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Commercial University win
Event Exeter won 'Commercial University of the Year' at the first College and University Business Officers Awards. The awards were launched this year to help recognise and reward the non-academic areas in Higher Education which through business and innovation, support the core work of a university. Event Exeter is the commercial trading arm of the University, representing our portfolio of venues.
Major employability awards
We are the first University to win the prestigious ‘Blue Ribbon’ award at the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) Annual Conference - the ‘best of the best’ of all award winners for work in student employability, graduate development and graduate recruitment. This is the top award voted by career-minded students and employers. Past winners include IBM and the Bank of England. This builds on previous successes of winning the AGR HE sector award and national awards for work placements and social enterprise. The Employability and Graduate Development team has seen a 25 per cent increase in engagement levels over the last year, as well as earlier engagement in career planning, increased levels of placements secured and a continued rise in graduate-level destinations.
Green Impact success
22 teams from across the University have taken part in the Green Impact environmental accreditation scheme, to make their work practices greener. Through Green Impact, they carried out 774 new initiatives to increase sustainability. Green Impact is run locally by the University, audited by students, and managed by the National Union of Students. An awards ceremony celebrated the teams that have achieved Bronze, Silver and Gold status, and gave out a number of special awards.
Applications update
UCAS have recently published a report showing that total applications from UK students in 2011/12 are 8.9% down. For applicants in the South West, this figure is higher - 12.1% down. In this context, our performance is encouraging: using the same UCAS figures, the number of applicants in 2011/12 compared to 2010/11 is almost identical - in fact we are 0.04% up. However, this remains a challenging year with regard to undergraduate recruitment and there is a lot of work left to do to secure a sufficient number of highly-qualified students through Confirmation, Clearing and Adjustment in August.
Widening Participation progress
The annual monitoring report published by OFFA was released in early July and the University of Exeter’s reported activity and expenditure for 2010/11 was signed off by the regulator. Our increased entry requirements have made it more challenging to achieve the milestones that were drafted as part of the University’s original Access Agreement submission, but progress is being made. As we enter the new era of higher tuition fees a much greater proportion of additional fee income (31%) is being diverted to access measures including financial support and outreach and retention activity. In 2012/13 this expenditure will be in the region of £6.6million.
Recent grants
John Heathershaw, SSIS, receives an ESRC award of £483,081 for a three-year project to assess the effect of Rising Powers, such as China, on conflict management in Central Asia. Michael Hammond, CEMPS, was awarded $5,000 seed funding as part of a group following a trip to Brown University at the Brown International Advanced Research Institutes (BIARI). Cassandra Phoenix in the European Centre for Environment & Human Health has been awarded a £30,000 grant from the Thomas Pocklington Trust to understand physical activity in older people with sight loss and help guide policy.
Staff awards
Prof Roy Sambles has been awarded the Faraday Medal of the Institute of Physics in recognition of his pioneering research in experimental condensed matter physics. He joined the Physics department in October 1972. Prof Lora Fleming at the European Centre for Environment & Human Health has been awarded the 2012 American Public Health Association’s Student Mentoring Award for exceptional talent in mentoring trainees.
IT Self Service Portal
Exeter IT has added new facilities to the Self Service Portal. Learning Spaces service requests allow staff to request off air recording, media digitisation, video conferencing, Echo 360 lecture capture, general AV support, AV equipment loan and digital signage. The Report an Information Security Issue link can be used to make the Information Security Team aware of security failures and breaches (such as sharing of University IT passwords or theft/loss of IT equipment).
Construction works
There are currently over 30 construction projects underway to improve our campus facilities so please be careful when walking, driving and cycling. There are gas works causing some road and path narrowing and limiting parking on North Park Road; this phase of the work is due to finish in early August. Three new accommodation blocks are currently being constructed at Lafrowda and two at Duryard - this means regular changes in the external areas as new roads and paths are built. Access by road to Lafrowda and the rear of Cornwall House is possible at all times, but do proceed with caution. Amory and Streatham Court are both being refurbished ready for the start of the new academic year and the sports park is undergoing major works of new pavilion and covered courts.
Olympic news
Four Ghanaian athletes are currently participating in an intensive training camp at the University in the lead up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Anita Fordjour and Raphael Nkeghe Botsyo (wheelchair track athletes), Alem Mumuni (para-cyclist) and Charles Narh Teye (powerlifter) are supported by the charity Right to Dream. Exercise and Sports Science student George Furzer and Psychology student Natalie Hickman are working with the athletes to aid their preparations for the Games. Oli Haydon, a final year Geography student, will carry the Olympic flame in Shere, Surrey on 20 July. Look out for alumna Sarah Thomas (Exercise and Sports Science, 2002) representing Great Britain in hockey, and alumnus Ian Haley (Exercise and Sports Science, 2005) playing hockey for South Africa. Robin Williams, a current PhD student studying statistics, will be competing for Team GB in blind football.
Dive in
The Cornwall House outdoor swimming pool is open every day until 7 October, weather permitting.
Sports Park Summer offer
Platinum membership costs £24 per month from now until 9 Sept, with no annual contract or joining fee. Entry to the outdoor pool is included for first time this year. Info: 01392 724452 or online.
Language survey
Participants are still being sought for a postgraduate psychology study on language use in mature adults. If you are aged 45-64, have English as your first language and would like the chance to win a £50 gift voucher, then please complete the survey.
Female exercise study
Sport and Health Sciences are again looking for women aged 25 -45, not currently taking regular exercise, for a research project. Participants will receive information on their bone mineral density and body composition as well taking part in a 16 week supervised training study. Contact Prof Peter Krustrup or 01392 722878.
Reed Hall offer
Room hire is free at Reed Hall in July and August for bookings of more than 8 people (subject to availability and pre-ordering of refreshments). Contact Reed Hall on 01392 215566.
Aches and pains?
The Ocean Physio & Rehab clinic based on the Streatham Campus is offering a 10% discount to all staff. Call 01395 239455. |
Until 27 July
Liquid, Light and Time
Works by Pery Burge, CEMPS' artist-in-residence. Funded by the Leverhulme Trust Artist in Residence programme, Pery has produced a series of groundbreaking abstract works that focus on the theme of evolution.
Location: Innovation Centre, Streatham Campus. Exhibition open Monday to Friday.
Until Fri 20 July
2012 Gulf Studies Conference
An interdisciplinary conference on the Gulf region (Arabia, Iran, Iraq), past and present.
Location: Centre for Gulf Studies, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies
Thurs 19 July, 2-2.30pm
The radial distribution of dust species in young brown dwarf disks
Dr Basmah Riaz (University of Hertfordshire)
Location: Physics, 4th floor, Streatham Campus
Mon 23 July, 11.00am
Sustainability and Responsibility in the ‘Asian Century’
Seminar with Dr Malcolm McIntosh, Prof in Sustainable Enterprise, considering some of the paradoxes, challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
Location: Bateman Lecture Theatre, Building:One, Streatham Campus
Tues 24 July, 2-3pm
Online Coursework Management staff briefing
Open meeting – no need to book.
Location: Queen’s MR2, Streatham Campus
Weds 25 July, 10am
Symposia: Middlebrow Cinema
Hosted by Department of Modern Languages, College of Humanities
Location: Studio TS3, Thornlea, Streatham Campus.
Contact Sally Faulkner
Weds 25 July, 2-2.30pm
Searching for life on extra-solar planets - lessons from Earth history
Prof Tim Lenton, Geography (Exeter)
Location: Physics, 4th Floor, Streatham Campus
Weds 25 July, 5-7.30pm
One Planet MBA Open Day
Location: MBA Suite, Building One, the Business School, Streatham Court, University of Exeter
Weds 25 July, 7.30pm
Exeter Uncorked
An attempt to break the Guinness World Record on the number of people simultaneously uncorking a bottle of wine
All entrance fee monies (£5 per person) will go to Hospiscare
Register online
Location: Exeter Corn Exchange, Market Street, EX1 1BW
Thurs 26 July, 12.30pm
Informal lunch for staff, hosted by members of the Christian Staff Network.
All are very welcome, for more details please contact David Smith
Location: Reed Hall Restaurant
Tuesday 31 July, 11am-12pm
Relative magnitudes of uncertainty sources in assessing climate change impacts on water supply security in Adelaide, South Australia
Fiona Paton (University of Adelaide, South Australia)
Location: HAR170, Streatham Campus
Fri 3 Aug
Staff Association Minack Theatre Coach Trip
Join us for a coach trip to the stunning outdoor Minack theatre in Penzance to see "The Complete Works of Shakepeare (Abridged)"; Departing from Streatham and Cornwall campuses.
Book Tickets
Sat 11 Aug
Staff Association surf trip to FloRider
Surf gone flat? Surf report got it wrong again? Join us on a coach trip to visit the surf simulator at the Retallack Resort in Cornwall. Departing from Streatham and Cornwall campuses. Find out more
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