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Page 1: Contact Aug 2009

ContactIN THIS ISSUE

New Vice Chancellor named

Engineering School announced

Research investment

New staff survey to launch

Student design shows special feature

Dr David Starkey at Lincoln

NEWS TEACHING & LEARNING RESEARCH ENGINEERING SCHOOL STUDENTS UL PEOPLE EVENTS

The magazine of the University of LincolnAUGUST 2009

Contact

Page 2: Contact Aug 2009

Professor Mary Stuart has been appointedthe Vice Chancellor Designate of theUniversity of Lincoln.

Mary will begin her new role on 1 November, taking over from ProfessorDavid Chiddick who has led the Universityfor nine years.

“I am very excited about coming to Lincoln and I am looking forward toworking with staff and students to build on the excellent achievements thatLincoln has accomplished and to realise its full potential,” says Mary.

The hunt for a new Vice Chancellorstarted in December last year and HumanResources received a huge number ofapplications during that time.

“The recruitment process was designedto reflect the fact that appointing a ViceChancellor is one of the most important

duties of a governing body,” says GrahamSecker, Chair of the Board of Governors.“It resulted in applications from severalhigh calibre individuals with academiccredibility and proven leadership skills, an indication of the growing reputation of the University of Lincoln in the HigherEducation sector.

“Mary brings a breadth of relevantexperience, combined with a leadershipstyle that will ensure Lincoln continues to progress as a university of quality anddistinction, even as it navigates difficulteconomic conditions in the coming years.We should all be excited to have her as our next Vice Chancellor.”

The new Faculty of Agriculture, Food andAnimal Science was officially launched on 1 August at the Lincolnshire Show.

Bringing together the departments ofBiological Sciences, Agriculture and Land-based Studies, and Food Manufacturing and Automation, the new faculty will havearound one hundred teaching, research and support staff, and benefit students and businesses.

“There is a lot of synergy between thedepartments and this move will improveinternal and external collaborations,”explains Dean Professor Val Braybrooks.“Riseholme College has strong links withemployers in food and agriculture, while in biological sciences we have a much more established undergraduate and research portfolio.

“There is a great opportunity here to share resources and give us a single,powerful brand to attract more clients andresearch funding. It will also give students a clear progression route, with wide-rangingcourses from further education levelthrough to research degrees.”

AUGUST 2009

headlines news 3NEWS // Professor Mary Stuart is named as Vice Chancellor Designate // Page 3

TEACHING & LEARNING // CERD secure JISC backing // Page 6

RESEARCH // RAE fundingallocations announced // Page 8

LINCOLN ENGINEERING SCHOOL // The launch of major new development at the University // Page 10

STAFF NEWS // The Staff Survey isready to launch // Page 12

STUDENT NEWS // Meet the newStudents’ Union Sabbatical Officers // Page 16

UL PEOPLE // New Head of EstatesJohn Plumridge // Page 14

EVENTS // Lincoln celebratesTennyson’s 200th birthday // Page 18

Dear Colleagues,

The University is now entering a period of transition with my departure and the arrival of Professor Mary Stuart as thenew Vice Chancellor on 1 November 2009. Mary joins theUniversity with a very impressive and wide-ranging experienceof senior management in pre and post-92 universities. I haveevery confidence that she will be able, with your continuedcommitment, to take the University through the next importantstages of its development. I shall be doing everything possible toensure that the handover to Mary will be as seamless as possible.

It has been an enormous privilege to work with you all and to see the University achieve so much in such a very shortspace of time. Ours is a unique university, not only because of its location or its academic achievement but also, and mostimportantly of all, because of you – its staff.

I am acutely aware that, with such a pace of change, we havenot always got things right and occasionally have got thingsvery wrong but I hope, in the spirit of openness which nowcharacterises this university, we have developed a culturewhich is our greatest strength – of integrity, inclusiveness and mutual support. All universities will be facing extremelydifficult times over the coming years with the so calledefficiency gains (cuts) which are being imposed byGovernment. Higher Education will face some majorchallenges but, with the platform now created at Lincoln and led by an experienced and able Vice Chancellor, I will look forward to celebrating with you, from a distance,the many successes of this University in the years ahead.

With very best wishes,

Welcome Professor Stuart namednew Vice Chancellor

New facultylaunched

Professor David ChiddickVice Chancellor, University of Lincoln

Editorial team

Thirzah Wildman Acting Head of CommunicationsJenny Sheriston Acting Communications ManagerDave Prichard Senior Internal Communications Officer

Send us your stories by emailing [email protected]

Contact will feature in-depth interviews withboth Mary and David in the next edition.

Dean Professor Val Braybrooks with Vice Chancellor Professor David Chiddick (centre)and staff from the Faculty at the Lincolnshire Show

Page 3: Contact Aug 2009

University kicks-off new Imps dealThe University has kicked off a newrecruitment campaign by joiningforces with Lincoln City FC.

The deal will see the University of Lincoln’s logo feature on the Impsaway shirt and third shirt for the nexttwo seasons.

Professor Scott Davidson, Pro Vice Chancellor (External Affairs),says: "Both the University of Lincolnand Lincoln City FC are establishedparts of the local community and playimportant roles in the cultural life of the city. We see this sponsorshipopportunity as an excellent way todevelop the relationship between thetwo institutions.

“The University is very proud to be able to support the club, particularlyin its 125th anniversary season, and wewish the Imps every success both onand off the pitch.”

Landmark conversion Exciting plans are being drawn up for the University’s newestacquisition – currently the home of the Lincolnshire Echo.

The University exchanged contracts on the building in July withthe ambition of turning the 1980’soffice block into a cutting edge homefor its Faculty of Business and Law.

The building conversion, led by thearchitect behind the iconic Great CentralWarehouse Library and the Engine Shed,promises to inject a dose of wow factor to woo potential students and staff.

Professor David Head, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law, says:“Currently the Faculty is split over three buildings on Brayford Campus. Our application numbers are very high,but conversion rates are currently not as good as they could be and we feel ourphysical space lets us down when peoplecome to visit.

“The renovated building will reallycomplement the campus and will featurelarge lecture rooms, a mock court, socialareas for students and staff and places forgroup work. The core of the building willbe a large atrium and cafe, flooded withnatural light.”

4 news 5

Lincoln is officially one of the mostimproved universities in the countryaccording to three leading universityguides.

No other English university hasimproved its ranking more than Lincolnover the last 12 months according to theIndependent which ranked Lincoln 78 out of 113 universities included in the Guide.

The Times Guide moved Lincoln up 17places to 86 overall out of 114 universitiesincluded.

Pro Vice Chancellor (External Affairs),Professor Scott Davidson, says: “This isgreat news, especially as Lincoln is such a young institution. Lincoln is deliveringquality in its teaching, learning and research and this is having an impact at national level.

“Our success in national assessments, such as the Research Assessment Exerciseand National Student Survey, hascontributed to the continued improvementin overall rankings.”

Lincoln Business School has launched a new service to help small businessesby connecting them with student andgraduate talent.

Access Innovation (also known as I4PC), is supported by European RegionalDevelopment Funding and the HigherEducation Innovation Fund to give smalland medium-sized rural East Midlandsbusinesses access to Lincoln’s skills and expertise.

Placement Coordinator CarolineHodgson puts businesses in touch with staff,undergraduates, postgraduates or graduateswho can help them.

“Companies might want to develop a new web-based service, to research a new market or to improve businesssystems,” says Caroline. “Through AccessInnovation, we can bring business andUniversity associates together. For students,it means valuable experience on a realproject that will hopefully give them anadvantage in an increasingly competitivejob market. For businesses, it meansvaluable support is provided.”

MSc International Marketing studentCatherine Shaw was commissioned byKatharine Armstrong-Short Interior Designto carry out research into the company’sexpansion plans. The research undertakenhelped the company to identify somealternative strategies, and resulted in theorganisation saving money.

Another student was taken on for thesummer by civil engineers Fox Owmby Ltd.The company was so impressed, it offeredher a year’s placement.

Professor David Rae, Director of theAccess Innovation project, says: “AccessInnovation is a very practical way ofconnecting businesses and students whichenhances both graduate employability andthe University strategy of adding value tobusinesses through knowledge exchange.”

Access Innovation will officially launchon 24 September.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)is one of the UK’s leading programmesfor helping businesses improve theircompetitiveness by tapping intouniversity knowledge and expertise.

A KTP usually involves a recentgraduate (known as the associate) beingemployed by an organisation to tackle aparticular project or challenge, with thesupport of a university academic. “Onaverage, this can increase a company’sannual profits by £220,000 and giveacademics the opportunity to apply their

research in a real-world scenario,” says KTP Manager Michelle Davis.

The University is involved in severalKTPs with local and national businesses.With Interflora, a Media, Humanities and Technology MSc student is developinga web-based assets management system and setting up a television studio for online broadcasts.

Another project, just about to start, is with Boston-based food companyFreshtime. The associate will aim toimprove the business’s profits by helping

it reduce waste and use it more efficiently. “KTPs help companies develop areas

of strategic importance, that they wouldnot be able to do without a Universitycollaboration,” adds Greg White, Head of Employer Engagement and Knowledge Exchange.

The UK’s first undergraduate studentchapter of the Chartered ManagementInstitute (CMI) will be launched at theUniversity on 29 September.

The Chapter will enable business andmanagement students to develop theiremployability skills by working with expertsfrom the local branch of the CMI, as wellas East Midlands businesses.

Students will also get the opportunity to engage with leading businesspractitioners.

“Our students are very excited at the prospect of working with the CMI and I am very confident this relationshipwill be of long-term benefit to them,” says Professor David Head, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law.

Lincoln soars up league tables

Access Innovation to help local businesses

Start of a new chapter

Applied knowledge to improve competitiveness

Caroline Hodgson with Employer Engagement Manager Stephanie Schiaffonati

If you have an idea for a KTP, please contactMichelle Davis on ext 6970 or [email protected]. You can also find outmore at www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/rcp/ktp.

On the right are a selection of courses that have done particularly well in the last12 months.

Summary of Times Good University Guide Subject Tables

Good University Guide Subject

Art & Design

Accounting & Finance

Business Studies

Psychology

Social Work

Communication & Media Studies

History

Summary of Guardian Subject Tables

Art & Design

Business & Management Studies

Psychology

Media Studies, Communication & Librarianship

Summary of Complete University Guide Subject Tables – The Independent

Art & Design

Accounting & Finance

Business Studies

Psychology

Social Work

Communication & Media Studies

Rank 2009

51

67

56

80

45

41

82

71

56

93

44

59

39

55

41

80

76

Rank 2010/No of Institutions

36/76

36/76

58/110

52/102

40/72

22/87

58/90

66/77

50/113

61/100

33/79

41/75

45/82

61/111

51/102

42/79

28/86

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The sixth annual teaching and learningsymposium took place in June, givingcolleagues the opportunity to engage in debates and conversations around key themes and ideas in teaching and learning.

Entitled Contemporary Issues inTeaching: Continuing the Conversation, theconference enabled staff who teach andsupport the learning of students to cometogether to showcase innovative work and meet with colleagues from across the University faculties and beyond.

On the day, colleagues joined groups to debate themes identified from last year’s symposium.

These themes included engagementand relationships with students, workingwith student expectations, constructions of independent learning and freedom andcreativity in teaching and learning.

Colleagues were also invited to runworkshops on new and developing ideas.These include Julian Beckton’s i-Portfolio,Tony John’s Storytelling in Higher EducationTeaching and Learning, and Joss Winn’s

Chemistry.FM which aims to maketeaching materials publicly available under open licence.

The Centre for Educational Research and Development’s (CERD) Aileen Morris,who led the event, says: “It was a very freeexchange of ideas and possibilities and we

have had some very positive feedback –there is a lot of value in hearing and seeingwhat other people are doing.”

The Lincoln School of Journalism hasbecome one of the first institutions inEurope to be awarded a ‘Recognised forExcellence’ accolade by the EuropeanJournalism Training Association (EJTA).

The School has been accepted formembership of EJTA, joining a prestigiousbody of journalism centres, schools anduniversities from more than 20 countriesacross Europe, with just a handful from the UK.

Staff provided evidence that the schoolsteaching met the stringent criteria expectedand hosted a demanding inspection visit by the Association’s President in April.

“2009 is proving to be an outstandingyear for the Lincoln School of Journalism,”says Deborah Wilson, Programme Leader for Journalism.

“We are rigorous in ensuring we providethe best in journalism education, but to berecognised at an international level by such a respected body as EJTA gives us aresounding stamp of approval.”

The Centre for Educational Research and Development (CERD) has receivedfunding of more than £40,000 from theJoint Information Systems Committee(JISC) for two innovative new projects.

The first is for Chemistry.FM, an initiative which will make publiclyavailable all of the educational resourcesused in the University’s year one module,Introductory Chemistry for ForensicScientists. These include high-qualitystudent videos that are now available under a creative commons licence.

The project will also involve Siren FM, which will help produce additionalmultimedia resources and broadcast part of the course.

“Web technologies and an emerginglegal framework are changing theopportunities for widening participationand self-directed learning,”says TechnologyOfficer, Joss Winn (pictured). “This projectwill allow us to develop a sustainable modelfor producing high quality teaching andlearning resources that are openly availablefor re-use while promoting excellence inteaching and learning at the University.”

The second project, JISCPress, will lookat improving the JISC funding process itself.CERD will explore how the blogging toolWordPress can be used as an effectivedocument-authoring, publishing, discussionand syndication platform for JISC’s fundingcalls and final project reports.

The prototype that Joss will produce will be similar to a system he created forgovernment consultation documents and giveinterested parties an open forum to discussJISC funding calls and project reports.

6 teaching & learning 7

International first for journalism Chemistry for all

Continuing the conversationThe Centre for Educational Research and Development (CERD), hosted a conference in June with the title The University of Utopia RadicalisingHigher Education.

The conference was attended byacademics, support staff and students fromacross the university, as well as from othernational and international Universities. The keynote speakers were ProfessorAntonia Darder from the University ofIllinois in the USA, and Ron Barnett fromthe Institute of Education in London.Professor Darder spoke about very particularways of contesting racial discrimination inNorth American colleges and universities,while Professor Barnett spoke morephilosophically about the challenges andprospects facing the utopian university.

A key issue for the conference was the moral purpose of a university educationin the context of a intensifying globalemergencies, including climate change and the ongoing economic crisis.

Professor Mike Neary, the Dean ofTeaching and Learning, who organised theevent along with colleagues in CERD, says:“The conference identifies the University of Lincoln as a university with a progressiveteaching, learning and research agenda. The opportunity to debate a range of issuesincluding critical pedagogy, ethics aroundteaching and research, ways of democratisingteaching and learning through greaterstudent engagement and academic freedom,including the academic freedom for students,was very much appreciated by all of theparticipants.”

Taking a radical approach See the CERD website for more on theconference and some of the innovative ideas for teaching and learning.

Deborah Wilson receiving the certificate from Marianne Peters, President of EJTA

New book onteaching and learning

The Future of Higher Education:Policy, Pedagogy and the Student Experience Edited by Professor Mike Neary, Dr Howard Stevenson and ProfessorLes Bell, the book features chapters on academic freedom, the learninglandscape, learning and teaching forsustainable development, the role of the educational development unit,continuing professional development,technology in learning, the learningexperiences of non-traditional students,gathering student intelligence and thereconfiguration of the student fromconsumer to producer of knowledge.Published by Continuum Press.

Spreading the word in IndiaDr Bhaskaran Nayar has woninternational funding to launch a newcommunications project in India.

The scheme, funded by theUniversity Grants Commission in New Delhi, uses drama and theatricalperformance as a means of improvingEnglish language skills in localyoungsters.

“The project uses theatricalproduction to train universityundergraduates to prepare, adapt and present plays in English,” saysBhaskaran. “These undergraduate willthen, in turn, train secondary schoolstudents under the guidance of theirtrainers. It is expected that the wholeprocess will enhance the overallcommunicative ability of the students.”

Details of the projects are at chemistryfm.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk and jiscpress.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk.

Lecturer Lisa Gaughan delivers a presentation on student engagement at the symposium(l-r) Professors Ron Barnett, Mike Nearyand Antonia Darder at the conference

Page 5: Contact Aug 2009

New research intowomen’s memoirs

Women’s Court and Society MemoirsEdited by Dr Amy Culley, this four-volume edition forms part of theChawton House Library: Women’sMemoirs series. The volumes providescholarly editions of the memoirs ofLady Charlotte Bury, lady-in-waiting to the Princess of Wales (the futureQueen Caroline) and court socialiteCatherine Cary. Published by Pickering and Chatto.

Major ICT projectlaunched for the elderly Dr Amr Ahmed, Senior Lecturer andleader of the DCAPI research groupwithin Computing and Informatics,is representing Lincoln as a partnerin a new multi-disciplinary project toexplore the use of ICT by the elderly.

The SUS-IT (Sustaining IT use byolder people to promote autonomy andindependence) project examines howelderly people interact with technologyand explores how software designerscould support the age group during thedevelopment stage of software.

The SUS-IT project is one of onlysix successful bids to be funded by the New Dynamics of Ageingprogramme this year. The NDAprogramme is funded jointly by fiveresearch councils (ESRC, EPSRC,BBSRC, MRC and AHRC).

To find out more, visitwww.dcapi.lincoln.ac.uk.

8 research 9

Unlike many academics, Senior Politics Lecturer Dr Yee-Wah Foo(pictured) has an unusually closeconnection with her research subject.

Her grandfather, Fu Bingchang, was the last Chinese ambassador to the Soviet Union, before the Mao Zedong-led revolution.

Now Yee-Wah is set to publish a bookbased on her grandfather’s diaries, whichcapture life during one of history’s mostfascinating periods.

“He was a high-ranking governmentofficial, close to Nationalist leader ChiangKai-shek, and ambassador to Moscow from 1943 to 1949,” she explains. “TheChinese Embassy did not have the moneyof the British or Americans, so Fu’s diariesoffer new insights into the everyday lives of Chinese diplomats living inwartime Moscow.”

They also shed light on his politicalcareer, his meetings with Josef Stalin andForeign Minister Molotov, his relationshipwith Chiang Kai-shek, his efforts tomaintain a positive Chinese presence

among the superpowers of the day, and hisescape to France just as the Communistswere taking over.

Fu Bingchang was also a keenphotographer and his works have beendisplayed around the world. Yee-Wah hasrecently collaborated with a museum inNanjing (the wartime capital of China) to exhibit his photos and many of his artefacts.

The Wartime Diaries of Fu Bingchang:Chiang Kai-shek’s Last Ambassador toMoscow by Yee-Wah Foo will be publishedin the spring by Palgrave Macmillan.

A University of Lincoln academic hasbeen awarded a prestigious grant by theEconomic and Social Science ResearchCouncil (ESRC).

Dr Jane Chapman, (pictured) Reader in the Faculty of Media, Humanities andTechnology, was awarded the £70,000 fora 15-month project exploring Women,Press and Protest in British and FrenchIndia, 1928-48.

“The research will explore the pivotalrole women had on and through newspapersduring India’s transition from colonialismto independence,” Jane explains. “Inparticular it will highlight two hiddenaspects: women’s protests in the forgottenFrench outpost of Pondicherry, and thecollapse of The Pioneer newspaper, whichfolded temporarily due to pro-nationalistcoverage of female boycotts and theconsequential withdrawal of advertising.”

The funding, which will also pay fortwo researchers, an administrative assistantand a Tamil translator, marks a watershed

for the University. “It is vital that weattract money from the major fundingcouncils if we are to build on our researchreputation,” Jane adds.

The project will include a touringexhibition at venues in the three countries,a website for schools and form part of aforthcoming book, Gender, Citizenship and the Media.

Following Lincoln’s success in the 2008Research Assessment Exercise (RAE),around £1.2 million has been allocated to support research across the Universityand further enhance its research profile.

£700,000 is being distributed acrossfaculties for specific research projects withclearly defined deliverables, alongside£500,000 allocated for structural investment.

“We received bids from the Deans foraround £3.6 million, so it was a difficultdecision to allocate the money, but I believethat the University made a fair allocation in the end, with the approval of the CoreExecutive,” explains Senior Pro ViceChancellor Professor Mike Saks. “The good news is that every faculty has had itssuccesses and will benefit from the allocationin progressing their research profiles.”

Due to Government cutbacks, theamount was less than the £1.9 millionpreviously earmarked. However, theUniversity will still gain from a range ofnew initiatives that can now be funded.These include:

New academic postsMoney will go towards paying for newacademic staff, including lecturers, researchfellows and research assistants, who willbolster the number of the University’sresearch active staff and generate furtherresearch expertise in selected areas.

PhD studentshipsThe University is launching a PhDStudentship scheme, which is designed to attract high quality scholars to work in a range of subjects across the University. The scheme will provide a variety ofstudentships as well as fee bursaries and stipends for living expenses.

Funding bidsSupport for staff in the University ResearchOffice will help faculties to identify fundingopportunities and construct bids. Fundingwill also be provided for consultants whoare experts in formulating bids for specificfunding bodies, such as Research Councils,the EU and the Trade Strategy Board.

BEGINSThe Bidding for External Income GraduateInternship Scheme (BEGINS) givesresearch-active staff the chance to employan undergraduate or taught postgraduatefor up to 300 hours. Funding is available topay for internships, which – while providingan extra pair of hands for an academic –will also give students a valuable taste ofresearch work.

Incentivisation schemeIncentives are being provided for facultieswhich will be able to retain half of theoverheads that they gain from successfulresearch bids for further reinvestment inresearch. This is in addition to pump-priming funding being made available to all faculties to aid research development.

These investments will help usto meet many of the targets in ourResearch Strategy ImplementationPlan. Our aim is to ensure thatwe have a growing critical massof research staff and researchactivity, to help staff increase thenumber of high-quality researchoutputs, attract more externalfunding and ensure more doctoralcompletions for the ResearchExcellence Framework (REF),which is scheduled to replace theRAE in 2013-14.

Professor Andrew Hunter,

Dean of Research

A link to the past

£70,000 ESRC fundingResearch investment for the future

Senior Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Mike SaksDean of Research Professor Andrew Hunter

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Page 6: Contact Aug 2009

and administrative staff. The University and Siemens are

investing in a dedicated engineeringbuilding, which will be based on the southquadrant of the Brayford Campus and willhouse the Siemens product training teamas well as the University’s academic staff.

Minister of State for Higher Education,David Lammy, believes engineering is astrategically important subject for studentsand the sector is vital in helping the UK’seconomic recovery.

“This School will contribute significantlyto raising awareness of the subject andencouraging more people to take it up,both during the downturn and beyond as the economy recovers,” he added.

Student numbers will grow to over

450 over the first eight years, the majorityof whom will be part-time and post-experience. The course portfolio willinclude an undergraduate B.Eng with aparticular focus on industrial power andenergy as well as a management route.There are plans for a four-year M.Eng as well as stand alone specialist Masterdegrees related to power and energy, andother areas of expertise within the School.

The plan for the School is based on an ambitious research programme,collaborative research and developmentand growing knowledge transfer activity.Siemens has already pledged pump-primeinvestment and offered rig-testingequipment to support the development of research capacity within the School.

Willi Meixner, Divisional ManagingDirector for Siemens IndustrialTurbomachinery Ltd, sees the main focusof the project being one where students are educated and trained to a world classlevel, the calibre that is needed to work in a company like Siemens.

This view is echoed by Andreas J Goss, chief executive of Siemens in the UK and North West Europe, who believesthe partnership, will cement Siemenscommitment to an engineering base in Lincolnshire.

Mr Goss adds: “Today’s students are the UK workforce – and global businessleaders – of the future. We recognise thatand we must inspire, encourage and harnesspotential talent from the work we carry out with universities throughout the UK.

“This partnership with the University ofLincoln is a significant area of investmentfor us and the School will provide a Centreof Excellence for engineering training andhigher educational focused on industrial power generation.”

Mr Goss points out that as well asgraduate initiatives, Siemens has a strongethos of apprenticeships in the UK with150 apprentices currently working with the company. They also make specialefforts to attract young women intoengineering as the sector suffers from a chronic lack of diversity.

Another widespread challenge facingengineering companies in the UK is asupply and demand issue within the sector,with fewer graduates than vacancies. Inaddition, many engineering graduates need the practical skills and know-how to be fully prepared for work.Typicallyengineering companies that employgraduates offer graduate trainingprogrammes that are costly.

Professor Atherton adds: “The aimwith our School of Engineering is toprepare students for work while studyingvia innovative approaches to partneredteaching and learning, where the studentswill spend significant time in Siemens and other companies undertaking project-based learning and applying their conceptual and theoretical knowledge in practice.”

It is anticipated that students will spend much of their final year and most of their summers working with engineering companies.

10 engineering school 11

The first purpose-built School ofEngineering to be created in the UK formore than 20 years has been given thegreen light after the University received a £4.3 million strategic development fundgrant from Higher Education FundingCouncil for England (HEFCE). The School,on the Brayford Campus, is a partnershipbetween the University, SiemensIndustrial Turbo-Machinery Ltd Lincoln,Loughborough University and HEFCE.

The £37 million project will take shapeover the next ten years and will seeSiemens Industrial Turbo-Machineryinvesting significantly through scholarships,tuition fees and paid employmentopportunities for undergraduate students.Other engineering companies will also be

involved, and there has been a stronginterest already in collaborative researchand in the courses that will be developed.Students will be recruited from schools and colleges, particularly in Lincolnshireand surrounding areas, and plans havealready been developed to engage withspecialist technology and engineeringschools to encourage their students to apply.

Professor Andrew Atherton, theUniversity’s Pro Vice Chancellor forStrategy and Enterprise, says: “This is a genuine partnership with Siemens thatseeks to become an innovative model of university-employer engagement. The aim is for students to engage in theworkplace as they study at the University,

so preparing them for rewarding and successful careers in the future.

“Siemens, and other engineeringcompanies, will also send staff on part time post-experience undergraduate andpostgraduate courses at the EngineeringSchool, typically on a block release basiswith a work-based learning component.”

The HEFCE funding includes £2million of capital towards the constructionof a leading edge new build facility to house the School and £2.3 million to ‘pump-prime’ setting up the school. Recruitmentof a Head of School is underway, with thesuccessful candidate likely to start early in 2010. The School will recruit 12 staff initially, including academic staff, an employer engagement co-ordinator

The new School of Engineering at the University of Lincoln

(l-r) Product Training Manager Mike Gibbons, Special Projects Manager Clive Cox, Engineer and Component Test Manager Geoff Baty, Vice Chancellor Professor David Chiddick, Head of Service Engineering Steve Middlebrough, Director ofFinance Joanne Jones and Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Andrew Atherton at the Siemens Engineering Building on Firth Road, Lincoln.

This School will contributesignificantly to raising awareness of thesubject and encouraging more people to take it up, both during the downturnand beyond as the economy recovers

David Lammy, Minister of State for Higher Education

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The University has launched its first staff suggestion scheme.

Led by Human Resources, itencourages all members of staff to think of ways that the University could becomemore efficient or dynamic.

Ideas that are adopted will qualify for a financial award of £25. If the idea is really successful, a one-off award up to a maximum of £5,000 could be given.

Benefits Manager Ian Hodson said:“Staff are the most valuable asset of anyorganisation, and good ideas can comefrom any part of it. We really want to hear any ideas staff may have to help theUniversity grow or become more efficient.Ideas could be around reducing ourenvironmental impact, recruitment orsimply just doing things differently.”

If you have a good idea, please visit Portal > Human Resources > StaffSuggestion Scheme.

12 staff news 13

The University’s commitment to genderequality in the workplace has beenofficially recognised by the OpportunityNow benchmarking exercise.

Opportunity Now, the UK’s mostextensive survey of gender equality,diversity and inclusion in the workplace,has awarded the University a silver award.

The exercise monitored four keyrequirements in the workplace ofcommitment and engagement, integration,evaluation and performance improvement.

“The University scored highly in ourcommitment and engagement assessment,narrowly missing out on a gold standard for this category,” says Claire Bell, Equalityand Diversity Manager. “Our achievementhas been through providing clear corporatestrategies, a commitment to deliver trainingas well as establishing working groups tofocus on key areas.

“We also scored highly on ourintegration rating and were commended for the work we have undertaken to set up robust monitoring systems to enable theinstitution to begin to undertake in depth

analysis on issues such as selection andrecruitment, career progression and thegender pay gap.

“The developments of staff networkssuch as Women into Research, and the StaffCarer’s Forum, make a positive contributionto the experience of staff and enable anopen gender equality dialogue to flourishthroughout the organisation.

“This is the first equality and diversitybenchmarking exercise we have undertakenand it gives us an excellent foundation towork from. We hope to take part in thenext benchmarking exercise which will bein 2010, but in the meantime will continueto make progress in our gender equalityscheme. It is our aspiration that in 2010’sassessment exercise we will be securing the gold award.”

To view the Opportunity Now BenchmarkingReport, the Equality and Diversity AnnualReview or the Equal Pay Review, visitPortal > Human Resources > Equalityand Diversity.

The second University-wide StaffSatisfaction Survey will launch thisNovember, with every member of staffencouraged to take part.

More than 64 per cent of staff tookpart in the 2007/8 survey – the largestresponse in the sector.

“It’s been two years since our last surveyand there have been some really positivechanges,” says Jayne Billam, Director ofHuman Resources.

“This is the first survey that we will beable to benchmark against and it will help

us to monitor satisfaction and identify key areas for improvement.

“We want staff to provide an honestresponse to the questions. As with the last survey, we will be feeding backdepartmental results to heads ofdepartments so they can act on thesurvey’s findings locally.”

When launched, the survey will beavailable electronically and in paper formatfor those that do not have regular access to a computer. Please check the Portal forfurther updates.

Following significant progress inmanager training and departmentalstress risk assessments, a trainingprogramme for staff, centred onrecognising and managing personalstress will be offered in 2009-10,alongside an online package. Stress at work is influenced by:

• Demands – workloads, work pattern or work environment

• Control – the level of input into how and when work is done

• Relationships – working relationships and behaviour

• Role – understanding of roles and avoidance of conflicting roles

• Change – how change is managed and communicated

• Support – encouragement, sponsorship and resources.

“The University takes stress, whichcan result from home and work pressures,very seriously,” says Chris Spendlove,Registrar and Chair of the Stress SteeringGroup. “If staff and management can learnto recognise stress, support can be soughtat an early stage. We must also identify and target the root causes of stress.”

Staff Survey to launch in November Going for greenThe University’s commitment tobecoming a more environmentallyfriendly institution has made greatstrides over the summer.

New facilities, such as improvedlighting, have been added to the MainAdministration Building to reduce our carbon emissions by significantlyreducing the amount of energyrequired to light and heat the building.

Additionally, the University wasone of six organisations shortlisted by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges for a Green Gown Award for ContinuousImprovement.

It is estimated that the University’syoyo paper recycling scheme ispreventing up to 13 million sheets ofpaper waste going to landfill per year.The paper waste can be recycled up toseven times, reducing its CO2 emissionsby 72 tonnes per year and removingthe need to consume 4,500 trees forpaper manufacturing.

Could you manage inthe Premier League?Calling all football fans! TheUniversity will launch its first officialstaff fantasy football league this year.

Hosted on the Premier Leaguewebsite, the league is aimed at all staff who have access to a computer.

Simply visit http://fantasy.premierleague.com to create a free accountand ensure when you have picked your team, you affiliate it to theUniversity league (Lincoln Scholars)by using code 5999-2221 on theleagues page.

Staff should not visit the websiteduring working hours. The winner willreceive a trophy and a football shirt oftheir choice.

Dave Prichard, Senior InternalCommunications officer, said: “This is really exciting for all footballenthusiasts or those that just fancytaking part. Look out for further detailson how to join in the Daily Alerts.”

The positive University-wide resultsincluded:

• 94% said they are interested in the University and that it’s not “just a job” to them and 86%said they were proud to work for the University

• 90% said their team leader or line manager is approachable and supportive in a personal crisis

• 78% of staff felt the University offers good pension and sick pay schemes and that holiday entitlement is good

• 90% of you generally enjoy your work and 83% said the University is a good place to work.

Areas for improvement included:

• Managing change: 86% felt that more could be done to help staff prepare for and cope with change

• Communication: 74% of staff said that the different parts of the University do not communicate effectively with each other

• Bureaucracy: 57% felt of staff felt they are required to do unimportant tasks which prevent them from completing more important ones

• Career progression: 59% said that there aren’t enough opportunities for progression in the University.

Equality schemewins silver award

Learning to recognise stressGot a good idea?

UL in the mediaHighlights of recent mediacoverage:

Pro Vice Chancellor Professor AndrewAtherton appeared on BBC RadioLincolnshire to discuss the newEngineering School partnership withSiemens. The new Engineering Schoolwas also featured in the Times HigherEducation, the Lincolnshire Echo,Construction News and Teletext.

The University’s sponsorship dealwith Lincoln City Football Club wasfeatured on BBC Radio Lincolnshireand BBC online with Pro ViceChancellor Scott Davidson beinginterviewed.

Dr Jim Cheshire was interviewed about the Tennyson Conference whichcelebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Dean of Business and Law ProfessorDavid Head commented in the TimesHigher Education on decline oflanguage skills in higher education.

Golf expert Dr Mark Smith wasquoted on CNN and mentioned the University’s Golf Education and Research group.

The Environmentalist wrote afeature on the University’s paperrecycling scheme – Yo-Yo.

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Service User and Carer InvolvementProject Manager Gina Hardesty has wona commendation award after facilitatingan exceptionally successful school workexperience placement.

Sixteen year-old Wesley Trowel has a severe form of cerebral palsy, and hecommunicates using a computerised speech system which he operates usinghead movement and sensors.

After struggling to secure workexperience with local businesses, he andhis enabling support worker MargaretWilcox approached Gina after learning of her service user and carer involvementwork in social work education.

After meetings with the Local EducationAuthority, Wesley took up work experiencewith Gina.

“Wesley had so much to offer in termsof skills and the enthusiasm for learning,”says Gina. “Together with our HumanResources, we ensured he had a safe andthorough induction, and that both he andMargaret would be well supported duringtheir time at the University.

“Wesley worked extremely hard in the office. He assisted to make teaching

materials, typed and sent emails and took a meaningful role in meetings andseminars. In fact his placement was sosuccessful he also won an award as thestudent who gained the most benefit from his work experience placement.”

Gina picked up her commendationaward from the Humberside EducationBusiness Partnership at the Ramada JarvisHotel in July. Maria Conyers from TheHull School of Health and Social Careaccompanied Gina at the event.

A memorial for three students whotragically died during the course of the last academic year was unveiledby Chancellor Lord Victor Adebowale at Hull Campus.

Chloe Lauren Leach, Dawn Rose andDerek Hartley, who were studying towardstheir Social Work degree, were rememberedby family, friends, staff and students at thetree planting ceremony.

Malcolm Golightley, Head of theSchool of Health and Social Care at HullCampus, says: “Students and staff are whatmake a university so special. We cherishour students and get to know them well.The loss of any member is especially sad.Dawn, Chloe and Derek will be greatlymissed, but remembered by us all. It isfitting that the memorial garden at the rearof the campus was designed and planted bya small group of staff. Students and staffraised all the money themselves.”

14 ul people 15

John Plumridge has joined theUniversity as the new Head of Estatesand Commercial Facilities.

An experienced estates manager, John– who spent seven years in a similar role at Leicester De Montfort and then as aconsultant – was attracted to Lincolnbecause of its innovative environment.

“This is an exciting place with freshthinking and no closed minds,” he says. “I have been very impressed by thecampuses and the development takingplace. I am already working on severallarge developments, including the newengineering school, the new Business and Law Faculty and the new art anddesign block.”

John, who also has a background inarchitecture, property management and

regeneration, is responsible for themanagement of all the University’scommercial assets and buildings, includingsports and leisure facilities.

He lives with his family in Loughboroughand enjoys golf and sailing in his spare time.

Leading by example New Head of Estates

Hull studentsremembered

StartersStaff joining the University between 1 May and 31 July 2009.

Estates and Facilities Matthew Croft, Project Officer; Peter Harrison ProjectManager; John Plumridge, Director ofEstates and Commercial Facilities.

Faculty of Agriculture, Food and AnimalScience Simon Harrison, Lecturer;Yunus Khatri, Senior Lecturer; MichelleMortimer, Marketing Intelligence andRecruitment Officer.

Faculty of Art Architecture and Design Karen Bartlett, Senior Lecturer; MikeBelton, Senior Lecturer.

Faculty of Business and LawJane Crofts, Lecturer; Caroline Hodgson, Placement Co-ordinator; John Kelly,Lecturer.

Faculty of Health Life and SocialSciencesValeria Carroll, Lecturer; David Dawson,Research Tutor; Emily Groves, PlacementDevelopment Worker; Holly Hodges,Graduate Internship; Stephen Lynch,Instructor in Sport; Michelle Palmer, Marketing and RecruitmentOfficer; Helen Pickard, ResearchTechnician; Hettie Roebuck, GraduateInternship; Kelly Skidmore, ClericalAssistant; Gangi Reddy Ubbara,Analytical Chemistry Technician; DanielGraham Wenman, Graduate Internship.

FinanceJames Anderson, Financial ReportingManager.

Human ResourcesStephanie Lofts, Clerical Officer.

ICT ServicesAmit Dutta, Network Engineer; David Sheppard, Data Analyst; Ashley Vickers, Desktop Support Officer.

Students’ UnionChris Charnley, Sabbatical Officer; EmmaDevine, Sabbatical Officer; ChristopherFarrell, Sabbatical Officer; StevenGreaves, Sabbatical Officer;Kayleigh Valentine, Sabbatical Officer.

University RegistryAmy Allen, Admissions Officer; LyndaMcMullan, Business Continuity Manager.

UL Nursing expert joins GovernmentcommissionProfessor of Nursing Laura Serrant-Green has been appointed to anational commission set up byPrime Minister Gordon Brown tosupport England’s frontline nursesand midwives.

Laura is one of 21 members of the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England.

The commission will aim to identifyany barriers that impede the pivotal rolethat ward sisters, charge nurses andcommunity team leaders provide.Meetings are chaired by Ann Keen MP,Parliamentary Under Secretary of Statefor Health Services.

“I am very proud to have beeninvited to play a part in the work of thisimportant commission, which will aimto ensure that our diverse family ofnurses and midwives working on thefrontline of Britain’s healthcare systemget the support they need and deserve,”says Laura.

For more information on the PrimeMinister’s Commission on the Future ofNursing and Midwifery in England visitwww.cnm.independent.gov.uk.

Emergency planningexpert joinsUniversityPreparing the University for adversesituations is the focus of new BusinessContinuity Manager Lynda McMullan.

Lynda has joined the University in a brand new role dedicated to ensuringplans are in place to deal effectivelywith major incidents, outbreaks andclosures. These plans will help makesure students and staff are safe and wellinformed, and that the University cancontinue its operations as far as possibleand maintain its reputation.

She says: “Business continuityplanning is all about providing theUniversity with the means to respond inan effective and efficient manner to anybusiness interruption, ensuring staff andstudent welfare, limiting damage andrestoring services.” Chancellor Lord Victor Adebowale with the

families of the deceased students

Jonathan Elvidge (founder of the GadgetShop), Gina Hardesty, Hull AdministratorMaria Conyers and Wesley Trowel at theawards ceremony

Head of Library and Learning ResourcesMichelle Anderson left the University atthe end of July, virtually 10 years to theday since she joined.

In that time, Michelle oversaw manychanges within her department, chiefly the advent of e-books and the integrationof other resources into the virtual learningenvironment.

“Lincoln has now got a really greatphysical environment at each campus –especially the Great Central Warehouse –

strong electronic resources and a wonderfulteam,” she says. “The last couple of yearsin particular have been a very interestingtime and we improved a lot in the NationalStudent Survey, getting a score of 4.1.”

Michelle left to fulfil a long-heldambition to live in Scotland and joins TheRobert Gordon University in Aberdeen asdirector of its new library.

“Lincoln is very dear to my heart and I am deeply proud of what my colleaguesand I have achieved.” she says.

Michelle begins new chapter

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16 student news 17Young designers show creative flair Photography student

snaps up awardStudent Hannah Beevers beat over 1,500other students to be selected in the top30 of the Fujifilm Student Awards 2009.

Photography students across thecountry submitted images to be used onthe front cover of a new Penguin ModernClassics edition of Rachel Carson’srevolutionary work, Silent Spring.

Entrants were asked to shoot sceneswhich depicted the subject of the book: human impact on the naturalenvironment. Hannah, who is studyingMedia Production, captured a spectacularphotograph of the sun setting by a sugarbeet factory.

“I chose to enter this image because I thought it worked extremely well withthe text and also fitted well with the topicof Carson’s book,” says Hannah. “In the

background there is a sugar beet factory and pylons, which both link to human-madedevices which are affecting the environment.Then there is the contrast with the naturalbeauty in the sunset.”

Students from the Faculty of Art,Architecture and Design hosted theirend of year collections at ThomasParker House, Greestone and BrayfordCampus this year.

Subjects exhibited included Animation,Fashion Studies, Conservation andRestoration, Contemporary Lens Media,Creative Advertising, Fine Art, GraphicDesign, Illustration, Interactive Design and Product Design.

Students from the University’s BA

(Hons) Fashion Studies programmeshowcased their final year collections in aseries of sell-out shows at the Engine Shed.

Inspiration for the collections includedthe circus, Gaudi, Sci-Fi, comic books andgraphic novels, Japanese culture, the coloursof flowers and the shapes of insects, andancient Roman architecture.

“The show is the culmination of three years’ hard work and dedication by students on the course. Now the studentswill head off into a variety of careers,

whether focusing on design or moving into the business side of fashion – there are so many roles in the industry,” says Carol Brown, Principal Lecturer in Fashion Studies.

Tim Fabian, Programme Leader forGraphic Design, says: “This year the studentshave shown great creativity and initiative intheir work. A high level of professionalism in the design and construction of the degreeshow has helped to showcase the ongoingsuccess of the course.”

The new Students’ Union SabbaticalOfficers have begun their term in office.

The new team started their roles on 1 July and are available through either theemail system or can be found on both

floors of the Student Centre at theBrayford Campus

(anti-clockwise from top left) Design exhibition work at Thomas Parker House and catwalk pictures from the Fashion Show held at the Engine Shed

Lincoln moves up the BUCS tableThe University continues to makeexcellent progress up the BritishUniversities and Colleges Sports(BUCS) League, climbing to 56 outof 142 institutions.

The League, which records successacross all sports, is widely seen as themain indicator of overall studentsports success.

Outgoing Sports and TeamsSabbatical Officer Chris Roberts said:“We climbed another five places thisyear, which is a great result. I wouldlike to thank everyone for the supportyou have given both the Athletic andStudents’ Union this year, thisfantastic achievement would not havebeen possible without it.”

Stock skills on showStudents based at RiseholmeCollege took part in the University’sfirst Stock Skills Competition at theEquine Indoor School.

The competition encourages FE students from animal andagriculture courses to prepare theanimals they have been looking afterduring the academic year for show, and parade them.

Students were assessed for how theyhandled cows, sheep, horses and goats,as they would be in a professionalcompetition.

(top l-r) Steven Benbow (Student Officer), Dan Derricott (Student Officer), Emily Fay Gough(Student Officer), Gloria Dei (Student Officer), Jamie Lee Hall (Student Officer), KathrynWalker (Student Officer), (bottom l-r) Chris Farrell (Athletic Union Sports and Teams),Kayleigh Turner (Education and Academic Affairs), Chris Charnley (President), EmmaDevine (Communications and Media), Steven Greaves (Welfare and Liason), KayleighValentine (Athletic Union Activities and Societies).

For information visit www.lincolnsu.com

Meet the new Sabbs…

Page 10: Contact Aug 2009

18 events 19

Performance poet Patience Agbabi(pictured) lit up the EMMTEC during theLincoln Book Festival.

She was supported by up-and-comingpoet Caleb Klaces whose work focuses onpolitical and environmental issues.

Patience and Caleb were joined on thenight by Creative Writing students fromthe English department who performedtheir own work to an enthusiastic audience.

The evening was organised by Dr SiânAdiseshiah, Dr Amy Culley, and CatherineRedpath, who said: “The event was a greatsuccess and we’re really proud of the students.The feedback was very positive and we hopeto hold a similar event next year.”

Celebrating the life of TennysonThis year marks the 200th anniversaryof the birth of one of Britain’s mostpopular poets, Alfred Lord Tennyson.

To celebrate the bicentennial, the Tennyson Society held its four-day international conference at theUniversity in July. Open to members of the public, it attracted leadingacademics from as far as America and Australia.

The conference, entitled TheYoung Tennyson, explored thesignificance of the poet’s early life: the influence of his unstable father in the Lincolnshire village of Somersby,his formative years as a student atCambridge and his relationship to the poetry of the late Romantic period.

Tennyson’s career changeddramatically in 1850 with thepublication of one his most famouspoems, In Memoriam, inspired by thedeath of his Cambridge friend ArthurHallam. In the same year he waselevated to poet laureate and marriedEmily Sellwood.

Lincoln’s own Tennyson expert, Dr Jim Cheshire says: “The conferencewas fascinating, leading expertsdelivered a wide range of stimulatingpapers on a surprisingly broad range oftopics. The conference ended with anaddress by Sir Christopher Ricks, themost famous Tennyson scholar in the world.”

Director of Sport Robin Wright raisedover £2,000 following a 180-mile, fourday row for charity.

Robin joined fellow kayaker Andy Gilesfrom the Lincoln Canoe Club to raisefunds for Cardiac Risk in the Young – acharity that raises awareness of conditionsthat can lead to Sudden Cardiac Death in young people.

Robin was motivated to take on thechallenge after witnessing the personalstruggle of his friends John and Gwen

Eastwood following the sudden death of their 18-year-old son John in 2006.

Robin says “This was such an amazingexperience and an emotional one too. Both Andy and I were exhausted at theend of day four, especially as we managedto time the event with a heat wave whichmade the challenge that little bit harder.

“I’d like to thank everyone whosupported us throughout the row. Yourcontributions could quite literally save lives.”

Robin’s row aWright success

Summer fun on the BrayfordLincoln’s first Summer Gala proved a massive hit for thousands of peoplewho visited the two-day event.

The University joined localbusinesses including the LincolnshireBusiness Improvement Group,Lincolnshire Echo, Lincoln City FC, Lincs FM, and Lincolnshire CountyCouncil to organise the gala aroundBrayford Waterfront as part of theLincolnshire Bites Back credit crunchcampaign.

“The gala provided free fun forfamilies during a time of economicdifficulties in the UK and supportedlocal businesses in the city,” says LesleyBunn, University Events Manager.“Following the success of this event we hope to hold another Summer Gala in 2010.”

Volunteers head to IndiaUniversity volunteers will fly to Indiain August to see first hand how theircharitable works have impacted onone of the country’s poorest towns.

Pam Holbrook and Jane Kilby fromCommunity Volunteers, along with thestaff and student team, will visit Gaya in north east India to witness how acharity they have supported is workingto provide education for the region’syoungsters and to improve the quality of life.

“We’ve managed to raise £1,600 to fund a local school for a year,” saysPam. “This is a small amount by westernstandards, but the impact of schoolingand education in such a deprived areawhere it is not provided by the statecannot be stressed enough.”

The trip is being coordinated in the UK by Keith Darwin, Chairman of People First International (UK) and a University of Lincoln governor.

Student poets ignite Book Festival

Andy Giles and Robin Wright set off from the Brayford Pool

Creating a buzz at RiseholmeRiseholme Campus will host theUniversity’s first beekeeping course nextsemester and hopes to hold specialevent days for members of the public.

The move follows Defra’s announcementof a £10 million project to identify the mainthreats to bees and other insect pollinators.

Lecturer Ben Crabb, who has beenkeeping bees since the age of seven, says:“There have been some very seriousconcernsamong beekeepers and theagricultural community about the impact of disease and environmental threats on the bee population, so this announcement is really good news.”

“Bees are crucial to crop production andfood supply, and as well as offering courses in

beekeeping, we hope to conduct our ownresearch, for example looking into thedifferences between urban and rural bee populations.”

Dr David Starkey –History on TelevisionDr David Starkey OBE, the UK’s leadingconstitutional and monarchy expert and a colourful media personality,delivered a keynote lecture on History on Television as part of the History 2009 Conference.

Erudite and outspoken, Dr Starkey also proved to be a humorous speaker as he recalled his first foray into television. A former pupil of his (Starkey was aCambridge lecturer) contacted him, askinghim to appear on a programme called Behave Yourself, presented by Russell Harty.

“It was a cross between Big Brotherand Coronation Street – reality TV 30 years before it happened,” said Dr Starkey. “It had a panel of experts and I was thehistorian.”

And he had a TV executive’s daughterto thank for his next break. The idea of a series on Henry VIII was pitched toChannel 4’s director of programmes JohnWillis. The proposal appealed, but Willis wasunsure if Dr Starkey’s appeal was sufficientlybroad for him to present the programme.

“Luckily his daughter was studying theTudors and was reading my book and liked it – and the rest is, quite literally, history.”

Dr Starkey said his programmes were

popular because he tries ‘to tell the kind of history that uses many of the techniquesof popular entertainment’, for which hereadily admits he’s been criticised.

“My programmes have powerfulstorylines and vivid characterisation. It shares something of the soap, or of populardrama and makes no apologies for doing so,” he told a packed auditorium at theUniversity’s EMMTEC venue.

The conference, the culmination of the AHRC funded Televising History 1995-2010 project organised by Ann Gray andErin Bell, also welcomed Controller of BBC Two Janice Hadlow, award-winningtelevision producer and founding chiefexecutive of Channel 4 Sir Jeremy Isaacs and Alex Graham of Wall to Wall, an EMMYand BAFTA award-winning independentproduction company responsible for suchshows as Who Do You Think You Are?Other Keynotes were given by Professor Jay Winter, Yale University, Professor PierreSorlin, University of Paris III and IstitutoBologna, Dr Alison Landsmoor, GeorgeMason University, New York and ProfessorJohn Corner, University of Leeds and theconference hosted 80 delegates from around the world.

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events diaryCONFERENCES / SEMINARS / LECTURES

4-10 September

The Association for Industrial ArchaeologyAnnual Conference 2009. Visit www.industrial-archaeology.org.uk for more information.

8-11 September

European Feminism’s Engagement With Its Own Past: The Utility Of HistoricalNarratives In Constructing Gender-BasedIdentities. For further information, emailProfessor Krista Cowman at [email protected] or Dr Jirina Smejkalova [email protected].

14-15 September

Five Year Celebration of the GCW Library.Celebration ceremony followed by tours of thelibrary for staff and the general public. Forfurther information contact the UniversityEvents Team at [email protected].

30 October 2009

Lives in Relation: An InterdisciplinaryConference on Life Writing. For furtherinformation contact Dr Amy Culley [email protected] or Dr Rebecca Styler at [email protected].

25-27 November 2009

Architecture and Justice. For furtherinformation about the conference contact KerrySwarbrooke at [email protected].

OPEN DAYS

Undergraduate Open Days

Open days held on 3 October (10.30am–3pm),31 October (10.30am–3pm) and 21 November(10.30am–3pm). All held at Brayford Pool,Cathedral and Riseholme Campuses. Tobook call 01522 886644 or turn up on the day.

FE Open Day

5 September (2pm–7pm). To book [email protected] or ring 01522 886644.

Hull School of Health and Social Care Open Days

Open days held on 7 October and 2 December(1–3pm). To book a place please email MariaConyers on [email protected].

LPAC

2 October

Lincoln Comedy Festival Presents: Collinsand Herring Podcast Live! Doors 7.15pm,Show begins at 8pm. Tickets cost £10.

3 October

Lincoln Comedy Festival Presents: Milton’sParadise Jones! Doors 7.15pm, Show beginsat 8pm. Tickets cost £12.

4 November

Daniel Kitson. Doors open at 7.15pm, Showbegins at 8pm. Tickets cost £10

All events are subject to change. For furtherinformation on events and to book visithttps://lpac-secure.ticketline.co.uk/ or call 0871424 4444 Monday to Friday from 8am to 11pmor weekends from 9am to 9pm.

ENGINE SHED

3 October

The Cribs. Time: 6:30pm. Tickets cost £14 +booking fee.

6 October

Stewart Lee – If You Prefer A Milder Comedian,Please Ask For One. Doors 7:15pm, showbegins 8pm. Tickets cost £15+booking fee.

12 October

Bloc Party Bloctober Tour. Doors 7pm. Sold out!

18 October

Gary Moore. Doors 7pm. Tickets cost £26.50.

23 October

Reverend and the Makers. Doors 7pm.Tickets cost £12 + booking fee.

31 October

Alesha Dixon plus Special Guests. Doors6:30pm. Tickets cost £18.50 + booking fee.

2 November

Dizzee Rascal. Doors 7pm. Tickets cost£17.50 + booking fee.

3 November

Rhod Gilbert and The Cat that Looked LikeNicholas Lyndhurst. Doors 7:15pm, showbegins 8pm. Tickets cost £15 + booking fee.

7 November

The Enemy. Doors 7pm. Tickets cost £18advance + booking fee.

1 December

The Saw Doctors. Doors 7pm. Tickets cost£20 + booking fee.

8 December

Shed Seven. Doors 7pm. Tickets cost £16.50+ booking fee.

10 December

Dragonforce. Doors 7pm. Tickets cost £16 +booking fee.

All events are subject to change. Forfurther information on events at the Engine Shed please call 01522 837400 or visitwww.engineshed.co.uk. Please note that theEngine Shed box office is closed during termtime. However, tickets can always be bought on the website.

GRADUATION

7 September

Art, Architecture and Design 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

8 September

Business and Law 10.30am and 2.30pm.

9 September

Health, Life and Social Sciences 10.30am,2.30pm and 7.30pm.

10 September

Media, Humanities and Technology 10.30pmand 2.30pm.

For more information, visit the Portal homepage.