Using EU research projects to inform policy making – research seminar

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The next Business, Education and Law, Faculty Research Conversations seminar will be taking place on Wednesday 4th March – 12.30-1.30pm – in B325 Brindley, hosted by Dr Katy Vigurs.

One of our Visiting Professors, Prof. Heather Eggins, will be leading a session on Using EU research projects to inform policy making.

The seminar will explore the connection between research and the development of policy. Heather will draw on a recent project that was funded by the European Commission under its Lifelong Learning programme to identify barriers in promoting the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG) at Higher Education Institutional level.  This was a three year project (2010-13) that studied 28 higher education institutions in seven European countries (the Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Latvia, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia).  Particular dimensions of institutional quality were analysed through the study: e.g. access, students, stakeholders, management and governance, the academic profession, information provision, and the interface with secondary education.

You can see more about the IBAR EU project here:

http://www.ibar-llp.eu/homepage.html

This project is now complete and the resulting outputs of the project include a series of institutional case studies, comparative analyses, a final report to the European Commission and a book (Eggins 2014). The findings and recommendations were made available to the E4 group tasked with drawing up proposals for the revised ESG, which will be presented for consideration at the Higher Education Area Ministerial Meeting in Armenia in May 2015. The research is thus of relevance to European policy makers, and will inform policy making in the quality assurance domain.

Heather looks forward to discussing with you both the process of developing a successful EU project as well as reflecting on the outcomes and implications of the specific IBAR EU project.

All welcome.

Public lecture: Joan Walley MP ‘A woman’s place is in the house’, 9th March

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Joan Walley MP ‘A woman’s place is in the house’, 9th March 6:00pm

Joan will reflect on her time in the House of Commons, consider how well women’s needs are met and what women can do to influence policy at international, national and local level.

Public lecture – to reserve a place contact public@staffs.ac.uk or 01782 295860

Twitter accounts at Staffordshire University

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An initial list of twitter accounts at Staffordshire University – if there are any more either add them to the comments or email et@staffs.ac.uk

Business School

@BusinessStaffs Business School

@Tourismsu Tourism and Events Management staff
@PaulWilliams – Head of Business School – heritage and cultural tourism
@PaulDobsonUK – Senior Lecturer in the Business School
@Prof_RuneTBy – Professor Rune Todnem By is Professor of Organisational Behaviour, organisational change management and leadership; organisational ethics; HE management

School of Education
@aboutlearning – Steve Hall – Senior Lecturer in Education – areas of interest/research in metacognition, pedagogy, and education with enterprise
@drkatyvigurs – Senior Lecturer in Education – education and research
@Jim_Pugh – Principal Lecturer in Education – education and the student experience
@Russell_Spink – Senior Lecturer in Education – pedagogy and initial teaching training

Law School
@KrisLines – Senior Lecturer – research interests: sports law (particularly doping, personal injury and ambush marketing), torts, elearning
@DrJoBeswick – Medical law and ethics

Geography
@AllanWatson1 – Senior Lecturer in Geography – creative labour, films, music, cultural geography
@ProfFionaTweed – Fiona Tweed, Professor of Physical Geography – glacial processes and natural hazards
@drpaulbarratt – Dr. Paul Barratt, Lecturer in Human Geography – digital geographies and environmental engagements
@davemomo – Dr. Dave Moreman, Senior Lecturer in Geography and Environment – environment and sustainability
@StaffsGeography – News from Geography and the Environment, School of Sciences
@StaffsGeogML – News from Geography with Mountain Leadership,
@susdl_staffs – For notices relating to the postgraduate Sustainability and Environment programme at Staffordshire University

Politics, Arts Humanities
@rainerelkanders – Dr. Rainer-Elk Anders politics and the political economy of Russia, Ukraine and post-Soviet countries.
jackie_staffs – Dr Jacky Reynolds  Senior Researcher , arts and community engagement

Psychology, Sport and Exercise
@DrJamieBarker – Dr Jamie Barker, Sport and Exercise Psychology
@DrMattSlater – Matt Slater, Sport and Exercise Psychology
@ProfMarcJones – Professor of Stress and Emotion
@ProfRodham – Karen Rodham, Professor of Health Psychology
@pgwjones_dr – Dr Peter Jones, Head of School of Psychology Sport and Exercise
@JackyForsyth – Senior Lecturer in Sprt and Exercise
@SUPeakCondition – student-led sports science support service

Engineering and computing 
@lady_akatosh Debbie Roberts – Automotive/Motorsport/Engineering/Women in said areas/Academia/personal views
@staffsracing – views and news for students on Automotive/Motorsport courses at Staffordshire
@aerostaffs – views and news for students on Aeronautical courses at Staffordshire
@jcwestlake –  Jonathan Westlake, Technology blogger and outreach news
@MartinFiddler – in School of Engineering, comments on HE, recruitment and Aeronautics

Executive/Senior Staff
@StaffsUniVC – Michael Gunn, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive
@mikehamlyn – Mike Hamlyn, Director of Academic Enhancement
@daveparkes – Associate Director, Information Services

Enterprise and careers
@beinspiredsu – Be Inspired, business support, entrepreneurs and student businesses programme
@Staffs4Business – For Business, Enterprise and Commercial Development
@careeratstaffs – Careers service

Stoke’s Big Debate: Election 2015

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Have YOUR questions answered in an hour-long General Election debate on the issues that matter.

Chaired by Professor of Journalism and Politics Mick Temple

Venue: Staffordshire University Science Centre

Date and time: Friday March 27, 6.30pm

Confirmed participants:
Tristram Hunt (Lab)
Jan Zablocki (Greens)
Liam Ascough (Cons)
Dr Zulfiqar Ali (Lib Dems)
Mick Harold (UKIP)

Book your place: 01782 295860/public@staffs.ac.uk

Attendees are invited to submit their questions beforehand to public@staffs.ac.uk

External engagement, a trans-Atlantic perspective

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This opinion piece in the Chronicle for Higher Education gives an overview of the problem of external engagement by researchers, in the US environment. Notice, though, that external engagement has a particular flavour here: it is not primarily about interesting the public or communicating findings or even encouraging regard for higher education. Rather, it is about well-informed commentary on the ‘bigger picture’ — in other words, about participation in the crafting of public policy.

Students use your vote!

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This general election on the 7th May 2015 will be one of the most important in recent history – not only do the two main parties have radically different views on the function of the state but they will also be joined by a range of minority parties including the Greens, UKIP as well as nationalists.

Turnout at the last general election in Stoke on Trent was poor:
Stoke North 55%
Stoke Central 53%
Stoke South 58%
it was also poor amongst young people, nationally just 51% of 18 to 24 year olds voted.

Poor turn out by young people and students is one of the reasons that we have the highest student fees in Western Europe and generally poor support for young people. Both main parties target policies at pensioners and older people as they know they are much more likely to vote.

Voting can be viewed in many ways:
a. A right established over centuries in the UK – this is the 800 year anniversary of Magna Carta
b. A duty as a citizen and as a remembrance for all those who died to establish and maintain democracy.
c. A way of showing your support for ideas and for change in society.
d. To act as a beacon across the world. All over the world people are killed, tortured and imprisoned simply because they want to have a vote and say in their country.

So this time there is a big drive both locally and nationally to engage students and young people and to get out the vote including:
1. Staffordshire University Students’ Union has successfully applied for funding from the National Union of Students to train General Election Ambassadors, who will be driving up engagement. And they have also had their application for the University’s first on-campus polling booth approved.

2. The NUS has launched a General Election campaign called “New Deal for the Next Generation” that declared: “Students could swing almost 200 seats at the General Election”. For further information visit: http://ow.ly/H2Poe

3. Come along and debate the issues with our special event at the University, chaired by Professor of Journalism and Politics Mick Temple, panel members include Stoke Central MP Tristram Hunt and Stoke Central Prospective Parliamentary Candidates

  • Liam Ascough, Conservatives,
  • Jan Zablocki, Green Party,
  •  Mick Harold  UKIP
  • Dr Zulfiqar Ali Liberal Democrats
  • Mick Harold (UKIP)

Venue: Staffordshire University Science Centre
Date and time: Friday March 27, 6.30pm

Book your place: 01782 295860    public@staffs.ac.uk

If you haven’t registered to vote yet then see these links
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

If you live in Stoke on Trent then here

The registration deadline is 20th April.

What is a University education for? To create an informed, discerning, educated citizen so take your place in society discuss, debate and VOTE. And if you really don’t like any of the political parties then form your own party or stand as an independent.

Are Universities efficient with their funding?

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Interesting poll reported in the THE: Among Members of Parliament, UK Universities are given a poor rating in the ‘value for money’ / ‘efficiency’ category. This no doubt reflects the political hot potato that tuition fees still are, especially with the prospect of them increasing further. No self-regarding politician, a few months prior to an election, wants to suggest that Universities are doing the best they can with the fee income. And no doubt there is waste in the system, although probably less than many think.

Also reflected in these results is that the decision is now close on how to distribute — and indeed also reform — research funding in the light of REF2014. Reality is more clear here. Even the United States, which has a history of concentrated funding, is moving away from this. Any one concerned about ‘value for money’ in research funding need only glance at the REF results. Take Staffordshire University for example. With research funding amounting to a rounding error on that received by some Universities, internationally excellent and world-leading work is being achieved. A denser concentration of research funding into the hands of fewer Universities is certinly not going to improve the ‘bang for the buck’.

REF 2014

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This THE article shows a remarkable consistency in REF submissions that contain exactly 14 or 24 full time staff. Why should this be? Because, if one submits more than 14 full time staff, then one also has to submit three (rather than two) impact case studies. Having a poor impact case study in one’s submission is much more damaging than not having one (even two or three) members of staff included — regardless of how good their research is. Not being included in a REF submission is a potentially career-damaging event. Even those who unequivocally agree that research should have an impact, and that impact should be measured, should find depressing the unintended effects of the REF rules.

On part-time postgraduate study

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Here is an article in the Guardian, about part-time postgraduate study.  As a quick recap of how p-t study differs from full-time, and what specific opportunities or challenges it presents, this is a good piece. It distinguishes between effectively three types of course: (i) part-time on-campus study, which is the traditional mode but at a more leisurely pace; (ii) courses that are a hybrid between on-campus study and online learning — perhaps a brief week-long intensive residency, followed by online support; (iii) courses that are entirely online, and have no on-campus dimension. However, what the article does not do is fully articulate these differences in a way that would be useful to prospective students, or to the Universities offering courses.

All three of these are part-time — but the ‘pros and cons’ are quite different, as is the ‘feel’ of studying in these ways. The first type is, in fact, much more like a full-time traditional degree than anything else. I think the The Guardian could have said more about these differences. The distance learning Masters and PhD programs in which Staffordshire University is a pioneer, are type (iii) (although attendance for the PhD final oral examination is normally required).

Research Excellence Framework funding – a fair share needed

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Universities are vital to a successful local and regional economy; many of them are carrying out applied research with business and other stakeholders such as Local Enterprise Partnerships. The Research Excellence Framework funding allocation acts as seed money for many of these universities. For example, the money we have received last time at Staffordshire University has allowed us to lever in EU project funds and to provide staff time to bid successfully for work with companies.

December 2014 provided the announcement of the Research Excellence Framework results for British Universities. What these results demonstrated is that world class research was occurring throughout most of the University sector although often in pockets within a University. The summary for Staffordshire University is here

Research funding in the UK is overly concentrated in two ways:

a. The vast bulk of the money goes to a very small number of Universities, in fact University research funding is the most concentrated research funding in the world. For example, in 2013-2014 the top 9 universities received 51% of research funding, and 87 universities shared just 10% of the funding.

b. An incredible spatial concentration of funding to London and Oxbridge. A further concentration of funding is only likely to exacerbate regional inequalities in the UK.

Decisions on the split  for funding will focus on how much is awarded to 3* and how much to 4* units over the next couple of months. We need to see that research rated at 3* receives at least 40% of the allocated budget with the remaining 60% going towards 4* rated research that way world class research will get funded regardless of where it takes place.

Dermot Lynott provides an initial look at the Psychology ref and whether we are getting bang for the buck with some of the most prestigious universities.

Dorothy Bishop has an  entry on how the REF exercises over time have led to a divergence in the sector and whether this is desirable.

A wider spread of funding will be best for the UK and best for the regions the Universities serve.

Images of Research Competition

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The Staffordshire University Images of Research Competition1 was launched in 2014. Here at Staffordshire University we are engaged in applied research that has an impact locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Through our Applied Research Centres (ARCs), smaller research institutes and centres, and our specialist business training and support service; we develop highly viable and practical solutions to real-world problems. We promote knowledge transfer. We support postgraduate research. We engage with industry, commerce, the healthcare professions and our communities.

The Images of Research Competition allowed us to showcase our work; using just an image and 150 words competition entrants aimed to give an insight into their research activity showing how they make a difference, have real world impact and produce real benefits. The competition culminated in an exhibition of the images in the Science Centre and the announcement of the winner.

Richard Halfpenny’s winning entry was entitled “The better to smell you with”. He is pictured below being awarded his trophy by Professor Allan Howells, Deputy Vic e Chancellor for Research, Enterprise and External Affairs at Staffordshire University.

RHalfpenny

Richard’s winning image

Richard photographed a section of the antennae of a male British mosquito, magnified 100 times. The mosquito in the image had come from Stoke-on-Trent. Richard explained how he is trying to learn more about how mosquitos use their antennae to find sources of sugar. If he can understand more about this behaviour and the kinds of smells that attract mosquitos, he hopes to develop chemical smells that will work to better control mosquitos in the future.

awarding of prize

Richard receiving his award from Prof Howells

***** ***** *****

Link to PDF of the brochure.Images of Research Brochure

 

1 This competition was inspired by Images of Research at the University of Bath.

Welcome to the Professoriate’s blog!

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Staffordshire University Professoriate

The Professoriate is a forum for the Professors of Staffordshire University to influence and contribute to the advancement of University Policies and Strategies in the areas of Research and Scholarship, Learning and Teaching, Enterprise, Research Governance and Staff Development.

The members of the Professoriate act as academic ambassadors and intellectual leaders, to enhance the research, scholarship, teaching and learning and enterprise culture within the University. To facilitate this several events across the University are being supported and hosted by this group.

Currently, it is coordinated by its Chair and a core group of Professors drawn from all Faculties and subject areas. This group meets a few times a year to discuss key issues.

The whole Professoriate normally meets twice a year with another extended meeting in summer hosted by the Vice Chancellor, which will be extended to the Emeritus and Visiting Professors, Visiting Fellows and Associate Professors.

We hope you enjoy reading the blogs and contribute to the discussions!