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Welcome to in Focus Update… |
Past Issues << | Issue 255: 04 August 2011 |
Most staff will be aware that the new School Structures are being implemented over the summer, ready for the new academic year. Most logistical changes have already taken place and the remaining changes are being implemented in the lead up to the new academic year. We would like to thank all staff who have been involved in the process so far and those that continue to make the transition as smooth as possible. It is great to see the hard work translate into making these exciting changes a reality. An FAQs has been drafted for staff in order to answer any questions from fellow staff, students and stakeholders. Please visit www.uel.ac.uk/schoolstructures-staff_faqs to read the FAQs online (you will need your UEL login and password) or email schoolstructures@uel.ac.uk if you have any queries.
UEL has announced plans to construct a new state-of-the-art, 24/7 library and learning centre on its Stratford Campus. Due for completion in early 2013, the £14.7 million Stratford Library will transform the experience of UEL students from the borough of Newham and beyond with an attractive, inspirational and flexible learning and research environment. For the full story and to watch a fly-through video visit bit.ly/stratfordlibrary
With one year to go until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Games, UEL continues to demonstrate that it is going that extra mile as the Olympic boroughs’ key higher education provider. Since London’s winning Olympic bid was first announced, UEL has revolutionised its sporting programme and is now staking a serious claim to become London’s number-one sports university within the next four years. For the full story see bit.ly/olympiccountdown (Pictured: artist's impression of the new SportsDock facility, due for completion in early 2012).
UEL has appointed a Dean of the new School of Arts and Digital Industries (ADI). Dr Catherine Harper (pictured) has led Architecture and Design at the University of Brighton for five years, with previous academic, research and management experience at the University for the Creative Arts, the University of the Arts, Goldsmiths University of London and the University of Ulster. A visual arts and textiles practitioner originally, she has specialised in public commissions, installation and performance, undertaking artist residencies at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum in Prague and the Banff Centre for Arts, Canada. Catherine said, "It is a privilege to be appointed as Dean of the new School of Arts and Digital Industries, particularly at such an interesting and challenging time for higher education. I am very attracted by the University of East London’s values and vision, and I look forward to contributing to those."
Following coverage in the national press of dresses made by Art Foundation students Amiera Mohey, Maddie Knight and Amulet Li out of old copies of the Metro newspaper, Amulet has gone on to be invited to make an outfit entirely from old copies of a fashion magazine. Five paper dresses were commissioned especially for the Designer Pages event, as part of the Earl's Court Festival 2011. For the full story see bit.ly/magazinedresses
Oscars Bistro on Docklands Campus has undergone refurbishment over the last few weeks and is near completion. The main wall has been replaced with new French windows opening onto University Square, giving an outdoor café feel. This is just one of the major refurbishments and improvements that are taking place over the summer at both Docklands and Stratford Campuses.
The inFocus team is currently working on a revamp of the newsletter, and needs your help. We will be refreshing and improving the design and content of inFocus, by categorising content, making it easier to navigate and submit content for a relevant section, and updating the overall design so that it is in line with the new branding. As you are the regular readers of and contributors to inFocus, we would very much like your comments, suggestions and feedback for the new-look inFocus. To submit your thoughts please email infocus@uel.ac.uk
Please note that next week's issue (9 August) will be dedicated to summer recruitment, and will therefore include fewer regular news stories than usual. Due to such limited space, if you submit an article which is not time-sensitive, it will be pushed to the following week’s issue (16 August).
Bike Portraits, organised by UEL Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Kat Jungnickel, got off to flying start on Saturday with scores of cyclists turning up to the launch event. Seeking to present some of the rich and diverse cycling cultures of Hackney, the exhibition will pop up for a short time across cycle stores and cafés in the borough. For further information visit cyclingcultures.org.uk
The eagerly anticipated medicinal herb garden has been officially opened at Stratford Campus. Dr Henry Oakeley, who is the Garden Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and an expert on medicinal plants and gardens, did the honours at a special event last Thursday, by unveiling the garden to students, staff and members of the local community. For the full story see bit.ly/herb_garden
For this seventh instalment, we met UELSports’ High Performance Manager Elizabeth Egan to find out more about the Student Athlete Scholarship Scheme (SASS).
What was your challenge?
The challenge was to introduce sports scholarships to UEL in order to increase our appeal to talented athletes and to help UEL’s target of becoming the top university for sport in London by 2015.
What did you achieve?
Sports scholarships were introduced to UEL in 2010. Twelve months on, the scholarships have become very popular and high-achieving sportspeople are recognising the benefits of studying at UEL. The SASS offers tremendous support to student athletes, providing scholarships which pay in part or in full the students’ academic fees and/or specific sports costs, including accommodation, food, travel, coaching and equipment. Our scholars have contributed in no small part to UEL earning the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Most Improved University Award 2011 at a ceremony in Leeds last month.
What does everyone need to know?
UELSports is committed to UEL becoming the top university for sport in London, and thus want to further increase our appeal to high-performance athletes. Attractive scholarships, academic and lifestyle support and sports science expertise are just some of the services that we can offer high-performance sportspeople.
What next?
It’s a very exciting time to be involved in sport at UEL, and I’m looking forward to being involved in continued success for the University and its student athletes.
To find out more visit bit.ly/uel_sass
A new round of funding from the European Union has been announced, as part of the Framework Seven (FP7) programme. These opportunities are highlighted in the below Research Update section, and online on the ReDS Team’s current external funding opportunities page (login required), where an FP7 prospectus is also available with a summary of the Call topics. The current external funding opportunities will now also feature procurement, tenders and contracts, with local, regional and national government agencies. If you’re interested in applying for external funding, contact ReDS on reds@uel.ac.uk or 020 8223 7776.
Last week the first Senior Medical Advisor appointed to the Office on Women’s Health at NASA came to Docklands Campus to give a book reading from her new publication Stellar Medicine: A Journey Through the Universe of Women’s Health. Dr Saralyn Mark shared her experiences of working at one of the world’s most renowned institutions with UEL staff and CEWE patrons, while reciting excerpts from her memoir and guide. The event was organised by the Centre of Excellence for Women's Entrepreneurship, a place for enterprise development based at UEL. To find out more visit www.uel.ac.uk/cewe
On 19 July the Department for Education and the Department for Health set out the Government’s vision for the system of health and educational services supporting young children up to age 5 and their families. Eva Lloyd (pictured), Reader in Early Childhood and Co-director of ICMEC in the Cass School of Education and
Communities, is on the Steering Group advising the Government on its Foundation Years policies. For the full story see bit.ly/cassnews
If you live, work or travel through Beckton find out what is happening in your area by signing up for the Beckton Police newsletter, Neighbourhood Link. To find out more visit neighbourhoodlink.met.police.uk
For the latest on our activities visit the news releases section of our website www.uel.ac.uk/news
Open Day dates in 2011
If you are planning any School recruitment events over the coming year please contact your account manager in the Student Recruitment and 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 20 August | Clearing application drop-in day | 12 – 4pm | 9 – 5pm | Docklands and Stratford |
| Tuesday 6 September | Postgraduate application drop-in evening | 4 – 7pm | 3 – 7pm | Docklands only |
| Thursday 8 September | Postgraduate application drop-in evening | 4 – 7pm | 3 – 7pm | Stratford only |
Bike Portraits: Now until the end of August (Hackney, east London)
Seeking to present some of the rich and diverse cycling cultures of Hackney, this exhibition showcases 25 photographic portraits of the area taken during the past 12 months. They will be displayed for a short time across cycle stores and cafés in Hackney, while people looking to attend are encouraged to cycle from venue to venue. To find out more about the exhibition see bit.ly/bike_portraits To attend the launch ride and private view on 30 July, contact Kat Jungnickel on K.E.Jungnickel@uel.ac.uk
Leading Success: an induction programme for new programme leaders: Tuesday 6 September, 9.30am – 4pm (Stratford Campus)
This is an essential one-day induction programme for all new programme leaders, and is hands-on and practical. The course is designed to support you in managing your role effectively and confidently by enabling you to understand fully your leadership role, its remit and how it fits in with our infrastructure. To book your place email n.harding@uel.ac.uk by 31 August.
Sixth Learning, Teaching and Assessment Conference: Wednesday 7 September (Docklands Campus)
Have you registered for UEL’s sixth Annual, Learning, Teaching and Assessment Conference? The conference is free and open to all UEL staff and collaborative partners. This year we focus on research-informed teaching and teaching-informed research in higher education. Themed sessions include Academic Excellence and Innovation, and Technology Enriched Practice. Professor Stuart Hampton-Reeves, from the University of Central Lancashire, will give our morning keynote speech and Dr Cath Ellis, from the University of Huddersfield, will give the afternoon keynote address. Thank you to all who submitted abstracts. We have a broad range of high-quality sessions this year. For more information see bit.ly/6thLTA To register your place visit bit.ly/lta_booking_form
See Events Calendar for a full listing: www.uel.ac.uk/marketing/support/eventscalendar.htm
Like sports? 'Like' the UELSports Facebook page
If you’re a big sports fan, or just play casually every now and again, UELSports will have something for you. To get the latest updates from the Sports team straight into your Facebook news feed, ‘like’ the new UELSports Facebook page. Go to facebook.com/uelsports or click on the image on the left.
Following a cancellation last week, the regular badminton sessions will resume this evening.
It’s a fun way to keep fit, learn new techniques and just have some fun with friends. A badminton coach/co-ordinator will be on hand to help and assist you, and just get you playing and enjoying yourself.
Every Tuesday
5.30 – 7pm
Sarah Bonnell School, Deanery Road (entrance), Stratford, E15 4LP (opposite Stratford Campus)
Staff – £4, students – £3
For more information and to book your place contact Frank Foo on 07963 580385 or Yas from UELSports via y.abidou@uel.ac.uk
The more complete lists of opportunities are available from a secure page on the ReDS website. Please login with your UEL username and password to www.uel.ac.uk/secure/reds/current-opportunities/index.htm
Highlights
Medical Research Council New Investigator Research Grant (NIRG) Aimed at researchers who are capable of becoming principal investigators and who are now ready to take the next step towards that goal. 3 deadlines a year; usually January, May and September. Up to £600,000 fEC Grant Up to 3 years. Closes 1 September 2011.
Ministry of Defence Trustworthy Digital Systems The aim of this call is to fund short exploratory pieces of work to test innovative ideas within the scope of Defence aspects of trusted (safe, secure and reliable) software, and to identify future threats and opportunities. Closes 13 September 2011.
NIHR Family based interventions Family based interventions for young people who misuse alcohol and/or other substances. Research Question: How feasible are family based interventions for alcohol and/or other substance misuse in young people and could effectiveness be assessed in a trial? Closes 6 October 2011.
European Highlights – See ReDS FP7 prospectus
European Refugee Fund for Community Actions 5 priorities; 1: Improving the quality of asylum decision-making and the continuing development of the capacity of stakeholders, including Member State authorities, UNHCR and non-governmental actors, in the asylum field; 2: Improving the efficiency and the fairness of the Dublin system; 3: Enhancing solidarity mechanisms between the Member States and in particular assist those Member States which are faced with particular pressures on their national asylum systems; 4: Promoting common measures to address specific needs of vulnerable groups among asylum seekers and persons benefiting from international protection, in particular of those who are unaccompanied minors, with a view to implement the EU Action Plan on Unaccompanied Minors; 5: Promoting the integration of refugees, taking into account the 60th anniversary of the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees. The requested EU co-financing will not exceed €750,000. Closes 14 October 2011.
FP7 Security FP7-SEC-2012-1. Over 40 topics, inc resilience, infrastructure, physical and cyber security, crowd behaviour, and mobile laboratories. Budget 241.7m Closes 23 November 2011.
FP7 Energy FP7-ENERGY-SMARTCITIES-2012. Smart Cities and Communities; Strategic sustainable planning and screening of city plans; and Large scale systems for urban area heating and/or cooling supply. Budget €40m. Closes 1 December 2011
FP7 Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology FP7-KBBE-2012-6-singlestage. Over 50 topics, inc biodiversity and biotechnology, food supply systems, safe water, and disease prevention. Budget €304.57m. Closes 17 November 2011.
European Integration Fund – 2011 Call for Proposals for Community Actions Launched 5 priorities; 1: Enhance public perception of migration and diversity; 2: Enhance diversity management in neighbourhoods; 3: Enhance immigrants' participation in all aspects of collective life; 4: Enhance integration measures targeting disadvantaged immigrant groups; 5: Coordinate existing research activities in the field of migration and integration, including the role of sending countries in fostering integration of third-country nationals. Priorities 1-4, min €400,000 - max €1m, Priority 5, min €750,000 - max €1.5m. Closes 11 October 2011.
FP7 Health FP7-HEALTH-2012-INNOVATION-2 Medical technology for transplantation and bio-artificial organs; Diagnostics for infectious diseases in humans; Technological approaches to combating sensory impairments. Budget €108m. Closes 27 September 2011.
FP7 Research Potential FP7-REGPOT-2012-2013-1. Unlocking and developing the research potential of research entities in the EU´s Convergence regions and Outermost regions. Budget €66.57m. Closes 3 January 2012.
Marie Curie Initial Training Networks 2012 (ITN) FP7-PEOPLE-2012-ITN. to improve career perspectives of early-stage researchers in both public and private sectors, making research careers more attractive to young people. Budget €423,23m. Closes 12 January 2012.
FP7 Socioeconomics and Society FP7-SSH-2012-1. Topics: Education systems in the 21st century; Governance of cohesion and diversity in urban contexts; Making longevity an asset for economic and social development; Families in transitions; Human rights in the EU external relations and internal policies; Exercising EU citizenship: removing barriers. Budget €39m. Closes 2 February 2012.
FP7 Socioeconomics and Society FP7-SSH-2012-2. Over 20 topics, inc social innovations against inequalities and for vulnerable populations, disabilities in evolving societies, mapping data opportunities, social sciences and humanities in EU research. Budget €48m. Closes 2 February 2012.
FP7 Science in Society FP7-SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY-2012-1. 8 topics, inc Responsible Research and Innovation, Mobilisation and Mutual Learning, Internet portals, and teacher training. Budget €37.4m. Closes 22 February 2012.
Dates for next year’s UEL PSF Panels have now been set:
Monday 10 October 2011
Monday 14 November 2011
Monday 23 January 2012
Friday 17 February 2012
Thursday 29 March 2012
Wednesday 25 April 2012
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Thursday 31 May 2012
Monday 11 June 2012
Don’t put off applying to become a Fellow or Associate of the HEA – take advantage of the early Panel Dates.
Contact either your LILT or Dallas Davis (d.j.davis@uel.ac.uk) for any guidance, select one of the dates above, go to www.uel.ac.uk/psf for full information and ensure all your documentation is ready at least two weeks prior to your chosen Panel Date.
For Learning and Development Course dates see: www.uel.ac.uk/staff-development/handbook
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)
© 2011
