation in teaching in the field of medical and healthcare education. Grants are worth up to £2,000 each and cover expenses such as focus group attendance, travel, transcription costs and simulated patient fees. Follow the link for more information.
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK, Fellowships for Mid-career Academics: Deadline: 8 December 2010. These enable researchers to undertake a specific programme of academic collaboration, skills updating and networking at any approved UK university or higher education institution. Fellowships provide: return airfare to the UK, a research support grant, a maintenance allowance, a grant towards the production of written work, an initial arrival allowance and travel expenses. See the call’s website for more information.
Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), Grant 16/10: Rapid Digitisation. Deadline: 10 December 2010.This call is part of the JISC’s e-content programme for 2011. Funding is available for five to seven projects worth up to £100,000 each. JISC is hosting an event in London on 28 October to give delegates more information about the call, and also give the opportunity for networking to take place. Please visit JISC’s website for more information.
Technology World 2010: 7 – 8 December 2010 (ExCel Centre, London)
This is a major event that will showcase the best of UK science and technology to an international audience will take place on . This year’s themes are “Machine to Machine (M2M) Internet of things”, “eHealth assisted living” and “Nanotechnology Health Innovation conference tracks”. Last year the events jointly attracted over 1,700 visitors from 38 countries, facilitated more than 3,000 meetings and generated an estimated £30 million of business transactions. Register now and take advantage of the special price for UK delegates! Please follow this website for the event’s programme and registration.
European Commission. Marie Curie Co-funding of regional, national and international fellowship programmes (COFUND). Deadline: 17 February 2011. COFUND offers funding to existing or new regional, national and international fellowship programmes for research training and career development. The programme should be open to experienced researchers (i.e. doctorate holders or researchers with at least four years of research experience). It must include at least one form of trans-national mobility, such as incoming or outgoing mobility of researchers or an action to (re)integrate researchers into research employment in Europe after a period of trans-national mobility. Eligible programmes are co-funded for 40% of their fellowship costs, with a maximum Community contribution of €10 million for any organisation. Selected programmes will be co-funded for 24 – 60 months and can cover all fields of research. Please visit this website for the detailed work programme and guide for applicants.
Missed an Update? All previously advertised funding opportunities are archived until their date of expiry at uel.ac.uk/gradschool/research/ResearchUpdate.htm or uel.ac.uk/gradschool/research/euroupdate.htm
Please send comments or contributions for in Focus Update to: infocus@uel.ac.uk
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