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INSIDE UCSIssue 2, Spring 2011
FEATURING
James Hehir Building opens
UCS re-branded
LEAP into the future
A new generation of nurses and midwives
Shaping carers of the future
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Message from the Provost
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James Hehir Building welcomes first students The first cohort of UCS students have moved into the £22m James Hehir Building, a six storey building based at the Ipswich Campus, close to the main Waterfront Building. In January, students began using the specialist teaching facilities which include clinical skills, physiology and sports science laboratories.
The ground floor is home to the UCS Union bar, Kai, that opened in November 2010 and offers students a café and bar space in which to socialise. Kai is open to staff, students and the general public.
The first floor features informal learning spaces for students and is home to the i-Lab: an inspirational facility designed for group work and to be used for anything from team-building and problem-solving to strategic planning and the development of creative ideas.
Undergraduate and postgraduate students from Nursing, Midwifery, Radiography, Social Care and Operating Department Practice courses have the opportunity to learn and develop clinical skills within three practical rooms based on the second floor. These rooms feature state-of-the-art facilities including an observation area, high fidelity computerised manikins which enhance the development of safe practice and hospital beds and equipment to create a contextualised environment for learning.
The third floor is comprised of the Human Physiology laboratories; this includes the main Physiology laboratory and the Blood Working and Analytical laboratory. As well as helping to develop graduates who have the underlying scientific theory and practical skills required to work in a real world context, the laboratories are also designed to facilitate the research and consultancy portfolio at UCS and provide a full range of scientific support services.
Specialist bioscience teaching and research facilities are located on the fourth floor, providing students with the opportunity to utilise practical skills in analytical and biochemical techniques. Specialist equipment includes molecular imaging for gene expression analysis, DNA amplification apparatus and gas chromatography for the analysis of fat content in foods.
The new Biotechnology Unit is also based on this floor and will accommodate twenty research staff. The Unit, which is supported by Suffolk County Council and the East of England Development Agency, has attracted academic and commercial sector partners and provides specialist equipment for use in such fields as laser capture microdissesction for single cell analysis.
The official opening of the James Hehir Building took place place on Wednesday 30 March and the occasion was marked with a time capsule being submerged within the grounds of the building.
Our survey said The National Student Survey (NSS) 2011 was officially launched at UCS in February. It provides final year students with the opportunity to give their opinions on what they liked about their time at UCS, as well as things that could be improved.
The theme ‘Speak Up’ has been used on promotional material to encourage all final year students to participate in the independent survey which takes place throughout the HE sector in spring each year. UCS takes feedback from its students very seriously and is working hard to maximise response rates.
The survey consists of twenty-two questions across six aspects of the student experience: teaching, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources and personal development. Each School, Learning Network Centre and central support department produced an action plan in response to the issues raised in last year’s survey. Some of the improvements already made have been incorporated in the ‘you said, we did’ campaign endorsed by UCS Union.
The NSS is only one of the many ways in which UCS seeks feedback from students on ways in which the learning experience can be enhanced. Other methods include the ‘entry questionnaire’ for first year students and end of module feedback. With the support of UCS Union, student representatives are also able to feedback the views of their fellow students to course leaders.
In addition, from April, UCS will also conduct a similar survey to that of the NSS amongst students who are not in their final year of study.
This year has also seen the establishment of the Student Experience Group chaired by the Professor Mike Saks, UCS Provost and Chief Executive. This high level committee, which reports to the Executive Group and Academic Board, gives a focus for UCS staff and students working in partnership to continuously improve every aspect of the UCS experience.
News Round Up
Contents
News Round Up 2-3
Hot Topic 4
School Feature 5-6
Research and Enterprise 7-8
UCS Students 9
UCS Staff 10
Events Guide 11
Talk to usGet in touch and tell us what you think of ‘INSIDEUCS’. We want to hear your views on the latest issue and find out what you would like to see in the next ‘INSIDEUCS’ due in Summer 2011. An online copy can be found at ucs.ac.uk or on the Wolsey intranet site accessible by all current UCS staff and students. We hope you enjoy reading the latest issue of ‘INSIDEUCS’ and look forward to hearing your views.
I am very pleased to say that the new Strategy for UCS flagged in the last issue of ‘INSIDEUCS’ has now been signed off by the UCS Board and that the updated School and Directorate structures have been implemented. This complements new infrastructure developments, including the formal opening of the stunning James Hehir Building on the Waterfront on Ipswich in March 2011.
Attention has now turned increasingly to ensuring that we recruit the very best staff at UCS. In this regard, I am delighted to announce that we have appointed Professor David Weir as the new Head of the School of Business, Leadership and Enterprise. He has an outstanding profile in this field - having previously been Head of four major Business Schools and the national Association of Business Schools in the UK.
In addition to this, we have recently appointed twelve Visiting Professors and ten Visiting Senior Fellows to UCS. All of these prestigious appointments have outstanding profiles at national/international and/or regional/local level. They span from leading figures in the arts and social sciences to subject experts in health and the natural sciences. Their profiles will appear in the next issue of ‘INSIDEUCS’.
As a result of these appointments and the activities of existing staff, the academic gravitas of UCS is undoubtedly growing. This is critical for a number of reasons – to raise our profile, to enhance the scholarly basis of our teaching and learning, to promote research and enterprise, and to provide added incentives for students to come to UCS during the implementation of increased tuition fees from 2012 onwards.
All of this is very encouraging as UCS develops – as is the fact that we now have one of the best websites in the country (www.ucs.ac.uk) and applications to UCS for 2011 are currently up by five times the national average. As this publication also highlights, we should feel proud of UCS and its contribution to vital agendas in Suffolk and beyond as a ‘can do’ institution – seeking to positively excite, provoke and enhance achievement on a wide canvas.
I hope very much that you enjoy the latest issue of ‘INSIDEUCS’.
Professor Mike SaksProvost and Chief ExecutiveUniversity Campus Suffolk
Welcome
James Hehir Building
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UCS given positive en-dorsement UCS has received positive feedback from the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).
Learning opportunities and academic standards for students at the University of Essex’s partner institutions, including UCS, have been given the seal of approval by the QAA.
The audit of the University’s collaborative partnerships, published on 3 December 2010, highlighted the University’s positive management of academic standards. The audit covered the University’s joint provision with the University of East Anglia at UCS as well as its partnerships with Colchester Institute, South Essex College, Writtle College, Kaplan Open Learning and the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.
The University of Essex received a judgement of ‘confidence’ in the management of academic standards and in the management of the quality of learning opportunities available to students across partner institutions. The QAA highlighted seven areas of good practice, including two specific to UCS.
Professor Mike Saks, Provost at UCS, said: “The QAA report is most pleasing as it contains very good outcomes for UCS which underlines the high quality standards set and achieved.”
‘Chypp’ off the new block
The School of Applied Social Sciences has had its first online BA (Hons) degree validated, receiving five commendations from the panel.
BA (Hons) Children, Young People and Policy is an exciting, innovative course which offers students the flexibility to study for their degree using a variety of new media technologies. Dr Emma Bond worked with Sarah Richards, Mark Stallabrass, Stuart Agnew, Stuart Barton and Jessica Clark to develop the new programme in
partnership with the Suffolk Children’s Trust in order to meet demand created by recent transformations in children and young people’s services. Following its highly successful validation, the course will be available from September 2011 – Jessica Clark will be the new Course Leader.
Dr Emma Bond has also become the new Course Leader for the recently validated postgraduate course, MA Childhood and Youth Studies, which will also run from September 2011.
Lecture shines light on religion in the modern world
Former Bishop of Oxford (1987-2006), Professor Lord Harries of Pentregarth, spoke on inter-faith issues at a special lecture entitled ‘Christianity and Islam in the Modern World’, organised in conjunction with the Suffolk Inter-Faith Resource Centre (SIFRE).
Lord Harries, a regular contributor to BBC’s Today programme, addressed around 120 attendees at the lecture which was held at the UCS Waterfront Building in Ipswich on Thursday 13 January.
Speaking on BBC Radio Suffolk’s Rob Dunger Sunday breakfast show, Lord Harries explained why he wanted to explore how the two faiths shared values.
“I want to move on to give some principles about how Christians and Muslims can relate to each other,” he said.
“It’s very important to say that dialogue between religions doesn’t just take place between theologians or church leaders. It takes place whenever two people are chatting at the bus stop or the newsagents.”
Enterprise Tuesdays
Dr Steve Barnes, a lecturer in Entrepreneurship at UCS, has launched ‘Enterprise Tuesdays’- a series of drop-in sessions for anybody with aspirations of starting their own business.
The sessions are held on a Tuesday evening once a month between 5:00pm and 7:30pm in the foyer of the UCS Waterfront Building in Ipswich with key industry experts on hand to give free advice to budding entrepreneurs in a relaxed and informal setting.
The scheme is headed up and supported by Kastra, a new Business Incubator, which forms part of the overall Innovation Martlesham development currently underway at Adastral Park.
At present there is nowhere else in Suffolk offering a free one-to-one expert advice service to budding entrepreneurs. UCS provides the ideal setting for discussion about business ideas with experienced mentors who have either started their own business or been instrumental in helping others start theirs. The sessions are open to anyone interested who has a business idea which they would like to discuss.
For further details of the next drop-in session, please contact Dr Steve Barnes at [email protected] or call 07774 625762.
Careers Fair does the job Over 40 exhibitors packed out the foyer of the Waterfront Building at the Ipswich Campus on Thursday 17 March for the annual Careers Fair.
Graduates, students and the general public came along to take advantage of a range of employment opportunities with exhibitors ranging from the Royal Navy to BBC Radio Suffolk. Any career queries can be sent to [email protected] or call 01473 338400.
A brand new UCS
Launch of new Applied
Social Science courses
Dr Steve Barnes
Professor Lord Harries of Pentregarth
The brand message This is the opening message of the new UCS brand and identity toolkit. The toolkit harnesses the key statements and messages of the new UCS brand, demonstrating our values and achievements and substantiating our proposition.
Amazing things happen when you connect with the right people. This is the inspiration behind UCS.
We’re a new kind of institution – one that allows you to access the knowledge and resources of two leading universities as well as local colleges and the wider community. A hub where staff and students, science and art, business and education can interact in new and exciting ways.
UCS has been built around you. We harness the latest technology and techniques to help you learn in a way that suits you. From virtual classrooms to international partnerships, everything we do is designed to help you do more – to explore, provoke, engage, challenge and achieve.
As the higher education market is beginning to evolve, so is UCS. The last edition of ‘INSIDEUCS’ looked at the new strategic direction for UCS - specifically relating to developments in international recruitment and the research and enterprise agenda.
In this edition we take a look at the new UCS brand identity and how it will help shape and develop the institution upon entering new and emerging markets.
Over the past twelve months, the External Relations and Marketing Team have been working with London-based brand consultancy Radley Yeldar on developing the UCS brand and identity to position UCS within the new marketplace. The
team have ensured that the new brand is an evolution of an already well established brand, rather than a complete revolution; developing key messaging statements, alongside a new visual identity. The new brand identity is aspirational, illustrating where UCS is moving to rather than where it has come from. It is an identity that reflects UCS today and in the future.
The key elements of the new brand and identity are:
1. New logo
2. Connector graphic
3. Move from University Campus Suffolk to UCS
4. New messaging statements highlighting four key messages
5. New colour palette
The new identity will be rolled out over the next year. The changes will not happen overnight as disposing of all existing material would be expensive and
contravene our sustainability policy, so you will see some material carrying the old look whilst we make the transition. The External Relations and Marketing Team have ensured that the old and new identities can sit alongside each other, so that the change over is as smooth as possible.
Alongside the new brand, the website has been re-launched. The website (www.ucs.ac.uk) is again aspirational, highlighting the areas UCS are moving into more strongly such as international and research and enterprise, with a significant focus on student life and the student experience.
If you have any queries over the use of the new brand please contact Polly Bridgman, Director of External Relations and Marketing, or Caroline Waters, Head of Marketing and Communications. Further details on our new brand and identity can be found on the External Relations and Marketing pages on Wolsey.
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Mark and SimMan - a virtual patient who responds to the treatment and care given.
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The School has taken its aspirations for innovation to every level, developing and pioneering the use of several e-technologies.
“We have made extensive use of the virtual learning environment, development of pod and vodcasts and a popular nursing Facebook site. Most courses within the School have elements of blended learning, maximising resource efficiencies and student learning opportunities.”
In January 2011 the Clinical Skills Centre opened at the James Hehir Building on the Waterfront in Ipswich. This state-of-the-art development expands the learning opportunities across a range of courses, with clinical simulation playing a key role in teaching and learning.
“This huge investment in a state-of-the-art facility offers students new and exciting
opportunities which will improve their practice. Practice and assessment of clinical skills within a ‘safe’ environment is paramount in developing competent practitioners for the future. The School is now embarking on a series of skills events for a wider health and social care audience and we’re looking forward to utilising our state of the art facility further.”
The Nursing and Midwifery Council, with whom Carol still maintains professional registration, has commended the School delivery and given all nursing programmes ‘autonomous review’ status this year.
“The School is well placed to maintain and develop contemporary healthcare education that meets the demands of today, whilst recognising current challenges. Research and enterprise is expanding with some exciting innovations on the horizon which will have an impact on the care and welfare of the population of Suffolk.”
The School of Nursing and Midwifery has over 40 academic staff who contribute to a large number of courses within the two Divisions of Nursing and Practice Learning and Midwifery, includ-ing an expanding provision of Healthcare Practice Foundation degrees and the largest postgraduate provision at UCS.
The School works in close partnership with healthcare providers in the NHS, private and voluntary sectors. Carol Smith, who has extensive experience in healthcare education across both Suffolk and London, says that these partner-ships are pivotal to what the School is trying to achieve.
“All of our teaching and learning is embedded in practice and most of our courses have many elements of assessment based in practice as well as
using more traditional methods. These partnerships with healthcare providers such as NHS Trusts, the Strategic Health Authority and Suffolk County Workforce Group, ensure that our students get not only the best learning experience, but also invaluable links with potential employers. Employment post qualification is excellent and employers consistently give positive feedback regarding the quality of our courses. Our graduates have an excellent record of achievement and progression in the NHS and beyond and many return for postgraduate study.”
The School is not standing still however and aspires to be recognised as a centre of excellence that continues to reflect changing workforce demands.
“Mentorship and Education for Health and Social Care Practitioners are well de-veloped courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and help prepare the next generation of practitioners. The School has a track record of education innovation in developing contemporary programmes and expanding the use of technology and we are planning to be the first at UCS to host an e-conference later in the year, focusing on practice learning.”
The School of Nursing and Midwifery is renowned as
a key education provider for nurses and midwives, as
well as being integral to the expanding pre-professional
workforce in Suffolk and Great Yarmouth. With around
720 students based within the School, it has fast
become an invaluable contributor to the healthcare
workforce both regionally and nationally.
We talked to Carol Smith, Head of the School of
Nursing and Midwifery, to find out how the School has
progressed and what lies ahead in the future.
Welcome to the School of Nursing and Midwifery
Name: Mark Balaam Course: Adult Nursing Year of study: Second
I joined UCS after deciding I wanted a career change and began working in a nursing home. Here I became inspired and decided to do my training to become a qualified nurse.
I like the fact that the course is divided into 50% theory and 50% practice. This cohesion of lessons and learning enables you to gain knowledge about the hypothesis of nursing and train in a practical setting. Another advantage is that you get to experience a period of practice time in different nursing environments such as hospital wards and theatres, and community nursing which makes it possible for you to think about the area of nursing you may wish to practise in once you’ve trained. We are also extremely fortunate to be able to learn in the new James Hehir Building; an ultra-modern clinical environment. There are several high-tech simulated clinical settings where we can train and enhance our nursing practice.
There is a remarkable amount of student support where we can get active help and encouragement. Each student has a designated personal tutor who acts as a point of contact throughout the whole three years of the course. Plus there is the team of pre-registration nursing lecturers who are all very approachable and only too pleased to help students out with any concerns and worries they might have. There is also a great team of study skills tutors who are on-hand to support students with their competencies for academic writing, maths and statistics and computer skills. We also have the Students’ Union and whilst on placements not only are we provided with a mentor who supports students to meet their learning objectives, but there is also the clinical facilitator who provides help and reassurance whilst in a clinical setting.
It has taken a lot of commitment, time and effort, but I am immensely pleased with what I have achieved so far on my course at UCS and feel proud to be entering a profession that cares and contributes to people’s quality of life.
In Focus - From Tokyo to SuffolkThis academic year, 12 students accompanied by two Professors visited UCS from Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. This year’s visit by staff and students marked the tenth anniversary of the collaboration between Keio University and UCS.
The visiting students, studying international health, are provided with a combination of lectures and tours of practice areas during their five day visit. The visit is supported by Nursing and Midwifery School practice partners, in particular Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust and the two local hospices. Visits to a range of clinics and hospitals in Suffolk provide a varied insight into UK health care provision.
Organiser Heather Passmore, Senior Teaching Practitioner at UCS, said the students thoroughly appreciate lectures from “a wide range of professionals” to learn first hand about “different professional roles within the UK health care system.”
Professor Koike, who led the visit from Keio University, said: “The visit enabled students to thoroughly question and understand similarities and differences in models of healthcare provision.”
Carol Smith
“ Employment post qualification is excellent and employers consistently give positive feedback regarding the quality of our courses.”
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Dr Mirjam Southwell and Chrissie Harrington also presented ‘The Arts, Humanities and Enterprise, Developing HE Models of Good Practice’ at the 33rd Annual ISBE Conference in London in November 2010.
Professor Mike Saks presented a paper on ‘The Creative Role and Work of a New UK University’ to delegates from China at a seminar at St Catherine’s College at Cambridge University organised by the Centre for Business and Public Sector Ethics in January 2011.
Leadership and Enterprise The Norfolk Leadership Academy has had a strong first few months after its launch in September 2010 and, like the Suffolk Leadership Academy, it is receiving excellent reviews. New follow up programmes are now being offered based on Action Learning and Coaching approaches, where delegates explore workplace issues and find new solutions with colleagues and the help of a UCS facilitator.
In order to develop a strong presence in the field of Sustainability, UCS is participating in the Low Carbon ‘KEEP’ programme which offers assistance to local SMEs to help them reduce carbon emissions, within their own business, their supply chain or on behalf of their customers via a new product or service.
The School of Science, Technology and Health has raised half a million pounds from Suffolk County Council and the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) to support the development of a Biotechnology Unit within the new James Hehir Building. In addition to training and skills development the laboratories will provide an invaluable platform for research and funding bids for UCS and its external partners. As part of its enterprise strategy, the School is also actively supporting the creation of new businesses. The money raised through EEDA is being used to scope and test out a new biotechnology business that, if successful, will be based at the UCS Ipswich Campus.
The School of Science, Technology and Health, led by Claire Webb and Louise Coleman, has continued to obtain further funding for projects using the Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training (VERT) suite which is a state of the art facility featuring the latest technology in virtual learning. The aim of these projects is to promote the innovation, development and implementation of new technology to support the recruitment and retention of radiotherapy students at UCS.
In partnership with Ipswich Borough Council, Suffolk County Council, and the Arts Council, UCS is developing a Creative Arts Incubation Hub which will facilitate opportunities for Arts graduates and practitioners, creating a bridge between the development of arts practice and employment.
Graduate School The creation of a Graduate School at UCS will see additional support for the Professional, Personal and Career Development of postgraduate students. From its base in the Office of Research and Enterprise, led by Dr Penny Cavenagh, the Graduate School will run a series of events and activities that enhance the postgraduate learning experience and foster a sense of community and inter-disciplinarity. In the next few months the Graduate School will run workshops on interview and focus group skills, discussion forums and a postgraduate colloquium at which students will be invited to present their dissertation studies. The Graduate School will support the development of postgraduate research degrees at UCS and, from September 2011, activities to promote transferable skills in postgraduate students.
Contact the Office of Research and Enterprise
Developments in Research and Enterprise An institution wide trial of Research Professional, an online database of research funding opportunities and policy news, has been implemented at UCS. The Office of Research and Enterprise will be interested to hear views from staff as to the value of Research Professional.
In order to further support Research and Enterprise activities at UCS, the Office of Research and Enterprise is in the process of appointing a Research Administrator. This resource will provide professional and expert advice to the academic community at UCS on all aspects of funding and administration of projects. The role will also involve the organisation of national and international conferences.
Research funding Dr Will Thomas has secured funding to carry out an evaluation of a primary care intervention, assessing the impact of Practice Nurses employing coaching techniques with patients suffering from long-term conditions. Extra funding has also been obtained by Dr Penny Cavenagh from The Dominic Barker Trust for Sarah Costelloe to further investigate a primary finding on attention control in an ongoing study on Dysfluency in children.
The School of Nursing and Midwifery, led by Tim Goodchild and comprising Dr Jane Day, Heather Rugg and Julie Macleod in conjunction with Suffolk Mental Health Partnerships, has also been successful in achieving funding to support the design, delivery and dissemination of Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) for Foundation Degree Forward. RLOs are online learning resources that can be reused in any aspect of learning, specifically around Service Improvement, Rehabilitation Pathways and Interprofessional/Interagency Working.
Published research Tim Goodchild and Sam Chenery-Morris from the School of Nursing and Midwifery have recently had a chapter published in Mobile Technologies and Handheld Devices for Ubiquitous Learning: Research and Pedagogy (2011). The chapter, entitled ’Educational Podcasts at University Campus Suffolk’, discusses where podcasts sit within the paradigm of mobile learning and goes on to explore the development of educational podcasts at UCS as used in professional courses in the School of Nursing and Midwifery.
From the School of Nursing and Midwifery too, Dr Catherine Theodosius and Sam Chenery-Morris have published a chapter on ‘Student –Teacher Perceptions’ in an international textbook entitled Evidence Based Practice in Nursing Informatics Text (2011). The chapter features case studies focusing on technology’s contributions to nursing theory and practice, nursing systems management, and decision support in nursing.
Dr Emma Bond, from the School of Applied Social Sciences, has had two articles published based on her PhD research. ’Managing Mobile Relationships: Children’s Perceptions of the Impact of the Mobile Phone on Relationships in their Everyday Lives’ was published in Childhood: A Journal of Global and Child Research in November 2010. ‘The Mobile Phone = Bike Shed? Children, Sex and Mobile Phones’ was published online in New Media and Society in December 2010 and has since attracted wide-spread national and international press attention.
New book publications from the School of Science, Technology and Health include published work by Dr Val Mann on Extraction of Nucleic Acids from Bone, in Bone Protocols (2nd edition), and Laser Micro-dissection and Pressure Catapulting of Human Motor Neurons for RNA Editing Analysis Professor Brendon Noble and Dr Val Mann have also collaborated on Methods in Molecular Biology.
Meanwhile, the UCS Provost, Professor Mike Saks, has published an article on ‘Analyzing the Professions: The Case for the Neo-Weberian Approach’ in the December 2010 issue of the international journal Comparative Sociology.
Conferences/Seminars Staff in the School of Arts and Humanities have presented at various conferences. Fidel Meraz presented his paper ‘Mexico as another Non-Place; Utopia, the Museum and Problem of Identity’ at the 12th IASTE Conference on The Utopia of Tradition in Beirut in December 2010.
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Research and EnterpriseVERT in-action
Caroline Wojcik-Gammell and Dan Megias using
VERT to explain the effect of a radiation beam on
the bladder, prostate and rectum.
Photo courtesy of BSc (Hons) Photography graduates Fran Dale,
Andrew Dale and Jenny Rudd
Dr Penny Cavenagh
UC
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Staff
Students say “you’re hired” Final year BA (Hons) Event Management students have been celebrating the success of the ‘Social Entrepreneurship’ conference; an event organised and run by the students themselves.
The students were able to obtain the services of TV star Lee McQueen, winner of the 2008 BBC series of The Apprentice, as keynote speaker for the conference which they organised as part of their course assessment with the help of event sponsors White Space Design, Archant Suffolk, Business Link and Trinity Park.
Over one-hundred delegates from the business community and not for profit organisations attended the conference held at Trinity Park on 25 January 2011.
‘Baby Shoes’: A Creative Success A group of UCS students have had their work published after writing, collating and editing an anthology of eighteen short stories.
‘Baby Shoes’, which features varying stories from comedy to sci-fi, was written by students for students as part of ‘The Short Story’ module on the BA (Hons) English degree at UCS. The group of students were so pleased with the work produced that they decided to try and get their work published into a book of short stories.
The title of the book was chosen in homage to Ernest Hemingway, the king of short stories, and reflects the learning experiences and journey taken by the students.
UCS student Chantelle Chapman said: “Although the process has been tough and has involved a lot of hard work, it has also been very exciting and a great experience.”
The book has been funded by the UCS School of Arts and Humanities, registering the School as a publishing house. To date, 200 copies of the book have been ordered.
Dance student creates sparkling routines for Suffolk’s biggest Christmas show Luke Cattermole, 20, was one of six choreographers to help put together the biggest production ever for the Co-op Juniors Theatre Company - the Christmas Spectacular! 2010.
Luke, a BA (Hons) Dance in the Community student at UCS, choreographed five numbers; to music ranging from Frank Sinatra to Cheryl Cole for which he also designed costumes. This included costumes with hundreds of lights sewn in for a sparkling Cheryl Cole routine.
Luke said: “I always see it as a complete performance, not just choreography. It’s the choice of music, the costumes and lighting, the mood of the piece.”
Luke has previously worked at Disneyland Paris and appeared as Ryan in the Co-op Juniors version of High School Musical 2 in 2009.
Postgraduate Open EventOn Wednesday 25 May, UCS will be hosting a Postgraduate Open Event at the Waterfront Building in Ipswich.
The event gives those thinking of studying at postgraduate level the chance to speak with tutors and learn more about the courses available. UCS currently provides postgraduate courses in the fields of Arts, Business, Education, Health and Social Care, Science, and Social Science.
The event will run from 4pm – 7pm and you can register for the event by visiting the open events page at www.ucs.ac.uk.
Daniel’s creations hit the dance floor A Music Production student at UCS Bury St Edmunds has seen his music picked up by an American recording company and the BBC, while also winning an ‘X Factor’ style competition in a national music magazine.
Daniel Turrell, 34, has been part of up and coming trance/dance music outfit System V for five years. One of their tracks, Reflection, won rounds five to eight of a national ‘CM Factor’ competition, the dance composition equivalent of the X Factor, run by Computer Music magazine.
The track was featured on the cover disc of the January 2011 edition. System V comprises Daniel himself, vocalist Amy Logan and guest session musicians.
Daniel also goes by the name ‘MUSICDANS’ and has had two separate tracks signed to Soul Shift Music in America, which are currently available to purchase from the iTunes store.
They have also been picked up by BBC Introducing on BBC Radio Suffolk where they have been given airplay and received rave reviews.
Now in the final year of a BA (Hons) Music Production degree, Daniel said: “The degree has been fantastic for boosting my knowledge. The opportunities we have been given are superb; I have learned so much that I can now implement on my own dance music label.”
Recruiting for Latitude UCS will once again be linking up with Festival Republic to offer students the chance to join the volunteering team at Latitude Festival in Suffolk.
This is the third year that UCS will be taking a team of volunteers to the multi-art festival which last year attracted over 35,000 people, including thousands of volunteers.
If you are a UCS student and you are interested in joining this year’s team please email [email protected] for further details.
Dr Stephen Cummins Lecturer in Computing and Networking
Stephen teaches second year Foundation degree students and students on the BSc (Hons) course at UCS Bury St Edmunds.
Stephen graduated with a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Durham this year. Although he was ‘head hunted’ by Google and other companies, he chose to return to his roots in Suffolk and join UCS Bury St Edmunds.
Ten years ago Stephen, aged 13, was enrolled on a German language evening class at Otley College and his academic career has gone from strength to strength since, culminating in his achievement of a PhD at the age of 24.
Stephen has followed in the footsteps of his grandmother, Joan Llewellyn, who joined West Suffolk College as a Childcare Lecturer in1989 and retired from her post as Senior Tutor in the School of Early Years and Health last summer.
Josh Griffin ICT Apprentice
Josh started his apprenticeship at UCS in January under the IDEA Apprenticeship Programme. His main duties as part of the
IT helpdesk team include providing on-campus support through logging emails, answering telephone calls and dealing with issues face to face.
Josh gained a Merit in his National Certificate in Business and IT and Distinction in the BTEC First Diploma for IT Practitioners from Suffolk New College.
Kate Bourne International Marketing and Recruitment Officer
Kate began her career in higher education as the Student Recruitment Assistant at the University of Essex on completion of her Drama degree.
From here she went on to work as the Marketing Officer for the Leap project, based at UCS.
Kate’s new role involves her helping to initiate, plan and produce international marketing material and web activity as well as attending international recruitment events, open days and school visits.
UCS would also like to welcome Mary Munley as Lecturer in Small Business and Enterprise, Prasumdcoomar Ramluggun as Lecturer in Mental Health, Rosemary Willers as Lecturer in Social Work, Pelham Carter as Lecturer in Psychology, Priya Raithatha as Finance Apprentice, Megan Brewer and Geraldine Kelly as Research Assistants and Catia Margues as Senior Research Assistant.
…and GoodbyesUCS would like to wish Claire Webb, Gail Bennett, Caroline Cowan, Simon Bishop, Jonathan Saha, Matthew Mesley, Peter Hazell, Mirjam Southwell and Hannah Lord-Vince the best of luck in the future having recently left their roles at UCS.
Staff Suggestion Scheme As a member of staff do you have any suggestions designed to contribute to the success of UCS?
In light of the current economic climate and reductions in Higher Education funding, perhaps you might have a cost saving idea or an idea for income generation?
Tell us about your idea by completing the online Staff Suggestion Scheme form via Wolsey (UCS page/My links box/Staff Suggestion Scheme).
Thank you to all those who took the time to submit suggestions during 2010. Below are just a few of the suggestions considered by the Executive Team and later implemented by UCS.
Enhance Health and Safety - Sheila Davey, Learning Resource Assistant, suggested that the Ipswich Campus should have clearer designated Fire Assembly Points through additional signage.
Build staff and service awareness - Abby Baker, E-Resources Librarian, said that ‘INSIDEUCS’ should include photos and details of roles for new members of staff.
Enhance the student experience - Fiona Judge, Senior Lecturer, proposed that future graduation ceremonies feature graduates vote of thanks to tutors, colleagues and family.
Develop external relationships - Laura Locke, Lecturer, recommended further acknowledgement regarding the contributions of local businesses and employers at graduation ceremonies.
In the news Two academic members of staff from UCS have recently appeared on national television, enlightening the country with there expert knowledge.
Dr Harvey Osborne, Course Leader for History and Acting Head of
Division for Humanities, appeared on a recent episode of the BBC’s The One Show (9 February 2011) as an expert for a feature on rag and bone men.
Dr Osborne was interviewed by writer and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth on board a horse drawn carriage in Hollesley, Suffolk.
Dr Emma Bond, Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Youth Studies, gave
a live interview during Safer Internet Day (8 February) for Sky News outside the Waterfront Building in Ipswich.
Dr Bond was interviewed by Eamon Holmes for the Sunrise programme, providing her professional opinion on a recent report which suggested that there has been a rise in ‘sexting’ amongst children and young people in the UK.
Her appearance materialised following national publicity for a recently published research paper entitled ‘The Mobile Phone = Bike Shed?’. The findings were reported in The Mirror, The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, Yahoo! India and Sify.
UCS StaffHellos
UCS Students
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Miles Cole
Take 5 The Leap Project was formed in 2007 by UCS, Suffolk Learning and Skills Council, Suffolk County Council and the East of England Development Agency to make access to education and skills as local as possible in response to the rural nature of Suffolk.
We spoke to Miles Cole, Leap Project Manager, to find out more about Leap and what the future holds for the project.
How would you sum up what the Leap Project does in one sentence?
Leap brings together the education community in Suffolk to provide a joined up and universal information advice and guidance service in towns and villages across the county.
What makes Suffolk so unique for a project like this?
Leap is Suffolk born and bred. Bringing together a wide range of learning organisations to operate under a single brand has been tried in many places before but in Suffolk we have achieved it. The key to Leap is to bring learning, advice and guidance as local as possible to ensure that every community in Suffolk has access to all levels of education and skills.
Where can you find a Leap Centre or Point in Suffolk and what specific services do they provide?
There are fourteen Leap Centres in towns across Suffolk that offer professional Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) on education and training opportunities for individuals and businesses. Leap Centres also offer access to local course information and useful resources and help with CV writing, job searches and interview skills. All Centres have teaching space and access to IT based learning. The Leap Centres are supported by around one hundred Leap Points that provide information and signposting and can be found for example, in every library, children’s centre.
Is the project facing any changes in the near future?
The Leap Partnership is now taking an exciting step and turning itself into a Cooperative. We have been working with Coops UK to draw up the legal framework to create a ‘Coop’ that will be owned by a range of institutions. We plan to have the new ‘Coop’ up and running by May 2011. Leap is also in discussion with SCC and hopes to take on some services they currently run.
How will the ‘Coop’ operate?
Leap will establish a Cooperative of providers, delivering information, learning, education and skills to the communities of Suffolk and its environs. The purpose of the Leap Cooperative is to raise skills, increase employability and aspiration and enhance the local economy. The Cooperative will operate as a business and seek out opportunities that advance its purpose but profits will be re-invested to support its aims.
Go to www.leap.ac.uk to find out more.
Baby Shoes students
Luke Cattermole
Lee McQueen
Daniel Turrell
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Spring CalendarAndy Parsons Live 2011
Where: Grand Hall, Corn Exchange, Ipswich
When: 10 April 2011
Star of BBC’s Mock The Week and Live At The Apollo, Andy Parsons is taking his one man show on the road for a third tour of the country and this is your chance to catch his performance before he calls time.
Neil Morrissey - Celebrities Stripped Bare
Where: Marina Theatre, Lowestoft
When: 8 May 2011, 7.30pm
Britain’s ultimate badly behaved man, aka the voice of Bob the Builder, brings his ‘Evening With…’ to the Marina Theatre, sharing with the audience stories and anecdotes and answering questions on every
aspect of his acting career. Star of stage, screen, television and a No 1 chart topper as well, Neil Morrissey is one of this country’s most popular entertainers who can justly be said to have a fan base that covers all ages.
Bury St Edmunds Festival
Where: Multiple Venues, Bury St Edmunds
When: 19 – 29 May 2011
Among favourites returning to this years Festival is Sonnet Walks, which will give guests the chance to rediscover Bury while on a Shakespearean journey, and Greene King’s Real Food and Beer Festival, which will showcase East Anglia’s finest producers.
As well as an array of jazz and folk music, film, comedy and street
theatre, highlights will include performances by percussionist Evelyn Glennie and saxophonist Jan Garbarek and the Hilliard Ensemble, who will play haunting music in St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
A full programme is available at www.buryfestival.co.uk.
Great Yarmouth Beer and Cider FestivalWhere: Priory Centre, Great Yarmouth
When: 26 – 29 May 2011, all day
Three local breweries are joined by a raft of other ale and cider producers from the area in the Priory Centre for a weekend of sampling the area’s finest hops.
Suffolk Show 2011Where: Trinity Park, Ipswich
When: 1 and 2 June, all day
One of the county’s most loved festivals, estimated to have attracted crowds exceeding 90,000 during last years event.
Thrill at the range of attractions and displays, make new animal friends with over 700 exhibits of cows, sheep, pigs and goats and a Childrens Farm.
Have a go at something new in the Heart Sport Zone where there are so many new experiences to try from a climbing wall to a head massage.
Indulge your taste buds by checking out the Adnams Food and Drink Experience with fabulous local produce to taste and buy - from hand made Suffolk cheeses to chutney and fine wines - a veritable food and drink adventure.
ARoUNd SUFFoLk
AA2A - Grant us one more hour to perform our art and perfect our livesWhere: UCS Ipswich, Waterfront Gallery, Waterfront Building
When: 16 April – 11 May 2011
The Artists Access to Art Colleges (AA2A) residency scheme has seen four contemporary artists from across the East of England create and develop their work in spaces provided by UCS as part of the nationwide scheme.
To celebrate the regions contribution to the scheme, artists John Fazakerley, Valerie Irving, Amy Louise Nettleton and Rhoda Webb will display their works through a variety of media.
Staff Awards 2011Where: Elizabeth Hotel, Copdock
When: 6 May 2011, 3.00 – 6.00pm
The event will recognise the contributions of staff for their exceptional accomplishments in the categories of team of the year, lecturer of the year (student nominations), unsung hero of the year, idea of the year (via staff suggestion scheme) and project/initiative of the year.
Information on how to book tickets for the event will be circulated in early April.
For further details about the event please email [email protected].
Postgraduate Open Event
Where: UCS Ipswich, Waterfront Building
When: 25 May 2011, 4.00pm – 7.00pm
The event gives those thinking of studying at postgraduate level
the chance to speak with tutors and learn more about the courses available. UCS currently provides postgraduate courses in the fields of Arts, Business, Education, Health and Social Care, Science, and Social Science.
Fine Art Degree Show
Where: UCS Ipswich, Arts Building
When: 8 June 2011
This summer, BA (Hons) Fine Art students at University Campus Suffolk (UCS) will be showcasing their work as a culmination of their studies. Students will curate and present their work, produced during the final year of study at UCS, which will be on display within the Arts Building at the Ipswich Campus from 8 June 2011.
Suffolk Higher Education Convention
Where: UCS Ipswich, Waterfront Building
When: 16 June 2011, 9.30am – 3.00pm
This is the third UCAS convention being held at the UCS Waterfront Building, Ipswich. UCAS conventions are a series of more than 50 higher education conventions held every year throughout the UK.
The conventions bring together universities and colleges within the UCAS scheme to inform and guide prospective university and college students. The events play a vital part in helping applicants decide about what and where to study within higher education. Prospectuses are available from most of the stands at the conventions.
UCS EvENTS
UCS staff development opportunities are free to all staff and further information is available on Wolsey.
To book a place on any course please contact Rik Bond, Training Co-ordinator, on 01473 338325 or email [email protected].
Advanced eSkills for eLearning with Eddie Naylor
Where: tbc
When: 9 May – 13 June, every Monday 3.00pm – 5.00pm
Aimed at UCS teaching staff, the course is designed for extending the skills and knowledge gained from the eSkills for eLearning course to further enhance teaching and learning.
Effective Use of Voice in Lectures and Seminars with Stewart Theobold
This course introduces you to the opportunities of vocal projection and the benefits that this brings. You will work as a group on various physical and vocal exercises in a relaxed atmosphere.
IOSH Working Safely with Sonia Farman and Mark Lapper
Where: UCS Waterfront Building, Ipswich, W413
When: 18 May 2011, 9.00am – 4.30pm
This course gives staff, at any level, grounding in the essentials of health and safety. On completion delegates will understand the responsibilities
when handling resources, risk in the workplace and how safety can be improved, defining hazards and risks, hazards - general and organisation specific, improving the organisation’s safety performance, and protecting our environment.
Profesional Development DayWhere: Kesgrave Community Centre
When: 1 July 2011, all day
The UCS Professional Development Day is aimed at all UCS staff and will cover current discussion topics around income diversification, cost reduction and internationalisation.
Information on how to sign up for the day will be circulated in early April.
For further details about the event please email [email protected].
Introducing Periodic Reviews with Mark Lyne & Andrew Revitt
Where: tbc
When: 5 July 2011, 9.30am-4:30pm
From the academic year 2011-12, the UCS revalidation process will be replaced for the most part by a process of Periodic Review.
This all day event is being provided primarily for those course teams who will be preparing for Periodic Review in 2011-12. It is expected that each team will endeavour to have a number of attendees for the day, and it is anticipated that academic managers of these teams will also find the event worth attending to enable them to fully support the teams’ activities.
STAFF dEvELoPmENT
