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Communicator Issue 20 The newsletter of the University of Portsmouth Winter 2007 New forensics facility in Ravelin Annexe Page 5 Innovative new locks to combat bike crime Page 7 Board of Governors – Chairman’s Report Page 8–9 Library wins Best New Building award Page 10 Inside

Communicator Issue 20 Winter 2007 - University of …73466,en.pdf · Burrows (conductor), Michael Stoddart ... Fiddler on the Roof ... Communicator | Winter 2007 04 Around campus

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CommunicatorIssue 20

The newsletter of the University of Portsmouth

Winter 2007

New forensics facility in Ravelin Annexe Page 5Innovative new locks to combat bike crime Page 7Board of Governors – Chairman’s Report Page 8–9Library wins Best New Building award Page 10

Inside

Communicator | Winter 2007

Dates for your diary02

University Carol ServiceMonday 10 December

Come along and join the University in a traditional celebration of Christmas through words and music, featuring the University Choir. All are welcome.

7.00pm, St John’s Catholic CathedralAdmission free

Music in the Round: Ludwig String TrioFriday 18 January

Peter Cropper, James Boyd and Paul Watkins are three of today’s finest chamber musicians who enjoy the delights of performing some of the most popular string trio repertoire by Beethoven.

Tickets: £13.50, £11.00 concessionswww.port.ac.uk/musicintheround 7.30pm, Portsmouth Cathedral

University Chamber Singers Saturday 19 January

Choral Music by Zoltán Kodály in aid of St. Mary’s Music Foundation. The University of Portsmouth Chamber Singers present a concert of choral music by the Hungarian composer including the beautiful Missa Brevis and magnificent Laudes Organi. University of Portsmouth Chamber Singers George Burrows (conductor), Michael Stoddart (organ) and Anthony Groves (piano) – St Mary’s Church.

Box office: 023 9284 30237.30pm, St Mary’s Church (Fratton)

Hot Topic Seminar – Managerial Psychology: the perfect bossWednesday 23 January

Comedy shows satirise the appalling behaviours of some managers. This seminar will look at the latest evidence of good management practice.

Admission is free but please make a reservation by contacting [email protected] or 023 9284 4046. 6.00pm, Richmond Building

Only Connect: joining up academic and popular naval historyWednesday 30 January

Dr Colin White, Director of the Royal Naval Museum and the University’s newly-appointed Visiting Professor of

Maritime History, reflects on the growth in academic interest in naval history in recent years, especially in the study of its cultural and social influence. He highlights the parallel surge in popular interest in the subject, evidenced in novels, films, re-enactments, themed cruises and naval heritage centres and argues that the two strands need to be spliced together more effectively if they are to have maximum impact.

6.00pm, Portland Building Admission free

Fiddler on the RoofThursday 7–Saturday 9 February

Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s classic musical hit Broadway in 1965. Based on the stories by Solomon Aleichem, the show recounts the life of a family of Russian Jews in a small village of Anatevka and is packed with favourites such as Sunrise, Sunset, Matchmaker and, of course, If I were a Rich Man.

Box Office: 023 9264 9000New Theatre Royal

Bio-fuels: a plea for common senseWednesday 13 February

Professor Roland Clift, University of Surrey

The current rush to promote bio-diesel and bio-ethanol as transport fuels appears to have been started without serious regard for its consequences. This talk will explore some of the problems inherent in transport bio-fuels and set out a more rational approach to bio-energy.

6.00pm, Portland BuildingAdmission free

Music in the Round: Emperor Piano TrioFriday 22 February

This is a truly international ensemble with musicians from China, Korea and Japan, led by violinist So-Ock Kim. They perform a programme of music by Beethoven, Ravel and Arensky.

Tickets: £13.50, £11.00 concessionswww.port.ac.uk/musicintheround 7.30pm, Portsmouth Cathedral

Maritime heritage and museum solutions for European port citiesWednesday 27 February

Dr Hance Smith, University of Cardiff, will give a global-local overview of the scope,

meaning and interpretation of maritime heritage. He is followed by Dr Ann Coats, University of Portsmouth, who will highlight the importance of partnership in defining criteria for success and achieving economic solutions for European maritime museums.

This lecture is presented in association with the Royal Geographical Society and the Naval Dockyards Society.

6.00pm, Portland BuildingAdmission free

For further information on any of these events or to book, please contact (unless otherwise stated):T: 023 9284 3757E: [email protected]

The Fourth Annual Festival of Mathematics and Art took place in November. The festival is organised in collaboration between the University of Portsmouth’s Education Liaison Department, the Department of Mathematics and Public Relations.

The festival brought together artists, mathematicians, school pupils, students and the general public, in a month of events designed to explore the connections between maths and the arts. The educational strand of the festival is supported by AimHigher, Portsmouth Schools Improvement Service and the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.

Festival of Mathematics and Art

Winter 2007 | Communicator

Editorial 03

John Craven is pictured here receiving a People & Planet Green Award, after the University of Portsmouth received a first classification for its environmental performance. The scroll was presented by President of the Students’ Union, Elle Gray, who works closely with People & Planet, a national student-led organisation concerned with environmental issues.

Portsmouth was ranked one of the top universities in the UK in the People & Planet Green League Table, published in The Times Higher Education Supplement. Over 100 universities from all over the UK were listed in the table and only 15 received a first, scoring 40/50 or above.

We continue to encourage staff and students to keep up the good work by joining in the University Carbon Cut Challenge, by switching off office/teaching space lights and computers when not in use and turning room heating thermostats down by one degree Celsius.

Survey reveals satisfied studentsThe results of this year’s National Student Satisfaction Survey are in and they reveal that a huge number of students are happy with their courses at the University. The survey showed that 87 per cent of students at the University of Portsmouth were satisfied with their overall experience. This figure is higher than the national average of 83 per cent and higher than last year’s score of 79 per cent. This result puts Portsmouth in the top 25 per cent of universities for overall student satisfaction.

The survey, which is commissioned by HEFCE, measures the opinions of 170,000 final year students at universities and HE colleges across the UK. Students were asked to what extent they agreed with statements under six headings: teaching, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources and personal development, as well as being asked to comment on their overall satisfaction.

Courses at the University that were rated particularly highly include biology, business, economics, education, finance and accounting, languages, history, maths, medical science and pharmacy, media studies, subjects allied to medicine, politics, sociology (including criminology), social work and sports science.

The University Christmas cards are now ready for you to order online at www.port.ac.uk/christmascards

They are sold in a set of four different designs. To order please complete the online form quoting number of sets required and your cost code. The cards will then be delivered to the address specified on the form.

A set of four cards with different designs (shown here) costs £1.20, or five sets can be ordered for £5.00.

University Christmas cards

Portsmouth is green

This issue also reports on the success of many staff like Judy Fraser who won second prize in the Professional Teacher of the Year Award and the hard work of the Campus Environment team, which has led to Ravelin Park gaining two accolades. More awards are also possible for our Student Finance Centre and Dr Bran Nicol, who have been nominated for The Times Higher Education Supplement awards.

I hope Communicator reflects the diversity of University of Portsmouth activity. The last issue heralded the arrival of a new Strategic Plan and looking through these pages you will see stories that relate to all areas of that plan with participation from staff at all levels.

I hope everyone has a good Christmas and a happy New Year.

Claire BrookesEditorHead of Corporate [email protected]

If this document is not in a format accessible to you, please contact Corporate Communications and we can re-supply in a more suitable format.

EditorialWelcome to the 20th issue of Communicator and it appears all areas of the University have been incredibly busy since the beginning of the academic year. It’s good to note in two areas that really matter, student satisfaction and, increasingly important today, environmental performance, that our success is being recognised.

Communicator | Winter 2007

04 Around campus

News in BriefSuggestions pleaseUniversity staff celebrated Black History Month during October, along with the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery. The Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Staff Forum hopes to celebrate other significant events in the cultural calendar and would like to invite members of staff to pass their suggestions to Alex Muir-Mackenzie, Equality and Diversity Adviser on extension 5039 [email protected]

In the limelightTwo members of staff from the School of Environmental Design and Management have made media appearances recently. Dr Chris Dobbs, part-time tutor for MSc Heritage and Museum Studies, made a major contribution to BBC2’s Timewatch programme on the raising of the Mary Rose. The second was Dr Jonathan Potts, Course Leader for MSc Coastal and Marine Resource Environment, who gave a local radio interview and consultation for BBC2’s Coast.

Fisheries workshopAndy Thorpe (Economics) recently visited Kyrgyzstan on behalf of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to advise on reactivating the fisheries sector in the country. During the course of his September visit, he helped organise the first national workshop on fisheries and aquaculture in the Kyrgyz republic – status and prospects to increase the contribution of the sector to food security. He also authored the ensuing workshop report, which will be issued by FAO.

New bookProfessor of Criminology and Director of the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, Steve Savage has published a new book – Police Reform: Forces for Change. He founded the Institute in 1992 and has published extensively in the areas of policing, criminal justice policy and miscarriages of justice. This topical book considers reform in the police from a historical perspective and debates the long-term future of such reform.

The Department of Sport and Exercise Science is taking part in a virtual exhibition to attract Chinese students to their BSc Sports Management with English course. The exhibition is taking place from 3–9 December, when potential students in China will be logging on to talk to staff in a live chat room.

British Council China is organising the Education UK Virtual Exhibition 2007 on its dedicated website (www.educationuk.cn) with the theme of Sports and Leisure Management. Universities from across the UK will feature on the site and then chat with students online for an hour a day during the week.

The department will be publicising the course on the website in the lead up to the week. The students will be able to look at this information, digest it and then contact staff during the exhibition week for further information.

Senior Lecturer Tom Webb said: ‘This is an innovative and creative opportunity to speak to potential students in a cost effective way. We believe it will be extremely successful.’

The Chinese students will be able to view footage of the University in general as well as look at information and images of the department’s world-class facilities and teaching and learning environment.

The exhibition comes at a good time. With the build up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the upcoming 2012 London Olympics, Chinese students who choose to study here will be able to compare and contrast how the two countries gear up for the biggest sporting event in the world.

A University of Portsmouth-led consortium has been chosen by the Fire & Rescue Service to offer a range of leadership and management courses to its managers at Fire Service Authorities throughout the UK. The consortium comprises the University of Portsmouth Business School and Flagship Training, which provides military and maritime training solutions and integrated support services.

This partnership brings together a comprehensive Leadership Development Programme and will offer the Fire & Rescue Service the opportunity to develop their managers at all levels in the context of the modernisation agenda. The programme will be delivered through a combination of modular and work-based learning leading to qualifications, workshops,

master classes, e-learning, seminars and simulated disaster/crisis situations.

Linda McCormack, Business Development Director at Portsmouth Business School said: ‘We were delighted with the news that we had been awarded the bid by the Fire Service College who clearly recognised the benefits of working with the combined resources and facilities of Portsmouth Business School and Flagship Training. Our experience of working with public sector services in a changing environment will enable us to respond to the Fire & Rescue Services’ programme of modernisation.’

The Leadership Development Programme was launched by the Fire Service College at an event on 6 November.

PBS to deliver programme to fire service

Chinese students are virtually here

Winter 2007 | Communicator

05Around campus

Music and sound technology student Kelly-Marie Angell has won the Conch Award for most promising newcomer in the UK within the post-production sound industry for her work on the hit BBC show Doctor Who. Kelly-Marie uses snapped celery sticks to recreate the sound of broken bones and mashed melon for blood spurts as part of her work as a sound editor on the programme.

Kelly-Marie landed the job of Foley Editor – a title named after pioneering sound engineer Jack Foley – where she looks at each scene and then decides which sounds should be used with each character’s movement. Foley artists then use props to make the appropriate noises before ensuring that each sound corresponds with each scene.

‘My favourite scene was episode six of the last series where we had the Lazarus monster – it was a huge challenge. For that one, we used hair gel and lots of broken glass.’

Kelly-Marie started working on the show during her gap year and she also works on the Doctor Who spin-offs Torchwood and the Sarah Jane Adventures. The 22-year-old attended a ceremony in London where she was presented with a trophy for the Conch Award, which is sponsored by Skillset, the Sector Skills Council and national training organisation for the broadcast, film, video and multimedia industries. She is now hoping to continue working on the next series while completing her degree course.

The opening of a world-first satellite testing facility at a Portsmouth-based space company will bring the focus back to the science and engineering areas and create employment opportunities for University of Portsmouth graduates.

The £1 million Triton Range is now in use at EADS Astrium, giving the company the capability to test the entire range of satellites at its Anchorage Road site and ensuring the UK plays a major role in the future of the global space economy. The firm is about to set out on a recruitment drive, taking on 50 new graduates next year, along with an extra 200 jobs at the site.

The launch event of this new facility took place in October and was attended by Head of Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of Portsmouth, Dr Misha Filip. He is pictured here (left) with Portsmouth graduate Kevin Wright, who is EADS Astrium’s permanent member of the Electronic and Computer Engineering’s Industrial Advisory Board. The picture was taken inside the test facility and shows a model of one of the SkyNet5 satellites – the next generation of ultra secure military communications satellite networks.

Misha said: ‘EADS Astrium are leading a new initiative to make the Space Technology and Industry one of the main contributors to the UK’s economy GDP by 2025. Portsmouth was once known for its dockyard and manufacture of sea-going vessels. By 2025 it will be known as the UK and world’s main centre for manufacturing of spacecraft. ECE and EADS Astrium are working on making this vision a reality.’

A new facility called ‘The Forensics House’ has been set up to provide realistic mock crime scenes for students from Biological Sciences, ICJS, Computing and Earth and Environmental Sciences. Ravelin Annexe in Ravelin Park has been transformed into a realistic one-bedroom flat, which houses a variety of evidence from a range of crime scene scenarios.

The evidence can be altered by lecturers to coincide with the demands of the students’ curriculum, but at present the house holds a foam rubber model to mimic a dead body, complete with artificial blood spatters, maggots and flies – for the Biological Sciences students; fingerprints – for the ICJS students; and computing equipment – which Computing students would apply forensic discovery methodologies to. Students from Earth and Environmental Sciences are also using the area around the house for analysis of dust and soil particles. There is also a forensics vehicle, which students can use for examining fibres and identifying mud on tyres and where it came from.

The idea for this provision came from the Forensics Forum, a group made up of people from across the University who are involved in the teaching of forensics in the University. The group was started in 2005 and has 30 members from across all five faculties.

The facility will also be used for external training, which will bring capital back into the University. Tailored training packages will be offered to local law firms and police forces for forensic awareness training.

An official opening ceremony is due to take place on 5 December.

Sound student wins industry award

New facility creates space for graduates

New house for forensic study

Communicator | Winter 2007

University update06

The University of Portsmouth is teaming up with the University of Southampton and Southampton Solent University to address the health needs of local communities across South Hampshire, thanks to a £3 million match funding award from HEFCE.

The South East Coastal Communities (SECC) Project will see the three universities collaborate with the knowledge and technology agency, Solent Synergy and other local partners. The project’s specially-created university teams will offer academic expertise and financial support to a range of groups in order to boost educational aspirations, community wellbeing, employment opportunities and economic, social and cultural development.

By working primarily with community groups, the teams aim to address issues behind youth deprivation in south east Hampshire – high levels of youth crime, teenage pregnancies, poor health, truancy and disengagement with education and training.

David Arrell, the University’s pro-vice chancellor, said: ‘The University of Portsmouth’s contribution to the project will see our undergraduates coaching and mentoring young communities in the Havant area. With the support of Havant Borough Council and the Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Partnership, we will develop the entrepreneurial skills necessary to support the creation of a self-sustaining centre for youth-led social inclusion programmes.’

The University of Portsmouth has a long and successful track record of developing entrepreneurial skills in young people, which begins with outreach work in schools starting with children as young as six years old and continues with the Portsmouth Centre for Enterprise.

Portsmouth Business School’s Centre for Enterprise Research and Innovation (CERI) has partnered with Learning Links and another charity, South Coast Money Line, to pool their business skills to enable Portsmouth charities to become more independent of grants and raise some income from their assets through entrepreneurial activity.

Learning Links is a Portsea social enterprise, one of 700 charities and social enterprises in Portsmouth. They provide training opportunities for socially excluded local residents and like many charities, they are increasingly entrepreneurial in gaining income to achieve their goals.

With mentor support from the cluster, a development programme was run at the University in October, for new or growing social enterprises. Portsmouth Business School experts have shared workshops with 11 organisations to help them develop a business plan that is commercially viable as well as socially beneficial.

We are currently planning on-going support for this sector using Purple Door HEIF3 investment and any lecturers with relevant skills interested in joining and supporting the cluster should contact [email protected]

On 10 October 2007, the School of Art, Design and Media held a Next Move event for all year two students. The event was hosted by Flying Start, the national council for graduate entrepreneurship. The event brought together over 100 students and provided them with information on how to be successful in the creative industries.

The day included workshops to stimulate creativity, an introduction to social enterprise and advice on how to start a creative

industries business – including ideas on how to successfully pitch business ideas and networking. The event was such a success that a similar event for third year students will take place on 30 January 2008.

Uni trio to help communities Holistic therapies and massage

Social enterprise

Next move

The following treatments are now available for staff:

• Reflexology: A deeply relaxing treatment that helps to balance the flow of energy throughout the body, thereby activating the body’s natural healing power. For full details, prices and bookings, please call Ann Treagus on 07841 460095 or pick up a leaflet from Occupational Health for more details.

• Indian head massage: A relaxing massage to upper back, arms, shoulders, neck, head and face. Relieves tension and improves concentration.

(25-30 mins, £12) Stress and tension busting massage:

Upper back, neck and shoulders. Gives relief from headaches and posture-related tensions. (12-15 mins, £6)

Taster sessions now available. For full details or to book a treatment please contact Sheila Shoesmith on 07929 951192 or email [email protected]

• Sports massage and full body massage: For all of you whose muscles ache after a hard day’s training. For full details, prices or bookings, please contact Louise Holder on extension 5503 or email [email protected]

Treatments are to be taken in your own time and at your own expense.

Winter 2007 | Communicator

University update 07

The University of Portsmouth is working closely with Hampshire Constabulary to crack down on bike crime with the introduction of a revolutionary new locking system, developed by University police officer PC Dave Fairbrother.

It works by automatically sending a text to a security office to trigger the system to guard it when the owner locks up their bicycle. If someone then moves or tries to move the bicycle, a sensor in the lock emits a silent alarm, which triggers a CCTV camera to zoom in and take a picture. The sensor also sends an alarm to security staff and flashes up live images from the camera on to their monitors. A security guard can then be sent to investigate.

The locks are currently being piloted in the areas outside Park and King Henry Buildings and there are plans to expand the system first to the area around Richmond Building and then, funding permitting, the rest of the campus. Funding is coming from both the University and Hampshire Constabulary and so far £6,000 has been spent on the initial phase of the project. There is now a further £18,000 in the pot to allow this scheme to be rolled out further.

In October 2006 there were nine reported bicycle thefts compared to only one this October – which was a bike that did not have one of the new locks.

The locks themselves have been designed and produced by SoS Response of Winchester, who have done a great deal of research and may even start promoting the locks nationally. The system has a great deal of potential if other organisations and companies decide to follow suit to combat bike crime. Head of Campus Environment Tony Davis has also been demonstrating the locks to other universities.

PC Fairbrother said: ‘The beauty of it is that it works because in effect, it’s the bike telling us that it’s being stolen! Even if the thief tries to smash the lock, we’ll still be onto them as the signal gets sent as soon as the lock is moved. We’re really pleased with how it’s all going.’

This year saw the introduction of a new development in halls induction called e-intro, which is a collaborative and innovative development project for halls induction involving Campus Services, the University Web Team and the Russell Partnership (an external consultancy with software expertise specialising in online induction methods).

This type of halls induction method is unique to the University of Portsmouth.It is a personalised, online, interactive, module-based, pre-arrival presentation for hall students covering important topics such as checking into halls, key detail and obligations of their halls contract, meeting staff, health and safety, the implications of property damage and its cost and personal security.

The benefits for students is that they have access to important information as soon as they arrive, which they can look back on at any time. Students can also choose and register their arrival date and time slot online and print out their halls contract.

This also gives the University an effective vehicle for getting information to students, an easy method of managing student check-in arrival and an easy method of spreading arrivals more evenly through the day and forecasting arrivals volume for any given period.

United to combat bike crimee-intro – new in halls for 2007

At the end of November the University submitted ten subject areas for consideration by research assessment panels. These included the research work of about 250 staff and details of grants achieved and of postgraduate research students. The outcomes from these assessments will be known in December 2008 and they will affect our funding from HEFCE from 2009.

The subject areas submitted to the research assessment panels are: • Allied Health Professions and Studies • Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences • Applied Mathematics • Computer Science and Informatics • Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering • Geography and Environmental Studies • Business and Management Studies • Psychology • European Studies • Art and Design.

The RAE submissions include details of published outputs, reflections on the research environment in each subject area, plans for the continuing development of research work and information on the many ways in which our staff are esteemed in their research communities. Together they show how well we have focused our resources on promoting the strongest research.

The RAE evaluates only some of our research activities as it focuses principally on enquiry-driven research and peer reviewed published outputs. Many people have also been successful in gaining contracts to support applied problem-solving research for a wide range of organisations which help them to operate more efficiently, effectively and profitably. The success of this work is reflected in a separate funding stream (HEIF) from HEFCE. We shall be informed of this allocation in March 2008.

The Research Assessment Exercise

Communicator | Winter 2007

08 Board of Governors

Board of Governors: a year in reviewWhat does the Board of Governors do?Have you ever wondered what the Board of Governors do or indeed who they are? The Board of Governors has ultimate responsibility for the University’s management and administration and is made up of 25 people – 18 external members, one student, four members of staff, the Vice-Chancellor and the President of the Students’ Union.

The Board ensures that the management is accountable for their actions and observes the seven principles of public life – selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

The Board works under a committee structure, which enables clear decision-making, is democratic and inclusive and also allows freedom of speech so that all members get to have their say. Staff are well-represented on the Board, as academic, support and teaching staff members are all there. For further information visit www.port.ac.uk/boardofgovernors

Who are the Directorate and what are they responsible for?The Directorate comprises the Vice-Chancellor, assisted by three Pro Vice-Chancellors and the Director of Finance. Current areas of responsibility are as follows.

Dr David Arrell External Relations, Research and Knowledge Transfer Services, Personnel Services, Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities, Management Development.

Rebecca Bunting Academic Student Support, Library, Registry, Learning and Teaching, Curriculum and Quality Enhancement Development, International Office.

Professor John Craven Deans of Faculty: Business, Creative and Cultural Industries, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Technology. Plus Planning and Marketing.

Professor John Turner Campus Services, Estates, Information Services, Sport and Recreation.

Emma Woollard Finance Department.

The Directorate holds formal meetings each week to coordinate and progress the management of the University.

In addition, Sally Hartley, Clerk to the Board of Governors and University Secretary, has management responsibility for a wide range of legal duties.

Winter 2007 | Communicator

09Board of Governors

The University’s response to these challenges has been to focus its investments in key areas aimed at improving the student experience. One example has been the striking extension to the University Library, which was completed in December 2006. The new three-floor library complex is a prototype for an energy efficient modern working and learning space, utilising the full potential of wireless and internet technologies. It includes an enlarged IT workspace area and full internet access throughout the building, offering access to enhanced collections of e-books and journals as well as more traditional printed material. Other investments have included expenditure on enhancing the University’s estate and front-line IT services to students, and in the area of widening participation and raising the educational aspirations of potential students with our local catchment area.

A further important action has been the introduction of a more extensive bursaries scheme. Bursaries are now offered to first year students who are charged the enhanced fee and who come from lower income families. From 2007/08 these bursaries have been extended to continuing students and a bursary for students transferring from local FE colleges has also been introduced. The University is especially pleased to be able to offer a number of personal bursaries, targeted at individual students with particular circumstances, so reaching those with greatest need.

Charging the increased tuition fee has resulted in an additional £6m of income to the University. In addition to the actions noted above, a significant proportion of this supported the implementation of the new national pay framework agreement, which the University was pleased to implement from August 2005 and which added more than three per cent to the University’s pay bill.

As a result of these and other initiatives, I am pleased to report a number of successes over the past year. A recent National Student Survey placed the University of Portsmouth in the top 20 UK universities for overall student satisfaction. Applications for home students has shown an increase from levels prior to the introduction of top-up fees and international student applications have also recovered.

Other notable achievements during the year have included the success of the Business School in achieving AMBA accreditation for its MBA courses, whilst tight financial controls have enabled the University to achieve a small surplus on 2006/07, significantly better than the budgeted position and an improvement on the deficit recorded in 2005/06.

These successes have been achieved through the consistent and combined efforts of the executive leadership, academic and support staff and the Students’ Union, and I would like to thank you all for what you have done over the past year.

Turning to the future, the University developed a new Strategic Plan during the year, setting out our aspirations for the next five years.

We confirmed the University’s mission: ‘to aim for excellence in the creation, interpretation and communication of knowledge and of the vision of our University as a leader in education’.

As part of this we stated our clear intention to be the first choice for students in our natural catchment area and to maintain our position in the upper echelons of the new universities. We aim to be central to the attraction of innovative employers in knowledge-based industries and we will engage with local employers to enhance the reputation and economic wellbeing of the region. We shall maintain our international profile in research and teaching and continue to attract significant numbers of students from many countries. The Strategic Plan sets out in detail how we intend to fulfil these intentions.

Key to helping us achieve these aims is the University’s well established financial stability, allowing it to focus on investing on its core ambitions and continuing its long-term programme of enhancing its physical and technical infrastructure, while responding to the challenges of the Leitch Report and any further Government review of the fees regime.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the commitment of my predecessor, Phillip Webb, who retired as Chairman of the Board of Governors in October 2007. The University’s ambitions are firmly rooted in its record of success and continuing strengths, and Phillip’s contribution to this is worthy of recognition.

David FergusonChairman of the Board of Governors

Chairman’s Report 2006/07Over the past two years, the University has been facing a number of challenges. Chief amongst these has been the introduction of top-up fees, as a result of which, home/EU full-time undergraduate students are now charged an increased tuition fee of £3,000. This created the potential to reduce significantly the number of such students applying for undergraduate places, whilst in addition, increased global competition has led to a reduction in the number of overseas students applying to the University.

Communicator | Winter 2007

10 Staff success

The University Library extension has won Best New Building in the Portsmouth Society’s annual design awards competition. The judges have praised it, saying it is an excellent building in every respect.

Dental Therapy Tutor Judy Fraser has won second prize in the Professional Teacher of the Year competition – and before she has even finished her teacher training! Mrs Fraser was nominated by her students for the Dental Defence Union Education Awards and made the national finals.

Mrs Fraser joined the University’s School of Professionals Complementary to Dentistry as a tutor in October 2005 and is due to complete her formal teacher training qualification next summer.

‘I love teaching. The students are all different but we are aiming for them all to achieve a gold standard as dental care professionals. It is very rewarding. When I heard I had been short-listed, it was the first time I have ever been speechless. I am honoured and proud, though I also know I am still learning how to be a good teacher.’

The finals took place in London on 7 November, where Mrs Fraser had to give a 15-minute presentation and take part in a Q&A session. At the end of the day, an award ceremony took place and she was presented with a certificate and engraved trophy.

In July, Kay Underhay from Portsmouth Business School was amongst the first cohort of students from the Foundation Degree in Business and Management to graduate. But before starting the course, she wondered whether she would be able to cope.

‘Soon after starting the course, I was bitten by the studying bug,’ Kay says. ‘The last three years have been a real challenge, but studying at home alongside my daughter Rosie, who was doing her GCSEs and A Levels, and son Max, who’s now studying for a Business and Enterprise Degree at Portsmouth Business School was fantastic. We were all inspired to work harder.’

During her studies, Kay has gained confidence, improved her presentation skills and been promoted to her current role of Jupiter Implementation Specialist as a direct result of having taken on the Foundation degree.

‘The support I received from my family and the staff at the Portsmouth Business School was fantastic.’

Kay has now enrolled on the BA (Hons) Business and Management, which will involve a further 18 months of study including a dissertation and she is also continuing to learn Mandarin through the Institution-Wide Language Programme.

Library wins design award

University Librarian Ian Bonar said the 3,000 sq ft concrete, cedar, oak and glass extension had won acclaim from nearly everyone who stepped through the door. Ian said: ‘We are very pleased with it – there are all sorts of design elements that make it a library fit for the 21st century.’

One of the most impressive aspects of the library are its green credentials, which include using rainwater to flush toilets, a natural ventilation system and minimal energy use, in regard to temperature control and lighting.

Portsmouth Society Chairman Celia Clark said: ‘There are many reasons why the library won the award. We liked everything about it. It is very, very beautiful – the light, the materials, the fact it’s a green building. But it’s not just the aesthetics, it’s how it functions and the clarity of planning by the architects is excellent. It is an excellent building. We are particularly thrilled when we see magnificent public buildings.’

The building was designed by Penoyre & Prasad after the firm won the Royal Institute of British Architects competition to find a designer.

The award plaque will be unveiled by the Lord Mayor later this year. The original library also won the Best New Building award in 1993 and the Students’ Union building won the same award in 2003.

Dentistry tutor can smile after making national finals

Bitten by the study bug!

Winter 2007 | Communicator

11Staff success

The accolades include Best Environment Project for Wildlife Conservation and first place trophies for Environmental Projects, Community and Neighbourhood and Historic Gardens. This year was the first time the department had entered the competition so they were also awarded the Best Newcomer prize.

Ravelin Park, which is University-owned, is one of Portsmouth’s few green areas, houses the University Library, the Students’ Union, Town Mount, William Beatty, The Rotunda, Forensics House and Ravelin House itself. Ravelin House was home to Viscount Montgomery, who commanded the ninth Infantry Brigade and the Portsmouth garrison during World War Two and now houses the University’s Institute of Criminal Justice Studies.

During the transformation, the existing gravel path was updated to grass to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) legislation, which states that gravel is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Head of Campus Environment Tony Davis said: ‘Before work began on the park in 2002, it was an eyesore; you couldn’t keep tabs on what was going on in it because you couldn’t see through the undergrowth! At one time, two tramps moved into the park and it was days before we knew they were there!’

Now the park is beautifully landscaped and designed, with different areas of the park allocated for different things. There is a lawn area to the front of Ravelin House with herbaceous borders and numerous trees. There is also a nature trail for children, a meadow and even an orchard, complete with bee hives, which produce honey for the local farmers’ market. A corridor of beech trees is also planned for the near future.

The meadow is the area dedicated to insects and since its creation the number of insects living there has grown continuously. Since the hedgerows have been in the park, the number of birds nesting there has also gone up and a bird of prey was even spotted there.

Tony added: ‘The park is such a lovely place for students, staff and members of the community to go; people have respect for it and therefore treat it well. Although we are pleased with the awards we won, the real rewards are the comments from people saying how lovely the park is.’

Lecturer’s book exhibited in OzArt, Design and Media Senior Lecturer, Dr Maureen O’Neill, has had her new book Searching for Mapness accepted for the exhibition ‘Books 07 Works of the Imagination: the search for the impossible’, which ran from 24 August–30 September at the Noosa Regional Gallery in Australia.

‘Through my research and implications for a taxonomy in highlighting the importance of symbol and colour as main elements involved in the encoding of maps, this project tests the notion of isolating these particular map conventions and attributes and then re-connecting them in the form of an artist’s book,’ Maureen said.

Feedback from the gallery has been very complimentary about the book and Queensland State Library has requested to purchase the book for their collection.

For more information go to www.mappassion.com/p12/index.htm

Andy Thorpe, Andrew Baio and David Whitmarsh of the Centre for the Economics and Management of Aquatic Resources (CEMARE), have received a British Council DelPHE award, along with two other institutions, to develop a resource governance framework for poverty reduction in the artisanal fisheries of Sierra Leone.

Commencing in Autumn 2007 and extending over three years, the project will involve a series of workshops and symposia in Sierra Leone aimed at strengthening local expertise and enhancing the country’s capacity to manage fisheries sustainably.

In the coastal communities, small scale fisheries play a crucial role in supporting livelihoods and maintaining food security. A key theme will be to look for ways of devolving fisheries management to the local level, a strategy which it is hoped will not only help to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger but also reduce conflict arising from disempowerment and inequality.

Seeds of success at Ravelin ParkYears of hard work improving and making over Ravelin Park have finally paid off for the Campus Environment Department, who have recently won five awards at the Portsmouth in Bloom competition.

British Council award for CEMARE

Communicator | Winter 2007

12 Research round up

To help the University meet its strategic aims of increased employer engagement, R&KTS have introduced a software tool known as a Customer Relationship Manager (CRM). A specific programme called Maximiser was the chosen solution.

The initial phase of implementation was trialling the software; this consisted of testing Maximiser and making sure that it was fit for purpose. Given the positive nature of this trial, the decision was to taken to pilot it across four departments within Purple Door.

These departments had differing portfolios of requirement and as a result it was essential to implement a system that was flexible and robust enough to deal with such demands.

So far the CRM has proved a very worthwhile investment and as more people adopt the system it will become an increasingly powerful tool with which to track the essential relationships we build with both stakeholders and customers. Besides the implied uses of a CRM, it also provides a means of tracking funding applications and contracts as well as automating milestone reporting mechanisms. Being able to proactively drill into the data ensures projects are delivered on time and to high standards.

What’s on in R&KTS?R&KTS is offering a series of workshops and seminars focusing on developments and best practice with regard to funding opportunities, knowledge transfer activities and research and knowledge transfer policy and issues.

Some of these workshops will feature external speakers from regional bodies, government agencies and funding organisations, while others will be led by established and successful academic staff who wish to impart their experience and hindsight.

Portsmouth mathematician Dr Andrew Burbanks joined forces with other researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, Bristol and Keio in Japan, to present a prestigious Royal Society Summer Science Exhibit entitled ‘Dynamics of Spin: Toys with surprising dynamics and tantalizing connections to natural phenomena,’ which uses surprising mechanical toys to illustrate behaviours that seem to defy the laws of physics.

The Royal Society is the national academy of science of the UK, supporting many top young scientists and taking part in the debate of scientific issues with the public. Each year, its Summer Science Exhibition provides an opportunity for the general public to discover the best of the UK’s science and technology research.

The exhibits are chosen from a host of proposals which compete to be selected for the Exhibition.

The exhibit aims to use interesting and surprising toys to explain the complex ideas behind natural phenomena. The toys exhibited included spinning eggs that rise against gravity (demonstrating dissipative instability); so-called skew objects (known as rattlebacks) that spontaneously reverse their direction of spin (an example of spin asymmetry, one manifestation of chiral dynamics); and spinning discs that roll around their rim at an accelerating rate towards a crisis point (a finite-time singularity) at which motion suddenly ceases.

By using mathematics, coupled with computation and high-speed photography, explanations are provided for each of these surprising and counter-intuitive behaviours.

The Dynamics of Spin exhibit was voted in the top three among those at the festival and the team has been invited to give further exhibits at TechFest in India and at the Brighton Science Festival 2008.

Improving employer engagement

12 December Rainbow Session – ‘I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas’ – Living with Environmental Change

16 January PhD Supervisor Training

23 January Rainbow Session – Public Security = Private Invasion?

30 January Institutional Repositories

06 February Experiences of an Evaluator

13 February UK Research Office

20 February Rainbow Session – SMEs and Risk: Aversion or Attraction?

27 February ESRC in Context

05 March Costing Research and Consultancy

12 March Research Projects: Planning, Execution and Delivery

09 April Rainbow Session – ‘We have the Technology’: Towards the Bionic Man

15 April Writing up your Research for Publication

16 April Winning Grant Funding

23 April British Academy visit

07 May Intellectual Property and Knowledge Transfer

21 May Rainbow Session – Energy

28 May Publicising your Research

04 June Patent Searching on the Internet

18 June Rainbow Session – Olympics 2012

25 June Commercialisation of Research

For further information on any of these events, please go to www.port.ac.uk/rkts/events

Defying the laws of physics

Winter 2007 | Communicator

13Research round up

Psychology lecturer Endre Kadar’s research into safe driving has revealed that people are much better at driving safely than any robotic system invented to date. For years we have been told that robots and computers would be safer drivers than people, but Dr Kadar’s ten-year research study shows this is just not the case.

His work concentrates on learning where drivers look and how what they see affects their driving, especially at high speed. He discovered that scientists have a lot further to go in devising technology that improves on human behaviour behind the wheel.

He said: ‘Humans are a lot cleverer than we think. You put them in difficult situations, which are changing all the time and they still react better and more quickly than any automatic system invented so far. A computer should be able to drive more safely than a human but despite all the money car manufacturers are spending trying to develop this technology, the fact remains, that people are better than machines at driving.’

Dr Kadar is now studying how the human eye works when the need for accuracy is paramount, such as when driving at low speed in built-up areas.

Dr Firman, of the School of Biological Sciences, joined other world-class scientists at a conference in the US in October, where they presented a ‘road map’, designed to put nanotechnology at the forefront of science policy and influence decisions about how and where it is used.

Nanotechnology is a field of applied science on a molecular scale. Scientists in the field are creating devices so small that tens of thousands would fit across a strand of human hair. Current uses of nanotechnology include medicine, where it is used to visualise faulty enzymes and in cosmetics as smoothing creams.

Dr Firman gave a summary of biological molecular motors and their potential uses in bionanotechnology, followed by details about his development of a highly miniaturised device for sensing, in the environment and in healthcare.

His ‘nanoactuator’ or switch, could play a key role in thousands of applications such as molecular-sized valves, sensing systems and pumps driven by biological fuels.

The presentation was well received and is a significant component of the road map, which is now in the final stages of production. Dr Firman’s presentation was an interesting comparison to the two Feynman presentations that described miniature, artificial, chemical motors with similar capabilities in nanotechnology.

‘Our work is driving research and applications in a host of areas with the potential to influence every aspect of our lives,’ said Dr Firman. ‘This kind of synthetic biology and bio-nanotechnology needs to be recognised as an important and exciting area of research and one which has enormous future potential. Our involvement is an exciting opportunity for both the University and the city of Portsmouth.’

Head of the School of Biological Sciences, Dr Matt Guille, has received a grant to research the use of computer imaging technologies for identifying individual frogs used in research.

The award was announced in September by the Secretary of State for Science and Innovation, Ian Pearson, as part of a package of funding worth £2.4 million from the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs).

Dr Guille, working with Professor Elizabeth Jones at the University of Warwick and software engineers Solcom, will pioneer a new method of identifying individual frogs using digital imaging which measures the patterns of the frogs’ backs and feet.

‘Thousands of frogs are kept in laboratories

throughout the UK, mainly they are used to produce eggs and embryos to study development. In order to meet their welfare requirements it is necessary for frogs to be kept in large groups so they feel protected and feed normally. Individual frogs need to be identifiable so that their welfare can be monitored and to determine which experiment they are part of, this has been done for example by branding, toe-clipping or microchips. A new method is being pioneered which measures a pattern on the backs and feet of the animal using digital imaging and is therefore not harmful to the frog. If successful, this technique will be marketed commercially,’ said Dr Guille.

Dr Guille’s grant is one of 11 awarded by the NC3Rs to examine alternatives to the use of animals for research in UK.

Bringing tiny technology to the foreBio-nanotechnologist Dr Keith Firman has been invited to join an international committee of leading scientists, whose aim is to influence global science policy and shape the future of nanotechnology.

Grant awarded for frog research

Humans beat machines hands down when driving

Image from an animation showing the motor pulling magnetic beads, which switch a silicon chip below the device. This can be used to screen drugs used in healthcare.

Communicator | Winter 2007

14 Staff development

Online A-Z of informationTo complement other induction activities in place, an A-Z of information for staff has been set up as part of the Staff Essentials website. This is intended to help all staff find essential information about a whole host of issues with as few ‘mouseclicks’ as possible. We welcome feedback on what more could be included in the listing. Email [email protected] with your ideas.

EAP now offers careers counsellingDid you know that as part of the Employee Assistance Programme provided by Right Corecare, all staff (and their dependants) have access to a Careers Counselling Service? Right Corecare’s career support is a brief and practical intervention, designed to assist you in addressing current careers issues or choices. Support is provided in these areas:

• Information on career options

• Discussions around career decisions

• Practical guidance in areas such as job search, CV writing and interview techniques

You can access this service by simply calling the helpline (0800 1116 387) and booking a telephone appointment, which can last up to one hour. For more information, please visit http://eap.rightcorecare.co.uk Personnel Services seeking dummies…Staff wishing to improve their interview technique are asked to email [email protected] to volunteer to act as dummy interview candidates.

Those taking part are asked to ‘apply’ for a vacancy and be interviewed by panels of staff who are themselves being trained in good recruitment and selection interviewing practice. Dummy interview candidates receive feedback on their performance and how to hone their technique. Previous dummies have reported how the process increases confidence and develops personal presentation skills.

Professor Lewis Elton presenting at Learning and Teaching ConferenceThe Department for Curriculum and Quality Enhancement will be hosting their annual Learning and Teaching Conference on Tuesday 18 December in Richmond Building. Keynote speakers include Professor Lewis Elton, Honorary Professor of Higher Education, University College London, and winner of a Times Higher Lifetime Achievement Award. This year the Conference includes academic papers and workshops that examine the unusual theme of whether students learn more and better when approaches to learning, teaching and assessment that engage, enthuse and entertain are used. Of course, such approaches are not without their challenges and these too will be explored. More information about the Conference can be found at: www.port.ac.uk/xmas2007

Further staff development news to follow in the next edition of Communicator.

New Chancellor Sheila Hancock spent a week at the University in November, meeting and getting to know staff and students and visiting lots of different departments and buildings.

Sheila stayed in Rees Hall and spent the days walking the campus, accompanied by Events Officer Maricar Jagger, who did a wonderful job of keeping the extremely busy programme on schedule.

Sheila was able to gain a real flavour of the University and her packed itinerary included attending a debate in the Students’ Union, taking part in a drama workshop, touring biomedical science and mechanical engineering laboratories, (pictured far right with Senior Technician Phil Bennett) and visiting CCI and its Virtual Reality Room, the ExPERT Centre and the School of Professionals Complementary to Dentistry.

She also looked in on Purple Door, the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, Personnel and Finance, as well as the sports science labs and spent some time with Chaplaincy, the International Office, Student Finance and the Counselling Service. Sheila is pictured below with three members of the student rugby club, who she met during her visit to Langstone sports facilities.

Sheila said she loved spending time with the students and has given plenty of positive feedback about the areas visited and looks forward to returning soon. An event to welcome her as Chancellor to the University is being planned for next spring.

Staff development updateThe last issue of Communicator included an article on the work of the Staff Development Group and the new online Staff Development Calendar in particular. This is the first in a series of regular updates on staff development from the Group, highlighting events and issues of interest.

New Chancellor spends a week on campus

Winter 2007 | Communicator

Adam Smith has been influential for more than two centuries and his work has been quoted more often than that of most economists. Many politicians who rely on him for moral support forget that his conclusions rest on some strong foundations – including judgements that sit well with his Presbyterian origins. For example: general prosperity is threatened if some people are influential enough to bias the outcome for their own benefit; people whose businesses fail should be rescued not by government policy, but only by their freedom to start again in another trade; decision makers should have access to robust and independent information. It is the last of these that makes me regret the ending of the RAE.

A culture of targets and corporate objectives can obscure the important contribution made by professional people who want to perform as well as possible. The external reputation of an individual, a research group, a degree course or a professional support area often motivates people more strongly than any corporate objective – and I believe the lesson of Adam Smith that their success in pursuing their own self-interests can help the University to prosper, providing that we can identify who is doing the best work.

Our recent RAE submissions reflect the fact that we have tried to support selectively only the best quality research.

To do that, and to meet one of Adam Smith’s Presbyterian judgements, those who allocate resources need access to robust and independent information on what is worth supporting. People have rarely said that the way in which the RAE is conducted through expert review is unfair and I believe that it does give us reliable information on the quality of our research. The government has said that there should not be another RAE and this will make it harder for us to decide how we use our limited resources to allow the self-motivated people undertaking best work to flourish.

John CravenVice-Chancellor

Last word 15

The first selection is for a new initiative for young people who come from care or who have previously been homeless. The Student Finance Centre set up a working group to identify barriers to entering higher education for these potential students. They teamed up with Marketing and Student Housing and worked closely with social workers, staff and clients of the local Foyer for Homeless Young People. The result was the introduction of a special financial support package based on a £1,000 bursary and services tailored to their specific needs.

Mary Hawkins, Head of the Student Finance Centre was once in care herself. She said: ‘Our aim is to ensure that care leavers and previously homeless students have the same

opportunities to be successful at the University of Portsmouth as students from other backgrounds. I appreciate more than most people what a little extra help can mean.’

Dr Bran Nicol was short-listed by the THES in the category of young academic author of the year for his book, Stalking. The work is a study of the cultural representations of stalking behaviour in literature film and the visual arts and examines a wide range of texts, film and novels. The Times called it ‘a fascinating mix of psychology, film studies, literature and cultural theory.’

More than 90 per cent of UK universities entered in one category or more in the third annual THES awards.

The winners will be announced at a event in London on 29 November.

UP for national awards

Whenever I go to a cash machine, I think about the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). The reason lies with Adam Smith, an eighteenth century Scottish economist whose picture is on the twenty-pound note and who is credited as the first to say that the economy will prosper if people are free to trade with one another in pursuit of their own self-interests.

Last word

Contribution Awards Scheme 2008The University is introducing a Contribution Awards Scheme for all academic and support staff up to and including grade 9. There will be two rounds followed by a review of the scheme at the end of the year. For more information, please visit www.port.ac.uk/personnel

The University of Portsmouth has been short-listed for two prizes in The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) annual education awards. The Student Finance Centre is short-listed in the category of outstanding student financial support package and Dr Bran Nicol, (pictured) Senior Lecturer in English Literature, made the final list for young academic author of the year.

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