Buzz Bitesize: April 2013

Headlines

News

Views

Events

Opportunities

Community Day 2013

Come along to the University’s Community Day for free fun for all the family! Activities will include bungee-trampoline, build a rocket, create a dinosaur, and much more.

Teaching and Learning Conference 2013

The deadline for participants to submit abstract papers for this year’s 10th annual Teaching and Learning Conference has been extended to 19 April. The conference takes place 24–25 June and will feature talks from four key speakers, plus a range of individual presentations/workshops, based around the central theme of Technology Enhanced Learning. The event also coincides with the launch of an exciting new Virtual Learning Environment at the University. This software will provide a cutting-edge platform from which to deliver a range of resources to both students and staff, and the conference will offer a perfect opportunity to engage staff with the new system and to promote technology enhanced learning more generally. Further information and proposal form are on the intranet.

University awards £24,000 to enterprising academics

Two Birmingham researchers have each been awarded £10,000 at this year’s Enterprising Birmingham Innovation Competition showcase to enable development of their research expertise into viable business opportunities. Six finalists were chosen to present in front of a panel of expert ‘Dragons’, to battle it out for their share of the prize money. Further details on the winners and event are on the intranet.

Summer language courses

Join a Summer Language Course and experience a new culture. Languages for All is offering short six week courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish, at beginner, near beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Courses run 6 May–14 June and cost £80. Enrolment details are on the University website.

News
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Staff pay update

The support staff pay round for 2012 was delayed because of Unison’s dispute over the 2011 pay settlement. Pay negotiations for 2012 did not begin therefore until December 2012. The current position is that the support staff unions are consulting with their members over a revised offer. A response is expected by 12 April. If the offer is accepted at that point, the new rates and back pay (to August 2012) could be implemented in May.

UB Safe campaign

The University has Security Services that work 24 hours a day throughout Edgbaston and Selly Oak campuses, and all main student residences. If you need emergency help from Security dial 44444 from internal phones or +44 (0)121 414 4444 from an external line. You can also visit Security Services in person in their office behind the Aston Webb building off Ring Road South. UB Safe is a series of videos produced by Security Services that offer tips and guidance on how to keep yourself, others and your property safe.

Alumni Impact Fund

Thank you to everyone who applied for funding from this year’s Alumni Impact Fund, which allocates money donated by generous alumni to innovative projects that will have an immediate impact on the student and staff experience. This year 42 bids were funded totalling over £160,000. Further information on projects will be available shortly. For more information about the fund, please contact Laura Fairbanks l.fairbanks@bham.ac.uk or on 0121 414 8894.

Instructure is Coming

Canvas will be the new supplier for our Virtual Learning Environment to facilitate elearning, and over the next 18 months we will make the transition from WebCT to Canvas. This summer, the new learning platform will be made available to members of staff to begin the transition from WebCT and to students ready for the 2013 autumn term. More information will be provided on the intranet.

University wins ‘Campaign for Drawing’ award

The Cultural Engagement Team recently won a prestigious Drawing Inspiration Award from the Campaign for Drawing for their Big Draw event, The Drawing Factory. The Drawing Factory, held in October 2012, used drawing to promote the University’s cultural collections to students, academics and the wider public. It also introduced the University’s artists-in-residence, and raised funds for LUCIA, a charity founded by University staff. Further details are on the intranet.

Great Read at Birmingham (GRAB) 2012

With GRAB all incoming undergraduates receive a copy of the same book in their Welcome Packs to encourage them to engage with academic ideas and to create a shared experience for all new students. As you may know, Chocolate Wars by Deborah Cadbury was chosen as the GRAB 2012 book, accompanied by an incredibly varied schedule of events; from chocolate testing, to panel debates; and from walking tours to author interviews. Further details on GRAB and some of the event highlights are available on the intranet.

Travel Champions network

A network of Travel Champions has been established to help develop, disseminate and promote a wide range of University initiatives and incentives relating to public transport, parking, cycling, walking, car share, and business travel. They will also encourage and support individuals to make informed choices about the way they travel to the University. For details please contact Jane Harris, Sustainable Travel Coordinator, at j.m.harris@bham.ac.uk or view the University’s current Sustainable Travel Action Plan.

Main Library opens 24/7

The Main Library will be open 24 hours, seven days a week from 22 April to 31 May. This is to provide a secure, safe place to study during the exam period.

Rare campus images

The Cadbury Research Library, Special Collections have released nearly 900 photographs documenting extensive building works on the Edgbaston Campus during the 1950s and 1960s.

The collections, available on Flickr show construction of now well established buildings including Arts, the Watson Building, Muirhead Tower, and Biosciences. The original photographs are part of the University’s Heritage Archive and are available in the Cadbury Research Library, Muirhead Tower.

World Autism Awareness Day

Staff from across the University raised nearly £300 for our life-changing autism research with an Easter Egg tombola, and by joining Old Joe and dressing in blue for World Autism Awareness Day (2 April). Alumni also donated over £750. Money raised will go towards our innovative autism education research, which includes sending robots into schools to help children with autism learn to interact with others in a safe and secure environment. Thanks to everyone who got involved, to support autism research text AUTM22 £5 to 70070 to give £5.

Shakespeare Institute launches new programmes

The Shakespeare Institute launched new MA and PhD programmes in Shakespeare and Creativity last month. Aimed at prospective students, the event included an introduction to the programmes from co-convenors Professor Ewan Fernie and Dr Abigail Rokison, a creative cabaret performance and an opportunity for students to meet contributors to the new programmes.

Plan B – Innovation Competition

The finale of the annual Student Innovation Competition took place in March, with Eluned Jones, Director of Careers Network, announcing winners including:

• Overall winner & Technology Award – Jonathan Driscoll
• Improving the Campus Experience – Joseph Saggese
• Community Award – Chris Showande
• Commercial Business – Nic Gandy and Edward Cumberland
• Mark-e-Test award – Murray Schofield

Thanks to all competitors, and to sponsors Santander, Marketest, Hospitality & Accommodation Services, Unltd and BizzInn.

Views
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Campus map development

A new campus map is being developed and your views are needed on design and usability. The new design includes drop down options where you can define what you are looking for, and the facility to swap campuses. Feedback results will be fed into continued development of the map; have your say on the design via our intranet feedback form.

Events
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Bugs Bees Plants and Trees

The highlight for this season at Winterbourne House and Gardens is an outdoor themed extravaganza! Begin the gardening year in style with plant stalls, tips and inspiration galore. The UrbanVeg team will be on hand to answer questions and there will be demonstrations throughout the day. There will be bird of prey displays, and a mobile petting zoo (12–3pm). Details and prices are on the intranet.

Barber Institute events

• Fine Art Valuation Day
  22 April, 10am–4pm,
  Experts from auction house Bonhams, specialising in miniatures, paintings, sculptures, ceramics and general antiques, will be on hand to offer valuations on your items for a suggested donation of £3 per item, in aid of St Mary’s Hospice.
• New Art West Midlands
  until 19 May
  Featuring work by artists who have recently graduated from the region’s five university art colleges. Get an introduction to the ideas behind contemporary art in ‘About Contemporary Art’ (13, 20 & 27 April, 11am–4pm). Sessions will involve talks, discussions and practical workshops led by artists whose work is on show in New Art West Midlands.

For more information visit the Barber website.

World Book Night

World Book Night celebrates a love of reading in communities across the country on one special night. Look out across campus, in libraries and your local community for Book Givers.

Aesthetics, Artists and Achievements

Gillian Crumpton, Curatorial Officer at Jackfield Tile Museum, will give this talk on ‘Aesthetics, Artists and Achievements: The Arts and Crafts movement in the tile industry in England’. She will explore Arts and Crafts tiles in relation to popular styles of the day; and examine the artists behind the creation of these designs. To book a place at this free event email special-collections@bham.ac.uk.

Researcher to Entrepreneur

It could be argued that many skills of the entrepreneur are the same as those of the researcher; this presentation will explore these shared skills. Similarities in the way these two different ventures progress over time will also be described and the session will give you the tools and strategy to make the transition from researcher to entrepreneur. The event is free but registration is required.

Inaugural Lectures

• Professor Brit Grosskopf – ‘What can we learn from experiments in economics?’, 1 May, 4.30–6pm, Department of Economics, Birmingham Business School. Further information on the website
• Professor Kristján Kristjánsson – ‘A gap in the value layer? Trajectories, challenges and prospects of moral education’, 29 May, 4.30–6pm, Jubilee Centre, School of Education. Further information on the website

Birmingham Speakers at Hay

For a second year, the University’s College of Arts and Law will be hosting a series of talks at the Hay Festival. This year the College will be partnered by the new Library of Birmingham. The series will look at teaching Shakespeare today, how we are tourists of the world through our reading, and why TV book clubs are so popular with keen readers. We will discover the world’s oldest bible, and uncover the incredible history of Doggerland. Speakers include Professor Ewan Fernie, Dr Danielle Fuller and Dr David Parker. For more information follow twitter using #bhamathay.

Opportunities
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Universitas 21 Staff Fellowship Programme

This is an excellent opportunity for both academic and non-academic staff to benefit from travelling to one of our U21 partner institutions in 2013–14. Bids should show the initiation of a collaboration within U21 that will benefit the individual and University, and have sustainable value. Application deadline is 30 May, further details are on the intranet.

University fundraising

From bake sales to book swaps and from skydives to sponsored cycling, colleagues across the University are involved in a wide range of fundraising events and initiatives. Just a few of colleagues’ upcoming charity events, including details on how you can get involved and give, are available on the intranet. Have an event that you would like to add? Send details to internalcomms@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Leading Academics

Do you supervise any doctoral students who have the potential to become future leaders? Why not put them forward to attend the University’s Leading Academics programme to learn about the experiences of leadership from those at the top of their field, develop a theoretical understanding of leadership and take part in a small group ‘learning community’. This programme is being run by Birmingham Graduate School, Careers Network and Entrepreneurship and Innovation. To find out more, please contact Jayne Sharples j.s.sharples@bham.ac.uk.

Sing with the CBSO’s Community Choir

As part of an exciting three-year residency for the CBSO within the Selly Oak district, a community choir was born. Free to join, and aimed at all members of the Selly Oak district regardless of musical ability, SO Vocal (Selly Oak Vocal) has performed at CoCoMad in Cotteridge Park, the Birmingham St Patrick’s Day parade, and Symphony Hall. Find out how you can join at the CBSO website or by following @CBSO_SOVocal.

International Documentary Festival

Do you have what it takes to bring your discipline alive for documentary audiences across the world? Ideas Lab is supporting academics in applying for the Specialist Factual New Talent Pitch at Sheffield International Documentary Festival. The pitch gives new talent presenters the chance to show a panel of specialist factual commissioning editors, funders and producers what they can do. You would need to be able to be in Sheffield on 15 June if selected for the final. Ideas Lab provides travel expenses. For more information contact Sam Walter on 0121 4147809 s.h.walter@bham.ac.uk.

Participants needed

• Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management (CHASM) research on family support: If you were born 1945–65, have a child aged 18+, and a parent of any age you are eligible to take part in a new study ‘Giving and Receiving Financial Support Within Families in the 21st Century’. Each participant will receive £20; further details are available on the intranet or by emailing Ricky Joseph at r.joseph@bham.ac.uk.
• £10 cash study: CANTAB, a computerised test, is being used to study cognitive processes. The study involves one hour long session that incorporates a questionnaire and simple CANTAB tests. Volunteers will need to be healthy, adult, native English speakers, and aged over 40. For details contact Iraida Neira at Ixn082@bham.ac.uk.

Contact Buzz Bitesize

Email: university-buzz@bham.ac.uk
Web: intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/buzz

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