Russell Group
The University of Exeter has accepted an invitation to join the Russell Group of leading research-led universities. This is great news for staff, students and graduates and reflects all the hard work that has gone into strengthening the University over the past ten years. Being part of the Russell Group will add to the value of our students’ degrees in future careers and aid recruitment of the best students and staff.

Teaching awards record nominations
The Students’ Guild has received a record 2,021 individual nominations for 588 individual members of staff for the 2012 Teaching Awards. This compares with 905 nominations last year for 321 individual members of staff. Now in its third year, the Exeter Teaching Awards recognise, celebrate and promote excellence by both teaching and support staff. The shortlist will be announced by the end of March, and winners on 3 May.

Holiday opening hours
The Main Library will remain open 24/7 throughout the vacation period. Staffed hours will be 8.30am-8.30pm weekdays and 10am-6pm on weekends and Bank Holidays. All other libraries will open every day, including all Bank Holidays - please check individual library web pages for details. Catering and retail outlets vacation time opening hours are online.

Summer Graduation
Summer Graduation ceremonies will take place from Mon 16 July to Fri 20 July in the Great Hall, and Mon 23 July 2012 in Truro Cathedral with three ceremonies per day. Programme specific dates are available online and all students eligible to graduate will be emailed.

Library resources boosted
More than 10,000 new book titles have been purchased for the library this year, thanks to the University funding an extra £250,000 to boost core teaching materials. Over 7,000 of these are ebooks – these and new online databases are available 24/7 via the Electronic Library. Students have a direct impact on library resourcing: the I Want One of These Scheme suggests items for library stock, a Library Champions scheme of student representatives are allocated a budget to purchase materials, and a ‘pay per use’ e-book. To find out more contact your subject librarian.

The Forum – coming soon
In the next few weeks a series of emails, tweets, and facebook and web updates will be previewing different aspects of the Forum. In the new term some student support services and retail outlets will be moving into the Forum from elsewhere on campus. 

Preparation for work award
The University of Exeter has been voted the winner of the prestigious ‘Preparation for Work’ award by the Association of Graduate Recruiters. The award recognises the University’s impressive achievement in embedding career planning sessions and the eXfactor programme across the undergraduate curriculum.

Top careers workshops
A survey found that the top five career aspirations of Exeter students are to work in the fields of education, PR and marketing, environment and conservation, media, and volunteering and charity. A series of one day experiential workshops is based around each of these careers. They offer a chance to learn new skills and meet professionals. Full details and dates for Streatham and Cornwall campus sessions are on the employability website.

Summer internships
Local, regional and national employers are now contacting the University to recruit students as Summer Interns. They are offering paid internships to undertake specific projects or short-term roles in a variety of settings, such as Marketing, IT and Business Development. To receive a vacancy alert for summer internships please register on My Career Zone and select internships as a preference.

National Student Survey
So far, 57% of our final year undergraduates have filled in the National Student Survey. Students responding can take part in a prize draw to win one of five Amazon kindles. The prize draw closes on 30 March. The survey remains open until the end of April, have your say at the National Student Survey website.

Mood Disorders Centre opens
Students can share their experiences of depression and find out about what support is available at the Mood Disorders Centre public engagement event on Sat 31 March. The event, which is free and open to all, offers sharing of experiences with others and advice on mental health and wellbeing. Funded by the Wellcome Trust Capital Awards in Biomedical Science initiative, the new £3.6 million Sir Henry Wellcome Building for Mood Disorders Research provides state-of-the-art facilities to carry out experimental and applied clinical research into mood disorders.

Medical school activity
Recruitment activity for the new University of Exeter Medical School is now underway, with the first students being admitted in 2013. An open day is planned for 21 April with more than 570 registered to attend, and a new prospectus and website have been published. Planned investment in the School is nearly £33 million.

International masterchefs
Five teams of international students competed in a cook off in the new kitchens at the Terrace restaurant. Teams from China, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand and Vietnam cooked frantically for 1 hour to produce a regional dish of their choosing to impress a panel of judges. Watch all the action on studentcooking.tv.

Do more online with My PGR
From 2 April all PGR students will be able to apply online for interruptions, upgrades and continuation status requests. It’s not just the application form that’s online - the whole process is electronic, making it quicker, simpler and more efficient.

Next year’s accommodation
The University still has on-campus accommodation options available to all students. With all inclusive rents from £120/week there’s no need to worry about bills or hidden costs. Contracts start from 40 weeks and you can apply as a group or individually. For more information and to apply go to the accommodation website.

Rest room
Room 115 on the second floor of the Old Library, Streatham Campus, can now be used as a first aid room. It is also set up for breastfeeding and pregnant women with furniture and a fridge. Students, visitors, and staff are all welcome to use it. Similar facilities will soon be available on St Luke’s and Cornwall Campuses.

Green fingers
Student volunteers, University staff and local residents are working with local group the Harvest Project on a gardening scheme in the Queen’s Crescent Garden, St James, Exeter, EX4 6AY. On Sat 28 March the first day of planting and clearing will take place. Student volunteers are being asked to contact Community Action if they are interested in taking part.

Emergency services training
Volunteers are needed for an emergency services training exercise on our Streatham and St Luke’s campuses in the morning of Sat 24 March. A £10 lunch voucher is on offer – find out more online.

Lent at St Luke’s chapel
The period of Lent is being marked at St Luke’s chapel with services on Tuesdays at 12.45, followed by a free sandwich lunch, and Thursdays at 5.30pm. James Theodosius, Chaplain, also recommends the dawn service at Exeter Cathedral on Easter Sunday, starting at 6am, organised by the Holy Ground group.

Postgrad photos
The marketing office is looking for postgraduate volunteers to take part in a photo session on Thurs 29 March. Photography will be used in print publications and on the website. These will be natural shots taken in groups around the Streatham Campus. If you can spare a few hours contact Emily Leach.

Burglary prevention
Devon and Cornwall police have issued advice to prevent burglaries. Keep doors and windows secure when you are not in - all day and night. Keep back gates bolted. Keep valuables out of sight of windows. Keep a record of electrical goods serial, mobile phone IMEI, and bike chassis numbers and take photos of them. Get to know your neighbours so they can report and suspicious activity during vacations.

Cycle across Europe
16 students are in training to cycle across Europe. They will be travelling more than 4,400km through the heat of summer in a mammoth 45-day expedition. They hope to raise more than £19,000 for Help for Heroes – support them online.

Guide to Gambia
Celia Butler, fourth-year Physics post graduate student and Girl Guiding leader, will travel to Gambia this Summer to take part in a community development project. Celia, 27, is working hard to raise funds ahead of her trip including doing the Three Peaks Challenge – support her here.

Online surveys
Yuri Kork, PhD student in the Business School, is researching the relationship between film genres and tourist behaviour. Fill in a survey online, there are prizes for respondents. Dale Weston, a current PhD student in psychology has an online survey concerning Exeter students understanding of sexual health information, in particular relating to safe sex and gonorrhoea. Read more here.

International sport month continues until Wed 28 March

Until Mon 30 April
Based on Baskin
Prints inspired by the work of Leonard Baskin by young people aged 13-19 years from across Devon taught by the University of Exeter Art Society and Double Elephant Print Workshop.
Exhibition open Mondays 9am – 8pm, Tuesdays 9am – 5pm
Location: Kay House Duryard, Lower Argyll Road, Exeter, EX4 4RG

Thurs 22 Mar, 12.30-1.30pm
Zumba for Sport relief
Donations to charity. Wear trainers.
Location: Great Hall piazza, Streatham Campus or Sports park if wet.

Thurs 22 Mar, 5-7pm
Paddon Award arts competition final
Live performances and judging
Tickets are free – contact Claire Panzeri to reserve a place.
Location: Kay House, Streatham Campus

Thurs 22 Mar, 6.15pm
History Society lecture
David Cannadine, historian
Location: Parker Moot Lecture Theatre, Amory, Streatham Campus

Fri 23 Mar 10am-1pm
Operationalising International Humanitarian Law
Geoff Loane, Head of Mission for the International Committee of the Red Cross
Location: Laver Lecture Theatre 6, Streatham Campus
Contact: Mike Sanderson, School of Law

Fri 23 Mar, 3-5pm
The Response of ICRC to the Arab Spring
Geoff Loane, Head of Mission for the International Committee of the Red Cross
Location: Queen’s Building Seminar Room D, Streatham Campus
Contact: Mike Sanderson, School of Law

Fri 23-Sat 24 Mar
RAMM Victorian weekend
A major panel debate on Fri 23 Mar at 7.30pm, chaired by the BBC’s John Humphries, includes the feminist and socialist historian Sheila Rowbotham, Author and Exeter Honorary Graduate John O’Farrell, Exeter Visiting Professor Isobel Armstrong, and Dr Paul Young, Lecturer in English. Tickets are £25 (£20 concessions). More info on RAMM website.

Mon 26 Mar, 7.30-9.30pm
Bridging the Community with Music
Join Duryard residents and the University Choral Society to sing together for fun.
Location: Kay House Duryard
Free entry, refreshments provided

Tues 27 Mar, 6.30pm
Inspiring Science lecture
My engineering life story
Sally Walters (Exeter alumna)
Location: Harrison Building, Room 004, Streatham Campus

Weds 28 Mar, 4.45pm
POSReF seminar
“Using Mass Spectrometry to visualise the global overview and mine the detail” Dr Hannah Florance, (Exeter)
“Development and application of in vivo models of mouse and human platelet function” Dr Mike Emerson, National Heath & Lung Institute, Imperial College London
Location: Lavender House Hotel, Ashburton
Contact: susan.westoby@pms.ac.uk

Fri 30 Mar, 2-3.30pm
Big Dilemmas Symposium
The future of land use in the South West: food, water and energy security in the face of environmental change
Reservation is essential. Email bigdilemma@exeter.ac.uk
Location: Amory C417, Streatham Campus

Fri 30 Mar, 2.30-5pm
Egenis workshop: ‘Epistemology of biology’
Speakers: Prof Kenneth Waters (Minnesota), Prof John Dupré (Exeter), Eric Bapteste (Institute de l’Histoire et de Philosophie de Sciences en de Techniques, Paris)
Venue: Byrne House, Streatham Campus
Info: Sabina Leonelli

Sat 31 Mar
Family Easter Egg Hunt
A fun packed Easter themed morning which will involve face painting, making of Easter baskets and an Easter Egg hunt around the beautiful Reed Hall grounds.
Info online. £3 per child

Sat 31 Mar
Exeter Pride

Mon 2 Apr, 2-3.30pm
Egenis seminar
Professor Kenneth Waters, University of Minnesota
Location: Byrne House, Streatham campus
Info: Claire Packman on 01392 725126

Mon 2 Apr, 4.30pm
Staff Choir perform Faure Requiem
Location: University Chapel
Free Entry for all

Mon 2 Apr, 8.30pm
Cafe Scientifique
Camplyobacter – are happy chickens safer chickens?
Prof Tom Humphrey, University of Liverpool
Location: Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street
Free

Mon 2-Tues 3 Apr
Centre for Medical History conference: The stress of life – gender, emotions and health after the second World War.
Supported by the Wellcome Trust
Location: Queen’s building, Streatham Campus
Info: Claire Keyte

Thurs 12 Apr, 7pm
‘Smallholders, Fruit Growers, Allotment Holders around Exeter’
Jyoti Fernandez (Five Penny Farm and The Land magazine) and others
Location: Jury’s Inn, Western Way, Exeter, EX1 2DB
Tickets £3/£2. Contact Andy Bragg or David Mezzetti

Weds 18 Apr, 4pm
“Genetics and stratified medicine using clonal sequencing”
Professor Graham Taylor (Leeds)
Location: Lecture Theatre, PMS Building, Barrack Road, Exeter with a telematic link to the Lecture Theatre, John Bull Building, Plymouth
Contact: Susan Westoby

Weds 25 Apr, 4pm
Cardiac peptides in myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion
Prof Gary Baxter, Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cardiff
Location: North Cloisters (NC12) Lecture theatre, St Luke’s Campus, Exeter with a telematic link to the Lecture Theatre, John Bull Building, Plymouth
Contact: Susan Westoby