July 2010 | Issue 9 | University of Wolverhampton | www.wlv.ac.uk

WLVdialogue

A GREENER FUTURECommitting to carbon management

A UNIQUE TALENT High profile exhibition for graduate

NEW HORIzONS FOR CYPRUS Regional office opens

Welcome to the latest issue of WLV Dialogue.

The need to protect the environment is a hot topic and with this in mind July’s edition has a green theme. The University was delighted to welcome one of the UK’s leading eco experts, Rob Holdway, to share his experiences and insights at the launch of our Carbon Management Plan recently.

The University’s Blended Learning Unit has enjoyed significant success

recently, winning two prestigious awards. Find out more about how the

University has integrated new ways of learning into the curriculum on

pages eight and nine.

We hope you enjoy reading this edition of WLV Dialogue. If you have any

feedback for us please get in touch at: wlvdialogue@wlv.ac.uk

Our next magazine will be out at the end of October.

Best wishes

Vickie Warren

WLV Dialogue Editor

We have drawn on University expertise to consider one of the country’s

favourite topics of conversation – the weather. Dr Ken Addison explains

how forecasters predict the weather and the effects of climate change.

The University is proud to hold Fairtrade status and BBC News

presenter George Alagiah was invited to chair a panel debate on some

of the issues. He talks about the role of individuals in international

matters and his experiences of interviewing some of the world’s best

known figures on pages four and five.

This summer the University says a fond farewell to our chaplain,

Reverend Prebendary Geoffrey Wynne. After 44 years of dedicated

service to students and staff, Revd Preb Wynne shares his highlights

and memories.

Our graduates go on to a range of interesting careers, and on pages 16

and 17 talented mixed-media sculptor Yasemen Hussein talks about her

achievements, which include a national exhibition alongside renowned

milliner Philip Treacy. Two current students have been out on the beat

working as Specials for West Midlands Police as part of their degree –

check out their stories on pages 14 and 15.

Welcome

PAGE

16

41014

coNTeNTS 1

NEWS A greener future – Eco expert helps University launch 2 Carbon Management Plan

A fair debate – News presenter George Alagiah chairs 4discussion on International Fairtrade Day

Counting the cost – Assessment of the impact of the 6Gulf of Mexico oil spill

RESEARCHFinding the perfect blend – Focus on the University’s 8Blended Learning Unit

Weathering the storm – A look at climate change 10

PROFILEDedicated service – Record-breaking chaplain 12shares his memories

FEATUREAnd the beat goes on – Students experience life as 14Special Constables

A unique talent – Successful graduate Yasemen Hussein 16

BUSINESSTough triumph – Business award success for 18Shropshire company

INTERNATIONALNew horizons for Cyprus – Regional office opens its doors 20

PEOPLEArt Matters – Q&A with Corinne Miller 22from Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Graduate success story – Leisure management 24graduate Paul Watson

What’s on guide – University events 25

PAGE22

2 NeWS

He works with companies as diverse as

Dell, Selfridges and L’Oreal but stresses that

individual actions are as important as major

projects. He firmly believes that small changes

can make a big difference.

And he praised the University of

Wolverhampton’s Carbon Management Plan,

which is focused on reducing the University’s

carbon emissions by 25% over the next

five years.

“Universities are trying to reduce their impact

and are engaging their students,” he says.

“They have an important role to play.”

Rob, who is known for presenting the Channel

4 reality show Dumped, where 11 unsuspecting

people were marooned on a landfill site and

had to forage to survive, gave a leadership

seminar at the launch of the plan. He offered

advice and insight in keeping with its ethos

and inspired staff and business people with

ways to reduce carbon emissions, both in the

workplace and at home.

The event was organised by the University’s

Leadership and Development (LEAD)

in partnership with the Core Team.

Representatives from energy/utilities supply

industries and sustainability and

environmental consultants were also among

those who attended.

Rob’s consultancy, Giraffe Innovation, advises

on carbon management and resource efficiency

and has identified savings of more than £75

million and 50,000 tonnes of CO2 for clients.

Rob was also Project Director for the WEEE

(Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)

Man Sculpture. This seven metre high, three

tonne installation made out of electronic waste,

represented what one British person will get

through in a lifetime.

The aim of the project was to highlight the

scale of the environmental impact we all have.

The sculpture was launched outside London’s

City Hall and is now on permanent display at

The Eden Project in Cornwall. He is currently

planning a new sculpture event for Trafalgar

Square, which involves calculating the carbon

footprints of 1,000 people and then creating

1,000 sculpted creatures to represent them.

Rob, whose background is as an industrial

designer, says that businesses are becoming

much more aware of their carbon footprint and

are more open to change and new ways of

working.

But that doesn’t mean every venture is

successful. Using natural materials where

possible is a good alternative but an attempt

to pioneer lactic acid printers resulted in them

melting in a hot climate.

Addressing a packed audience, one of the first questions Rob Holdway poses is: “What are we leaving for

future generations?”.

Rob is one of the UK’s leading eco experts and

shared his environmental insight with University

of Wolverhampton staff and other guests when

he spoke at a recent event.

His question proved thought-provoking,

especially when backed up by statistics.

Revealing that the average UK household

wastes £480 each year on food which ends up

in the bin makes people stop and think about

their own actions.

“We have to think about our legacy; our

children’s children,” he says. “At the moment,

people’s lives are so far from sustainable.” With

the human race already living beyond what the

earth can carry, Rob’s ultimate objective is that

we can become resource efficient.

He is passionate about changing attitudes and

is on a mission to raise awareness of ways to

reduce carbon emissions.

Rob advises companies and Government in

the UK and around the world on how to reduce

the environmental impact of their business

and has led a number of high-profile initiatives.

A Greener Future

“I’m interested in creativity,” he says. “Not

every green initiative will be a success but it’s

important to look at different options and try

new things.”

The UK government has identified the university

sector as key to delivering carbon reduction

across the UK and Rob agrees that higher

education institutions are vital in terms of

influence, research and leading by example.

The University of Wolverhampton’s Carbon

Management Plan will raise awareness of

issues such as climate change and encourage

collective responsibility and action among staff,

students and visitors. The plan has been driven

by the Estates and Facilities department, with

input from across the University.

Projects include installing a combined heat and

power unit on City Campus, staff and student

recycling initiatives and awareness campaigns,

improving timetabling efficiency and extending

the use of Building Energy Management

Systems.

When staff were asked for feedback last year

about ways to be greener, the number one

issue raised was about the number of PCs left

on overnight. IT Services will be undertaking a

new project to manage this problem.

Jane Nelson, Pro Vice-Chancellor Student

Affairs, is chairing the University’s Carbon

Management Core Team.

She says: “These projects alone will achieve

more than half of what we need to do. There

are 35 projects planned in total and there is a

lot of exciting work ahead.

“Carbon management enables the University

to make a significant contribution to the

environment, benefiting current and future

generations.” Which brings us back to Rob’s

question; there is much that can be done

individually and collectively to ensure that there

is a positive legacy for future generations.

NeWS 3

FACTBOXSince April 2009, Wolverhampton has

been one of 11 universities participating

in the Carbon Trust’s fifth HE Carbon

Management programme.

The 40+ universities that have participated

so far have achieved an average reduction

of 25% in their carbon emissions.

The overriding aim of the programme is to

help the higher education sector tackle the

threat of climate change, and to achieve

significant reductions in energy costs.

Since April 2010 any organisation that

consumed more than 6,000 Mega Watt

hours of half hourly monitored electricity

during 2008 is legally obliged to participate

in the Government’s Carbon Reduction

Commitment.

The Carbon Management Core Team

consists of staff from across the University,

including Executive, Estates and Facilities,

Finance, IT Services, academic staff,

Marketing and Communications and also

student representatives.

A Greener FutureWe have to think about our legacy; our children’s children

4 NeWS

NeWS 5

A

There are not many occasions when you

can go to school dressed as a banana.

But one of the pupils who attended

the University’s panel discussion on

International Fairtrade Day did just that.

Bananas are just one of the many products

associated with the Fairtrade movement,

which seems to be growing in momentum

all the time. The Wolverhampton school

pupils who attended the event are not only

eating and drinking Fairtrade – they are

also learning about it in their lessons.

Tackling the issues of the day was a panel

of experts from Wolverhampton, which is a

Fairtrade City. They were Dr Brian Shiplee, an

expert in Environmentalism and Sustainable

Development at the University; David

Fulljames from Wolverhampton Fair Traid; and

Charles Jackson-Houlston, formerly of the

Wolverhampton City Council Sustainability

Unit. Chairing the event was George Alagiah

OBE, who has travelled the world as a Foreign

Correspondent and now presents the BBC Six

O’ Clock News.

Dean of Students, Jon Elsmore, said: “The

University held a number of successful activities

during Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 in March,

and we aimed to keep up the momentum

with a vibrant discussion to mark International

Fairtrade Day.”

Topics under the spotlight included whether

the large supermarket chains should be doing

anything different to encourage people to buy

Fairtrade products and what individuals can do

to support the movement.

The University of Wolverhampton is proud to hold Fairtrade status, and staff and students enjoy an array of tasty products on all of our campuses. As part of our commitment to Fairtrade, we held a panel discussion covering a range of issues, chaired by BBC News presenter George Alagiah. The event was held to raise awareness of International Fairtrade Day and was organised jointly with the Wolverhampton City Fairtrade Partnership.

Having reported on civil wars in Afghanistan,

Liberia and Sierra Leone and the plight of the

marsh Arabs in southern Iraq, George Alagiah

has witnessed the many challenges and

troubles faced by people around the world.

“As a reporter covering the conflicts in Somalia

or the genocides in Rwanda, or the earthquake

in Haiti, I came to understand that economic

empowerment is as important, or possibly more

important, than political empowerment. When

people have money in their own back pocket

they have choices that we take for granted.”

During his time as patron of the Fairtrade

Foundation, George visited a project in

Nicaragua. The scheme was a particularly

memorable one, as it demonstrated the

additional impacts of Fairtrade, other than

funding. The people of the community had

used a Fairtrade premium they had received to

buy a truck to transport coffee from the farm to

a depot. As it was a communal truck, they held

a meeting to decide if it could also be used to

take the children to school.

George is a specialist on Africa and the

developing world, and has interviewed figures

including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former

Secretary-General of the United Nations

Kofi Annan and President Robert Mugabe of

Zimbabwe. But the most memorable person he

met was Nelson Mandela.

“When I sat next to him, what I remember most

was not that he was the most famous man

on the planet and that he had this impact on

these people. It was that he was at peace with

himself and that was really interesting. I asked

him, ‘How do you not hate what has happened

to you?’ He said, ‘I have taught myself to think

through my brain, not through my blood’ and I

thought that was very wise. He had applied his

intellect and got to this place where he was at

peace with the world. I think that was why he

was able to bring together people with such

opposing views.”

But it is not just great leaders that hold the

key to building a better future. At the panel

discussion, University students sat alongside

school pupils, and it is clear that issues such as

Fairtrade interest and challenge young people.

George says: “As I have travelled around

the world as a correspondent some of the

greatest ills I have seen have been engineered

by leaders or elders. I think we should not be

scared of allowing young people to have a

greater say. They may make better decisions

than people of my generation and you do see

that in the developing world – young people

take more responsibility.”

When asked what individuals can do to support

and promote Fairtrade, the panellists and the

audience had a range of interesting responses.

One person said we should buy lots of Fairtrade

products, another suggested encouraging

shops that don’t sell Fairtrade items to consider

doing so while one of the panellists believed

eating dark chocolate was one of the easiest

ways of supporting the mission. But perhaps

one of the school pupils summed up the

simplest means of supporting and promoting

the Fairtrade ethos.

Spread the news.

fairdebate

R

6 NeWS

The oil spill caused by an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig in April this year has been described as the United States’ worst environmental disaster. The catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico claimed the lives of 11 crew members and the estimated cost of cleaning up the oil slick

reaches into billions of dollars.

Here we draw on University expertise to look at

the impact of the incident from a tourism and

business point of view.

Tourism

Fishing and tourism are the area’s two key

industries – both of which are adversely

affected by the oil spill. Visitors generally travel

to the area in search of sunny weather, nice

beaches, relaxation and leisure rather than

active holidays. Peter Robinson is Senior

Lecturer in Leisure Industries and says that

perception is key to the effect on tourism.

“Most disruption relating to travel and tourism,

whether it is the volcanic ash cloud, an oil spill

or 9/11, is centred round people’s perceptions

of what a place is like and how it may have

been changed or damaged as a result. People

will weigh up whether a place is safe and if

it is going to live up to expectations,” Peter,

from the School of Sport, Performing Arts and

Leisure, says.

“Some people will go ahead with their planned

holiday and have a good time – but that

positive experience does not get reported. The

media is very powerful and it is easy to put

people off travel. But when you watch reports

on the news, it is from an environmental and

not a tourist perspective, so it is difficult to

know how far reaching this imagery is in the

way it influences travel decisions.”

The long term impact on tourism depends on a

number of factors – how long the disaster lasts,

how much money is spent on both the physical

recovery and how the destination is promoted

in other ways. Some people will continue to

support areas affected by crises due to basic

loyalty for the community or the fact they don’t

know where else to go. In time, additional

tourists may visit, including those who have

been to an affected area 20 years prior to such

an incident and go back to see how it has

changed.

But there is also an element of ‘dark tourism’,

which refers to visitors heading to a place

where people have died or there has been

significant destruction. These, however, will

mainly be domestic visitors, and Peter believes

that in the case of an oil slick, there is unlikely

to be much of this due to the nature of what

there is to see.

Recovery is the key and Peter says there

needs to be investment to regenerate and then

promote the destination, and the sooner the

better. The longer it takes to invest in tourism,

the longer it takes to mitigate the effects.

The media has a role to play here as well, as

positive coverage of how a community has

rebuilt can serve to draw visitors back. There

are a number of examples of places that

have suffered a disaster but have been able

to recover. Extensive damage was caused

by flash floods to Boscastle in Cornwall in

2004, but the area has largely been able to

recover and draw visitors back. The Severn

Valley Railway between Shropshire and

Worcestershire suffered major structural

damage due to a landslide in 2007, but an

emergency appeal and grants helped ensure

this attraction got back up and running.

But some areas never recover. Hurricane

Katrina tore through New Orleans in southern

America in August 2005, claiming the lives of

more than 1,000 people and destroying homes

and businesses. Peter Robinson explains the

area had been seen as a niche and bohemian

place to visit. Although work has been

completed to regenerate the area, some places

remain untouched and in desperate need of

repair. But as Peter says, fixing a small British

village is very different to repairing vast areas of

American cities or coastline.

counting the

NeWS 7

Business

BP rebranded itself in 2000 in a bid to appeal

to environmentally aware consumers. The logo

was changed to a green and yellow sun and

the company adopted the slogan ‘Beyond

Petroleum’. On its website, the company

explains its ethos as, “We help the world meet

its growing need for heat, light and mobility.

And we strive to do that by producing energy

that is affordable, secure and doesn’t damage

the environment”. But the oil disaster has once

again highlighted the potentially dangerous and

damaging nature of the oil industry.

Professor Mike Haynes is the Joint Head of the

Management Research Centre at the University

of Wolverhampton Business School. He says

there will be short term and long term impacts

for the company following the disaster.

“In the short term, the share price took a

tremendous hit, the company has had to pay

compensation and sacrifice dividend payments.

In the long term, the oil spill has exposed a

degree of brand manipulation. BP was branded

as being more environmentally aware, but that

brand has been damaged.

“The only defences seem to have centred on

the fact that BP is no worse than any other oil

company, and that this incident is not as big as

the one during the First Gulf War in 1991,”

Mike explains.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers

to practices whereby companies can make

a profit by being good. Concern for the

workforce, community and environment

is complicit with a healthy bottom line.

Supporters of CSR argue that ethical business

is good business, but critics view this as

‘greenwashing’ as it is sometimes used to

manipulate an image and still centres on

making a profit.

Professor Haynes says: “The claims around

CSR do not always live up to the reality.

“Looking ahead, the company could rebrand,

but while BP was trying to put a cap on the oil,

the story ran and ran. They can clean it up, but

the legacy will be long lasting.

“Everybody is using this in their own way but

the bottom line is that worse environmental

incidents have happened, but is that a

justification? And if this had happened

somewhere else, would it receive the

same reaction?”

Only time will tell how the company and tourism

in the area emerges from the aftermath of the

oil spill.

8 reSeArch

awards recognise highly successful uses of

technology to support learning and where they

have had a significant impact on achievement.

The University teamed up with Pebble

Learning, the company behind the e-portfolio

PebblePad, for its submission, which focused

on the use of electronic personal development

planning (ePDP) in the curriculum. In winning

this prestigious award, the University was

acknowledged as a world leader in the area.

Emma Purnell, Blended Learning Advisor,

describes the award as a real team effort.

“The IMS Learning Award has given us the

opportunity to bring together and recognise

the impact of our ePDP innovation and the

range of best practice that exists across the

University,” she says.

“It celebrates and recognises internationally

the institution-wide achievements in the area of

ePortfolio-based learning.”

The second achievement was a National

Teaching Fellowship for Dr Paul Brett, Head

of the Blended Learning Unit. The award from

the Higher Education Academy recognises

Paul’s outstanding contribution over his career

to student learning. He has led the successful

integration of e-learning into the curriculum,

and will receive £10,000 for his professional

development in teaching and learning.

Dr Brett said: “It is a great honour to have

gained this award and I am absolutely

delighted. It could not have been achieved

though without the support of many, many

colleagues at the University who have worked

with me over the years.”

Paul’s research illustrates the opportunities that

are opened up to students by blended learning.

His recent work has included the use of text

messaging to support module-based learning

through the Mobiles Enhancing Learning and

Support (MELaS) project. With all aspects of

blended learning, there is a need to investigate

reSeArch 9

what does and doesn’t work for students, and

this project looked at the learning potential

of text messages. More recently his research

has centred on the potential of student-led

and controlled e-learning using Web 2.0

applications, which may assist staff with their

workloads and better support fellow students.

Facing the future

Providing a curriculum that is interesting,

diverse and challenging is important, but

essentially the University wants to equip

graduates with the skills they need to succeed

in an increasingly competitive job market. At

the heart of the Learning Works project are

three key graduate attributes which are the

skills required to meet the needs of future

employers. As well as being knowledgeable

and enterprising and having an international

outlook as a global citizen, graduates will

be digitally literate. This means they will

be confident using advanced technology,

understanding the latest professional software

and creatively using digital information sources.

In order to achieve this, the Blended Learning

Unit has been instrumental in helping

staff across the University to redesign the

curriculum. They have provided ideas about

what works in e-learning tasks and assessment

and have offered staff practical advice. They

also organise a continuous programme of

workshops in the academic Schools and on all

campuses, and can provide bespoke sessions

on specific aspects of blended learning.

Combining and aligning face-to-face and online

learning opportunities can be a challenge, but

one that is worth the work. Education becomes

more interactive and exciting, and meets the

expectations of learners who have grown up

with the internet and do not see technology as

something separate from their lives.

With such skills at their fingertips, University

of Wolverhampton graduates will stand out

in the crowd as people who can make a

real difference.

The expectations of the modern student are high. Many of today’s learners have round-the-clock access to the internet wherever they go, on their mobile phones

or on laptops. They demand a system of

learning which recognises they may need

to fit their studies around a part-time job or

family commitments. Students want to access

their learning, their peers and feedback from

lecturers electronically, whenever and wherever

they like. But the need for, and an appreciation

of face-to-face interaction has not disappeared,

and support from teaching staff is a key

approach to encouraging students to learn,

develop, and grow.

The University of Wolverhampton has for a

long time recognised and championed the

need for a combined approach to learning.

The task of ensuring that such an approach

is successfully delivered lies with the Blended

Learning Unit. Part of the Institute of Learning

Enhancement, the team has expertise in

designing curricula that blend e-learning

with face-to-face education. This has been a

particularly important aspect of the Learning

Works project, which has seen the University

refocus its curriculum to prepare students for

the world of work.

The choice and uses made of technology

vary depending on the subject and learning

outcomes, but examples of widely-used

blended learning include providing all module

related documents in an electronic format;

students collaborating using WOLF, PebblePad

or even their own sites such as Facebook or

via blogs; interactive materials in podcasts

and vodcasts and submitting and returning

coursework online with electronic feedback.

Success on a global platform

The success of the Blended Learning Unit

was recognised by two awards recently. The

team beat off tough international competition

to clinch a platinum award at the IMS Learning

Impact Awards. Held this year in California, the

perfect blendFinding the

It is the nation’s favourite topic of

conversation. Whether we feel it is too

hot or too cold outside, or there has been

non-stop rain or not enough to keep our

gardens alive, the Brits love to talk about

the weather. But putting aside debates

about the next Bank Holiday being a wash-

out or a scorcher, the changing climate is

an issue that has got the world talking.

This winter saw the most severe weather for

this season in the UK for 30 years. The snow

seemed almost endless, with reports of people

being stranded in their homes or on motorways

and schools being forced to close. But even

after the snow melted, the country soon faced

a new challenge in the form of a volcanic ash

cloud blown over from Iceland which grounded

flights and left holidaymakers struggling to find

a way home.

Trying to predict the unpredictable

The two events are the result of regionalised

weather ‘eddies’ over the UK, which work

within global currents of air and affect our

short and medium term climate. Dr Ken

Addison from the University’s School of Applied

Sciences explains that within the last six to

eight months, more northerly air has been

brought down towards the British Isles than

normal by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO),

a climatic phenomenon which revolves around

the precise location of low and high pressure

systems in the Atlantic. Its behaviour was

behind the substantial clouds of ash which

entered the European atmosphere, the harsh

winter and also the relatively dry and good

weather of late May and early June.

But how easy is it to predict the weather?

The Met Office famously forecast a barbecue

summer for 2009, only to be greeted by

an extremely wet July. Dr Addison says

meteorologists use computer models to

compare current trends against long term

recordings to look at the probability of

circumstances and weather types over a

period. However, it is never 100 per cent

certain, and is subject to change.

“Britain is at the equivalent of the spaghetti

junction of some of the earth’s big weather

systems. One of the most predictable things

about our weather is that it is unpredictable,”

Ken says.

10 reSeArch

Weathering the storm

Climate change

Climate change is high on international

agendas, even though a global agreement

at the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit

in December 2009 fell short of what many

countries including Britain had hoped. Notably,

America President Barack Obama gave a

speech to the United Nations earlier that year in

which he said, “the threat from climate change

is serious, it is urgent, and it is growing.”

Ken, who specialises in earth and atmospheric

sciences, says: “What is involved here is

the extent to which climate scientists can

distinguish between long term natural climate

variability and effects superimposed on this by

human actions which change the energy and

moisture balances of the atmosphere – most

noticeably through what we call greenhouse

gases.

“Most people are aware that earth has gone

through a series of ice ages and interglacial

periods and that weather can also be very

variable from one year to the next but the

science is now as certain as science ever can

be that there is a marked human impact on

climate. Without any mitigating actions such

as large reductions in greenhouse gases,

climate change may accelerate beyond a

certain threshold to potentially catastrophic and

irreversible consequences.”

Despite this, there remains a level of public

scepticism about climate change. Ken argues

that some of the distrust results from the

frequent short term changes in weather, such

as recent particularly rainy summers. There

was also a level of doubt about the integrity

of scientific data just before the Copenhagen

summit took place.

But Dr Addison, who has worked at the

University for 35 years, says: “The uncertainty

about the data has largely been dismissed and

it is important that we get back to the impetus

for concerted global action that was lost at

Copenhagen.

“Most international governments accept the

need for, and have targeted, large reductions

in greenhouse gas emissions but there is

currently no international political machinery

capable of developing and enforcing worldwide

action. Not only will we therefore delay in taking

the mitigating actions but we will increasingly

have to operate crisis management for climate

induced disasters.”

Looking ahead

In the long term, Ken says the UK could find

itself with a climate similar to the Canadian

sub-Arctic region of Labrador, which is on the

same latitude as the British Isles. The Labrador

Sea is filled with icebergs for eight months of

the year, with cool winds and light rain and

drizzle in summer while winter is characterised

by severe sub-zero temperatures and frequent

snow flurries. But before you start reaching for

your ice picks and snow tyres, Ken says that if

this did eventually occur, it would not be until

or beyond the end of this century. In the mean

time, he believes we will experience the kind

of warming that other parts of the world get –

warmer summers that are generally drier but

with more intense thunderstorms and milder

winters which are probably a lot wetter.

One thing seems certain – the Brits will

continue to debate, argue and complain

about our unpredictable climate, whatever the

weather.

reSeArch 11

Weathering the storm

12 ProFIle

What have been the highlights of

your time at the University?

My highlights have been seeing students grow

and being a part of that. Feeling that I’ve made

a difference to staff and students – and even

conducting some marriage services for them

because many people have met their partners

through the chaplaincy. I have also enjoyed

lecturing, delivering a degree in Applied

Theology for 10 years.

Tell us more about your

early career….

When I was 17 and told my mother that I

wanted to be ordained, she told me: ‘I know,

you said that when you were three-years-

old’. I studied at King’s College in London

and helped Franciscan brothers who were

working with homeless people in the East

End. At one point, we were in a derelict house

at 3am, surrounded by hostile drunks, with

one man waving a broken bottle at us. I felt

very vulnerable but when he saw the Anglican

Franciscan in his habit he said ‘Sorry, Father.

Now I know what you’re all about’. I’ve worn

my dog collar ever since.

I later went to the London School of

Economics to do social policy – I wanted to

be a good parish priest. I did a three-month

placement in Gorbals in Glasgow. It was a

very deprived area and when the taxi driver

dropped me off he asked if he should wait. I

worked with youth clubs and gangs and it was

challenging but the people took me to their

hearts and I felt very safe.

What are some of your fondest

memories from your time with

the University?

The weekends away are always memorable

experiences. We had a number of famous

retreat conductors including Archbishop

Michael Ramsey, whose addresses on

transfiguration were incredible – he filled

the room with his quiet voice - and Rowan

Williams, the current Archbishop of Canterbury.

What will you miss most?

When I leave I will miss the people the most.

When I get up in the morning, I find myself

wanting to get in to the University; I get such

a buzz.

Running throughout the whole of my ministry

has been a certain quiet joy, which brings

chuckles so often.

What are you looking forward to

about retirement?

I will be spending more time with family – my

wife Gaynor, son Andrew, daughter-in-law

Sarah and two grandchildren Charles and

Lydia. I owe so much to Gaynor; she has been

so supportive over the years. Living on site, she

has dealt with students when I haven’t been

there and has done a lot of unseen work. I

also enjoy caravanning and gardening – simple

pleasures. After about three months I plan to

spend some time helping in parishes.

What would you study if you were

at university now?

If I had an opportunity, and couldn’t do

theology, I would concentrate on philosophy.

Also, I’d love to do research on religion as a

form of intervention in mental health.

Dedicated ServiceThe University’s chaplain Reverend Prebendary Geoffrey Wynne retires this summer after 44 years of service – believed to be a national record. Staff and students said a fond farewell at a special lunch held in his honour.

In 1979 he instigated an appeal to build an interdenominational Chaplaincy Centre on Wolverhampton City Campus. After many years of public fundraising, over £100,000 was raised to build what is now The Faiths Centre, well-used for pastoral care, counselling, social activities, teaching and worship.

He has also organised the University’s annual carol service at St Peter’s Church which appeals to everyone, regardless of faith, and has done much work in Wolverhampton to foster multi-cultural harmony.

Last year, he received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters from the University for his dedicated service to the spiritual, social and welfare needs of staff and students.

Here, he recounts some fond memories of his career and what he will miss most about University life.

1

2

3

4

6

5

ProFIle 13

Who do you admire?

I admire the current Archbishop of Canterbury

who I have worked closely with on various

committees. He is so humble, yet so brilliant

and so kind.

What is your farewell message

to staff?

We have something so precious in this

University which comes from the devotion and

integrity of staff. We have a tradition of being a

caring university and that has been built up over

many years; we change people’s lives for the

better. The whole country is facing difficult times

and we need to focus on the good things.

7

8

14 FeATure

An additional 32 first-year students have

recently gone through the interview process,

with a view to becoming Specials in the next

academic year.

Sergeant Steve Coxon, who developed the

current Specials training programme, said:

“Each force trains its Specials very differently

and each uses Specials in a different way. In the

West Midlands, the policy is to place them with

permanent neighbourhood teams where they

will have the opportunity to get involved in a

range of duties – carrying out stop and

search practices, investigating thefts and

making arrests.”

Drug raids, domestic violence and protest

rallies are all in a day’s work experience

for a group of students at the University of

Wolverhampton.

The students – all working towards their BSc

(Hons) in Policing – have been signed up as

Special Constables by West Midlands Police as

part of the course.

Developed in conjunction with West Midlands

Police and the National Policing Improvement

Agency, the University offers a programme

for those contemplating a career in policing

or related areas which require graduates with

forensic investigative skills, knowledge of the

law, appreciation of mental health issues and

a wider understanding of the social context in

which policing is conducted.

The University’s Dr Martin Wright, who leads

the course, is a former West Midlands Police

inspector. He said: “This is a vocationally

focused degree that equips individuals to

become police officers.

“The syllabus provides our students with a

whole range of thinking skills. Course members

study forensic science, mental health and

criminal law alongside students in those

individual faculties at the University.

“We are delighted to be providing high quality

students to become Special Constables and as

a result get some fantastic feedback from West

Midlands Police.”

Twelve University of Wolverhampton students

gained experience as Specials in the West

Midlands during the academic year. All

benefited from a bespoke force training

programme developed to meet the needs of

individual communities. Topics covered include

powers of arrest, stop and search, force

intelligence and policing ethics.

FeATure 15

And the Beat goes on

Twenty-year-old Richard Brown stumbled on

the course while he was considering studying

psychology with a view to joining the police.

“The syllabus is ideal for what I want to do with

my life,” he said.

He spent three weeks last summer ‘fast

tracking’ the West Midlands Police Specials

training and has been out on the beat around

Brierley Hill every week since November. “I have

had quite a lot of fun with the neighbourhood

policing team, taking part in vehicle crime and

drugs investigations as well as general patrols.

The work has been very interesting, but it’s not

all action-packed – we have our fair share of

paperwork to do, which is an equally important

part of the job.”

And Richard is getting used to the less than

complimentary comments that he sometimes

attracts, out on patrol around the Merry Hill

Centre. “The first couple of times people fired

off abusive comments I was a bit shocked, but

I’m used to it now,” he said.

Richard, who comes from Pensnett, added:

“The regular officers I work with are really

interested in what the University course offers.

Some of them have been Specials themselves

and they appreciate the work we put in to equip

ourselves with a better working knowledge of

the demands of policing.

“Being a Special enables me to put into

practice what I am learning, week by week.

It is a great way to link together the theory and

the practice.”

Day one as a Special, and Kirsty Smith made

her first arrest while helping to execute a drugs

warrant. Since then the 19-year-old has been

involved in a raid on a brothel in Dudley and

more recently took part in neighbourhood

policing support during the English Defence

League (EDL) protest in the town centre.

Kirsty, from Kingswinford and a former King

Edward VI College pupil, said: “I love it. I

volunteer for an eight-hour shift every week

and get included in everything the team is

doing that day.”

Referring to the EDL protest, she added:

“I thought it was handled really well. I was

patrolling the Russells Hall neighbourhood,

reassuring residents, and it was interesting to

hear progress reports over the radio.”

She has been part of the St James

neighbourhood policing team for five months.

“Signing up as a Special makes you more

aware of what is happening in your area, for

better or worse. You just don’t realise what is

case study 1: Kirsty Smith

case study 2: Richard Brown

going on so close to home,” she said. “It also

highlights the relevance of the university course

– being able to put into practice what we are

learning helps make sense of it all.”

16 FeATure

Since setting up her studio in Sydenham,

London, in 2009, her career has rocketed.

“If someone had told me 10 years ago what I

would be doing now, I’d never have believed

them,” she says.

One of her most exciting projects to date is the

Pleasure Gardens, an exhibition at the Museum

of London alongside the renowned milliner

Philip Treacy, which opened at the end of May

this year.

Yasemen designed 22 striking metal hairpieces

to wear his hats, forming a permanent exhibition

at the venue.

It is billed as the perfect example of when fashion

worlds collide, as Philip Treacy’s 21st century hats

are seen as the contemporary accessories for a

Georgian masquerade, circa 1760.

The backdrop to, and theme of, the Pleasure

Gardens is a masquerade in a Georgian Pleasure

Garden. One of the party-goers wears a copper

‘antlers’ head-dress, created by Yasemen, and

inspired by Diana, the goddess of the hunt and

the moon, which was a popular fancy-dress

costume of the era.

With her own studio, high-profile

commissions and a national exhibition,

Yasemen Hussein still can’t quite believe

how things have turned out.

The talented mixed-media sculptor attributes

her success to a lot of hard work – with a little

bit of luck thrown in.

After graduating from the University of

Wolverhampton in 1994 with a BA (Hons) 3D

Glass degree, she developed her unique pieces

while spending time waitressing, restoring

antiques and working in a theatre.

A unique

talentPhilip Treacy and Yasemen Hussein.

Museum of London. John Chase

FeATure 17

Originally from Castle Bromwich, Yasemen is full

of praise for the skills and advice she gained at

the University of Wolverhampton’s School of Art

& Design.

She enthuses about her lecturers, Stuart

Garfoot and Keith Cummings, and they are

delighted with her success.

“I loved it at Wolverhampton. I had a lot of

support,” says Yasemen.

Stuart praises her talent and says she continues

to inspire students at the School: “She was an

absolute and total individual. Her work is unique

and has influenced students here today.” He

came across some of her work by chance after

she graduated and has stayed in touch with her.

After graduation, Yasemen went on to

Illinois State University in America where she

completed a Fine Art Master in Glass Sculpture.

Impressive commissions then started to come her

way, including striking garden sculptures. Award-

winning designer Fran Forster commissioned

her to make an art-deco style glass window for

her perfumed garden at Hampton Court Palace

Flower Show and as her profile grew, more

opportunities presented themselves.

Living and working at her studio, Yasemen is

consumed by her creative drive and is passionate

about everything she does.

She says: “I am always eager to be in the process

of making, I get energy from the decisions to be

made from physically working with materials.

“The learning process keeps the fire in my belly

burning and the sense of joy I get out of creating

something that is beautiful to my eye is my whole

impetus – just because I can.”

For more information about Yasemen see:

www.yasemenhussein.com

To find out more about the exhibition see:

www.museumoflondon.org.uk

Yasemen fizzes with energy and enthusiasm

and is delighted with the response the exhibition

has received.

Other notable work includes catwalk shows for

American lingerie giant Victoria’s Secrets. It was

at one of their shows that she saw Will-i-am

from chart-toppers the Black Eyed Peas. She

plucked up the courage to ask him to look at

her work, which included striking neckwear. The

result was a commission for a gold collar for the

star, with Yasemen flown out to LA. The singer

is wearing the collar on his worldwide tour.

Yasemen can turn her hand to many different

materials – welding steel, copper, brass,

concrete, wax, clay, wood, glass, even wool –

to fashion her intricate creations.

She also takes private commissions and actor

Rupert Everett collects her work. Always busy,

another potential project in the pipeline is for

hair stylists Toni and Guy, showcasing hairstyles

that made them famous in the 80s.

‘Dia

na’ H

air&

Ant

lers

by

Yase

men

Hus

sein

. Mus

eum

of L

ondo

n.

John

Cha

se

Alessandra Ambro. Victoria Secret Catwalk Show. NY.2009

Miranda Kerr. Victoria Secret Catwalk Show .NY.2009 Will-i-am. Tour 2010 H

air b

y Ya

sem

en H

usse

in. H

at b

y P

hilip

Tre

acy.

M

useu

m o

f Lon

don.

Joh

n C

hase

18 BuSINeSS

The company benefits from having access to

University facilities, such as rapid prototyping

and specialist training in photography and

Photoshop to benefit its in-house sales and

marketing output.

The partnership is clearly a success, as

Tough Furniture recently won the Technology,

Enterprise and Innovation Award at the

prestigious Shropshire Business Awards.

David Vesty was delighted with the award,

and the support provided through the KTP.

He said: “The recognition of winning an award

for Technology, Innovation and Enterprise is

a real boost for the company. What we are

able to achieve in a competitive marketplace is

being greatly assisted and accelerated by the

graduate and professional skills and resources

made available to us from the University

through the KTP scheme.”

The KTP scheme is a UK-wide programme

which aims to help organisations improve their

competitiveness, productivity and performance

through a partnership with an academic

institution. David is very positive about how the

scheme is benefitting the company.

“The KTP scheme is an excellent way of getting

that extra shot of manpower and expertise and

has enabled us to accelerate our plans. It is

essentially about finding a match that works

between what the university has to offer and

what the business needs,” he says.

“It is a difficult climate for all businesses but

we have been able to upgrade the quality of

the designs we put in front of the customer.

We have a standard catalogue but we also

customise furniture, and once we had the

graduate and the right software in place, we

were quickly able to improve the quality of

the drawings we produce. This is something

we are developing very strongly and this has

enabled us to keep ahead of competition from

larger companies.”

Tough Furniture is one year into the two-year

KTP and David says there are other aspects of

the project that are yet to be developed.

Tough triumphSmall businesses face a number of tough

challenges in the current economic

climate. Restrictions on Government

funding and plans to cut schemes that

support small and medium enterprises are

far from the spotlight. But one hurdle that

doesn’t receive a lot of attention is that

faced by an established and successful

business which is still doing well – but has

limited manpower and expertise to drive

forward the next stage of a business plan.

Tough Furniture Ltd in Craven Arms,

Shropshire, is one such successful business.

The company specialises in strong but

attractive furniture to suit the special needs of

environments where abuse, carelessness or

challenging behaviour can occur, such as bail

hostels, residential homes and hospital wards.

Led by Managing Director David Vesty, the

team wanted to accelerate their development

plan and harness new technologies to draft and

design new products.

This is where a Knowledge Transfer

Partnership (KTP) managed by the University of

Wolverhampton came in. Graduate Associate

Rhys Thomas, who studied Product Design,

is employed on a two-year Classic KTP

to transfer technical knowledge from the

University and help to increase skills within the

workforce. He is mentored by academic Rob

Cooksey, a furniture design and development

specialist from the School of Art & Design with

strong commercial experience.

BuSINeSS 19

So far Rhys’ work has focused on design

and customer presentations for direct selling

purposes but the next stage will involve looking

at marketing material, photography and

advertising.

David recommends the KTP programme to other

businesses which have a suitable need. “It has

been cost effective, as we have had a known

outlay. I would recommend it to other companies

where it is appropriate – it is working very well for

us and I have encouraged other businesses to

consider it.”

Business Development Manager at the

University, Nigel Jordan, is also pleased with the

success of the partnership with Tough Furniture.

The KTP Scheme is an excellent way of getting that extra shot of manpower and expertise.

He says: “This KTP is the School of Art &

Design’s third programme with a furniture

manufacturer and is testimony to the applied

research expertise and Associate mentoring

by Rob Cooksey and Dave Henley from the

School’s product design division.

“We are absolutely delighted that Tough has

won such a prestigious award and that we

have contributed towards their success.”

For more information about Knowledge

Transfer Partnerships,

visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/ktp

such as courses, bursaries and scholarships.

Their role is to provide prospective students

and their families with any help they need to

make the transition to education in the UK as

smooth as possible.

And Wolverhampton is certainly a popular

destination for Cypriot students. According

to figures from the Higher Education

Statistics Agency (HESA), the University

of Wolverhampton was 3rd in the top 30

universities for the number of Cypriot students

recruited in 2008/09.

Jo Gittens, Director, International, attended

the opening of the new office, along with Jane

Nelson, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Student Affairs

and Dr Bryony Conway, Dean of the School of

Art and Design. Jo says the University is keen

to build on the success of other

regional offices.

“We are delighted to have opened our new

regional office in Cyprus, which is an important

market for us,” Jo explains.

“We hope that the office will enable us to

build on our success in Cyprus and reach

out to International students in the Eastern

Mediterranean region by raising awareness

of the range of courses we offer students,

including at postgraduate level.

“We already have regional offices in China,

India, Nigeria, Malaysia and Poland that offer

a valuable service to our international students

and their families. This new presence in Cyprus

is the latest exciting step in our international

development agenda.”

Despite a Government cap on undergraduate

EU recruitment for 2010/11, the University still

hopes to attract highly motivated, good quality

Cypriot students.

The island of Cyprus is well known to

many as a holiday destination, with over

1.1 million British nationals visiting the

country every year. Known for its sandy

beaches, historical sights and beautiful

scenery, the Mediterranean island has a

huge amount of appeal for people seeking

a relaxing break.

Cyprus was a British Colony until 1960 when

it was declared independent but strong links

still exist between the two countries. The UK

in general is a popular destination for Cypriot

students, and since the country gained

membership to the EU in 2004, the number

applying to higher education institutions in

the UK has increased dramatically. There

are currently 200 Cypriot students studying

at the University of Wolverhampton, and the

International Centre is keen to take advantage

of this emerging market for student recruitment.

The University launched its new regional office

in Cyprus earlier this year to provide information

and advice for potential students from the

region. The Eastern Mediterranean Regional

Office (EMRO) is centrally located in Nicosia,

which is the capital and largest city on the

island. This provides a great opportunity to

expand and strengthen links within Cyprus and

the surrounding area.

The new office has two members of staff,

Anthie Panayidou and Tina Theophanous, who

offer advice and support on a range of subjects

20 INTerNATIoNAl

New horizons for Cyprus

We hope that the office will enable us to build on our success in cyprus.

INTerNATIoNAl 21

As this cap does not apply to postgraduate

studies, the University is aiming to grow this

activity with the assistance of the new regional

office staff.

Links between the University and the island

also include student and staff exchanges.

The Erasmus scheme enables students to

study in a European country, usually in the

second or third year of their time at university.

Wolverhampton currently has links with the

University of Nicosia through the Erasmus

programme and is keen to expand its interests

in Cyprus. The next phase of development

is to deliver University of Wolverhampton

programmes in Cyprus itself and talks are

currently taking place with potential partners.

Education and qualifications from the UK

are held in high esteem and a degree from a

British higher education institution is deemed

to provide better prospects for employment

in Cyprus. There has been a steady increase

for both undergraduate and postgraduate

studies in the UK with the highest population of

FACTBOX• Full name: Republic of Cyprus

• Population: 871,000 (combined)

• Capital: Nicosia

• Area (combined): 9,251 sq km (3,572

sq miles)

• Major languages: Greek, Turkish,

English

• Monetary unit: Euro from 1 January

2008; Turkish lira used in north

• Life expectancy: 77 years (men), 82

years (women)

Cypriot undergraduate students enrolling in the

subjects of business studies, law, engineering

and technology, and computer science.

The island is close to Turkey, Syria, Jordan,

Lebanon and Egypt which have also been

identified by the University’s International

Centre as potential areas to develop student

recruitment.

With the new academic term just weeks away,

staff in the International Centre will already be

preparing to welcome a host of new students

travelling from a range of countries to study in

Wolverhampton. In the run-up to this busy and

exciting time of year, the new Cyprus office will

be a useful source of information and support

for those making the move.

For more information: visit www.wlv.ac.uk/

international

22 PeoPle

What made you want to work in

art and museums?

I have wanted to work in art galleries and

museums since I was tiny. My mother painted

a bit and was arty and a lot of her friends

were passionate about art. Art History is my

discipline, and I was a Young Friend of the Tate

as a child, so I have always wanted to do it. I

remember receiving a children’s magazine that

always had a work of art in it, and I would put

them on my wall alongside George Best.

How has the sector changed since

you started?

It has changed massively over the last 30

years. I came into the profession when it was

dominated by a connoisseurial approach to art

history.

I was fortunate to go to University in the 1970s,

training with a new generation of curators

who were interested in the opportunities for

collections for a wider audience. I have seen

the sector move from being mainly aimed at

connoisseurs and academics to becoming

something that is far more accessible. The

start of Lottery funding has also led to major

capital investment in the sector.

Our collections are now better managed and

we are more rigorous in the way we collect,

adopting a more audience-focused approach.

What aspect of your work do you

enjoy the most?

What really interests me is the interaction

between people and collections. Being part of

that dialogue, or interventions in that dialogue,

is what I find inspiring – seeing people respond

is always a great motivator.

Corinne Miller is the Head of the Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Museum Service. She has worked at the gallery, which has

strong links to the University’s School of Art & Design, for four years. After studying Art History at the University of Manchester

and completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Museum and Galley Studies, Corinne worked in museums and galleries in Bury,

Allerdale in Cumbria and Wakefield, before taking a post at Leeds Art Gallery, where she worked for 20 years.

1 2

3

Art matters

PeoPle 23

The University and the Art Gallery

have close links – why do you think

it is important to support up-and-

coming art students?

The history of the Art Gallery articulates the

relationship between study and collecting. The

Municipal School of Art was here and the art

gallery was founded alongside it to provide

a source of inspiration for students. The

relationship between education and collections

was strong from the very beginning.

What advice would you offer to

students who may wish to one day

run an art gallery?

You have to be tenacious about pursuing that

career. It is tough, the pay is not good and it

will be quite challenging at times. If you are not

absolutely dedicated and passionate you will

probably fall by the wayside quite quickly! It is

not for the faint hearted.

What would be your dream exhibition

to have in Wolverhampton?

I don’t really have a dream exhibition. I like

to think every exhibition has something to

offer. It is important to create a programme

of wide interest. We show the work of new

artists as well as historic artists. This year at

Wolverhampton we have shown the work of

Vered Lahav and we are working on a show

of Victorian artists from the Cranbrook Colony

in Kent. I love this eclectic programme which

you find in public galleries. I am also interested

in the role of art outside the space of the

gallery. To this end we are working on a project

around the city for viewing in the early evening.

5

4

6

If you were at University today, what

would you study?

I would still study art history. For me it was

interesting at the time and has sustained my

interest ever since. I have been able to carry on

my academic interest in art history alongside

my career. I do a lot of management work

now but nonetheless I do still have occasion

to research and talk and go to exhibitions. The

subject is like a jigsaw. For example, I studied

English watercolours and have discovered

a view of Wolverhampton by Turner. Now

I am fascinated about why Turner came to

Wolverhampton in 1794. I have worked with

Turner’s art for many years but did not know

his work on Wolverhampton – another bit of

the jigsaw.

What has been your greatest

achievement?

The things I have enjoyed have been the big

exhibitions I have done including Cotmania

and Mr Kitson and a survey show of the

work of Franke Brangwyn in Leeds. I was

also privileged to act as the lead on the

development of the contemporary collection

at Leeds to include some digital media and

sound works. Commissioning works for that

was an extraordinary experience which allowed

me to work with artists like Bill Fontana and

Georgina Starr.

In your opinion, what makes a great

piece of artwork or museum exhibit?

I think it has to be the immediacy. Then you

need to be drawn into staying with the work

and for it to sustain you on multiple levels,

so that every time you come to it gives you

something different. I don’t think you should

have a formulaic view of artwork. Alan Bennett

said you know you have found a great piece

of art when you want to put it under your

raincoat and take it home with you and I would

subscribe to that. You want to be with it a long

time.

At Wolverhampton, we can show challenging

works which deal with social issues. People

have remarked how much they have enjoyed

their visit because they have been challenged.

Something has made them think differently

and they have walked out of the building with

a new understanding of something.

Should people have to pay to visit art

galleries and museums?

I would like to see services like art galleries

remain free because that allows the widest

range of people to visit and realise the real

potential of the collections. Galleries like this

have taken generations to build up and they

do represent our collective history. It would be

a real pity to levy a fee. Inevitably the number

of visitors would drop and it is an unhealthy

way to think about visiting a gallery. When I

was young, I would just pop into the National

Gallery and look at Piero della Francesca’s

Baptism of Christ and that would be enough.

If you had to pay you would feel you have to

slog around for a couple of hours to get value

for money. Art should not be relegated to a

consumer activity, it should be recognised as

a vehicle for us to come together to share our

experiences of life and living.

www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk

10

7

8

9

From electrician to semi-professional

footballer and a lengthy career in leisure

services, Paul Watson has now fulfilled

a lifelong ambition by successfully

completing a degree.

Paul was a mature student when he completed

his BA (Hons) in Leisure Management at the

University’s School of Sport, Performing Arts

and Leisure in 2008. His advice to those

considering going back to University is: “Just

go for it, it is the best thing I have ever done.

The freedom of learning was far better than

at college.”

Paul first entered the leisure industry in 1984

when he joined Walsall Metropolitan Borough

Council as a Recreation Assistant. Throughout

his career Paul has held a variety of positions

including Manager of Wombourne Leisure

Centre at South Staffordshire Council, and

Leisure Development Officer at Lichfield District

Council. He has progressed to a double role at

Lichfield, which comprises General Manager

of Burntwood Leisure Centre and the district’s

Sports Development Manager.

He admits he was nervous about taking

on a University course. But his time at

Wolverhampton ensured he had a great

experience of higher education. He says: “At

first I was apprehensive of tackling a degree, but

the relaxed atmosphere and experienced staff

made my time very enjoyable.”

Paul says that his degree has definitely had

a positive impact on his career. “Today, my

remit is much wider and I am now part of the

senior management team.” He adds that his

time at the Walsall Campus was very positive,

describing it as “absolutely brilliant, the students

were delightful and lecturers very helpful”.

Paul believes the London Olympic Games in

2012 will have a major impact on the leisure

industry. He says: “The sport and leisure

industry is growing. In the run-up to 2012 there

appears to be a picture emerging that more

people are taking an interest in sport, and in

particular embracing the opportunity to improve

their personal well-being which will contribute

towards a healthier nation.

Name: Paul Watson

Course: BA (Hons) Leisure Management

Year of Graduation: 2008

24 SucceSS STory

Paul WatsonGraduate success story

The relaxed atmosphere and experienced staff made my time very enjoyable.

“There is a great synergy between sports,

leisure and health. With this merge of interest,

the future of the leisure industry is set to grow

even bigger.”

He recommends the University of

Wolverhampton due to its modern facilities

and knowledgeable staff.

And although Paul is currently very happy

at Lichfield District Council, he relishes the

challenge of one day becoming Head of

Leisure Services.

University of Wolverhampton Open Day – Find out about a range of courses, meet the lecturers and current students and tour the excellent facilities.

Date: Saturday, 21 August 2010

Time: 10am – 3pm

Location: Wolverhampton City and Walsall Campuses

Contact: Enquiries team on 0800 953 3222*

Or visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/opendays

WhAT’S oN GuIDe 25

2010 University of Wolverhampton graduations. Students from all Academic Schools receive their awards.

Date: Wednesday, 1 September to Friday, 10 September 2010

Location: The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton

MA Degree Show – Students from the School of Art & Design exhibit their work.

Date: Monday, 6 September to Friday, 10 September 2010

Time: 9am – 5pm

Location: School of Art & Design, MK Building, Molineux Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1DT

Contact: Bhavna Parmar

Call: 01902 322058

Email: b.parmar5@wlv.ac.uk

New Bottles, Old Wine? A Debate on the Ethics of Educational Interventions In Popular Digital Technologies – A Learning Lab hosted session as part of the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) Conference programme.

Date: Tuesday, 7 to Thursday, 9 September 2010

Location: ALT Conference, Nottingham University

Contact: Abi Redmond – Learning Lab

Website: www.learninglab.org.uk

Call: 01902 322362

University of Wolverhampton Open Day – Find out about a range of courses, meet the lecturers and current students and tour the excellent facilities.

Date: Saturday, 9 October 2010

Time: 10am – 3pm

Location: Wolverhampton City and Walsall Campuses

Contact: Enquiries team on 0800 953 3222*

Or visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/opendays

‘Brave New Worlds – the Ethics of Education in Popular Digital Technologies’ – As part of Higher Education Academy funded activity a one day event is planned to examine the informal ethics of educational interventions in popular digital technologies.

Date: Wednesday, 27 October 2010

Time: 10am – 3pm

Location: Glasgow Caledonian University

Contact: Abi Redmond – Learning Lab

Website: www.learninglab.org.uk

Call: 01902 322362

*If you are calling from a mobile you may incur a charge. The charge may vary depending on your network provider

August September October

What’s onGuide

MAC071 (1)

University of Wolverhampton Wulfruna Street Wolverhampton West Midlands WV1 1LY

tel: 0800 953 3222* fax: 01902 32 25 17 web: www.wlv.ac.uk/dialogue

Printed on paper from sustainable forests with FSC mixed source credit

*If you are calling from a mobile phone you may incur a charge. The charge will vary depending on your network provider

WLVdialogue