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Welcome to in Focus Update… |
Past Issues << | Issue 224: 07 December 2010 |
It is clear to me that the changes to higher education funding proposed by the Government are the most significant for a generation. The relocation of the burden of funding away from the state to the private educational 'consumer' represents a major ideological, financial and policy shift which will affect the sector profoundly.
The withdrawal of Government teaching funding from almost all subjects is something on which there has been no consultation, and for which there is no popular, political or parliamentary mandate. I take no party political position here - I consider only what measures are being proposed at face value and how they will impact on our sector, students, staff and institutions.
On Thursday of this week Parliament votes on the issue of whether or not the fees cap should be raised to £6k as a 'base rate' and then a second vote on establishing a new upper limit of £9k.
I have been invited by Universities UK to sign a letter of support for the Government's policy. UUK emphasise that they are not in favour of cuts but that the deal of the table now is the best that the HE sector can expect in the current financial climate. I do not agree with that position and I have decided not to be a co-signatory of that letter. READ MORE… http://www.uel.ac.uk/vcg/internal/index.htm
Last Thursday (2 December), students from the Schools of Law and Psychology braved the snow-bound streets of London to take centre stage at the Barbican Centre and proudly celebrate their graduation from UEL. Graduating alongside them were a handful of well-known faces, including Deputy Mayor of London Richard Barnes AM, Malaysian human rights lawyer Dato’ Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, MOBO-winning saxophonist Yolanda Brown, human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger and Time Out editor Mark Frith. Indeed, Mark Frith, who was conferred with a doctorate of Letters, had completed just one year of a UEL degree back in the late eighties, before embarking on his editorial career. On his award, Mark commented, “I should have graduated in the autumn of 1991. I’m a little bit late but then I often am for things. Although it’s nineteen years on, it makes me as proud as I would have been back then, probably even prouder.” In her speech to graduates, Bianca Jagger, Founder and Chair of the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, stated, “It is an honour and a privilege to receive a Doctorate in Law from such a distinguished institution”. The next, and final, ceremony will take place on Thursday 9 December and celebrate students from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Graduate School.
The university is changing how research and development is supported. From 7 December 2010, research and knowledge exchange funding support, project development, and consultancy support will be brought together into a single team within External and Strategic Development Services (ESDS). The Research and Development Support (ReDS) team brings together staff from the Graduate School, Knowledge Dock, Strategic Development and Corporate Marketing. Together the new ReDS team will have a much stronger skill set and resource level and will be better suited to supporting the priorities and objectives of Transformation for Excellence. For more information, please email reds@uel.ac.uk
The new ReDS team would like to invite you to a lunchtime launch event taking place at Stratford and Docklands Campuses. For details, please see the events section below.
A successful Combined Honours graduate has promoted UEL on the island of Anguilla alongside some top international universities. Jennifer Gumbs, who graduated with first class honours from her Health Promotion with Health Service Management degree in 2009, now works as a Senior Health Educator on her native Anguilla, a small island in the West Indies. Despite the small population, Jennifer knows five UEL graduates on the island, four who have almost completed their degrees at UEL and three more that have just started. Jennifer was honoured to fulfill an unofficial role as an UEL ambassador to promote the University at a well attended career fair on the island. Jennifer said of the event, “Just to give you an idea there were representatives from universities in USA, Canada, the Caribbean, and UEL was the first UK University…Studying a Combined Honours Degree has helped me pursue my career objectives. The degree has given me the qualification to hold a management position.” The School of Combined Honours wishes Jennifer all the best with her career and are very grateful to her for spreading the good word about UEL in Anguilla.
As the University winds down for Christmas, the Communications team would like to inform staff that there will be no staff newsletter during the week commencing 20 December; the final edition of 2010 will be released on Friday 17 December. If you would like your story to appear in next week’s edition, please email your 50 – 100 word piece, a headline, a photograph or image and a call to action to infocus@uel.ac.uk no later than Wednesday 15 December. The first edition of the New Year will be on Tuesday 11 January, with a deadline for copy on Friday 7 December.
The last 2010 edition of the University’s student e-zine The Universe will be available online from tomorrow (8 December) via uel.ac.uk/universe The first edition of 2011 will be available from Wednesday 9 February.
Many thanks and a very merry Christmas. The Communications team
On Tuesday 30 November a delegation travelled to Cologne to host a reception for current and former students of UEL. More than sixty attended the event, which was held at the picturesque Chocolate Museum on the banks of the Rheine – some travelling from as far afield as Berlin, Nuremburg and Paris. Guests met old classmates and made new acquaintances, and were able to learn of the latest developments from the University, as well as details of its future plans, as set out in Transformation for Excellence. Dr Fariba Salehi, Head of Development & Alumni, addressed the University’s desire to establish global partnerships with its alumni, while MBA Director, Dr Adrian Haberberg, was able to inform the audience of developments at the Royal Docks Business School. A good time was had by all, the Development & Alumni Office is especially grateful for the generous offers of support received on the night. We now look forward to returning to Cologne in 2011.
Students from the Royal Docks Business School were offered free advice today by experts from the world of banking. At an event which took place at the Business School, students were offered invaluable advice into how to get ahead in business, including sessions looking at interview technique and a workshop on how to produce a job-winning CV. Rugeena, who is studying for a degree in Business and Finance said: “The people from Barclay’s have been helping me with my CV; showing me things I should and shouldn’t add, it’s been very useful.” While on Thursday, business students are invited to come and meet Matin Slark, the CEO of leading global supplier of electronic interconnects, Molex. Martin will be answering those big questions - What does it take for a company to operate successfully in today’s global economy? And what does that require of its key executive staff? This is your chance to hear the answers to those questions direct from the CEO of a global company. To attend be at the Molex Postgraduate suite KD.2.20 for 1pm on Thursday.
According to Chris Imafidon, UEL lecturer and honorary board member of the Excellence in Education programme, innovative use of web technology means that students can still learn even if snowy weather means they can’t get to school. Recent snowy weather has closed schools up and down the country but by using innovative web-based technology, a group of university academics have been able to keep students learning. According to the Excellence in Education programme, the concept of ‘webucation’ can be deployed by any non-technical person to teach any student located anywhere in the world by creating a virtual school experience. Chris Imafidon said, “Simplifying combination web technology to allow real-time streaming of audio and visual materials makes all the difference. It means anyone with an ordinary web browser can see, hear and follow any teaching or training from any location where there is an internet connection.” Excellence in Education is a non-profit programme that works with schools and organisations interested in the educational development of students in inner-cities or from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
As staff may be aware, there is an official contractual arrangement for permit holders from UEL to use the park and ride scheme from Gallions Reach retail park, for which UEL pays rent. However, of late a large number of students have been parking their cars in the public car park before going on to UEL. Parking at Gallions Reach is reserved for customers and permit holders only, and long stay parking is not usually allowed. Due to these recent problems, we would like to make staff aware that Gallions Reach retail park will be installing ANPR cameras and introducing parking wardens who will be fining offenders. These professional wardens are all licensed operators who can contact the DVLA to obtain vehicle owners’ details and issue fines if needed.
For the latest on our activities visit the news releases section of our website www.uel.ac.uk/news
Open Day dates 2010/11
Following consultation with schools and services the open days dates for the 2010/11 academic year have now been set. The Student Recruitment & Marketing Team will be reviewing the format of these events with colleagues and prospective students over the next few months to ensure we maximise our recruitment this year. If you are planning any school recruitment events over the coming year please contact your account manager in the Student Recruitment & Marketing Team who will be able to provide you with advice and support. You can find details of all account managers by visiting uel.ac.uk/marketing/srm/accountmanagers.htm
Date |
Event |
Time of event |
Times staff required to work |
Campus |
Saturday 22 January |
Application drop-in event |
12-4pm |
9-5pm |
Docklands and Stratford |
Saturday 25 June |
General (UG & PG) open day |
12-4pm |
9-5pm |
Docklands and Stratford |
Saturday 20 August |
Clearing application drop-in day |
12-4pm |
9-5pm |
Docklands |
Christmas Market: Wednesday 8 December, 12 noon – 3pm (Docklands Campus,
Children’s Garden Early Years Centre)
The Children’s Garden Early Years Centre is delighted to announce their forthcoming Christmas Fair. All goods-donations are welcome, however large or small! Food items should be brought to the Children’s Garden by Monday 6 December. Raffle tickets will shortly be available. For further information, please contact Annette James at the Children's Garden via a.james@uel.ac.uk or 020 8223 2663.
Human Rights Day: Wednesday 8 December, 3.30 – 5pm (Duncan House, Room 110)
A seminar entitled The media as a force for good: how we can help create safe spaces to give voice to marginalized communities will be lead by Trupti Magecha, Strategic Development Advisor at the Trinity Centre, Newham, and will look at the powerful role that the media can play in raising awareness of human rights issues. For more information please see uel.ac.uk/chrc or contact j.simpoha-nylin@uel.ac.uk
The Politics of Pain: Wednesday 8 December, 3 – 5pm (Docklands Campus, Room EBG.14)
This is the second in CCSR’s three-part Debt, Pain, Work series that interrogates the discourses and policies of the coalition government. Speakers include Kate Pickett (University of York) Mike Rustin (HSS) and Jeremy Gilbert (HSS). All welcome, no need to book. For more information, please visit culturalstudiesresearch.org or contact Mica Niva via m.nava@uel.ac.uk
Research and Development Support Launch:
Thursday 9 December, 12.30
–
1.15pm (Docklands Campus,
Knowledge Dock Showcase Room 2.13)
The new ReDS team would like to invite you to a lunchtime launch event. Lunch will be provided. A drop-in workshop will follow the launch event. The workshop timetable is as follows: 1.30pm: European funding and support for collaborative projects; 2.15pm:
UK Research Funding Landscape and the future; 3pm:
Consultancy and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. For more information, contact reds@uel.ac.uk
Research and Development Support Launch: Wednesday 15 December, 12.30 – 1.15pm (Stratford Campus, Stratford Conference Centre)
The new ReDS team would like to invite you to a lunchtime launch event. Lunch will be provided. A drop-in workshop will follow the launch event. The workshop timetable is as follows: 1.30pm: European funding and support for collaborative projects; 2.15pm: UK Research Funding Landscape and the future; 3pm: Consultancy and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. For more information, contact reds@uel.ac.uk
Research and Knowledge Exchange Opportunities in India - Lord Kamlesh Patel:
Tuesday 14 December, 12.30pm (Docklands Campus,
Knowledge Dock
Room 2.13)
This event is first in a series of themed workshops around issues which are of strategic importance to UEL in terms of research and knowledge exchange. The ReDS team is delighted to announce that Lord Kamlesh Patel will be giving a presentation on research and knowledge exchange opportunities in India following his recent trip there with the Vice Chancellor. Lunch will be provided. As places are limited, please RSVP to reds@uel.ac.uk
You Will Not Have Been Here Before: 16 December, 7
–
9pm (Hoxton Hall, 130 Hoxton Street N1 6SH)
HSS is proud to present You Will Not Have Been Here Before, an evening of performance by Final Year BA (Hons) Community Arts Practice students. Students have developed their own creative interpretations of the history and culture of Hoxton Hall through live performances, and audio and video installations. Tickets are £6 (£3 concessions) which includes a glass of wine. For bookings, please contact the Box Office on 020 7684 0060.
Alumni Christmas Party: Thursday 16 December, 6.30pm 'til late (West Ham United Football Club)
The programme for the evening includes a DJ and disco, quizzes, raffles and live music. A festive buffet and your first drink are included in your ticket. Tickets are £10 purchased before, and £15 after, 3 December. To attend, please send a cheque made payable to ‘UEL Development Trust’ and send it to Development and Alumni Office, UEL Docklands Campus, University Way, London E16 2RD, and write 'Christmas 2010' on the back. Please include a note with your name, your guest(s’) name(s), contact address, phone number and email address. A formal ticket will be sent to you closer to the event. For more information, please contact alumni@uel.ac.uk or call 020 8223 6443.
UEL 80's Christmas Party: Friday 17 December, (Docklands Campus, Aqua East)
Put on your piano tie, push up your jacket sleeves, slip on those leg-warmers and join us at the UEL 80’s Xmas Party on . To RSVP please email
staffparty@uel.ac.uk
See Events Calendar for a full listing: www.uel.ac.uk/marketing/support/eventscalendar.htm
In aid of Richard House hospice, UELSport and the coaches at the Stratford gym, are challenging all of our students and staff to the 'Spartan Fitness Challenge'. The challenge has varying degrees of intensity with the Spartan 300, 200 and 100 options:
Challenge |
Pull-ups Reps |
Dead lifts Reps |
Push-ups Reps |
Box jumps Reps |
Ab exercise Reps |
Clean and press Reps |
Pull-ups Reps |
300 |
25 |
50 (60kg) |
50 |
50 (24in) |
50 |
50 (16kg) |
25 |
200 |
10 |
30 (30kg) |
30 |
40 (18in) |
40 |
40 (12kg) |
10 |
100 |
5 |
20 (20kg) |
10 |
20 (12in) |
20 |
20 (8kg) |
5 |
Just you against the clock to complete all the exercises! Are you up to becoming the UEL Spartan champion.
Date: Wednesday 8 December
Venue: M Block Strength and Conditioning Centre
Time: 10am
–
7pm (drop-in anytime)
Cost: £3 per participant (all proceeds to RH Hospice)
Winners from each category will receive a Nike UELSport t-shirt.
No booking necessary, but pre-registration via stephenaish@live.co.uk is appreciated.
UEL Sports – ‘Get involved, Join, Learn, Participate, Train, Motivate, Compete, Enjoy’
UEL 80’s Christmas PartyAre you longing for leg warmers?
Rummaging for your Rubix Cube?
Crying out for crimping and wistful for your wet look gel?
Well put on your piano tie, push up your jacket sleeves and join us at the UEL 80’s Xmas Party on Friday 17 December at Aqua East (Docklands Campus). To RSVP please email staffparty@uel.ac.uk
The Institute for Performing Arts Development (HSS) is proud to present You Will Not Have Been Here Before, an evening of performance by Final Year BA (Hons) Community Arts Practice students at Hoxton Hall. As part of their site-specific module, students have been researching the communities, stories and architecture of Hoxton Hall. Culminating in a series of live performances, and audio and video installations, students have developed their own creative interpretations of the history and culture of Hoxton Hall. Conan Lawrence, UEL’s Lecturer in charge of the residency at Hoxton Hall, says, "The work students are doing at Hoxton Hall challenges our perceptions of traditional performance. They are behind the scenes in more ways than one, working with the building, its users and its history. Sometimes the space performs, at others the performer is space. Expect to be surprised. You’ll see performers' bodies used as maps, the strange links between knitting and Hoxton Hall, an installation you can talk to, and an audio trail featuring a local resident who saved the Theatre from bombs in the Blitz. No matter how well you think you know Hoxton Hall, you will not have been here before.”
This event will take place on 16 December, 7 – 9pm, at Hoxton Hall, 130 Hoxton Street N1 6SH. Video works will be shown continuously in the Theatre, with audio and live/installed work available to view at significant points of the building. Tickets are priced at £6 (£3 concessions) and includes a glass of wine. For bookings, please contact the Box Office on 020 7684 0060.
Pain has become one of the central discourses of the coalition government as it embarks on its cuts programme. The cuts are inevitable, we are told, and the pain must be shared in the interests of fairness. But is the pain necessary, should it be shared, is it really being shared, how will the pain affect the social fabric, and what are the psychosocial consequences of the crisis? This is the second in CCSR’s three-part Debt, Pain, Work series that interrogates the discourses and policies of the coalition government. Speakers include
Kate Pickett, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of York and co-author of The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better, Mike Rustin, Professor of Sociology in HSS and author of The Good Society and the Inner World, and Jeremy Gilbert, Reader in Cultural Studies in HSS and author of Anti-Capitalism and Culture: Radical Theory and Popular Politics. This event will be held on Docklands Campus, Room EBG.14. All welcome, no need to book. For more information, please visit culturalstudiesresearch.org or contact Mica Niva via m.nava@uel.ac.uk
Please send comments or contributions for in Focus Update to: infocus@uel.ac.uk
To contribute a UEL news item please supply a headline (c. 10 words), short paragraph (c. 50-100 words) with a call to action (email / web link or phone) together with a photo.
To contribute a UEL event please supply a headline (c. 10 words), date, time, location, short description, with call to action (email / web link or phone)
© 2010
