Cs 938 e42 issue 8

Magazine | Issue 08Edge Hill University

FabulousDoctor

edgehill.ac.uk

p10

EDGE HILL UNIVERSITY

Contents03 A Sort of Wisdom

06 First Class, First Choice

10 Doctor Fabulous

14 Expanding East

16 Investing in Excellence

20 The Challenge of Change

24 All the Small Things

26 Professorial Appointments

30 Getting in the Frame

36 Meaning Business

38 From Oceania to Ormskirk

42 State Wrongs and Human Rights

44 Fair Weather

46 An African Adventure

Published by Edge Hill University

Editor: Sam Armstrong, Mary BerniaDesign: Andy Butler: EHU Creative ServicesCopywriting: Sophie WilcocksonPhotography: Stuart Rayner, Mark McNultyCover Illustration: Izabela Samsonowicz – [email protected]

If you have any comments, changes to personal details, or wish to add colleagues to the E42 mailing list ,please contact:

[email protected]

E42, Corporate Communications, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 4QPUNITED KINGDOM

T: 01695 584119

In 1945, Primo Levi was one of only 20Italian Jews to leave Auschwitz alive. Morethan 650 had entered the notorious Naziconcentration camp, but most, if theywere not executed in the gas chambers,succumbed to starvation, disease, forcedlabour or medical experiments.

© Photos of Primo Levi reproduced

with kind permission of Jillian Edelstein

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A Sort of Wisdom


In July 2012, Edge Hill is hosting a majorinternational conference to mark the 25thanniversary of Levi’s death – the only event of itskind in Europe – and to celebrate his legacy as awriter, thinker, scientist and philosopher, as well asa survivor.

“Primo Levi’s name has become synonymous withHolocaust writing but he was so much more thanjust a Holocaust survivor,” says Dr MinnaVuohelainen, Senior Lecturer in English Literatureand one of the conference’s organisers along withDr Arthur Chapman, Reader in Education, andAlan Johnson, Professor of Democratic Theoryand Practice – all of whom draw on Levi’s work intheir own research.

“Levi’s work encompasses many subjects such asscience, history, ethics and his relationship withItaly. This conference is an exciting opportunity tobring students, scholars and academics togetherto evaluate critically Levi’s legacy acrossdisciplines.”

The unique two-day conference, entitled A Sort ofWisdom – Exploring the Legacy of Primo Levi,features keynote speakers at the forefront of Levistudies. These include: Norman Geras, ProfessorEmeritus at the University of Manchester andauthor of The Contract of Mutual Indifference:Political Philosophy After the Holocaust; RobertSC Gordon, Reader in Modern Italian Culture atthe University of Cambridge, and author of PrimoLevi's Ordinary Virtues: From Testimony to Ethics;Anthony Rudolf, Fellow of the Royal Society ofLiterature, who knew Levi personally; PaulSalmons, Head of Curriculum and Development at the Holocaust Education DevelopmentProgramme; and Judith Woolf, Senior Lecturer inEnglish and Italian at the University of York andauthor of The Memory of the Offence.

The conference will also host an exhibition ofphotographs taken of Primo Levi in 1986 by theaward-winning photographer Jillian Edelstein,which will be open to the public.

Levi went on to write of his experiences at Auschwitz in If This Is A Man,which has come to be regarded not just as an enduring account of theHolocaust but also as one of the finest examples of 20th century literature.

A Sort of Wisdom

The conference strengthens Edge Hill’s reputation as aninterdisciplinary university where colleagues from differentFaculties can work across boundaries. Following the conferencewe plan to develop a monograph, which will enable Edge Hill tomake a major contribution to Levi studies.

“”

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“Levi was a very nuanced writer,” says Dr ArthurChapman, “and very resistant to binary oppositesand stereotypes. For Levi things weren’t black andwhite but shades of grey; Levi asks us to think indegrees rather than in absolutes. This is wheresome of his most interesting ideas come from.

“It’s not surprising that the conference covers suchdiverse subjects as it reflects the interdisciplinarynature of Levi’s own work.”

The conference has already attracted a great deal ofinterest with papers submitted from across the world.“Many of the papers are about Levi’s experience atAuschwitz,’ says Dr Vuohelainen, “but there arealso papers on memory, language, identity, ethicsand Levi as an educator, to name just a few.”

As well as Levi scholars and students, theconference is also aimed at teachers who do, orwant to, use Levi’s work as a way of teachingabout the Holocaust. The conference team isplanning to link a special Professional Developmentevent for teachers to the conference that will focuson ways of using Levi’s work in the classroom.

“For me, the conference is about connectingeducation with cutting edge scholarship,” says DrChapman. “I hope that it will present an opportunityfor teachers to engage with academia and driveinnovative thinking around Holocaust education.

The conference will take place on 6th – 7th July2012.

For more information visit edgehill.ac.uk/primolevi

“I live in my house as I live inside my skin: I know more beautiful, more ample,

more sturdy and more picturesque skins: but it would seem to me unnatural

to exchange them for mine.”

If This is a ManPrimo Levi (1919-1987) was born and lived hisentire life in or near Turin, with the exception ofthe years 1944-45, when he was captured as ananti-fascist partisan, deported to Auschwitz,and then released into war-torn Europe. Afterliberation, with ‘a torrent of things to tell thecivilised world’ and ‘the tattooed number on[his] arm burning like a sore’ he wrote a seriesof remarkable books, including If This is a Man,The Periodic Table, and The Drowned and theSaved. He is now viewed as one of the keyliterary figures of the 20th century and one ofthe most important survivor-writers of theHolocaust. For many he is also an ethicalwriter of great depth and a subtle and humane‘political philosopher’.

Although he famously asked his readers not totreat him as a ‘prophet, oracle, or seer,’ PrimoLevi also suspected that there was ‘a sort ofwisdom that seeps through from my bookswhich I don’t feel within myself’.


Only a handful of English universities have seen applicationssignificantly increase for 2012 entry – Edge Hill is one of them.But what is so special about this university and why areso many students voting with their feet and heading hereagainst a backdrop of increased tuition fees?

First Choice, First Class

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A look around the campus gives you a clue. Therehas been ambitious investment in buildings whichmake the University the envy of many in the sector,and it has some of the best media, sports andperforming arts facilities in UK higher education.

Add the outstanding reputation for studentsatisfaction and the University’s centres ofexcellence such as the Faculty of Education,which was the only provider to achieve the highest possible Ofsted results in all 33 gradedareas at its most recent inspection, and you have agood indication of Edge Hill’s pulling power.

Official statistics show that Edge Hill University isbucking the national trend. Following the UCASdeadline of 15 January, applications were up13.0% from the same point in 2011, despite areported sector-wide decline of 8.7%. Thesefigures put Edge Hill within the top six of UKuniversities and number one in the North West forincreased applications to study in the academicyear 2012/2013.

“These figures are very pleasing and demonstratestrong demand across the full range of our degree programmes,” says Vice-Chancellor, Dr John Cater.

Our increase in applications is testimony to the hard workthat we put into achieving our goals.“ ”

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“Despite the continually changing nature of thehigher education sector, the things that areimportant to Edge Hill remain constant: providing ahigh quality teaching and learning experience;raising our profile nationally and internationally;and being an excellent employer. Our increase inapplications is testimony to the hard work that weput into achieving these goals.”

The past 12 months have been some of the mostsuccessful in the University’s history. Edge Hill isranked top in the North West and fourth out ofEnglish public universities for graduateemployability, second in England for students’personal development in the 2011 NationalStudent Survey and was again shortlisted for theTimes Higher UK University of the Year.

It is also one of the most financially secureinstitutions in higher education, reporting a fifthconsecutive surplus of £13.8 million this year; theperfect springboard for continued investment instate of the art teaching and learning facilities.


As an institution with historic connections to the Suffragettemovement, Edge Hill is no stranger to championing pioneeringwomen. So Jennifer Saunders, award-winning comedian,actor, writer and female comedy trailblazer, was the perfectchoice to receive an honorary degree.

Doctor Fabulous

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E42 caught up with Jennifer on the set of new BBC Three sitcom DeadBoss, which is due on our screens later this year. Written by SharonHorgan, and featuring Edge Hill Short Story Prize winner Jeremy Dysonas script editor, the show stars Saunders as an unhinged prison governordescribed as a “sexual Margaret Thatcher”.

Doctor Fabulous

In a free moment between make-up and wardrobe,Jennifer talks about education, comedy and herdesire to be “somehow useful” to Edge Hillstudents.

“I’ve been hearing good things about Edge Hill fora while,” says Jennifer, “so when the opportunityto become an honorary graduate came up I wasdelighted to accept. Edge Hill is a very inclusiveuniversity with great ambition and there are such alot of great things going on. It’s very exciting to be involved.”

As her best friend and writing partner is UniversityChancellor, Professor Tanya Byron, it’s hard toimagine Jennifer being anything other than hands-on, but she seems genuinely keen to rise to thechallenge of her new role.

“An honorary degree is not like any other award,you can’t just accept it and forget it,” she says. “Itgives you a connection to the university and if I’mgoing to do something, I’m going to try and do itwell. I’ve been doing what I do long enough,hopefully, to have something useful to say tostudents and bring Edge Hill some extra publicity.”

On her first visit to Edge Hill, Jennifer wasimpressed by the award-winning buildings, theopen spaces and the community feel of thecampus, but what really stuck in her mind was

slightly more prosaic. “A student car park!” shelaughs. “That would have been unheard of in myday. I didn’t know anyone with a car when I was astudent. Now there’s an entire car park for them!”

Jennifer’s most recent trip to Ormskirk saw her“basically spouting off” to a sell-out audienceabout her life and career (pictured below right). “Iwas ridiculously nervous,” she recalls, “because Irarely ‘perform’ out of character. It’s so muchharder being yourself.”

She also spent time with the Creative Writingcourse and was particularly impressed with thestudents she met. “All of the students wereenthusiastic but the ones who have families todeal with as well, that’s really quite inspiring. Idon’t know how they fit it all in.

“Students today are quite different from mygeneration. We were very lucky; we were allowedto live in a kind of student world that was basicallyan extension of school that you were paid to do.People now seem more career focused at an early age.”

Being career focused is not something the youngJennifer Saunders can be accused of. She studiedto be a drama teacher at the Central School ofSpeech and Drama, but never intended to go intoteaching. “I accepted the place because it was a

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good college and I wanted to move to London,”she admits. “I would have made a terrible teacher.Dawn, on the other hand, was very determinedand really had her mind set on it at the time.”

Jennifer met long-time comedy partner, DawnFrench, while studying but the unique chemistrythat has made them one of the most successful– and best-loved – comedy double acts was notimmediately apparent.

“It wasn’t that we didn’t get on,” she says, “it’s justthat Dawn was quite… not frumpy exactly, shewas just very ambitious and single-minded aboutbeing a drama teacher and I wasn’t so it took us awhile to become friends.”

The pair eventually moved into a shared flattogether and the beginnings of their act started toemerge. “We found we could make each otherlaugh really easily and we used to invent sillycharacters. I think that initial tension helped us tofind our creative spark.

“Dawn and I still have this brilliant relationship, Ireally miss writing with her. I’m constantly seeingthings on TV, like Rip-off Britain, and thinking thatwould make a great French & Saunders sketch!There’s so much stuff out there, it kills me thatwe’re not still doing it.”

When Jennifer was starting out, there were veryfew female comedians, even in the politicallycorrect world of alternative comedy. Jennifer andDawn blazed a trail for funny women in the 1980sand their influence can be seen today as femalecomedians continue to grow in prominence. But,as Jennifer points out, it’s not quite a level playingfield yet.

“There are lots of amazing female writers andperformers around at the moment,” she says, “youjust have to look a bit harder for them. Things havechanged since the 80s but there is still a bit of a‘boys club’ in comedy. We just have to try twice as hard.”

So who does Jennifer see as the rightful heir to hercomedy crown? “Sharon Horgan is incrediblyfunny and talented, and I also love Katy Wix andAnna Crilly, so I would happily hand over the reinsto them.”

This may sound like Jennifer Saunders gettingready for retirement, but nothing could be furtherfrom the truth.

“I couldn’t retire even if I wanted to,” she laughs,“but I don’t because I like my job and there’s stillso much I want to do.”

It’s more than two years since Jennifer wasdiagnosed with breast cancer and she says she isnow “back to 100% fighting fitness”. Since beinggiven the all clear in 2010, Jennifer has thrownherself back into work. As well as writing twoAbsolutely Fabulous specials (an Olympics-themed one is coming soon) and starring in theforthcoming Dead Boss, she is currently writingViva, the Spice Girls musical and a contribution toSport Relief. There is also an Ab Fab movie in the pipeline.

When asked about her ambitions for the future,she doesn’t hesitate for a second: “I would love tosort out the b****y BBC!” she says. “I could onlygive it a fortnight, though, because I am quitebusy.” Jennifer Saunders to replace Edge Hillhonorary graduate Mark Thompson as Director-General of the BBC?

Remember, you read it here first…


Work has commenced on exciting expansion plans worth£55 million that will see outstanding new community sportsfacilities and student accommodation added to the University’sOrmskirk campus.

Expanding East

The University will build a £15 million sports centreand an array of grass and all-weather sportsfacilities on the land beyond the University'scurrent sports facilities, as well as a new entrance,access roads and extra parking.

Work is already underway to construct 384 newen-suite student rooms in six separate blocks,several of which will be available for theSeptember 2012 intake.

Vice-Chancellor Dr John Cater said: “This isexcellent news for the University and thecommunity, creating over 200 construction and 50permanent jobs at a time of economic recession,bringing over £55 million of investment to the localarea and providing international-class facilities forover 4,000 local users every week.

“The end result will see the creation of the easterncampus and will provide space for new studentlearning and living facilities for many years tocome, making it a campus that truly matches, inboth quality and scale, the very best in the UnitedKingdom.”

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Investing in the campus remains an importantpriority for Edge Hill University. The last year hasseen the opening of the £13.5 million Student Hub,the latest and most striking addition to Edge Hill'saward-winning campus, providing an innovativelearning and social space for students.

Further development plans for this year include the£2 million refurbishment of the Performing Artsbuilding, which houses the Rose Theatre. It willinclude a new café and social area ‘wrappedaround’ the existing building. An atrium-styleextension, overlooking the Ormskirk campus RockGarden, will provide a versatile area for exhibitionspace and for theatre goers to socialise before andafter performances.

The end result will see a campus that truly matches, in bothquality and scale, the very best in the United Kingdom.“ ”


Whether they shine in the shot putt, make magnificentmusic or even craft creative crochet, students at EdgeHill University are being recognised and rewardedfor more than just their academic achievements.

Investing in Excellence

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Scan here to watch the video about the 2011

Excellence Scholarship

Winners


“We believe that the special achievements ofdedicated volunteers, sports people and artists, orstudents who have overcome extreme adversityjust to be here, are as worthy of recognition astheir academic success. Our suite of scholarshipsis designed to celebrate the whole studentexperience and ensure our students leave us aswell-rounded citizens.”

In 2012, the University will be investing more than£750,000 in scholarships, which Lesley believes ismoney well spent.

“Scholarships play an important part in attractingand retaining good students. As winners, theybecome ambassadors for Edge Hill which not onlyhelps us with recruitment, but also keeps themmotivated, gives them additional skills andexperience and makes them highly employable.”

As well as providing scholarships for the mostacademically gifted, Edge Hill also offers a numberof Excellence Scholarships each year, whichcelebrate determination, commitment andachievement in sport, the creative and performingarts and volunteering.

There are also opportunities for students to gainrecognition for their personal achievements,including raising the profile of the University,making a contribution to equality, overcomingpersonal difficulty, and helping vulnerablemembers of the community. Edge Hill has alsorecently introduced a unique poetry scholarship toacknowledge talented new writers.

“Encouraging excellence, among both staff andstudents, is part of Edge Hill’s overall philosophy,and there are many ways our students candemonstrate excellence,” says UniversitySecretary, Lesley Munro.

Samantha EarnshawVolunteering Excellence Scholarship winner

Nursing student Samantha has dedicated the past10 years to helping people in need. As well asvolunteering with St John’s Ambulance, she is alsoinvolved with Oldham Young Carers, whichprovides respite for children who support disabledfamily members. Samantha draws on her ownexperience of having Treacher Collins Syndrome, agenetic condition which causes hearing loss andfacial disfigurement, to encourage others.

“I feel a real sense of pride when I help otherpeople, especially when I'm working with youngdisabled people,” she says. “It’s very rewarding tosee what a difference it can make to their lives.”

Sean ClareSporting Excellence Scholarship winner

Sean has recently been selected for the GreatBritain Paralympic team and has high hopes ofcompeting in London this year. The 18-year-oldSports Development student, who was born withdwarfism, discovered a talent for the shot putt at ayoung age and now boasts two World Junior goldmedals in shot putt and discus, and is the BritishRecord Holder in the shot putt.

“I've never let my condition get in the way ofenjoying my life,” says Sean. “The scholarship willreally help me with competitions and to realise myambition of taking part in the Paralympics.”

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Spotlight on ScholarshipsExcellence ScholarshipsFor: prospective or current students who show excellence in sport, volunteering, creative arts and performing arts Award: up to £2,000

Chancellor’s ScholarshipFor: students who raise the profile of Edge Hill throughtheir outstanding contribution to the UniversityValue: £1,000

Reverend Jesse Jackson ScholarshipFor: students who show a commitment to equality,helping others and have overcome adversity to succeed and inspire othersValue: £1,000

Rhiannon Evans Poetry ScholarshipFor: students who show promise as creative writersValue: £500

Adam Bell ScholarshipFor: students who make a significant contribution to the University community

Value: £2,000

High Achievers’ ScholarshipsRewards: prospective students with outstandingexam results

Value: £1,000

Academic Achievement ScholarshipFor: students who have shown academic and personal progressValue: £500

Preparation for Higher Education ScholarshipsFor: students who excel on the University’s Fastrack courseValue: £2,000

National Scholarship ProgrammeRewards: high performing prospective students fromdisadvantaged backgroundsValue: £3,000

International ScholarshipsFor: overseas students who show academic excellence, proficiency in English and a desire to contribute to their country’s development.Value: £1,000

Anna Moon, who until recently managed thescholarship application process, believes that, aswell as offering essential financial assistance, theawards also help students feel valued in societyand encourage them to become role models.“Young people get a lot of negative press,” saysAnna, “so it’s great to be able to promote theextremely positive contribution some of ourstudents make to their communities and to the University.

“Many of the applicants don’t evenrealise what amazing things they are doing. It’s very rewarding – and incredibly humbling – to work with people who show such dedication and commitment.”

Declan Sephton-HulmeAdam Bell Scholarship winner

After suffering a brain haemorrhage and spending11 days in a coma, Declan’s family was told hewould probably never walk or talk again. Today,Declan is studying for a Sport and ExerciseScience degree and back playing rugby. As well as gaining a place on the Warrington WolvesScholarship Programme and playing rugby forWidnes Vikings, he has been invited to attend theEngland Academy.

“Although I’ve had to change my career ideasbecause I can forget things due to thehaemorrhage, I've never given up my dreams ofbecoming a rugby league player,” says Declan. To see the full range of scholarships visit:

edgehill.ac.uk/scholarships/guide


Changing career is a big life challenge, whether it’s by choiceor necessity. The Faculty of Education nurtures the talentsof people choosing a new path; and its Future TeachersProgramme is the perfect example of how redundancy,relocation or simply the thirst for a new goal can be turnedinto a passion for teaching.

The Challenge of Change

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Future Teachers provides a hands-on route into full-time secondary teaching and focuses on theshortage subjects of mathematics, chemistry andphysics, where there are good jobs available forthose with the right background.

It has transformed the traditional teacher trainingmodel, putting trainees straight into the classroomand paying them a salary as they learn. In anintensive 12 months they effectively learn on-the-job, supported by Edge Hill’s tutors. Much of thelearning that would traditionally have been done inthe lecture theatre happens in school, through aseries of Monday morning conference sessions,and ideas presented there can be put into actionduring the rest of the week.

Programme leader, Julie Bostock explains: “TheGovernment wants to address the teacher shortagesand recognises that entrants from industry canbring valuable skills to the profession. A forensicscientist who becomes a chemistry teacher cancertainly add a new dimension to lessons.

“I think the school setting makes the transitionback into training easier for people who have notbeen in an academic environment for some years.

“It’s perfectly suited to people who are changingcareer paths. Their life experience, coupled with aprofessional background in mathematics, physics,chemistry or related subjects such as engineering,gives them a head start. They know how to dealwith people in work situations and haveconfidence and maturity; some are parents andknow a thing or two about teenagers!”

Several trainees from the first intake of FutureTeachers have already secured full-time teachingposts. The Faculty is now targeting sectors suchas the armed forces, where people with relevantskills are back in the job market. It has alsolaunched a PGCE in maths and physics, which isof particular interest for those with a backgroundin engineering, and through recruitment events theidea of switching to teaching from another careerpath is gathering momentum. There’s no agebarrier – some trainees are in their 50s – andpotentially excellent rewards.

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Julie says: “The idea of a career change can bedaunting. It can be a psychological thing – givingup a job to go back into full-time study. But thereare good employment prospects, which make it anattractive option, especially to people in a redundancy situation. And you can’t get away from the fact that teaching is a veryrewarding job.”

From Forensicsto Future Teacher

Leaving university with a degree in ForensicScience, Samantha Padmore worked in thedefence industry testing explosive componentsbefore moving into environmental services, butvoluntary redundancy gave her the opportunityto change career path. She is now anAssociate Chemistry teacher on the FutureTeachers Programme.

“The main reason for choosing Future Teachersis that it is school-based; it is also veryprogressive and matches my style of learning.Throughout my career I have learnt on-the-job,I like to do things rather than just read aboutthem. I like the structure of the programme; theexpectations of producing an “outstanding”teacher; pushing our abilities; being part of aschool and experiencing the whole schoolteaching and learning environment.

“The University facilities are great. The tutorsare always at the end of a phone or email, theyhave also visited us in school – my placementshave been at Tarleton High School and RipleySt Thomas Academy – and we see them at thePartnership Conferences on Mondays.

“I have a natural ability for teaching. I have alwaysbeen very nervous of giving presentations tomy peers, but I feel that as I become morecompetent and confident my nerves aredecreasing. I am proud to be able to positivelyinfluence the lives of young people.”


Dance artist Lisa Dowler’s pioneering researchwith the hospital shows that encouragingmovement, however subtle, can benefit the healthand wellbeing of children with acute conditions.

Lisa began working with Alder Hey in 2006 as their first dance artist on the arts for healthprogramme co-ordinated by Vicky Charnock, Arts Co-ordinator. Initially working with groups ofchildren who were well enough to leave the wardand take part in dance sessions, she realised thatchildren with more complex conditions might alsobenefit from one-to-one, ward-based sessions tosupport them with their movement.

In 2007, when she became Senior Lecturer inDance at Edge Hill, Lisa continued her ground-breaking work at Alder Hey as a researchpractitioner. In 2008, Small Things DanceCollective which she co-directs with independentdance artist Cath Hawkins, developed a pilotproject, From Where You Are, in consultation with Dr Matthew Peak, Head of Research at Alder Hey.This qualitative study funded by the NationalLottery Awards for All scheme, assessed theeffects of movement and dance practices withchildren on the neuromedical and oncology wardsof the hospital.

Lisa and Cath’s work has proved to be beneficialin supporting children who have lost movementpatterns through acquired brain injury or havelimited movement due to their disability ortreatment, and has often contributed toestablishing new pathways. In 2008 the projectwon the North West Public Health Award for Artsand Culture.

“Our work is very gentle, child-centred andimprovisational, often involving refined touch tosupport relaxation and a sense of ease,” says Lisa.“We work at the bedside in many cases. Whatevera child’s condition we support their movement anddesire for movement, creating a space for them toexpress themselves, be creative and have fun.”

Lisa is now working on Invisible Duets, aninterdisciplinary performance installation createdwith the children on the neuromedical ward.Building on From Where You Are, the project issupported by the National Lottery through ArtsCouncil England and the Big Lottery Fund, EdgeHill University’s REF Investment Fund, Alder HeyChildren’s Hospital and the PH Holt Foundation.

“The children were creating beautiful and interestingmovement that never went beyond the sessions,”explains Lisa. “So Senoir Lecturer June Gersten-Roberts and I started filming them with a view tocreating an interactive environmental performancethat the children could watch or participate in.

For children on the wards of Alder Hey NHS FoundationTrust, movement can mean many different things. For some,it might be running, jumping and spinning around, forothers it might be more delicate; a shift of weight, or smilingand moving in response to the touch of a soft brush ontheir hand.

All theSmall Things

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“We show the film using hand held projectors sothat it can be screened anywhere – in a den undera table or projected onto bed sheets. We also wearcostumes that are tactile and interactive so it’s avery sensory experience. The performance aims toremove conventional barriers between performerand audience.”

The success of From Where You Are has resultedin an apprentice scheme, to mentor and sharepractice with four dancers each year of the project,and a Professional Development programme thatattracts practitioners from across Europe. Inaddition, new pioneering quantitative studies arebeing developed with the full support of the Trustto begin later this year.

Alder Hey Arts Chair, Dr Jane Ratcliffe, Consultantin Paediatric Intensive Care, says: “While dance as aperformance art within healthcare settings is relativelycommon, dance used to deliver paediatric healthcareis very unusual, if not unique.”

It is this aspect of the project which sets it apartfrom other dance and health initiatives. Lisa adds:“We are working at the cutting edge of dance andhealth practice. This research will provide realevidence that dance sessions do have tangibleeffects on wellbeing, and hopefully inspire otherdance artists to develop their practice in this field.”

For more information visit: smallthingsdance.co.uk


Building a strong research culture is high on theUniversity’s agenda. As well as helping it secure vitalfunding, good results in the 2014 Research ExcellenceFramework – the Government’s system for assessing thequality of research in higher education institutions – willboost the University’s ranking in the UK league tablesand enhance its global reputation.

Edge Hill already has research excellence in areas such assports law, children and young people, healthcare, wideningparticipation and the creative industries.

E42 invited four of its recently appointed professors toexplain their ambitions...

Professorial Appointments

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George TalbotProfessor of Italianand Dean of theFaculty of Arts and Sciences

Research interests:Modern Italian literature, culture and history from1800-present.

Background: Previously Head of Modern Languages then Deanof Arts and Social Sciences at the University ofHull, George’s research career began at DublinCity University and he has since published widelyon many aspects of Italian culture. His most recentmonograph, Censorship in Fascist Italy, 1922-43appeared in 2007.

“Research is the reason I became anacademic. For me it’s the rapture ofscholarship, it’s about losing yourselfin learning and contributing to thebody of knowledge.

That’s what drives me as a researcher and whatkeeps me connected to my discipline.

I became involved with Edge Hill while I wasworking on the Widening Participation strategy atHull. The University has a great reputation in thisarea and the more I found out about the institution,the more impressed I was.

My current project is looking at adaptations ofItalian novels for the screen, and this chimes withother research into adaptation and translation inthe Departments of Media and English and History.There is also a lot of work going on around thecreative industries, particularly now Edge Hill has apresence in MediaCityUK in Salford.

I’m intending to build on these, and other,emerging strands of research activity to establishareas of interdisciplinary expertise within theFaculty and contribute to wider researchdevelopment across the University.”

Andrew MillieProfessor of Criminology

Research interests:Anti-social behaviour, policing, youth justice andissues of criminalisation, aesthetics and values.

Background: Andrew has held posts at universities in London,the Midlands and Scotland. He has publishedextensively on anti-social behaviour, is on the editorialboard of the British Journal of Criminology and isExecutive Committee member and PublicationsChair of the British Society of Criminology.

“My interest in anti-social behaviour and youth justicestems from my background as a Geography student.My PhD was on crime and perceptions of safety incity centres and this led me to start consideringhow criminality and the environment are linked.

In 2005 I worked on one of the first pieces of researchinto anti-social behaviour policy, focusing onpublic and practitioner opinions and experiences.This went on to influence Government policy bypromoting greater balance between enforcing andpreventing anti-social behaviour.

Criminology is a great subject to study and research as it has real world applications.

It can have an impact, not just on policy, but on theway people think about what is acceptable. Itresonates with people and the outcomes genuinelymatter to society.”

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Lars McNaughtonProfessor of Exercise Physiology

Research interests:The ways in which naturally occurring substancescan affect and influence sporting performance andrecovery.

Background: Lars joined Edge Hill in 2011 from Bond Universityin Australia where he was Head of the School ofHealth Sciences. He has published more than 200peer-reviewed papers in the UK and abroad,presented at numerous international conferences,and is a Fellow of the British, Australian andAmerican Associations for Sport and ExerciseScience.

“I was a teacher before I enteredacademia, so helping people tobecome better at what they do hasalways been central to my career.

As a researcher my work is about helping athletesand others improve their performance throughtechnique, nutrition and training. As a tutor I amable to draw on my research to help studentsbetter understand how the body responds to, andis affected by, exercise.

I am currently working with colleagues from UKuniversities on two projects. One is looking at thebody’s production of heat shock proteins and howthese can influence athletes’ acclimatisationprocess when competing in countries withdifferent climates; the other is studying the impact of sodium bicarbonate on performance and recovery.

I’m enjoying working in a university that isconstantly moving forward in terms of research.There is lots of scope and potential here andpeople are very supportive and genuinelyinterested in each other’s work.”

Tim CainProfessor ofEducation

Research interests:Practitioner research, particularly in music education.

Background: Originally a musician and music teacher, Timworked with trainee teachers at KingstonUniversity and Bath Spa University before movingto the University of Southampton, where he alsocompleted his PhD into Initial Teacher Trainingmentoring. In 2009 he received the Universities’Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET)Award for research in teacher education.

“Having been both a teacher and a trainer ofteachers – simultaneously for many years – I havea deep understanding and passion for teachingand learning. I’m interested in the theory ofteaching; why teachers do what they do, whysome people make intuitively good teachers, theirthoughts and motivations.

For me research is all about engagement in theteaching and learning process and the continualthrill of learning new things. My current workfocuses on the importance of Action Research,teacher-led research that seeks to improvepractice by understanding it.

Edge Hill University is probably the best place in the UK to be aneducational researcher at the moment.

My aim is to establish a professional practiceresearch centre to build on existing expertise inthe Faculty of Education and further develop the University’s growing reputation for education research.”


We already boast staff who are at the forefront of film-relatedteaching, research and practice, and award winning studentswhose short films and animations are blazing a trail for thenext generation of filmmakers.

Getting in the Frame

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Professor of Film and Television, Roger Shannon,who has more than 25 years’ experience as a filmfestival director, writer and broadcaster, believesthat the growing film culture on campus comesfrom the interdisciplinary nature of Edge Hill’s film offer.

“Students across film studies, media, animationand film production are encouraged to watch,critically evaluate and make films, as well asengaging in events that give them exposure to theindustry and wider film policy.”

The recent appointment of expert in Germancinema Dr Owen Evans is already having a majorimpact on Edge Hill’s contribution to film in theNorth West. Through his research into the role offilm festivals, Owen was able to bring the highprofile Ann Arbor Film Festival to the University,making Edge Hill the only non-American venue onthe Festival’s 2012 tour.

“Ann Arbor is America’s longest running independentfilm festival,” says Owen. “It prides itself on beinga platform for new talent – George Lucas and GusVan Sant showed their first films there.

“It is a major coup for the University to have hostedthe tour, and a fantastic opportunity for our studentsto experience an international film festival, seecontemporary experimental cinema and get anidea of what could be possible for them as young filmmakers.”

Now, with a prestigious international film festival on campus, Edge HillUniversity is carving a niche for itself, not only as a venue forindependent cinema, but as a centre of expertise in all aspects of filmstudy, production and policy.

Getting inthe Frame

Following the success of the festival, Ann Arbordirector, Donald Harrison, delivered a public lectureon campus, and further collaborations with AnnArbor and other international film festivals areplanned for the future.

However, it’s not just research and practice in thefield of film festivals that is raising Edge Hill’sprofile. Two recent Media graduates, Jim Martinand Oliver Rothwell, won two awards at a regionalfilm festival and their film has also been selectedfor the prestigious London Short Film Festival.

The University has also been chosen as the venuefor an international conference to discussAdaptation, Authorship and Ownership inEuropean film. The annual conference of theEuropean Cinema Research Forum is hosted by a different university around the world each yearand aims to encourage exchange anddevelopment of ideas.

“Edge Hill is the perfect backdrop for theconference,” says Owen, “as there is so muchexpertise in film here and so many developmentson campus. The theme of the conference isaround uniting theory and practice, and thisreflects the ethos of the Media Department andthe University as a whole.”

Underpinning all of this activity is Edge Hill’scontribution to the wider national debate aroundfilm policy.

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Edge Hill is one of only eight institutions taskedwith providing evidence and a response to therecently published Film Policy Review, which hashuge implications for the UK film industry.

Roger Shannon, who has previously held seniorpositions at the British Film Institute (BFI), UK FilmCouncil and Scottish Screen, led an on-campusround table discussion on the Review’srecommendations and their potential impact onthe region. The panel comprised leading figuresfrom academia and industry including Eddie Berg,Artistic Director of the BFI Southbank.

“The debate generated a lot of ideas that are beingfed back into future policy making as well ashaving an impact on the BFI’s forthcomingstrategic plan,” says Roger.

“As an institution that teaches film we have anobligation to discuss current policy as it will affectthe industry our students are about to enter. Weare hosting another round table debate and arelooking to set up a regular forum, which will be anew North West platform for debating future filmpolicy issues.”

Both Roger and Owen believe that film is anessential component of Edge Hill’s vision for a‘creative campus’.

“If you stand outside the Student Hub,” saysRoger, “you’re within 300 yards of a TV studio, atheatre, a dance studio, a cinema, a Creative WritingDepartment, a PR agency, an animation studio… notmany universities can say that. Film can contributeto the scope for interdisciplinary research drawingon all of these creative assets.”

Film is such a strong part of Edge Hill’s emerging nationalprofile.We are becoming known for being a strong supporter,exhibitor and contributor to independent British cinema, and thatgives us a USP which sets us apart from our competitors.

“”


Edge Hill University's former Head of Departmentof Media has taken up an ambassadorial roleat one of the largest creative industrydevelopments in the world.

Carol Poole (pictured) has been appointedAmbassador to MediaCityUK, a leadinginternational hub for the creative and digitalindustries and home to the BBC, ITV, and SIS.

The University’s presence at the site is intendedto open up employment opportunities forstudents, create new industry links, and to set up knowledge exchange and researchopportunities.

Carol, who initially steered the Create andConnect partnership between the BBC andEdge Hill University and was a member of theNorth West Universities Association advisorypanel for the Department of Culture, Mediaand Sport at the time of MediaCityUK’sdevelopment, said: “The BBC has created amodern, multimedia broadcast and productioncentre in the North of England to better reflectand represent the whole of the UK. Theventure opens up new employmentopportunities and develops new talent in theregion, and it's great that Edge Hill Universityis very much at the heart of this.

“Ultimately, our students will benefit from thispartnership by becoming savvier about thelabour market and in developing theirentrepreneurship, adaptability, flexibility andmotivation, which are so important in anincreasingly competitive jobs market.”

MediaCityUK role for University’s former Media head

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Staff ProfileRichard WittsSenior Lecturer – Music and Sound

Musician, writer, broadcaster and arts directorRichard Witts is behind a new music degree atEdge Hill. Launching in September, the BA inMusic, Sound, Enterprise takes the Universityinto new creative arts territory – a placeRichard feels perfectly at home.

I began playing in the school orchestra when Iwas 12. I then went to the Royal Northern Collegeof Music and played with the Hallé Orchestra whenI was just 18. My first professional engagementwas at the Royal Festival Hall. I don’t rememberfeeling particularly overwhelmed – it was a job,and I was too young to realise how difficult it wasall meant to be.

I was at the infamous Sex Pistols concert at theLesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester. I knoweveryone says they were, but I really was. Onething led to another and I was asked to manageThe Fall, went on to found the ManchesterMusicians’ Collective and work with Rock againstRacism. Tony Wilson gave me work on TV and thatled to BBC TV’s Oxford Road Show, which was setup as a rival programme to The Tube.

Teaching started with a lecture on Stravinsky atGoldsmith’s College, after my first two bookswere published. I found that I really enjoyedlecturing and, as I didn’t get bad reviews, I wenton from there, lecturing at both the Universities ofSurrey and Sussex before taking a role at EdinburghUniversity. The invitation to set up a course atEdge Hill was wonderful. I love the face-to-faceelement of teaching; I’m a sceptic when it comesto video technology in place of real lectures.

Music students at some universities tend tocome from quite narrow backgrounds. But my own is very different and I welcome theopportunity to engage with students who have aless traditional musical history, yet who display afascination to create music and an enthusiasm todevelop their understanding of music’s very being.There are a lot of stylistic skills that can be taught,but ultimately we want to help students to developdistinctive voices, whether they are producingmusic for film, television, theatre or gaming.

I’m inspired by the idea that teaching helpsmusic to improve and evolve. Music can be abenevolent or malevolent force. It can be used asan instrument of torture; it can be banned bygovernments or broadcasters. I would never tellpeople that music is the most positive thing in theworld, but it is one of the most powerful.

People always want the names of musiciansI’ve spent any time with. And it’s a bit awkward – there are so many and there’s always a student‘hero’ in the list: Iggy Pop, John Cage, Nico, CurtisMayfield, Sade, Joy Division, Stockhausen, ArtBlakey, Madonna, John Cooper Clarke. I’mcurrently doing a performance project onKraftwerk. When we set up The Passage (picturedbelow) we were auditioning for a singer and ayoung Steven Morrissey came along, but wethought he might be a bit high maintenance…


“The Business School has always offered targetedsupport to help external organisations improvetheir performance,” says Michael Banford,Enterprise Co-ordinator. “Traditionally, this hasbeen delivered through short student placementsdesigned to address a particular business issue.

“However, we increasingly found we were gettingenquiries about projects that went beyond theusual scope of a student placement, either interms of timescales or complexity. This highlightedan opportunity to broaden our business supportoffer and led to the development of the EnterpriseProject team.”

Launched in 2010, the initiative gives Businessand Computing students the opportunity to workon live projects for real life clients. The projectshave genuine outcomes (usually websites or ITsystems) and students get paid for the work theydo. This makes the job feel as realistic andprofessional as possible – and also acts as a greatmotivator.

The concept is simple. An organisationapproaches the Business School with an idea for aproject, usually a web or IT-based issue that can’tbe addressed in-house or by a regular studentplacement. The Enterprise team then invites

applications from students to work on the project. Projects are campus-based, around 12 weeks longand students are expected to commit at least aday a week to them.

Although Enterprise Projects are completely extra-curricular, many students are able to use the experience as part of their course modules.Anecdotal evidence suggests that students whoget involved in the Enterprise team are also morelikely to achieve higher grades.

Dan Brown, a third-year Web SystemsDevelopment student who has worked on threeEnterprise Projects, thinks that being part of theteam has definitely enhanced his learning.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to learn new skills anddo things that are above and beyond what you getto do on the course,” he says. “I feel so muchfurther ahead because I’ve had first handexperience of the knowledge, skills, techniquesand practices that are used in the real world.”

Demand for the team’s services has been so greatthat Michael has taken on a full-time employee tohelp recruit and mentor students and superviseprojects. As one of the original team members,Masters graduate and new Enterprise Associate,

In today’s competitive graduate employment market, simplyhaving a degree is rarely enough to secure that all-importantfirst job.

Edge Hill’s Business School has come up with a new initiativethat not only helps students gain vital, CV-boosting industryexperience, but also puts the University at the heart of thelocal business community.

Meaning Business

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Daniel Reil, is able to use his own experience tohelp students get the most out of working for the team and ensure they deliver an industrystandard project.

“It’s a very challenging experience,” says Daniel.“Having been involved as a student myself, I knowwhat they are, and aren’t capable of doing at eachstage of their course. We like to take people out oftheir comfort zone, get them to push themselvesand learn new skills, maybe in areas that aren’teven on their programme.”

It’s not just students that benefit from the scheme,however. The advantages for participatingorganisations are also clear.

“Most of our clients are SMEs or micro-organisationsso they often don’t have the in-house resources orexpertise to tackle technical projects, and budgetsare generally tight,” says Michael. “An EnterpriseProject gives them access to a pool of enthusiastic,talented students, with academic supervision, at avery competitive price.”

As well as the feel good factor of knowing they’recontributing to business education in the NorthWest, Enterprise clients have the opportunity tobuild a long lasting, mutually beneficial relationshipwith the University. Many clients go on to providefurther projects, student placements, input intomodules and guest lectures. In return they benefitfrom expert business advice and excellentnetworking opportunities.

“The Enterprise Projects model is not justbeneficial for students and clients, it’s also helpingthe University address two of its strategicpriorities: external engagement with private, publicor third sector organisations, and employability,”adds Michael. “It’s a win-win situation all round.”

Enterprise Case study

Client: realholidayreports.com

Background: The Merseyside company had astrong presence in the online tourism marketwith a holiday and hotel review website thatalso featured voucher and discount codes.They wanted to develop the voucher code sideof the business and diversify into non-tourismsectors.

Project: To build a dynamic website with auser-friendly and attractive front end, plus a‘back office’ system that could manage thecomplex administration of the site.

“The students were full of ideas and reallythought outside the box. They also have agreat knowledge of the latest technology andgadgets so they were able to suggestalternative ways of doing things.

The project was undertaken in a very thoroughand professional way. The students deliveredan excellent product, on time, that exceededour expectations.

We’re proud to be associated with theEnterprise team and are looking forward tobuilding more links with the Business School inthe future.”

Ian Marsden, Managing Director,voucheranddiscountcodes.co.uk


It is the greatest sporting event on earth. Almost everynation in the world takes part, with 13,000 athletescompeting in 33 different sports with around 400events. With the opening ceremony of London 2012now just weeks away, Olympic fever is sweeping thecountry and Edge Hill University is playing its ownpart in delivering this historic international event.

From Oceania to Ormskirk

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“It is fantastic news that the Oceania teams choseto come to Edge Hill University,” said TonyCharlton, Associate Head of Sports Developmentand Sports Studies. “Plans to bring a nationalteam here began immediately after the campuswas included in LOGOC’s Pre Training CampGuide in 2008, so it’s very rewarding that after fouryears of hard work, we have achieved what wefirst set out to do.

“Edge Hill already has an outstanding reputationas a leading University for sport, so the fact it hasbeen picked as a training camp for some of theworld’s most talented athletes just strengthens ourposition further. It’s also nice that we are able tobring a bit of London 2012 to Ormskirk.”

The University has been named as an official pre games training campfor the national teams from Palau, the Marshall Islands, American Samoaand the Federated States of Micronesia. This means athletes from thesesmall islands in the South Pacific will live and train on Edge Hill’sOrmskirk campus in the weeks leading up to the Games as part of anacclimatisation programme before the competitions begin.

From Oceania to Ormskirk

Palau

Marshall Islands

American Samoa

Federated States of Micronesia

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The University will become home to Oceania’strack and field stars for around eight weeks, asthey undertake a strict training regime ahead of thequalifying heats in August. But what attractedthese elite sportsmen and women from Oceania toWest Lancashire?

The award-winning campus was a key factor. Its£7 million sports complex with a running track, agym and a sports hall, as well as state-of-the-artsports therapy and biomechanics labs to monitorathletes’ performances is an obvious draw.However, Tony believes it was the location andwelcoming atmosphere around the University thatsold Edge Hill to the Oceania National OlympicCommittee.

“When the Committee visited, they wereparticularly impressed that everything was in oneplace – training facilities, accommodation, cateringand even access to leisure, as we have a theatreand cinema on campus. Preparation for athletesduring this important time is meticulously planned,so being able to arrange a seamless schedule onone self-contained site was a real bonus to them.”

The team will take part in a series of communityand cultural activities outside their trainingprogramme, helped by Edge Hill studentvolunteers as part of a unique ‘buddy’ volunteerprogramme. The scheme is being developed toensure athletes settle into their surroundings andhave the chance to sample local life with the one-to-one support of ‘buddies’. Students, in return,gain an once-in-a-lifetime chance to contribute tothe Olympics, providing experience that will maketheir CV stand out to potential employers.

“One of the reasons we wanted to create a pregames training camp here on campus is theopportunities it would open up for our students.The Olympic ethos is all about bringing sports tocommunities and linking this to education andculture; the buddying system really embodies thisspirit and it is fantastic that students can beinvolved in what will be one of the best Olympics yet.”

North West in therunning for Gold Edge Hill University is part of the NorthWestern Universities Partnership, incollaboration with the University of CentralLancashire and Liverpool John MooresUniversity, who will also accommodatemembers of the Oceania Olympic team. Thegroup has been recognised with a place on theprestigious shortlist for the Coubertin OlympicVision Award at the National Podium Awards,created to celebrate higher education’scontribution to deliver London 2012.

The Partnership has also scooped the ‘Bronze’prize in the British Council Award for InnovativeInternational Collaboration category.


Is contemporary society characterised by uncertainty,anxiety and ‘insecurity’? Or is the idea of ‘insecurity’ away for society’s most powerful agencies to promotean agenda of surveillance and fear that pervades anddelimits so many aspects of our lives today?

State Wrongs and Human Rights Scan here for

videos of thelectures and

interviews withspeakers

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This was the premise for a recent thought-provokingfree public lecture series at the University, (In)Security, Surveillance and the State, which sawleading international commentators, academicsand experts visit the Ormskirk campus to explorethe politics of ‘insecurity’. The 2011 Summer riots,Islamophobia in Europe, informers and intelligencework, human bombers and state collusion in political violence all came under the spotlight, asthe speakers examined some of the most critical,controversial and divisive issues that confront us today.

The series was organised by the Department ofSocial Sciences and led by Professor of SociologyMark McGovern, whose own research in NorthernIrish politics and post-conflict transition exploresstate violence, collusion and justice.

“The idea behind the lectures was to pull togethera number of discrete areas of concern around theidea of ‘insecurity’ in contemporary society and itspolitical uses,” says Professor McGovern. “It’simportant that, when we as a society are facedwith conflict such as civil unrest or war, there is anopportunity to hear critical voices and explore thequestions they raise.

“Bringing together the range of speakers we had,we aimed to provide a cross fertilisation of issuesand interests that we hope were illuminated by the series.

“Lecture series like these underline exactly what auniversity is about; highlighting the big issues insociety and providing a forum for debate and discussion, in this case, by some of the best commentators and academics in these specificareas. This can only benefit our students’ learning,not only on their course of study but also as citizens.”

Islamophobia and the Politics of Hate in Europe

Liz Fekete, Executive Director, Institute of Race Relations

After the Backlash: The Summer Riotsand the Right

Owen Jones, Political commentator and authorof Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class

Reimagining the Suicide Bomber

Dr Mark Devenney, Deputy Director of the CAPPE, University of Brighton

Informing Controversy: The Renewed Relevance ofInformers to Counter-TerrorismOperations and the ControversySurrounding Their Use

Dr Steve Hewitt, Senior Lecturer in Americanand Canadian Studies, University of Birmingham

Collusion and the Struggle for Truth and Justice

Pat Finucane, Solicitor


Researchers at Edge Hill University are analysing one of thelargest weather forecasting systems in the world to ensure itpredicts more accurate reports on global warming.

The University's Computing Department has been chosen tojoin the Quality Assurance for Climate Codes (QACC) project,which looks at climate change predictions made by computersimulations.

Fair Weather

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Government and military agencies currently usethese software models to make critical decisionswhen devising policies, making the researchcrucial in helping to eliminate inaccuracies.

Edge Hill University is working in collaboration withSimCon Ltd to identify issues in climate modelsand develop strategies for the softwaredevelopment processes to overcome and avoiderrors that are discovered.

Dr Mark Anderson, Senior Lecturer in Computingwho is leading on the project for the University,explained: “Climate change is predicted toaccelerate far beyond currently observable effectsduring the next few decades and large sums ofmoney are being spent to reduce carbon emissions.

“The work we are carrying out at the moment isvery important because the predictions of climatechange are made by computer simulations. Theseprograms are large and complex, with longhistories of development and many authors. Thereis a risk that they contain significant programmingerrors which could, in turn, cause underestimationor overestimation of the predicted changes, andundermine the credibility of the studies whichmake these predictions.”

As a result of being involved in the research, theUniversity will become a centre for expertise thatwill offer a valuable service to climate changeresearch groups all over the world.

Dr Anderson said: “The project is expected tohave considerable impact in the climate modellingworld. Already we have made some progressregarding the codes used in weather forecastingand our contributions have been welcomed bytheir developers. The system we’re looking at iscurrently used by major organisations such as theUS Air Force Weather Agency, the US NavalResearch Laboratory, the National Centre forAtmospheric Research and the Federal AviationAdministration. Therefore, the impact from ourresearch is expected to be far more wide-reachingand will play a significant role internationally infuture climate change and weather forecasts.

“The research not only increases our capacity forinternational collaborative working but impactspositively on teaching, as students will be activelyparticipating in aspects of the project work.”Tests are being carried out with various modelsand will be analysed as part of the investigationprocess. The final findings will be published later inthe year.


By offering students the opportunity to experiencea four-week formative placement outside the UK,the University aims to provide a high qualityeducational experience which places the serviceuser at the centre of learning, as well as ensuringgraduates become competent, safe and effectivepractitioners.

“This is a valuable aspect of the Adult Nursingprogramme,” explains Sheila Ollerhead, AssociateHead of Adult Nursing. “Short international visits ofno more than four weeks can be facilitated withinthe final year of study, provided all formalarrangements with host partners have beenconducted and safeguarding has beenestablished.”

Sheila believes that by visiting another country andculture, and reflecting upon the knowledge gainedfrom working with service users, students gain an understanding of how behaviour, culture andsocio-economic factors can affect health. “Theseare, after all, global and transferable issues thataffect healthcare throughout the world,” she adds.

Two current third-year students eagerly awaitingtheir own trip are Jade Roby and AmandaThomson, who will be heading to Arusha inTanzania to undertake a unique work placement.

“We have been really looking forward to this tripand I am very excited to be travelling with Amandaas she is one of my best friends,” says Jade. “Itwill be an incredible way to finish off our trainingand, as well as providing us with additional

To reflect the progressive globalisation of contemporary nursing,Edge Hill’s BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing programme has developedpractical content that ensure graduates are ready to make theirmark, wherever they may practice.

An African Adventure

EDGEHILL.AC.UK

learning opportunities in the hospital, we have alsogot the chance to explore the surrounding area ofthe Northern Safari Circuit, which includesclimbing Mount Meru.”

“I have just completed three months’ workexperience in A&E so I am keen to compare it tohow the casualty department is run in Tanzania. As well as this, I will be spending the second twoweeks on Gynaecology and Obstetrics, assistingin the delivery of babies, while also having thechance to see how Tanzania copes with the highpercentage of infectious diseases such as Malaria,AIDS/HIV, Yellow Fever and Rabies – diseaseswhich are a rarity in most parts of the UK,” she adds.

“This placement will give us a really good insightinto how lucky we are with the advancedhealthcare we have in the UK. I’m looking forwardto comparing nursing care ideas with staff nursesin Tanzania and seeing the types of resources theyhave over there as well as looking after patientswith conditions I have never come across before.”

For more information about Edge Hill's BSc (Hons)Adult Nursing programme, log on to:ehu.ac.uk/b740

ManchesterLiverpool

Birmingham

London

Events

Inaugural Lecture Series

Coffee, Muffins and Maximal Performance: A Personal Journey through Sports Science ResearchProfessor Lars McNaughtonThursday 14th June 2012 – [email protected]

Moral Leadership in Changing TimesGiles Fraser, Former Canon Chancellorof St Paul’s CathedralFriday 15th June 2012 – [email protected]

Open Days

Sat 16th June 2012 10am - 3pmSat 18th August 2012 10am - 3pm

w edgehill.ac.uk

t twitter.com/edgehill

f facebook.com/edgehilluniversity

Edge Hill UniversitySt Helens Road, Ormskirk,Lancashire,L39 4QP United Kingdom

Documents

Cs 938 e42 issue 8