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UNIVERSITY OF GLAMORGAN STAFF MAGAZINE

ISSUE 07AUTUMN 2011

University of Glamorgan

Prifysgol Morgannwg

We’re electricGlamorgan is best in UK

Meet HROpening the door on no. 3 Llantwit Road

Mountain HallsOpen for business

The all newGlamorganSuite

In addition to its meetingfacilities, the Glamorgan

Conference Centre (GCC) nowhouses the Glamorgan Suite,formally the restaurant withinStilts. Available to conferencedelegates, University staff andexternal guests, the restaurant

is already proving to be apopular venue for business

lunches.

To make your reservation pleasecontact the Conference Team on extension 2002 or e-mail events@glam.ac.uk

We look forward to welcomingyou to the centre.

The Glamorgan Suite includes a two course lunchmenu with a selection of two hot main courses (a meat or fish option) together with a vegetarianchoice, all served with a medley of seasonalvegetables and a potato dish, or a choice of threesalads (watercress and rocket leaves, mediterraneanstyle cous cous or tomato, red onion and basil)along with a bread roll. The second course featuresa homemade dessert, or a fresh fruit salad,accompanied with a tea or coffee. Mineral water is provided on the table.

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vice-chancellor’s message

In looking forward, I believe we need to have asense of where we are now, and how we arrivedat this point. As such I will be arranging an eventon each campus over the new couple of monthsto speak to all of you about the changing andchallenging environment in Welsh HE and toexplain how we need to react to these changes inthe way we do business. Ahead of thesemeetings, I want in this edition of Staffroom toprovide some perspective, taking stock of wherewe are in 2011, before I go on to outline how theUniversity will prosper in this “brave new world.”

2010/11 was a particularly challenging year. Wesaw major reductions in our teaching grant and inthe funding from HEFCW for our research quality(QR). Reviews in academic administration andLaw, the coming together of HASS and GBS toform our single Faculty of Business & Society andall departments managing 10% reductions inbudgets, resulted in changes and uncertainty fora significant number of staff across the University.I was so impressed by the professionalism shownby you all during this period. You ensured that theexperience of our students, partners andstakeholders was not adversely affected.

Over the past four years, we have seen significantgrowth in our full-time undergraduate numbers,particularly in areas such as psychology,sciences, animation, fashion and media. At thesame time, we have increased the average entryqualification as measured by tariff points andmade some promising improvements in studentretention. The latest NSS results, published inAugust 2011, see the University’s overall studentsatisfaction rating improve, with some excellentareas of performance in subjects, such as,Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Accounting,Business Studies, Management Studies,Psychology , Biology, Tourism, Transport andTravel, Forensic and Archaeological studies,

Design Studies and Cinematic and Photography.Glamorgan has the highest ‘overall satisfaction’rating in Wales in Imaginative Writing (100%),Electronic & Electrical Engineering (97%) andMarketing (81%). In addition to this we are jointtop in Wales for Law (86%). Glamorgan is the 2ndhighest rated university in Wales for Accounting(93%), Mathematics (joint 2nd with 82%), Nursing(90%), Sociology (88%), Tourism, Transport andTravel (82%) and Forensic and Archaeologicalstudies (86%). The upward trend is borne out bythe key statistic that 18 of the 22 statementsindicated that Glamorgan students are even moresatisfied than in 2010. The Sunday Times leaguetable sees us as the best “new” university inWales, with unemployment of university degreegraduates at 5.6%, the lowest in Wales and the7th best performance in the UK.

It is not just in teaching and the studentexperience that we have seen significantenhancements and recognition, but also inresearch and knowledge transfer. Professor SteveWilcox and his team have been awarded a majorrole in a European Framework 7 bid, valued at€9m, for their work in the clean burning of fuels, afirst for the University as the lead institution forsuch research funds. Professor Chris Evans wasawarded £122,000 by the Leverhulme Trust inAugust, for his work in the historic globalisation ofthe copper industry. We have launched newknowledge excellence centres in mobiletechnologies and automotive power engineering,supported by Welsh Government and Europeanfunding, to build on the profile of areas such assustainable energy. These developments in thequality of our work, reputation and esteem, asmeasured by our students and their employability,research bodies, government and businesses, arehighly valued and crucial to the future of theUniversity.

Over the past five years we have also developedour estate significantly, with the most recentadditions being the new SU building, theAerospace Centre, the Postgraduate Centre, thenew Treforest student accommodation and theRWCMD concert hall and theatre. All of ourestates developments are really important inproviding a high quality environment. But it iswhat is generated inside these facilities that willimprove further the reputation and esteem of theUniversity. We want to be seen as a first choiceUniversity for students, staff, business andgovernment. We want to be the best at whateverwe do, whether that’s being run in a business-likeway and providing the courses and research thatbusinesses need; giving our students the skillsand experience to get jobs when they graduate;providing expert research to inform public policy

choices; or demonstrating examples of goodpractice that compete at the UK and internationallevel. We already have this reputation in somedomains, but need to up our game in others, suchthat this is the experience for all who encounterthe University. This is what we should be knownfor.

We are transforming ourselves. You are achievingthis as each and every one of you strives todeliver the very best quality. But in an increasinglycompetitive external environment, and as wemove into a period of unprecedented change,with the implementation of the new fundingarrangements for higher education, I must askyou to work together, such that the whole is trulymore than the sum of individual contributions.

In some cases we need to do less; reducebureaucracy and reduce work days lost bysickness and absence, for example. But asimportantly, we need to set ourselves ambitiousand stretching expectations and collectivelydeliver these. We cannot, and should not, settlefor “good enough.” You deserve better, ourcommunities deserve better and our partnersdeserve better. Nor should we apologise for what,or where, we are: we are a great University thatdelivers hugely with compassion andcommitment. But we need to be even bolder andset higher expectations to realise our ambitionsfully.

My gratitude goes out to all of you, for your hardwork over the past year. You should all be proudof your achievements - thank you! I look forwardto continuing to see your innovation and creativitytake our University forward.

Julie LydonVice-Chancellor

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Contents

1011

14

16

9

News 5-9

Glamorgan 10top in the UK

Student Fees 11

In pictures 12

Introducing 13Campus Watch

FBS looks forward 14

Library goes digital 16

Focus on IT: ADMIT 18

ELTA 2010/11 winners 19

Who are HR? 20

Getting to Know… 22

Staff Room is produced under the guidance of theeditorial board: Jeremy Atkinson, Robert Baker,William Callaway and Robert Payne.

Editor: Mike NormansellDesign: Glamorgan Print

For more information, contactmnormans@glam.ac.uk or call 01443 482889.

Staff Room MagazineMarketing & Student RecruitmentUniversity of Glamorgan, Treforest, CF37 1DL.

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What’s going on?

To find out, follow Uniglamstaff on Twitter

Reasons to shout aboutGlamorgan

100%of our Physical Geography studentsagreed that “staff are good at explainingthings” and that they “have been able tocontact staff” when they need to.

96%of our Nursing and Marketing studentsagreed that their “communication skillshave improved.”

95%of our History students agreed that “staffare good at explaining things.”

94%of our Chiropractic students agreed that“the course is intellectually stimulating.”

93%of our Maths and our ElectricalEngineering students agreed that “staff are good at explaining things.”

93%of our Electrical Engineering studentsalso agreed that “the course isintellectually stimulating,” “assessmentsand marking have been fair,” “the coursehas helped me to present myself with confidence” and that their“communication skills have improved.”

All of the above are NSS 2011responses.

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news

In five further subjects: Business Studies;Nursing; Sociology; Tourism and Travel;Forensic & Archaeological studies, Glamorgancame second highest in Wales for studentsatisfaction. We were also rated joint-secondhighest in Mathematics and Accounting inWales.

2011 has also been a good year for theUniversity’s league table positions.

In May, Glamorgan jumped eight places in theGuardian University Guide, to 68th position, ourhighest ranking in three years, placing us aheadof UWIC, Swansea, Glyndwr and Newport, andplacing us third in Wales, behind Cardiff andAberystwyth.

In September, Glamorgan bucked the trend ofwelsh Universities, climbing five positions to87th place in the Sunday Times University Guide2012, regaining the title 'best new university inWales’. All other welsh institutions, exceptGlyndwr, dropped positions in the table.Glamorgan is now ranked above UWIC (92),Glyndwr (103), Trinity St David (114) andNewport (115) in the Times league table.

The Vice-Chancellor, Julie Lydon, said: “thisUniversity’s commitment to investing in thestudent experience and the commitment ofGlamorgan’s staff to giving students both thestrong degree and vital employability skills theyneed, is, I believe, reflected in this year’s results.I would like to thank you all for your hard workand I look forward to continuing to improve ourstanding as a distinctive and modern institutionwith an excellent reputation.”

The University is celebrating a run ofsuccesses in student satisfaction scores and league table positions in 2011.

Our National Student Survey (NSS) results,released in August, put Glamorgan top in Walesin Imaginative Writing, Electronic & ElectricalEngineering, Marketing and Fine Art. We arealso joint top in Wales for Law.

In the Electronic & Electrical Engineeringcategory, Glamorgan’s courses were rated bestin the UK for student satisfaction, according tothe website Unistats.com. Find out more aboutthis on page ten of this edition.

Loaf, Garth and Caerphilly. The developmentadds 476 modern rooms to the University’sTreforest accommodation, which have receiveda 4* rating by Visit Wales.

The final phase of the Glamorgan Courtrefurbishment project was also completedduring the summer and received a 3* rating fromVisit Wales.

The brand new £18 million Treforest halls ofresidences, Mountain Halls, completed inOctober, marking the end of the 12-monthproject.

The final block, Caerphilly Hall, was handedover in early October, leaving just the ‘Hub’social centre and open air amphitheatre, in themiddle of the new development, to becompleted, along with landscaping of the area,by the end of the month.

The Mountain Halls development comprises (indescending order) Snowdon, Pen-y-Fan, Sugar

Glamorgan isTOP in WALES(and the UK!)

Mountain Halls -- open for business

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news

More news...CCI picks

Welsh speaking graduates stepstraight into careersThree Welsh speaking Glamorgangraduates (pictured below) have landedtheir dream jobs just weeks aftergraduation, thanks to industry links madeduring their studies at CCI. Dramagraduates Craig Walkley (below, left) andGethin Evans have won lead roles in aprofessional touring production, whileGraphic Communications graduateGwenno Williams has secured a graphicdesign position in Cardiff Bay.

CCI lecturer helps create majorTV advertWork from Glamorgan’s MediaTechnology lecturer Chris Callow will beseen in a new TV advert. The advert forbreakfast cereal, Weetabix, features HipHop dancing teddy bears brought to lifethrough visual effects.

CCI set to boost creative skillswith workforce developmentschemeFreelancers and small businesses inWales’ creative sector will soon be ableto benefit from a new ESF funded work-based training initiative from CCI, worthalmost a million pounds.

The Creative & Cultural WorkforceDevelopment Scheme (CiDS) is a part-time work-based learning course thataims to bolster skills in a range of areasin the creative and cultural industries,including performing arts, musicproduction, technical theatre, craft anddesign.

Glamorgan staff and studentscollaborate on radio dramaThe Fantastical Adventures of PercivalVan Cleef was produced at CCI forAustralian podcast company, The DramaPod.

The production was directed by RichardJ Hand and co-produced by MaryTraynor and BA Radio student, TomWentworth. Download the play athttp://thedramapod.com.

Glam Edge is about helping students to gainemployability skills that will give them adistinctive ‘edge’ over their peers in thegraduate jobs market.

Through the initiative, which brings togethermany of the University’s existing goodpractises, students are encouraged to developtheir CV and key skills to complement thespecialist skills and knowledge obtainedthrough their degree.

Students are issued a Glam Edge ‘passport’,which remains with them throughout their timeat university. In their first year, the schemeprovides the opportunity to benefit from a seriesof activities that prepare students for life afteruniversity. In year two, students are encouragedto get out into the real world to gainemployability skills through work experience,

using the passport to record the skills andexperiences they obtain.

Dr Gillian Jack, who is leading on the initiativecomments, “We want students to have theopportunity to maximise their own workexperiences and achieve an employer-validatedcertificate. Glam Edge provides an identity forthe University’s various employment-relatedactivities and sends students and employers anextremely positive message about what theUniversity of Glamorgan has to offer”.

Glam will edge students ahead

Introducing… the CollaborativePartnerships Unit (CPU)

Part-time students can now benefit from adedicated virtual Part-Time Hub that providesan online space where they can get information,tools and services that will support their HigherEducation experience.

Part-time and flexible learners currently accountfor 40% of all students in higher education andgood communication amongst these flexiblelearners is vital in facilitating success in theirstudies.

One recently-launched strand of the projectallows students to self register via the Glamlifeportal and enables them to communicate theircourse rep status to fellow students.

Claire Wright (3316) in Directorate is leading theproject, which is expected to complete inDecember.

New facility for part-timers

Collaborative Partnerships Unit (CPU) is a newteam within Academic Registry tasked withmanaging the university’s collaborativepartnerships - any arrangement where theuniversity awards qualifications, or credits

towards a qualification, to courses provided byanother institution or organisation.

CPU will act as the central enquiry and advisoryservice for collaborative activity and willadminister the university’s policies andprocedures for collaborative partnerships - inother words, the team will make sure activity isjoined up between the university and its partners.

Head of the unit, Siobhan Coakley commented,“Our first priority is to establish the unit, buildrelationships with colleagues across the universityand its partners and raise awareness of what wedo.”

If you want to discuss an existing or potentialpartnership, give the team a call on 2448.

(From right) Head of CPU, Siobhan Coakley, Senior Administrator, Gareth Beach andAdministrative Assistant, Anne Pepper.

FAT picks

Glamorgan rated top in Walesfor MathematicsThe University’s Mathematics departmentwas ranked top in Wales and its studentsrated their satisfaction with the teachingat second top in the UK, in the 2012Guardian League Table published in May2011.

RICS accreditation for quantitysurveyorsStudent surveyors and constructionproject managers beginning their studiesat Glamorgan will have an extra feather intheir hard-hat with the news that theirdegree has the backing of the prestigiousRoyal Institution of Chartered Surveyors(RICS).

RICS has awarded its international stampof approval to the University’s BSc (Hons)Quantity Surveying and CommercialManagement degree, building on itsaccreditation of the Masters inConstruction Project Management.

CAPSE launchFirst Minister, Carwyn Jones, officiallyopened the new £2 million Centre forNext Generation Automotive & PowerSystems at Glamorgan’s Centre forAutomotive & Power SystemsEngineering (CAPSE) on 5th October.

CAPSE is Wales’ only independentresearch, development, test andcertification house, which undertakescutting-edge research and knowledgetransfer activities within the advancedautomotive and power systemsengineering sectors.

Wales’ first ‘app’ showcaseAn application that tells surfers when tohead down to the beach was amongthose launched at Wales’ first showcaseproject for mobile applications in Cardiffon 14th September.

Organised by the University ofGlamorgan’s CEMAS project, the eventprovided a platform for Wales’ SME appdevelopers to show off their innovativeconcepts, all of which take advantage ofemerging mobile technologies.

Information Technologyhas moved from a backoffice function to acompetitive advantage,so Wales needs

companies to fully exploitthe Digital Economy to help

the country to flourish. But withone in six Welsh companies reporting IT skillsshortages, more dedicated training resourcesare vital.

This is where the Digital Economy in the Headsof the Valleys Project (DEHOV) can help. AGovernment-backed collaboration between theUniversity of Wales, Newport and the Universityof Glamorgan, DEHOV is a work-based learningproject that aims to up-skill employers andemployees to fully engage with a digitaleconomy.

Accredited TrainingHigher Education accredited modules areavailable at first and second year degree-leveland focus on business technologies in thedigital economy, including accounting systems,web design and maintenance, project planning,network security, and the use of socialnetworking to promote businesses.

Tailored SolutionsThe project’s strength lies in its ability to drawon wide-ranging technical expertise andindustry links from Glamorgan and Newport.This means training solutions can be tailored tothe operational requirements of the individualbusiness; not only in terms of content design,but where, when and for how long.

CostsThe cost of training is often prohibitive,especially for the many small businesses in the

Heads of the Valleys region. DEHOV has beenmade possible by the EU’s ConvergenceEuropean Social Fund (ESF) through the WelshGovernment, meaning that private sectoremployees who live or work in West Wales orthe Valleys could be entitled to fully, or partlyfunded, training.

Progress so farDr Rob Payne, Head of Outreach in CELL andlead on the University’s contribution to theproject comments, “DEHOV is helping to createa better skilled workforce by offering trainingand development designed to reflect the needsof industry in the region. To date, Glamorganhas signed up 30 local businesses to thescheme, meaning around 140 employers andemployees will benefit from ESF-fundedtraining”.

The Project is still in its initial stage and willcontinue to recruit and offer training until August 2013. For more information, visitwww.glam.ac.uk/dehov or contact Kris Carter,01685 385916.

DEHOV’s Digital Deal

news

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Portal is WISERD!The WISERD GIS Team at Glamorgan developsoftware to enable researchers to search onlinefor all types of survey data (government andacademic, public, administrative, andquantitative and qualitative ‘grey’ socio-economic data) relating to Wales. The aim is toencourage collaborative research and re-use ofexisting data.

Using free and open-source software (FOSS)components and services, the team have built arich meta-database of government surveys(down to question level), geo-referencedsemantically-tagged qualitative data (generatedfrom primary WISERD research), grey data (e.g.

transcripts, journal publications, books, PhDtheses) and geo-referenced administrative data(e.g. education data from schools). A GeoPortalwas then developed that enables users tosearch the meta-database for existing surveydata relating to Wales, using a number of tools.

For information visithttp://wiserd.comp.glam.ac.uk/home

“Todayʼs businessesneed to takeadvantage of theDigital Economy thatwe all operate within.”

Dr Rob Payne.

RICS: stamp of approval

FBS picks

History Professor ScoopsPrestigious Funding AwardGlamorgan historian Dr Chris Evans is tolead a major international researchproject supported by The LeverhulmeTrust.

A World of Copper: Globalising the Industrial Revolution, 1830-1870 hasbeen awarded a £122,000 InternationalNetwork Grant by the Trust to exploresome of the big questions in the historyof industrialisation.

The project will bring together researchpartners from the UK (the universities ofGlamorgan, Swansea and Exeter) andoverseas (the universities of Santiago deChile, Toulouse and Western Australia).

Glamorgan’s entrepreneurslead the UK in Centre ofExcellence accoladeThe University’s Business School hasbeen recognised as a Centre ofEnterprise Excellence by the UK SectorSkills Body for Enterprise (SFEDI).Glamorgan is the first and only Universityin Wales to be recognised as a Centre ofExcellence, and also the first in the UK tobe awarded ‘Centre of EnterpriseExcellence’ status.

Ruth Lowbridge, Executive Chair of theSFEDI Group, said, “SFEDI is extremelyimpressed with both the quality andrange of enterprise developmentactivities supported by GlamorganBusiness School’s Centre for Enterprise.”

English Professor re-electedPresident of InternationalAssociationProfessor Andrew Smith, Head of Englishand Modern Languages (FBS) has beenre-elected as joint president of theInternational Gothic Association. He hasjointly held the position with ProfessorWilliam Hughes, of Bath Spa University,since 2009.

Professor Smith is currently working on a monograph Gothic Death: A LiteraryHistory 1740-1914. He is the award tutor for the MA Gothic Studies.

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news

A bespoke system is being created that willfully automate Glamorgan’s staff recruitmentprocess, all the way from the RD1 form, to theact of appointing a new member of staff,making the whole process faster, moreenvironmentally friendly and completelytrackable for staff and applicants.

The RD1 form is required when a managerrequests a new post, an extension to a post, or cover for a post at the University.

Recently-appointed HR manager, SiobhanCole, and organisational developmentmanager, Lucie Thomas, are working closelywith internal and external developers to deliverthe exciting project.

Siobhan explains, “From a staff point of view,the RD1 process will be quicker and easier; theonline forms will be available via Glamlife forStaff, allowing managers to complete andsubmit an RD1 for approval electronically, nomatter where they are. In time, they may alsobe able to remotely approve forms, furtherspeeding up the recruitment process.”

Interested candidates will have already noticedan improvement to the front-end of therecruitment process; since August applicantshave been enable to browse Glamorganvacancies via the job section on the websiteand, once registered, simply click a button tobegin the application process, without havingto download or print out a form.

The form is then submitted electronically andan automated email confirms receipt.

Siobhan continues, “The project is still in itspilot phase, but we’re already working onenhancements that will enable recruitingmanagers to sift and shortlist applicants online,generate feedback letters to applicants andtrack an application’s progress online. We’reeven looking into a way for applicants to bookthemselves into an available interview slotautomatically.

The online RD1 forms and the administrativeend of the online application system is beingpiloted this autumn, with the help of selectedfaculties and corporate departments. A full roll-out is expected in January 2012.

Recruitmentat the touch of a button

Recruiting a new member of staff could beas easy as a few clicks of the mouse whenHR launches a brand new online recruitmentprocess this autumn.

Dr Chris Evans

HeSaS picks

Beacons appointment forHeSaS professorDenis Murphy, Professor of Biology, hasbeen appointed to the Brecon BeaconsNational Park Authority, where his mainrole is with the Local Access Forum. Oneof the new initiatives of the park authorityis to open up the reservoirs and lakes inthe park to the public for activities suchas sailing and canoeing.

As a lecturer on biodiversity,environmental conservation and invasivespecies, Denis has a professional interestin the natural aspects of our localenvironment and regularly bringsstudents on field trips to the park area.

Glamorgan celebrates theInternational Year of Chemistry Dr Wynne Evans and Dr Paul Jones,Principal Lecturers in Chemistry andForensic Sciences are working alongsidethe Royal Society of Chemistry toorganise events to celebrate theInternational Year of Chemistry in 2011, aworldwide celebration of theachievements of chemistry and itscontributions to the well-being ofhumankind.

They said, “We want to help increaseawareness of the importance ofchemistry in meeting world needs,encourage interest in chemistry amongyoung people and generate enthusiasmfor the creative future of chemistry.”

Welcome to Dr Tony MasseyAnthony Massey joined Glamorgan thissummer as a lecturer in coastalgeography. Tony said, “Physicalgeography is my greatest passion,especially our coasts and the oceans.The coast can be such an incrediblydynamic and powerful environment and,as an island nation, we should beconcerned about issues such as globalwarming, sea-level rise and coastalerosion. These are some of my keyresearch topics.”

The Glamorgan Graduate Research Centre (GRC) is a new central administrative structure of supportfor research students that will manage all aspects of research student administration, from application toaward.

A division of the Research Office, the GRC team is based in B Block, room B15, but a representative ofthe team will be permanently available within the recently-opened Postgraduate Centre in T^y Crawshay(pictured above) to provide a dedicated and consistent point of contact independent of faculties.

The team are: Dr Elaine Huntley, Sally Davies, Jane Garrett, Alison Crudgington and Llinos Spargo.

The GRC is expected to bring postgraduate researchers together from a wide variety of disciplines intoone community for a range of development opportunities and mentoring. The centre will also provide aone-stop shop for advice and guidance to anyone engaged in research.

A calendar of events and training will be offered for research students, early career researchers, researchsupervisors, examiners and viva chairs. The centre will work closely with experienced research staff todeliver high quality skills development opportunities.

Located on first floor of T^y Crawshay, the Postgraduate Centre provides social and work spacespecifically for postgraduate students. The Centre formally opened on 3rd October with a week-longseries of events.

Graduate Research Centreestablished

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news

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staff news

The Faculty of Advanced Technology’sElectronic & Electrical Engineering course hasachieved a fantastic 97% overallsatisfaction rating, putting them number onein the whole UK for student satisfaction,according to the website, Unistats.com.

What’s more, the course rating has jumpedan unbelievable 58% since last year.

Students were surveyed on 22 questions,including ‘teaching on my course’,‘assessment & feedback’, ‘academic support’and ‘overall satisfaction’ as part of the annualNational Student Survey (NSS).

It was the course’s “disappointing” score lastyear that gave staff the impetus to pulltogether and agree an action plan to identifyareas where the student experience could beimproved.

Akram Hammoudeh, Deputy Head of theFaculty of Advanced Technology explains,“We really believe in the quality of what wedo, so we were really shocked with our poorresults last year.

“We realised that part of the solution is tomanage the students’ expectations abouttheir course, so this year we made sure wehighlighted the course accreditations,industry links and employability opportunitieson offer. We also made students aware of thequality support available to them through theirtutors, such as open access, personaltutorials and support in creating strong, skills-based CVs and identifying and applying forjobs.”

Akram and his team established drop-insurgeries for final year students, staffed by arange of specialists, so that students couldalways access support for their coursework.They also created channels on Blackboardthrough which staff could communicate withstudents and proactively encourage them toundertake extra-curricular activities, such astalks and seminars that would build on theiremployability profile.

“Students put great value in seeing theirrequests and feedback being acted upon bystaff,” Akram continues. “So we made surewe listened to students’ concerns and put theprocesses in place to allow staff to takeaction.”

“In one example, students told us they arefrustrated when lectures are cancelled, so wemade it policy that if a lecturer was in anyway unable to hold the lecture, they had toarrange alternative cover, or submit a plan tomanagement outlining how they would catchup on the missed work.

“In another, we addressed students’frustrations over not being able to borrowspecialist equipment outside of teaching timeby establishing an overnight loan scheme,where the students could access theequipment via a secure locker, provided itwas returned by the morning in time for thenext teaching day.”

As the team will quickly point out, their 97%satisfaction score has been achieved withoutany changes to the staff, managementstructure, department or teaching. They’vesimply improved the students’ experiencethrough finding small solutions that amountedto a big difference.

Akram concludes. “Being top in the UK is anamazing achievement, but we’re not going tobe complacent and we realise we now needto work even harder to maintain our position.”

TOP in the UK

Electronicsat Glamorgan...

Akram Hammoudeh

What are the main points?Most students pay nothing up front and won’thave to pay anything back until they earn over£21,000 a year as a graduate. If students areeligible for UK support, they will repay a smalleramount per year than in the current system andwill repay the same amount per month, nomatter what the tuition fee is. The payment willbe taken automatically from their salary if theyare working in the UK, earning over £21,000.

How much will the new tuition feescost, from 2012?University of Glamorgan tuition fees for UK andEU students have been set at £9,000 per yearfor undergraduate degrees and £7,500 per yearfor foundation degrees for studentscommencing studies from 2012.

How much will Welsh studentshave to pay? Students who usually live in Wales and whohave not previously studied at a highereducation level will normally contribute £3465towards tuition fees, as they may be eligible fora Welsh Government grant of £5535, paiddirectly to the University. Most students will beable to borrow a Tuition Fee Loan to pay the£3465.

Who isn’t affected by the newarrangements?Three groups are not affected: non EUInternational students, existing studentscontinuing on the same course they startedprior to September 2012 and Postgraduatestudents.

How much will other UK studentspay?Students from England, Northern Ireland andScotland will be expected to pay the full tuitionfee for their course. However students livingoutside a 45 mile radius of the University mayqualify for a special bursary, which providessignificant financial support and a guaranteedplace in halls in their first year. Full details areavailable on the money service websitehttp://money.glam.ac.uk/centenarybursary/

How are students expected to payfor their tuition fees?Most UK and EU new full-time studentsstudying at HE level for the first time should beeligible to apply for a non means tested TuitionFee Loan from the Student Loans Company. Ifthey are eligible to receive the loan, they canborrow up to the amount of fees theypersonally have to pay. Students can alsodiscuss other payment options with therevenue department on 01443 483215, or by e-mailing revenue@glam.ac.uk.

When will students have to repaythe loan? They will pay nothing until they are earning atleast £21,000.

Find all of the facts atstafflife.glam.ac.uk/pages/164-student-fees-2012-2013.

Student Fees the key facts

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staff news

There are less than 12 months to go before the new student feestructure and financial support arrangements come into effect forfull-time undergraduates. This quick guide gives you the basics...

Please refer any enquiries about student financial support to the Student Money Service at money@glam.ac.uk or call 01443 483778. The office is open 9am-12pm, Monday to Friday.

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staff news

1. Acclaimed author Emma Darwin, formerstudent and great-great granddaughter ofCharles Darwin, gave a public reading of herwork at the University’s Moot Court inSeptember.

2 . Glamorgan’s Students’ Union building hasbeen recognised by the Royal Institute of BritishArchitects for its innovative design. It is one ofonly seven buildings in Wales to be awarded withthe internationally recognised RIBA award in2011.

3. The Big Draw: In October FBS’s Art andDesign Foundation course, in collaboration withLudlow-Orbis’ Beechwood College, hosted a‘Big Draw’ event as part of an annual initiative toencourage the use of drawing.

4. The Faculty of Business and Societymarked the start of a new term by opening itsnew reception and social lounge. Located in theHirwaun building on the Treforest campus, thenew area provides an informal setting for study,socialising and student support.

5. Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol: Glamorganbecame the first University in Wales to launch abranch of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol inJuly. The Coleg’s main aim is to increase,develop and broaden the range of Welsh mediumstudy activities at university in Wales. Visitwww.colegcymraeg.ac.uk.

Morgannwg oedd y Brifysgol gyntaf yngNghymru i lansio cangen o’r Coleg CymraegCenedlaethol ym mis Gorffennaf. Prif nod y Colegyw cynyddu, datblygu ac ehangu cyfleoeddastudio drwy’r Gymraeg ym mhrifysgolion Cymru.Ewch at www.colegcymraeg.ac.uk.

6. The latest postgraduate prospectus arrivedin September in a new compact, handbook-sizeformat.

7. S4/C: Roger Williams and Lee Jones from theS4/C series Gwaith Cartref join ProfessionalWelsh applicants as they visit campus for aWelsh second language conference. RogerWilliams a Lee Jones o gyfres Gwaith CartrefS4/C yn ymuno a darpar fyfyrwyr CymraegProffesiynol wrth iddyn nhw ymweld a'r campwsam gynhadledd Cymraeg ail iaith.

In pictures...

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8. Author Chris Meredith donated £1000 worthof books to the LRC on behalf of the RolandMathias Prize, Wales’ most prestigiousindependent literary prize. Chris, who teachescreative writing at Glamorgan, has been amember of the judging panel since its inception.

9. The 2011 Freshers’ Fair saw more than 5000students come along to sign up to sports,societies, find out about local and nationalcompanies and grab a free slice of pizza. TheFresher's Ball ended Freshers’ week with CharlieSimpson, ex-member of Busted and Fight Star,playing to another packed event.

10. Thanks to a major refurbishment, Stiltsrefectory reopened in September sporting atransformed look. As well as a new coffee shopserving Starbucks Coffee, there is a moderndining area and soft seating.

11. The First Campus Summer School,organised by CeLL, gave pupils fromCommunities First target areas a taste ofuniversity life with film and animation training and a Rock School. The school finished with a show at the Students’ Union.

Campus WatchGlamorgan is the first University in Wales toestablish a ‘Campus Watch’ project – aderivative of the ‘Neighbourhood WatchScheme’ – in conjunction with the SU, policeand local community groups.

Campus Watch has been created to enhancethe security and safety of those who live,study and work on the University’s campuses.Led by students, for students, the scheme is athink tank and action group enabling studentsto take responsibility for the social wellbeingand safety of their own campus community.

Over 30 student volunteers have alreadysigned up to the scheme and have cited a listof potential projects, including:

• Ladies’ self defence classes• ‘Health and Safety at home’ leaflet• Late night ‘ring back’ line• Safety improvements to the woodland walk• ‘Busted!’ stickers on illegally parked cars• Neighbour liaison services• Alcohol awareness campaign• Story telling and locals kids club• Opportunity to attend PACT and

Community Cohesion meetings• Treforest Community Carnival

By becoming a Campus Watch Volunteer,students will also be eligible to work towardsand earn a University of Glamorgan GlamEdge Employability certificate (see page 6).Campus Watch Volunteers are fully supportedby members of staff from Student Services,Estates and Facilities, International StudentSupport Service and the Students’ Union,who sit on the Campus Watch SteeringGroup.

For more information or to get involved,search ‘campus watch’ on Stafflife.

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Monica Gibson-SweetDean of Faculty

Remit: Providestrategic leadershipand direction of thefaculty to ensure itssustainability, build itsdistinctiveness andreputation andprovide value to allstakeholders.

Credentials: Worked in Higher Educationfor 27 years in Wales, NW, NE and SWEngland. 16 years in senior management.

Vision for FBS: “By 2015, FBS will bedistinctive in its professional, employment-focused education, research-informedinnovation and business engagement, witha commitment to addressing sustainableeconomic development, social justice andcultural enrichment.”

Dr Catherine JonesAssociate Dean

Remit: Lead on thestrategicenhancement of thestudent experienceand implement thelearning, teachingand wideningparticipation strategy.Work collaborativelyon the furtherdevelopment of evidence-based bestpractice in learning and teaching.

Credentials: A 20-year career in HigherEducation, including six years at seniormanagement level.

Vision for FBS: To facilitate the sharing ofevidence based best practice from thewider HE environment and build a leadingreputation for innovative curriculum designand delivery.

Welcome to FBS

FBS in figures(All figures relate to 2011/12)

Budget: £28.7m

24% of University’s 2010/11turnover (£120m)

No. of Staff: 265 (full-time)

16% of all full-time staff employedby the University (1670) are FBS

No. of Students: 7290(on and off campus)

• Students on campus – 5752• Students off campus – 1538

34% of all University students(21,496) are taught by the Faculty

No. of undergraduates:4182 (on campus)

No. of postgraduates:1570 (on campus)

Student residency:• UK students – 5965• EU based students – 489• International students – 836

The Faculty of Business and Society embarks on its first full academic year inexistence this autumn. Staffroom went to meet the Faculty Executive Team (FET)responsible for making the new Faculty a success, to find out how they’re going to do it…

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Dr Andrew ThompsonFaculty Head of PostgraduateAffairs & Headof the School ofHumanities and SocialSciences

Remit: Direct thegrowth of thepostgraduate studentbody and develop a dynamic andsupportive postgraduate community.

HaSS: ensure the School offers a first-classenvironment for students to thrive andmaintains its reputation for research andscholarly excellence.

Credentials: Numerous leadership rolesthroughout 15 years at Glamorgan,including Head of Social Sciences since2008.

Vision for FBS: A Faculty which preparesits students to be confident in their skillsand to aspire to be leaders in theirprofessions.

Diana StonefieldHead of Administration

Remit: Lead on thestrategicenhancement of thestudent experienceand implement thelearning, teachingand wideningparticipation strategy.Work collaborativelyon the furtherdevelopment of evidence-based bestpractice in learning and teaching,supported by effective quality assuranceand enhancement.

Credentials: Over 20 years’ experience ofworking in educational management andacademic administration in HigherEducation, with 12 years in seniormanagement positions.

Vision for FBS: A professional serviceteam that provides an effective service forstudents and staff, helping the Faculty tomake the best use of the resourcesavailable.

Professor Gary PackhamHead of Research & Head ofGlamorganBusinessSchool

Remit: Ensure thecurrent researchbase is enhanced,build up areas ofdistinctiveness,increase incomestreams and enrich the curriculum, throughresearch-informed learning and teaching.

GBS: enable students to reach their fullpotential both academically andprofessionally, by providing an engaging,innovative, research-informed andemployment-focused student experience.

Credentials: A six year career in financialservices, followed by over 12 years’experience in Higher Education, includingfour at senior level.

Vision for FBS: A Faculty and School thatare renowned in Wales and beyond forbusiness engagement, user-valuedresearch and the quality and employabilityof its graduates.

Professor MichaelStuckeyHead of Undergraduate & Headof the School ofLaw, Accountingand Finance

Remit: Direct andsupport theundergraduatestudent body anddevelop an energeticand supportive undergraduate communitythat provides students with skills to helpthem succeed in their chosen careers.

Ensure the School offers a first-classenvironment in which students will succeedand realise their aspirations, and sustainand enhance our reputation for researchand scholarly excellence.

Credentials: Qualified barrister and solicitor.Eight years as Head of the Law School andmore than 20 years’ experience in HigherEducation.

Vision for FBS: A Faculty which offers arich resource of expertise, from learning andteaching to research and consultancy.

Dr Peter MayerFaculty Head of Retention andStudent Achievement & Head ofthe School ofPsychology

Remit: Lead andmanage a range ofnew activities toincrease bothacademic and socialengagement andincrease the level ofstudent retention within and between years.

Lead an ambitious strategic plan to meetthe challenges of the changes taking placeacross the HE landscape. Make the Schoolmore distinctive and employability-focused,through the launch of new and revalidationof existing awards.

Credentials: Joined Glamorgan in 1994,with a background of research in cognitivepsychology. Part of senior managementteams at Glamorgan since 1998.

Vision for FBS: A Faculty that offers itsgraduates and postgraduates a high value,distinctive and employment-focused HEexperience.

Bobby MehtaHead of International andBusiness Development

Remit: To lead on all aspects ofinternational andbusinessdevelopment acrossthe four schools.

Credentials: Workedin higher educationfor over 14 years, 12years in the area of international studentrecruitment and business development.

Vision for FBS: A Faculty successful inestablishing a number of strategic overseasand business partnerships that will provideenrichment to the student experience andsupport sustainability.

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The University spends more than £1m annually on electronic journals andbibliographic databases to support teaching, learning and research. In LCSS, weprovide access to 230 databases, subscribe to 10,000 electronic journal titles, link to40,000 e-books and numerous open access web resources, and record hundreds ofTV and radio programmes every year. Given the scale and diversity of our resources,it’s not always easy to find what you’re looking for, but three new developments willhelp to make this easier and more efficient for you and your students.

Finders, KeepersMore resources and easier access with the latest Library developments

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FINDit

Our new FINDit web portal provides detailedcategorisation by subject and type of resource.Once you have identified relevant databases, itis now possible to conduct a single searchacross them all. Personalisation is a keyfeature: researchers and students can savereferences, create and save their favouritesearch lists, and receive e-mail alerts for newrecords. For more information visithttp://lcss.glam.ac.uk/findit/

Library catalogue

Another important innovation for resourcediscovery is our new library catalogue.We are currently designing a visually engaginginterface with a Google-style search box andthe ability to refine searches in an intuitive way.The new catalogue will meet studentexpectations, with enriched images of bookcovers, a ‘save searches’ option andoptimisation for mobile devices. Look out for the new catalogue during theAutumn Term.

Video library online

Imagine jumping from two minutes of DavidAttenborough to five minutes of Brian Cox inthe lecture room, with just a click of the mouse— and without having to juggle a pile of DVDsor VHS tapes! Using our eStream videosystem, you can do this and more.

LCSS is opening up online access to a libraryof more than 2,000 broadcasts recorded overthe past two years, and the collection willcontinue to grow over the coming months.

You can request a recording of upcoming andrecent broadcasts from more than a dozenFreeview TV and radio channels, and yourstudents can search the collection for contentto support their studies and view it on a PC.

For licensing reasons, initially the collectionwill only be available to on-campus users, so DVD recordings of broadcasts will continue to be available from the libraries.

Make a date with yourassessments*

This term sees the introduction of a newAssessment Diaries system. This willcoordinate and display the summative andformative assessments for the modules youdeliver. It also provides your students with anoverview of their forthcoming assessment anddeadlines, to help them in planning theirworkload.

All staff can view the assessment informationon any module, but only staff that aredesignated as a Module Leader/ModuleAdministrator in Blackboard can edit theassociated assessment data. Students see justthe modules to which they have access, basedon their Blackboard enrolment. You can accessthe Assessment Diaries home page via the tabin Blackboard, where you will also find videoguides to introduce you to the new system.

TEL me all about IT

Our academic staff have a new online ‘channel’for support in using technology for teachingand learning.

The Technology-enhanced Academic Channel(TEACH) is the result of collaboration betweenLCSS and other contributors, including CELT.It brings together information, advice andresources about how you can make the mosteffective use of technology within your teachingpractice, including Blackboard, onlineassessment, Web 2.0, audio and video.

Technology-enhanced learning (TEL) is firmly embedded within the overall Learning,Teaching and Assessment Strategy of theUniversity and plays an important role, bothin classroom-based and online learningenvironments.

What you see now is just a starting point andthe channel will continue to develop over time.Please take time to explore it and bookmark itfor ease of reference. In the meantime, we lookforward to continuing to support you in yourteaching practice. You can visit TEACH athttp://teach.glam.ac.uk/

*As this is a Beta system (i.e. continuing to be developed), you can expect to see regular updates about new and improved functionality on the Assessment Diaries home page.

Get in touchWould you like more informationabout any of these developments?

Or would you like to share yourviews? We’d like to hear from you, so contact us by e-mail atlrsupport@glam.ac.uk

Supporting our studentsIn addition to TEACH, LCSS has alsoreleased two new user-focused support channels for students, whichare already proving popular. Studentscan access these channels easily fromthe home page of their student portal,Glamlife.

Sarah JonesEnquiries and Admissions Officer

How has ADMIThelped theadmissionsprocessinternally?“The ability to addnotes following aconversation with anapplicant has helpedenormously – itmeans colleagues in

the Faculty know exactly what’s beendiscussed or agreed, without having to pick upthe phone to us. It also means there’s arecorded, chronological trail showing theprogress of each individual applicant.”

What would you say to individuals whodon’t think ADMIT is necessary forstudent recruitment to their subjectarea?

“Before we had ADMIT, an applicant’s

information could be stored on someone’s

desktop or on a spreadsheet in any Faculty or

Department. ADMIT gathers information

accurately and makes it available to everyone.”

Moira DaviesSenior Tutor, HeSaS

What is the bestthing about theonlineadmissionssystem?“From the Faculty’sperspective, it’shaving access tothe originaldocument ifsomeone contacts

you, and the ability to read the online notes,so that you can see who in admissions hasbeen working with the file.”

How has ADMIT changed the way youwork?

“When we were interviewing, I could review

an applicant’s qualifications online, while the

original was still with my colleagues next door,

which was fantastic. It’s also easy to see

exactly how many applications are in the

system and what stage they are at.”

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Focus on IT:ADMITIt has been two years since the Glamorgan Admissions Online Project(GAOL) was tasked with transforming the way the University administersapplications to study. With phase two of the project now fully implemented,StaffRoom spoke to three ADMIT users to find out if things have improved...

If you haven’t used ADMIT and would like to, E&A would be more than happy to demonstrateits uses and benefits - please get in touch on 4410.

How has ADMITimproved theservice toapplicants?“It’s a much quickerturnaround time. A couple of yearsago, internationalstudents andagents wouldconstantly ask for

updates on their application and chasing paperdocuments around would take up a lot of ourtime – now we can check its progress at thetouch of a button.”

What feedback have you received?

It’s been very positive. International students

receive their documents, pay deposits and

apply for visas far more quickly than they used

to and our agents are also happier with the

service we are able provide them. It’s a much

more robust system.”

Jo ScaplehornInternational Recruitment Officer

A cornerstone of developments to date has been to ensure that theapplicant experience is as seamless as possible, through efficientprocessing. We hope the integration of these developments withadditional applicant services will further enhance the process and allow Glamorgan to remain at the vanguard of HE admissions.

Ioan Evans, Head of Enquiries & Admissions.

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The fourth annual Excellence in Learning, Teaching andAssessment (ELTA) Awards took place on Tuesday 13thSeptember at the GlamorganConference Centre. The ELTAAwards seek to recognise andreward excellence in learningand teaching throughout theGlamorgan Group. The Vice-Chancellor presented awards to the six category winners.

The ELTA Awards are administered by CELT. The2011/2012 awards programme will be launched in early 2012. Look out for details on how to applyin the coming weeks.

n Dr Erica Liu (CCI)& Emma Highgate (Coleg Morgannwg)

Excellence and innovation in learning andteaching practice

n Julie Kissick (CCI)Innovation and excellence in studentassessment

n Dr Heather Skinner (FBS)Demonstrating excellence in academicleadership

n Stephen Lee (LCSS) Excellence and innovation in studentlearning support

n Dr Simon Jones (RWCMD)Excellence in Enterprise Education

n Dr Ben Challis & Robert Smith (CCI)

Excellence in research-informed learningand teaching

Congratulationsto the winners

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1. Assistant HR OfficersWhat do we do? As a team, our role is to support the work of the HRdepartment and the provision of HR services across the GlamorganGroup.

What’s our main role? We are the first point of contact for newemployees, both before they take up their post and in their first fewmonths of employment. We do everything to get them through the doorand make them feel welcome: issuing contractual documentation,carrying out pre-employment checks (including CRB, work permits,health assessment etc.) and running first-morning inductions, amongother things.

Also talk to us about: Approving new and replacement posts; anywritten correspondence from HR; payroll documents and reports;administering end of fixed-term contracts, terminations andresignations; hourly paid staff; redeployment; managing sicknessabsence; advice and applications for flexible working; and advice onmaternity, paternity and adoption entitlements.

Pictured: (from left) Michael Williams, John Sibcy, Elin Brown, SarahWarrilow.

Contact: 2561 or 3202

2. Senior Management TeamWhat do we do? As a team we provide leadership and managementfor the HR department and deliver strategic HR functions across theGlamorgan Group.

What’s our main role? We advise Directorate and other seniormanagers on strategic HR issues, and lead and organise ongoingcasework, such as disciplines and grievances – in particular advisingthe chairs of disciplinary hearings. We also manage and co-ordinateemployment tribunals, liaising with the university’s solicitors. Workingwith the Trade Unions on employment relations issues is also a majorpart of our role.

Also talk to us about: HR policies and procedures; implementation ofHR IT systems and HR business processes; management of changeand restructures; consultation with employees; performancemanagement and grading and pay review issues.

Pictured: (from left) Sarah John, Rob Baker, Siobhan Cole and BethanEmanuel.

Contact: 3731

Who are HR?How many times have you asked a question that starts with, “Who in HR should I speak to about…?”

If the answer is more than once, this article is for you. Glamorgan’s HR department has undergonesignificant changes over the past year, realigning services to better assist the needs of a growing anddynamic institution. The department now consists of five teams of professional staff groupedtogether by function, which together help keep the university ticking over - recruitment, induction,training, retention, contracts, sickness, disciplinaries, resignations, maternity, paternity and, of course,the all important pay and terms and conditions of your employment.

In this article the teams are pleased to introduce themselves to you and explain a bit more about whothey are, and what they do…

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4. Administration TeamWhat we do? We provide a frontline service to all HR’s customers,both internal and external and provide administrative support to the HRdepartment.

What’s our main role? We are a first point of contact for anyoneapplying for a vacancy within the university. We will also direct peopleto the most appropriate person in HR to answer any queries onspecialist areas within HR. We administer the flexi system, the e-recruitment system – placing vacancies for adverts as soon as theyarise – and administer the hourly paid lecturer engagements.

Also talk to us about: Any queries that you may have on flexiadjustments; placing job advertisements and the best place toadvertise specialist posts; and ensuring that the information on the HR system about you is correct. We can also help you if you have ageneral query or don’t know who to contact.

Pictured: (from left) Tom Thornton and Ian Williams.

Contact: 3224 or 2021

3. Staff Development UnitWhat we do? The Staff Development Unit works with individuals,teams and departments across the Glamorgan Group to ensure thatyour development needs are met. The team is the result of the joiningof the ICT Training Team (formerly part of LCSS) and the StaffDevelopment Unit in HR.

What’s our main role? We offer support, guidance and training to helpyou develop your skills and knowledge in the areas of Personal,Information Technology and Leadership and Managementdevelopment, to help us achieve the University's objectives and yourdepartment’s and team’s priorities

Also talk to us about: Leadership and management development; on-line learning provision; staff recruitment, selection, induction andprobation procedures; performance management; talent management;staff development evaluation and reporting.

Pictured: (from left) Lucie Thomas, Nicola Robinson, Lisa Richards,Helen Harries, James Bennett, Helen Pare and Ryan Powell.

5. Advisory TeamWhat do we do? The HR advisory team provides advice and guidanceto staff on all aspects of HR, ranging from equality and diversity issues,through to practical advice and guidance on HR policies and theprovision of management information. The Advisory Team is split intothree: HR Officers, the Systems and Projects Team and the Equalityand Diversity Team.

What’s our main role?HR Officers (Elaine Smith, Liz Cridland, Sally Pexton, Alison Jones andClare Ballard): We provide advice and support to management andstaff on recruitment, conditions of service, contractual issues and roleanalysis. Also we deal with any grievances and disciplinary, providingadvice and support to all staff. We also implement TUPE transfers andwork with the Trade Unions to resolve difficult situations. We also workwith the occupational health team to manage absences, advising onrehabilitation and preventative measures.

Contact: 2024

Systems and Projects Team (Zena Hall and John Berry): We have thejob of ensuring that the HR management information system ismaintained and developed, from which we provide statistics for variousmanagers across the university. Annually, we also submit thisinformation to governors and gather data on staff, required by theHigher Educational Statistics Agency. We also ensure that HR policiesand procedures are reviewed on a regular basis and revised when therehas been an organisational change, or a change to employmentlegislation.

Contact: 2140

Equality and Diversity Team (Alison Preece and Claire Flay Petty): Wedraft the university’s Single Equality Plan, co-ordinate the Women’sUniversity Mentoring Scheme (WUMS), provide advice and guidanceon all equality and diversity issues, ranging from practical advice forstaff, to support in carrying out an equality impact assessment.

Contact: 4503

Also talk to us about: Any of the HR policies and procedures and howthey work in practice; operational HR issues; provision of any staffstatistics; any employment legislation and how this impacts in theworkplace and good practice relating to equality and diversity issues.

Pictured: (from left) Sally Pexton, Alison Jones, John Berry, Zena Hall, Nicola Scofield, Elaine Smith, Liz Cridland, Alison Preeceand Clare Ballard.

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profile

Gettingto know...

...Daniel Porter-JonesAlumni Relations and DevelopmentManager

Daniel joined the University in July to manage the centralalumni relations activities at the University, which aims to re-engage with formerstudents and build a database of records and catalogue of benefits to furtherprovide opportunities for alumni to remain in contact with the University. Danielsays, “I love my job and believe that my role in finding, connecting with andbringing these people back under the University’s umbrella is one of the mostenjoyable and rewarding roles at the University.”

Daniel was born in Kingston Upon Thames, and lived in Australia for ten yearsbefore settling in Chester. Since graduating ten years ago, Daniel has lived all overthe UK with his wife, two children and grumpy cat. Having moved from NorthWales for this role, he is very excited to be able to explore his new surroundings onthe weekends.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?“Don’t exercise, you’ll only die healthier,” or a slightly deeper observation, “at thepoint of purest naivety we experience the profoundest of thought.”

Do you have any hobbies?Other than two young children, I have a keen interest in photography, particularly oflive music. I have also been known to dabble at playing as a one man acousticpsychobilly explosion known as Sloe Jones. I also love presenting community radioshows when I can fit it in.

What’s the best thing about your job?The gratitude I get from alumni after having achieved something for them, be itfinding a lost friend, promoting their success, or just letting them know that theUniversity is proud of them.

What’s your happiest moment? Marriage and births aside, it was walking through New York at 7am as the city waswaking up, while listening to the The Clash through my headphones.

What book would you take to a desert island?Where’s Wally.

Which superpower would you most like to have?It has to be to stop time, as long as I didn’t age while it was stopped. Every otherpower could be faked while everyone else is paused, and just think how muchmore music you could listen to, and become an expert in any subject in a ‘realworld’ instant.

Which three famous people (dead or alive) would you invite to your ultimatedinner party and why?Joe Strummer and Kurt Cobain, to lecture Simon Cowell for the rest of eternity onwhat music is really about. Simon Cowell can then foot the bill.

You’re DJ at the ‘end of the world’ party - what track would you play to finish?“Those were the days” by Mary Hopkins would be incredibly apt.

Facebook or Twitter?Twitter.

TV or a good book?TV.

Vacation or ‘stay-cation’?Vacation in a tent.

Complete these sentences…

I love it when…I see a beautiful picture which captured a moment that has now gone forever.

I hate it when…I discover a great new song and then find out a reality TV music show hadsomething to do with it.

’’‘‘The greatest indicator of

the success and worth ofa university is the qualityand achievements of itsalumni.

Daniel Porter-Jones

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University of Glamorgan identification will berequired in the form of your payslip, together with photographic ID. Subject to Terms andConditions.

*Scheme partners details below.

34% Discount

Annual train seasontickets for staff

Available to University of Glamorgan, RWCMD and Merthyr Tydfil College staff.

Tickets can be purchased directly from any staffedstation on the Valley Lines routes or directly fromArriva Trains Wales. Tickets are not available fromthe University. For more information on journeysand ticket prices, contact Arriva Trains Wales. Aseason ticket loan is available from the University;contact estates for more information or search‘season ticket loan’ on Stafflife. Subject to Termsand Conditions.

For more information visit:http://estates.glam.ac.uk/travel/staff/

Arriva Trains WalesSt. Mary’s House, 47 Penarth Road, Cardiff, CF10 5DJ

Tel: 0845 606 1660Web: http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk

Up to 15% off

Bikes and equipment atparticipating stores* inRCT and Cardiff

Discounts for staff

Thankyou

The Strategic Insight Programme (SIP) was launched in 2008 to help universitystaff develop and build relationships withexternal partner organisations. Sincethen, over 100 staff at Glamorgan havebenefitted from the scheme, along withthe University and partners alike, leadingto a significant increase in innovationand engagement activities with externalorganisations.

These include:

For Staff

• Enhanced understanding of employers’ skills and research needs

• Support for continuing professional development

For the University & partners

• Industrial placements and mentoring for students• Industrial Research studentships• EU funding, consultancy and other income generating

activities, broadening the University’s business network• Joint funding applications and joint development of short

courses

Examples and case studies of SIP placements can be found at www.siprogramme.org.uk

For further information on SIP or advice on other funding toengage with external organisations please contact Luc Brownin the Commercial Services Office at lobrown@glam.ac.uk

www.glam.ac.uk/business