connect spring 13

7/28/2019 Connect Spring 13

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UPGRADING OUR FUTURE

CONNECT

A NEW CHAPTER

Connect magazine speaks to the Universitysnew Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cliff Allan

YOUR CAMPUS, OUR FUTUREWe take a look at the Phase 1 building aheadof its grand opening this September

WHAT DO YOU VALUE?Introducing the Universitys values framework

INNOVATIVE TEACHINGWe meet staff at the forefront ofgroundbreaking learning and teaching

Winter / Spring 2013


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CONTENTS WELCOME1 2

CONTENTS03 Interview with Professor Cliff Allan

The Universitys new Vice-Chancellor speaks exclusively to Connectabouthisprioritiesandhisrstimpressionsofthe

University

05 Partners for SuccessProfessor Mary Carswell introduces a key new part of Universitystrategy

07 Lights, camera, actionConnect speaks to Peter Flynn about the exciting new mediafacilities in Phase 1

08 Building for the futureHow the Phase 1 building is already helping students to upgradetheir futures

09 Breaking new groundKevin Singh lends an architects eye to the Phase 1 building

11 Innovative teaching Connect ndsoutwhy theUnivers itys teaching ini tiati ves are

making waves

13 Six months in images

Life at the University over the past six months in pictures

15 What do you value?Connect discovers how the values staff think are most importanthave been shaped into our Core Values

16 Living the valuesWhat the Universitys Core Values mean to members of staff

17 Did you know?We reveal the winner of the Connect photo competition, plus around-up of news from across the University

19 It started with a KISWhat do Key Information Sets (KIS) mean for the University?Plus staff appointments and the latest news from theHigher Education sector

Welcometotherstissueof Connect in 2013, themagazine for staff, studentsand friends of BirminghamCity University. A new yearis always an exciting time,and 2013 will certainly bringus new opportunities, newchallenges and for manystaff and students in BIAD,TEE and PME a new homeas we open Phase 1 of our CityCentre Campus development.The building is on schedule

and we hope to offer as many staff as possible the opportunitytoseeitrst-handasitnearscompletion.Inthemeantime,youcan read all the latest developments and hear from staff andstudents who are preparing for the move on p7. Whether or notyou yourself will be moving into Phase 1, I hope you will join me

in looking forward to this exciting landmark in our Universityshistory.

Asyouwillknow,thisisalsotherstissueofConnectunderour new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cliff Allan. Traditionally,this introduction is the Vice-Chancellors space in which he canshare his priorities with you, but as we go to press, ProfessorAllan has only just taken up his new role. We did, however, havethe opportunity to interview him exclusively for Connect beforehe arrived, so I am delighted to be able to introduce him to youon p3.

Professor Allan will, I know, want to share his vision forBirmingham City University with you all in the near future. Inthe meantime, we have chosen to focus in this issue on some ofthe key initiatives and projects at the very heart of what we do:our partnership with students, the excellence of our teaching,the latest progress on our City Centre Campus development,and our core organisational values. A change in our leadershipwill no doubt bring some change in the way we do things, but

our staff, our students, our estate plan and our core values willalways remain at the heart of our work, now and in the future.

We have an excellent record at Birmingham City University ofpartnership work between staff and students. In previous issuesof Connect, we have covered some of this work in schemes likeStudent Academic Partners, the Student Academic MentoringProgramme and the OpportUNIty Student Jobs on Campusscheme. Partners for Success is an initiative which will buildon these already solid foundations in order to maximise ourstudents success, both while they are studying with us andafterwards as they move out into the increasingly competitivegraduate employment market. Professor Mary Carswell, who isleading the scheme, sets out how it will work in more detail onp5.

Partnership working is also one of our four core values atthe University, which have now after consultation with staffthrough focus groups and a survey been brought together

and launched across the University (p15). I should like to takethis opportunity to thank each and every member of staff fortheir input into our organisational values, which have now beenadopted at every level and endorsed by the Board of Governors.Staff from the Human Resources department will be workingdirectly with you out in faculties and service departments to helpidentify what our values mean in practice for each and every oneof us and to make them meaningful in our everyday activitiesand key decisions.

I look forward to working with you all in 2013.

Angela Pocock

Director of Human Resources

Welcome


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discussions about the distinctive features of the Universityand how we can strengthen these and use them to positionourselves within the wider HE system.

Theres no question that there are many uncertainties interms of future student demand and the extent to which thegovernment will regulate or deregulate the sector in future,butweshouldbeabletotakeastrong,self-condentpositionfor the University to be able to respond and adapt to theseuncertainties. I believe the foundations we have in place herewill enable us to move quickly to becoming known for ourdistinctive and successful academic activities, where studentsgreatly value their experience and go on to succeed in theirgraduate futures, and be a place where staff really enjoyworking.

A NEW CHAPTER A NEW CHAPTER3 4

ProfessorAllanjoinsusfromShefeldHallamUniversitywherehe was Deputy Vice-Chancellor, responsible for the developmentof the Universitys corporate strategy, academic portfolio andinternational strategy, overseeing the management of HR,Marketing, Student and Learning Services, and Facilities andEstates.

After studying and lecturing in Politics and InternationalRelations, specialising in Africa, he then spent a number ofyears in Africa working for non-governmental organisations anddevelopment agencies, with a particular interest in educationprogrammes.

His move back to the Higher Education sector came with arole at the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council which

subsequently merged with the Universities Funding Councilto form the Higher Education Funding Council for England(HEFCE) where Professor Allan was Head of Teaching andLearning Policy until 2000, developing strategies to supportlearning and teaching, widen participation and improve graduateemployability.

While there, he helped set up, and then went on to lead, theLearning and Teaching Support Network which promoted goodpractice in learning and teaching in HE, primarily through its 24subject-based centres across the University sector. The networkbecame part of the Higher Education Academy, where he wasappointed Deputy Chief Executive.

His next move saw him spend three years at Teesside Universityas Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Development), before hismovetoShefeldHallam.

Having visited the University several times since hisappointment in May, Professor Allan said he had been very

impressed with what he had seen so far and was lookingforward to getting started.

He added: Birmingham City University extols the virtues o f thetype of university Ive always had a very strong personal interestin a commitment to transforming peoples lives and creatingeducationalopportunityforthosewhocanbenet,averystrongemphasis on professional formation, and a focus on creativepractice. I was also attracted by the strong connection that theUniversity has with Birmingham and the region.

Ive been really bowled over by the enthusiasm of colleaguesI have met so far their commitment to the mission of theUniversity, their warmth and friendliness, and their strongsense of what the University needs to do in navigating our way

through the choppy waters that are ahead of us as the HE policyand market environment changes. But its also important to saythatweareinanexcellentpositionacademicallyandnancially,which provides a very strong foundation for us to construct astrong and distinctive position for the University its studentsand staff to thrive in this changing environment.

Professor Allan is joining the University at an exciting time as itbuilds on its sector-leading reputation for student engagementwith a new student employment scheme OpportUNIty StudentJobs on Campus to employ our own students in a variety oftechnical and support roles. He also arrives just months beforethe opening of Phase 1 of the extension to our City CentreCampus a state-of-the-art building for art and design andmedia students with Phase 2 set to follow in 2015, movingmore of our learning and support facilities on to a central site inthe heart of Birmingham.

He added: One of the things that particularly attracted meto this role was the Universitys very strong commitment to

student engagement and the notion of students being partnersin academic endeavour. I dont see students as customers perse I see them as partners, and the existing approach herereinforces that. Its clear to me that students now have anentitlement to what they can expect at university, but they alsohave responsibilities and a partnership approach allows us toachieve both.

Students are now investing a lot in their higher education andwe have to do everything we can to ensure their success ingraduating and moving on to maximum success in life.

Our commitment to siting the University across the centre ofBirmingham is going to be an important move for the Universityin being able to deliver our mission to all parts and sectors of

the city and beyond. Not many universities have the opportunityforasignicantrelocationofthiskind;itpresentsmanynewopportunities for how we position ourselves, and how we buildon our strengths. Of course, I can understand that such changescreate some uncertainties which a number of colleagues mayhave concerns about, but if we can keep a clear focus on thepotentialbenetsandrealisethese,IthinktheUniversity,staffand students will prosper greatly.

Inhisrstmonthswithus,ProfessorAllansaidhisinitialaimwould be to meet with as many staff as possible to learn moreabout the University, its strengths and the challenges it faces,and stressed his commitment to keeping staff informed as hemoved forward with his role.

Myrstprioritywillbetogetoutandabout,tomeetpeopleand for people to meet me. I want to listen to what people haveto say about the University, its challenges and its strengths andunderstand more about some of the really exciting activitiesthat are going on. Then in the New Year, Ill begin to have wider

A

NEW

CHAPTERBirmingham City University welcomed its new Vice-Chancellor on 1 December 2012

as Professor Cliff Allan arrived to take over from Professor David Tidmarsh. Professor

Allan took time out to talk to Connect about his plans before he took up his post.

Phase 1 of the City Centre Campus development will open this year.

ProfessorAllan performing theopening addressat the KBESymposium and Lab Launch.

(L-R)ProfessorCliffAllan;KarenPriceOBE,CEOofe-SkillsUK;Mark

Wilkinson,Managing Director,SASUKandIreland;BCUsDr Kathleen

Maitland,Director, SAS StudentAcademyat the recentlaunch event.


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PARTNERS FOR SUCCESS PARTNERS FOR SUCCESS5 6

What is Partners for Success?

Partners for Success is a wide-reaching project with anemphasis on staff and students working together to maximisethe success of our students.

We want to build on the excellent partnership work alreadygoing on at the University like Student Academic Partners, theStudent Academic Mentoring Programme and our OpportUNItyStudent Jobs on Campus scheme, in all of which the StudentsUnion and University have worked closely together.

What sort of research is behind the project?

There has been some really important research done overthe last few years supported by HEFCE, the Higher EducationAcademy and Paul Hamlyn Foundation. A range of projects havelooked at different aspects in What Works? Student Retention

and Success.

Thendingsraisesomerealconcernsbutalsoprovideevidenceof strategies that work. For example, they show that more than athirdofstudentsconsideredleavingUniversityduringtheirrstyearofstudy.Theprimereasonsincludedlackofcondenceabout coping with their studies and whether the course wasgoing to help them in terms of their career aspirations. Itsreally important that we recognise these sorts of issues andwork closely with our students to overcome such concerns.

If we take a step back and look at an overview of prospectsfor our undergraduates, what we see is that less than halfboth complete the degree they set off on and then also goon to get a graduate-level job within six months. This is areasonable ambition for most of our students and we want toseesignicantlymoreachievethisandensureweareamongthemost successful universities in doing this.

Looking at evidence of what works, the research shows thatone of the most effective ways of improving student successis ensuring strong, supportive relationships between staffand students. The University already has a good track recordof success in this area with our Times Higher award forOutstanding Support for Students being testament to this,and our move this year towards ensuring all students have aPersonal Tutor is an important factor.

Why is the project important to the University?

We know from looking at equivalent performance elsewhere thatmore of our students are capable of being successful. They havealreadyshownthroughachievingtheentryqualicationsthatthey have the capability to succeed, so it is vital that we workclosely with our students to ensure they reach their academicpotential and get a head start in their chosen career whetherthat is working for someone else, setting up their own businessor operating as a freelancer.

What is the thinking behind the name Partners

for Success?

With regards to partners the University has made some reallybig improvements in student success over recent years andmuch of this has been down to the closer working betweenstaff, students and the Students Union. For students to succeedthey must have the right attitude: they need to recognise, value

and access the learning experiences we can provide as partof a wider learning community. We want to continue buildingon the strong foundations we have developed but we believe,forexample,thatthereissignicantscopeinusfacilitatingstudents to support other students through peer mentoring.Successreectsourbeliefthatallourstudentsshouldbeabletoachievethequalicationtheysetoutonandbeabletomoverapidly into either graduate-level employment, sel f-employmentor further study.

What sort of outcomes is the University aiming

to achieve with the project?

Over the next three to four years we want to see the Universitymovermlyintothetopveofmodernuniversitiesforstudentretention and achievement and graduate employment, and bewell on our way towards the upper quartile for all universities.

TheseareambitioustargetsbutIamcondentthat,withthedetermination and commitment of our staff to help our studentssucceed, they are achievable.

How will the project work?

Atthisstage,aprojectplanisintheprocessofbeingnalisedfollowing consultation through the Vice Chancellors Conferenceand the Corporate Management Group. The whole project isbeing led and monitored by a Project Board which includesrepresentation from the Students Union and is chaired by theVice-Chancellor. Progress on the project will be reported backformally through relevant University committees. Cruciallythough, most of the actions needed to make this happenwill be at a local level among course teams and professionalsupport teams, so we are planning a series of events laterin the academic year where teams (including students) cancome together and map out what will work for them and theirstudents.

We will also be making sure that everyone is kept up to date onthe project and that we share our successes. We all have a partto play and I feel we can all help to make a real difference.

PARTNERS FOR

SUCCESSWith green shoots of economic recovery on the horizon, graduate prospects are on the

rise. Recent research by the Higher Education Careers Service Unit reveals that the UK job

market is changing dramatically, with an increase in demand for skilled graduates which

is forecast to continue over the next decade.

The big question is: how does the University ensure that our students are prepared to take

advantage of this new employment landscape?

The 2012 Vice Chancellors Conference saw the unveiling of Partners for Success: a

project which is looking to focus our work in this area. The scheme will be a vital part of

the Universitys strategy work in the coming months. In this interview, Connect speaks to

Pro-Vice Chancellor Mary Carswell about the proposals and discovers how Partners for

Success will help to improve the life chances of students at the University.


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BUILDING FORTHE FUTURE

Even though Phase 1 wont beopened until September 2013,a number of students fromthe University have alreadyhad the chance to beneft

from the new building.

Jessica-Layne Van Rensburg,who is a third year BSc (Hons)Building Surveying student,is one of the lucky students

who have won themselves a placement with constructioncompany Willmott Dixon who are responsible for theconstruction of the new building.

Jessica said: I found out about the placement through my course.The University started a competition in partnership with WillmottDixon through which they awarded the placements. After I gotthroughtherstroundoftheassessment,wethenwentthroughto an interview stage with members of the construction team fromWillmott Dixon and the University.

During the placement, Ive had the opportunity to learn abouta variety of things. While working on site Ive had the chance towork alongside the build managers, the sub-contractors and takepart in the day-to-day operations of the build. Ive also been ableto spend some time working alongside the Willmott Dixon teamintheofce,learningaboutthingslikethetenderingprocessandthe sort of material that they send out to clients. Working withthe sub-contractors also gave me the opportunity to develop myleadership skills by learning how to work with different sorts ofpeople.

I think the most interesting thing about the placement has beenlearningabouttheconstructionprocess;itssomethingthatwevestudied a lot during the course but having the opportunity to seetheprocessesatworkrst-handhasbeengreat.

Themostusefulthinghastohavebeentherst-handexperienceIve gained, in particular, working with the sub-contractors anddealing with the day-to-day issues you get on site. I dont thinkyou can learn how to deal with situations without the sort ofpractical experience that the placement gave me.

Myplannowistonishmythirdyear.Imalsoapplyingforgraduate roles in areas like construction and building surveying.Im still really interested in building surveying, but this placementhas opened my eyes. If someone had told me to go intoconstruction before I would have said no way! but now I woulddenitelydoit.

UPGRADING OUR FUTURE: CITY CENTRE CAMPUS7 8

Tell us about your role

at the University

Im a Technical Instructor inTV and Radio and I make up aquarter of the technical team forBirmingham School of Media. Myrole involves showing studentshow to use the equipment andstudios they need to make radioand television programmes.

I am also partly responsible for the budgeting and procurement ofresources for the school. Over the summer I managed a project thatsawtheschoolexpanditseetsofvideoandphotographycamerasas well as a complete digital upgrade of its six radio studios.

Whats your favourite part of working at the

University?

This is where it gets cheesy! My favourite part of working forthe University has to be working with such a wide number of topprofessionals from every corner of the media industry, and thatsjust the academic staff!

Also, I really appreciate having the support and ability to developresources that students can use on a daily basis. Giving studentslearning environments that better prepare them for the real worldof media is hugely satisfying.

What are you currently working on?

Ive worked at the University since 2008 and from the moment Istarted Ive been involved in the City Centre Campus development.Recently, a lot of my time has been invested in the development ofthe new media centre. Now that the project has picked up pace, Iam on site regularly with colleagues and contractors for meetingsand consultations on the progress of the media spaces. The mediaspaces include the TV and radio studios, media production suites

and the broadcasting infrastructure.

What are you looking forward to most about the

facilities?

The kit! The equipment that is going to be installed in the TV andradio studios in particular will be nothing short of world-class. Itreally excites me to think that our students will be learning andworking in such an unrivalled and industry-relevant environment,and that I have had a part to play in developing it. From the lightingrigs to the audio monitoring, these facilities have got the best of itall!

Also, the commercial aspirations of the media centre should beagreatnewwayofworking;havingtodealwiththestudentsasaregular duty coupled with working alongside them on commercialprojectswillnotonlybenetthestudents,butmyownprofessionaldevelopment. This building will provide a great experience foreveryone involved: staff, students and external contacts.

The new building will be a real melting pot for regional media whoknows what we could achieve in the future?

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

The recent announcement of Birminghams new television channel, City TV, has reignited interest

in the power of regional media. The University is at the forefront of media training in the West

Midlands, with the new Phase 1 building set to provide a cutting-edge launch pad for students

looking to begin their careers in media.

From September 2013, the School of Media will have an impressive new home for students to

enjoy, as the University opens Phase 1 of the City Centre Campus development. Students will get

to benet from a wealth of facilities, including four state-of-the-art TV studios and seven radio

production suites. We speak to technician Peter Flynn from the School of Media about the new

facilities and discover why its not just students who are getting excited about the new building...

Whats the most interesting thing thats

happened to you during your time at the

University?

The City Centre Campus project without a doubt, being part of ateam that is dedicated to providing the best learning and workingexperience. And this is just the start of it!

Who or what inspires you most?

What fuels me to do what I do here is that whatever knowledgeand experience I pass on to any of our students will hopefullybe used in their future careers. Also, knowing that thesestudents will be our future broadcasters, journalists, writers andproducers makes me think that what we are doing here is rightand we are d*** good at i t!

My dad is a motor mechanic and he always says when Im gonewho will I leave my hands to? so I think that what I do hereanswers my own question like that for me.

How do you like to spend your time when

youre not working?

Not working, I guess! Is that an option now? I have four youngchildren so my time is devoted them, and being a techie there isbound to be computers and gadgets involved!

How do you think students will benet from

the new facilities?

Thestudentswillbenetinwaystheyprobablycannotimagineright now, working in an industry-relevant media centre, workingclosely with other students from other schools an d faculties andworking within the media industry itself all in one building. Howcanyounotbenetfromanyofthat?

If you could only take one thing with you to

your new ofce in Phase 1, what would it be

and why?

To be honest I dont think I will take anything in particular. Asthis is a new building and a new start for all of us we should startwith a blank canvas. But, if there HAS to be one thing then itwould be pictures of my family to stick up on the wall of the newTechniciansofce!

The students will

benet in ways they

probably cannot

imagine right now.

The countdown to Phase 1 is well under way!

Make sure you know what

is happening and when - go to

www.bcu.ac.uk/upgradingourfuture

for full information.


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UPGRADING OUR FUTURE: CITY CENTRE CAMPUS9 10

Tell us about your background.

I was actually a graduate of the School of Architecture in theearly 1990s in the Birmingham Polytechnic days. After variouspostgraduate studies I started teaching in the School as a visitingtutor. In 1997 I got a full-time job at BIAD and ran the BA (Hons)Interior Design course. Six years later I was invited to run thepostgraduate course at the School of Architecture and went home.Ironically, the School moved to BIAD and so I came full circle. InApril 2011 I was appointed Head of School. I also keep my handin in practice with the space* studio, a practice an Interior Designgraduate, Tony Kerby, and I set up in 2000.

What originally attracted you to the University?

If Im honest, back in 1988 in the days of applications through PCAS(the polytechnic admissions system which went on to become UCAS)it was one of the few places I could get as I had chosen to do a BTECin Building Studies rather than study A Levels. Having said that,IgenuinelyfeltanafnitywiththeplacefromtheinterviewandIguess that has proved to be the case having now been associatedwith the University for 24 years in various guises.

Who or what inspired you the most during your

training?

WhenIrstarrivedasastudentwehadaveryinspirationalHead

ofSchool,OscarNaddermier;hecertainlyconveyedtostudentsthe importance and status of architects. Im delighted to say thatwehavejusthadanalumnusmakeasignicantendowmenttotheUniversity to set up a Professorship in Oscars name.

My most inspirational studio tutors were Rutter Carroll and MohsenAboutorabi (who is still on our staff). They inspired me to bepassionate about architecture and to be as avant-garde as I couldbe. Rutter made me believe anything was possible career-wise.In terms of teaching, my mentor was Ed Frith, a young dynamictutor who was so unlike the others! He brought a whole load of newideas to the School and I learned a great deal from him in termsof studio teaching, setting briefs, and how to get the best out ofstudents.

In professional practice it was Peter Broad at Nicol Thomas, whohas sadly passed away although we honour his memory with astudent design award every year. Peter taught me never to besatisedandtotryandsqueezeeveryounceofdesignoutofeventhe most mundane of projects. Its certainly something that hasserved me well.

Whats your favourite part of the design of

Phase 1?

I like the two main spaces, the atrium and the external courtyardonthethirdoor,butIthinkthewholeopenplanfeelwithcoffeepods and break out spaces will create a more informal learning andteaching atmosphere which will be great.

Do you think there is something special about

Birmingham which attracts great designers?

I think the city has a great capacity to allow design companies to setup and thrive. The School boasts a number of design practices setup by graduates, including Associated Architects who have designedthe new building.

Whats your favourite material when it comes to

designing a building?

As someone who studied under a modernist agenda its hard tothink beyond glass and steel but its been pleasing to see concreteget some more credit than it used to, especially in the work ofarchitects such as Zaha Hadid.

How do you think students will benet from the

new building?

Im sure the new building will create a new informal atmosphere forone thing. This, combined with the improved location, will hopefullymean that students want to spend more time in the building,creating more serendipitous moments. It should also encouragetutorstondnewwaysoflearning,forexampleintheSchoolofArchitecture we are moving towards far more digital presentations.

What do you think is peoples most common

misconception about architects?

I think most people think they earn loads of money! They dont. Theyshould as they study for as long as doctors, dentists, and lawyersbut an Associate in a Birmingham practice will probably earn about40-45k, less than half of those other professionals.

They also think they are aloof but I know so many architects who aredriven by wanting to improve peoples lives.

Whats your favourite piece of architecture?

I still love Lloyds of London by Richard Rogers. Its the buildingthatlookslikeashinyoilreneryinthemiddleoftheCity!Ilikeitbecausein1985itwasuncompromisinglymodern,andwhenIrstsaw the building it had a profound effect on my understanding ofwhat architecture could be. My favourite quote about it is from acontractor who was asked to do the pricing and construction, hesaid: Dat aint building, thats f**kin architecture!

When youre not working, how do you like to

enjoy your time off?

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a passionate and committedManchester City fan. Ive been supporting them for 34 years so Ivebeen enjoying recent years, especially winning the Premier Leaguein 2012 from the grasp of Manchester United! I have a season ticketand even travelled to watch them in Amsterdam recently, althoughthe less said about that the better!

If you could only take one thing with you to your

new ofce in Plot 35 what would it be and why?

Its my designer Tempus chair which is very stylish and I will betaking it!

What are you looking forward to most about the

completion of Phase 1?

Having a new purpose-built home is going to be fantastic. As muchas Gosta Green has been a big part of my life the new building willallow us to operate in a more contemporary way. I also think itwill be a big marketing draw as many of our direct competitors inArchitecture boast new buildings with great facilities.

Whats your role in the move to Phase 1?

The School of Architecture has been working hard with the Estatesproject team and the main contractor Willmott Dixon on studentengagement. Our students have been visiting the site on a regularbasis to follow the design and construction process. I must say thatWillmott Dixon has been incredibly accommodating and its been athrill for our students to get the inside track on their future home.

On a more personal level, more recently I have been helping theFaculty with the FF&E package (Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment).We have been working with Estates and Willmott Dixon to selectfurniture which captures the spirit of an art and design school.Weve gone for a mix of the understated, some design classics, anda scattering of coloured pieces.

BREAKINGNEW GROUND

With just months to go until the ofcial opening of Phase 1 of the Universitys City Centre

Campus development, we take an experts-eye look at the new building. Connect speaks

to Kevin Singh, Head of the School of Architecture, about the new building, his role in the

move and what inspires him as an architect.

18,310mArea covered by the Phase 1 building

32Number of Olympic-sized swimming pools that

couldtinsidePhase1

3,000mArea of space to be remodelled in Millennium

Point

1:1Volume ratio between the Phase 1 building and

the Albert Hall

IN NUMBERS

The new building will

allow us to operate in a

more contemporary way.


7/11

OUR PEOPLE OUR PEOPLE11 12

Here at Birmingham City University we know we have manybrilliant academics, so when they are publicly recognised fortheir outstanding work it is excellent to see them gaining theacknowledgment they deserve.

Earlier this year, Professor David Wilson, Director of the Centrefor Applied Criminology, and Professor Stuart Brand, Director of

Learning Experience, received coveted National Teaching Fellowstatus the most prestigious award for excellence in universityteaching and learning.

Stuart Brand was rewarded for his work in leading a radicalrestructure of the learning experience at Birmingham CityUniversity. Stuart passionately believes in a democraticlearning community, with strong partnerships between studentsand staff. Stuart and his in-house learning lab known as theCentre for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT) have driven a University-wide focus on student-academicengagement, which has brought national and internationalrecognition.

David Wilson is one of the UKs leading criminologists and hasadvised government on prison policy. He is a campaigner forpenal reform and is trusted by millions because of his work withthe media to help analyse serious crime. He fronted the popularChannel 5 programme Killers Behind Bars, which revealed hispioneering and exciting approach of taking real world researchdirectlyfromtheeldofinvestigationandstraightintothelecture room.

Theywerenotthersttoreceivetheaccolade,withacademicsProfessor Paul Bartholomew, Professor Anne Hill, Dr NickMorton and Nigel Wynne having also received National TeachingFellow status in the past.

National recognition for teaching

Other academics at Birmingham City University have beenrecognised for their commitment and success, as is shownby the shortlisting of senior lecturer Matthew Smith for theMost Innovative Teacher of the Year at the 2012 Times HigherEducation Awards.

Matthew is course director of BSc (Hons) Real Estate andwas nominated following his work at the University when heintroduced a toolkit of innovations to help boost the learningexperience of students. He worked in collaboration with hisstudents to develop a set of academic aids such as iPhone apps,interactiveseminarsandelectroniccerticatesthathelpreectthe nature of work in the construction sector.

Matthew has a decade of experience in this area which hewas able to apply to the development of these innovations. Hebelieves that only through working as a partner with studentscanhecontinuetopositivelyinuencetheirlearningandhelpthem progress in the industry.

The programme will also host a series of workshop activitiesdesigned and led by students featuring assignment drop-inshops, plagiarism and referencing workshops, and assignmenthelp sessions to mention just a few. Kerry said: Through LevelUp, we have sought to set the standard for collaborative workingrelationships prior to the new students arrival at BirminghamCity University and upon their entry to the School of Media.

The ambition here is to ensure that barriers between staffand students are eliminated in a way that encourages creativepartnershipsfromtheoutsetandsetstherstimpressionofourfaculty as one which wants to work alongside our students inpartnership to achieve common goals.

Students as Partners

Student-led programmes are a recurrent theme throughoutthe University, which can also be seen through the Studentsas Partners scheme, run by Luke Millard and Paul Chapman.This programme was developed by the Higher EducationAcademy and aims to engage students as active partners inthe enhancement of institutional approaches to learning. Theprogramme is run in several universities across the countryincluding BCU, and aims to help the University to involvestudents in institutional change in several areas such ascurriculum design, quality assurance and enhancement, studentparticipation in institutional decision-making, and studenttransition, progression and achievement.

Students as Partners is distinctive in that it comprises atleast 50 per cent students or student representatives, withappropriate representation from academic staff and seniormanagers and seeks to develop the notion that the traditionalmeans of capturing student opinions needs re-purposing.Birmingham City University sees that, in order to develop, achange of culture is needed allowing the students to inform theUniversity of their opinions in less formal ways than the Boardsof Studies and Course Committees. The programme aims touse students and the student voice as a means of encouragingconversations within the quality enhancement and studentfeedback debate.

The Students as Partners scheme encourages using informalinteraction as a valid way of providing feedback to engage thestudent voice. This will form a vital aspect of seeking studentopinion and direction, through relaxing the traditionally-heldviews on formal student representation and democracy.

Luke Millard said: Students as Partners is all about studentengagement it gets students and staff working better togethersothattheygetthebestexperienceandaremoresatisedandhappy. BCU leads the way in terms of student placement: theHigher Education Academy looks to us for ways of involving andengaging students actively within the University. The schemegives students a feeling of belonging to a real community here atthe University.

New ways to ExpLOR information

LearningRepositoryDevelopmentOfcerBeverleyColefromCELT has developed an innovative solution to organisingteaching and learning resources, known as ExpLOR (ExpressLearning Object Repository). ExpLOR is a collaborativeenterprise between CICT, CELT, the faculties and supportingstakeholders which provides a virtual base for staff to store,tag and share teaching and learning resources. It allows staffto save time, costs, hassle and duplication when sharingcontent for re-use and re-purposing by colleagues as it createsa showcase and platform of resources developed across theUniversity.

Matthew had this to say about his nomination: I was reallypleased to have won the BCU Students Union Extra Mile Awardfor the Most Engaging Teacher earlier in the year and thisspurred me on to apply for the THE Awards. To be recognisedby both my students and my peers in the same year is verypleasing indeed.

Although it was an individual award, in education no man is anisland as they say, so I can only be as innovative as I am thanksto the inspirational colleagues that have trained, mentored andshared ideas with me.

Being at the THE Awards reminded me of the huge pool ofteaching talent we have in the UK and the wonderfully innovativethings that are being done to improve the learning experience.Its great to be a part of that.

Helping students Level Up

Among the many innovative and exciting schemes beingdeveloped and run by our academics is the Level Upprogramme. The concept was developed by the Head of theSchool of Media, Professor Philip Thickett, and involves atransitional project across the summer for students startingin Higher Education at BCU. It was designed to be a means ofeasing the transition between college and university.

The project materials were designed by Dr Kerry Gough andDrSimonBarberandhadtwomainpurposes:therstbeingpreparing students academically for arrival at university andintroducing them to degree level work, and the second tointroduce them to the social side of student life within theSchoolofMedia.Kerrydevelopedtwowebsitestofulltheseaims, one through Moodle as the basis for the development ofthe academic skills the students would need, and a separatewebsite to act as a general introduction to the School of Media.

The Level Up project really helped students acclimatise toUniversity life and work and has generated widespread interestacross the University. This has encouraged additional fundingfor Level Up 2.0, which will begin work with other faculties suchas BIAD, ELSS and TEE.

Beverley developed ExpLOR in the hope of further improvingthe quality of learning and teaching resources that are availableto students at the University: ExpLORs great because youdont need to be tech-savvy to use it it does all the hard workfor you. It encourages lively, stimulated learning which we allknow is what works best. ExpLOR is all interlinked like a giantecosystem;itsallpartofabigrecyclingscheme!

BCU runs so many schemes both for, and by, the students andacademics alike. There are so many people working together toensure that the University has as much as is possible to offer.

INNOVATIVETEACHING

At Birmingham City University, we are constantly

looking for ways to innovate in our learning and

teaching, with Professors Stuart Brand and David

Wilson most recently recognised for their pioneering

work. Student journalist Georgina Shackell Green,

writing for Connect under the OpportUNIty scheme,

looks at some more of our cutting-edge projects and

the staff who are making them happen.

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10 11 12

1 2 3

4 5 6

1. David Wilson 2. Stuart Brand

3. Paul Bartholomew 4. Nick Morton

5. Anne Hill 6. Nigel Wynne

7. Matthew Smith 8. Philip Thickett

9. Kerry Gough 10. Simon Barber

11. Luke Millard 12. Paul Chapman

13. Beverley Cole

The ambition is to ensure that

barriers between staff and

students are eliminated.


8/11

OUR COMMUNITY OUR COMMUNITY13 14

SIX MONTHS IN PICTURESWe take a look at some of the big stories at the University in the last six months...

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1. Vice-Chancellor Professor David Tidmarsh and

Willmott Dixons Managing Director for the

Midlands Peter Owen celebrate the completion

of the bridge link between Millennium Point and

Plot 35 (July).

2. Ellis Sabin, who runs for Tipton Harriers, tries

out aerodynamic running shoes as part of

research by Professor Robert Ashford, Director of

Postgraduate Research Degrees in the Faculty of

Health (July).

3. Film crews from the BBC visit the School of Jewellery for a look at the Olympic Hoard, a collection of

unique memorabilia from the 1912 Olympic Games unearthed by staff member Claire Edwards (August).

4. Duran Duran bassist and Birmingham City University alumnus John Taylor greets fans during a booksigning session at Birmingham Conservatoire (September).

5. BIAD Course Director Graham Powell

receives the Best Exhibit award from BBC

Midlands Today presenter Kay Alexander at

the Birmingham Made Me awards (July).

6. Business School student Jason Viet Tien

receives a standing ovation after his

Performance of Whitney Houstons I Have

Nothing on The X Factor (September).

7. BIAD graduate Stephanie Parker with some

of her amazing edible creations. Stephanie, a

former Visual Communication student, runs

Made of Memories, a business specialising in

creating bespoke cakes (August).

8. ELSS student Fatima Hasnie receives

the British Psychology Society (BPS)

Undergraduate Psychology Award from Head

of Psychology Professor Craig Jackson (July).

9. A platinum bust of Nelson Mandela designed

by School of Jewellery tutor Tom Rucker. The

sculpture was made to commemorate Nelson

Mandelas 94th birthday and was unveiled by

Helen Zille, Premier of the Western Cape in

South Africa, to mark International Nelson

Mandela Day (September).

10. A combined team of runners from ELSS

and CICT celebrate completing the 10km

fundraising run at Cannon Hill park

(November).

11. The BCU tiger pays a visit to City South

Campus as part of the October Open Day

(October).

12. Photography lecturer Ray Spence FRPS

(pictured on the left) receives the Fenton

Medal from the Royal Photography Society for

hisoutstandingcontributionstotheeldof

photography (September).

13. Staff from the University join forces with

Birmingham City Council and Willmott Dixon

as part of a community clean-up at the City

Centre Campus (July).

14. Law students Liam Draper and Naomi Barnes

at one of the Universitys mock courtrooms.

Liam and Naomi won this years Web Legal

National Mooting Competition, beating

competition from University of Birmingham

and University of Cambridge (August).

15. Labour politician and Culture, Media and

Sport Select Committee member Tom Watson

MP speaks at the Universitys Rethinking

Regional Media event at the ICC (October).


9/11

OUR VALUES OUR VALUES15 16

The results of the survey make for some interesting reading;90 per cent of staff said they enjoyed their work and 86 percent of staff felt their work delivered a good quality of service.

However, the survey also showed that 58 per cent ofrespondents felt that the University did not have a shared set

of values.

In response to this, the University has introduced Excellencethrough Values, a University-wide project which hashighlighted the values which staff think are most important tothe University.

Increasingly, organisations across the globe are adopting formalvalues statements. Business leaders now routinely identifycompany values as a top issue on their company agendas.

But what do staff at the University value? During 2012, staff tookpart in a number of focus groups and a survey to answer thisvery question. The four values chosen by staff were:

Excellence People focused Partnership working Fairness and integrity

Announcing our core values, Vice-Chancellor Professor DavidTidmarsh commented: Looking through the results of thesurvey, I was pleased to see that there was a strong consensusfrom all departments and faculties. I think this indicates a clearappreciation of the values that we need to be successful. Imcondentthatwewillallbeabletoreecttheminourday-to-day work.

Professor Tidmarsh went on to explain: When I started workingfor this University, I already knew about its reputation for highstandards and strong partnerships. I know that, by workingin line with our values, we can continue to be recognised as aleading university.

So what sort of impact will Excellence through Values have onthe operations of the University?

Professor Tidmarsh said: Achieving a values-led culture isntsomething that will happen overnight: it will take time andfocus. Thats why the University has put a robust action plan inplace to help embed them.

As well as all of us supporting the values in our daily activities,the values will also be used to inform recruitment, induction,development and individual performance reviews. There willalso be a number of faculty and department activities to helpeveryone understand what these values mean at a local andindividual level.

Living the valuesYouve read about Excellence through Values, but what do thevalues look like in the real world?

It doesnt come as much of a surprise to see that the values

which members of staff chose to represent the University arecloselyreectedbytheworkwhichgoesonattheUniversity.Our values arent just words on paper fairness and integrity,partnership working, excellence and a focus on people are partand parcel of our day-to-day work.

Leona Fisher

> Operations Manager, Student Services

Ive been at the University foralmostveyears.Ioriginallystarted here as an InternationalStudent Adviser, and I now work asan Operations Manager for StudentServices as part of the Finance andOperations Team on projects likeOrientation Week.

Orientation Week is a reallyimportanttimefornewinternationalstudents;formanyofthemitwillbetheirrsttimetravellingabroad.Foranystudent, starting university can be a scary time, but forinternational students there are always additional concernslike understanding a new language (and getting to grips withthe weather!). Orientation week gives new international and EUstudents the opportunity to discover the University and the city

of Birmingham in a personal, safe and supportive way.

I think we are really lucky to have a community of internationalstudents studying at the University as we can all learn alot about each others cultures, lifestyles and traditions.International students bring diversity to the student populationand really enhance the learning experience. Being able toindulge in some foreign cuisine is a bonus too!

This year was my seventh orientation week and Ive beenprivileged to meet thousands of new international studentsover those years. Im still in touch with many students and itsgreat to see what they have gone on to achieve. I think I speakon behalf of the whole Operations Team when I say that weall get real satisfaction from meeting our new students andgiving them a week that they will always remember. Many of thestudents meet friends for life during this week and thats alwaysgreat to see.

Professor Craig Jackson

> Head of Psychology, ELSS

I chair the Work-Life ImprovementGroup, which is a partnership of13 colleagues from all areas ofthe Faculty of Education, Law and

Social Sciences that was convenedto improve the working experienceof staff. We meet regularly toassess areas within the Universitywhere colleagues have reporteddifcultieswiththeirwork.Imvery

passionate about the wellbeing of our staff and see it as one ofmy professional challenges.

I enjoy the academic freedom of being able to apply knowledgeand expertise to real-world scenarios or problems. It issatisfying to be asked by journalists for hints and tips to improvepeoples wellbeing, and I see that part of public engagementwith science as being part of the responsibilities of being aprofessor.

Mercedes Chambers

> Graduate Intern, CELT

I graduated from the University in2011, having previously studied BA(Hons) Criminology and Psychology.I now work as part of CELT,supporting the student engagementteam.

Working for the University isinspirational;Igettoworkwithpeople who are passionate about

what they do. I think the teams work ethic is contagious, itencourages me to be my best at everything I do: from writing anemail through to working with Directorate.

Ithinkpartnershipsbetweenstudentsandstaffarebenecialto everyone across the University. It can have a positive effect onstudents accessing greater learning opportunities and improvecommunication between staff and students. Partnership workalso helps to create student friendly services, making studentsmore responsible for their learning experience.

I work as part of a team, but it is great to have been grantedthe autonomy to work on and lead various projects unassisted.Every day I smile at work! Its down to the people I work with andthe positive environment theyve created. I think its amazing tosee the value student partnerships have made to the University.

For more information go to www.bcu.ac.uk/values.89%

of companies have written value statements.

89%of business leaders believe that values shouldbe a core part of company activities.

81%of companies think values encourage more

ethical behaviour.

80%of business leaders believe that values positively

inuencereputation.

Source: The Aspen Institute and Booz AllenHamilton 2005 - global survey of 9,500 senior

executives.

VALUE IN NUMBERS

WHAT DO YOU VALUE?Since the last staff engagement survey in 2009, staff across the University have been

working hard to address the areas highlighted by their colleagues.


10/11

the University of Pittsburgh. The Fulbright Commission aims todevelop future leaders of tomorrow and enhance the specialrelationship between the US and UK.

Robert will be joining a number of notable Fulbright alumniincluding Nobel Prize winner Milton Freidman, poet Sylvia Plathand crime writer Ian Rankin. Commenting on his award, Robert

said: Its a privilege to have been chosen by the FulbrightCommission, Im very excited to become part of one of theworlds most prestigious exchange programmes.

Student takes centre stage

for torch relay

Business School student JoshBentley was fortunate enough to bechosen as one of the torchbearersfor this summers ParalympicGames.

Josh, 22 from Kidderminster, wasone of 620 torchbearers in the week-long Paralympic torchrelay. Josh was chosen thanks to his long history of charitywork, which has raised thousands of pounds for the AlzheimersSociety. He said: I was just amazed and really surprised when Ifound out, I couldnt believe I had been chosen!

Volunteering is one of Joshs passions and the University hasbeen helping to support him with his work. Last year, Joshreceived a volunteering scholarship from the University to go onan expedition to Ghana where he taught children and helped todevelop an orphanage in the city of Kwahu.

The skys the limit forHealth staff

Staff from the Faculty of Healthhave returned from an epic tripto Nepal, setting a new recordfor the highest altitude Universityadvertisement in the process!

Tony Spence, Jennifer Obbardand Nathalie Turville travelled to Kathmandu as part of areconnaissance trip. The team also did volunteer work, lendinga hand in health facilities and an orphanage.

The University is looking to run a second expedition in 2013which staff and students can take part in. As part of the trip,expedition members will also get the chance to volunteer in oneof the most breathtaking locations in the world.

OUR NEWS OUR NEWS17 18

Top award for University

psychologist

An academic from the Schoolof Social Sciences has earned aprestigious award in recognition ofher world-class research.

Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology DrEirini Mavritsaki has been awarded

the British Psychological Societys Cognitive Psychology Prizefor 2012. Eirini and her colleagues received the award for theirpaper on using biological plausible computational modelling,behavioural, and neuropsychological studies to map the neuralstructure of the brain.

Erinisworkhasmadeasignicantcontributiontoresearchin the area of cognitive psychology and has been credited forbridging the gap between physiology and behaviour. In additionto her role at the University, Eirini is also a Visiting Academicfor the University of Oxford and a Chartered Psychologist of theBritish Psychological Society.

Graduate releases album

to critical acclaim

A composition graduate from theUniversityhasreleasedherrstEP,She, on one of the worlds biggestrecord labels.

Laura Mvula began her journeyas an artist at Birmingham

Conservatoire, studying under Joe Cutler and graduating witha degree in composition in 2008. Laura went on to put the skillsfrom her degree to work, creating a number of solo tracksearlier this year.

Brit-nominated producer Steve Brown quickly took an interestin her work and she signed to RCA Records soon afterwards,

joining fellow RCA artists Alicia Keys, JLS and Usher. Since then,Lauras music has made her one of the UKs most sought-afternew artists, featuring as Fearne Cottons big thing on her Radio1 show. Lauras debut album will be available in 2013.

International premiere for

student lm

Students from Birmingham Schoolof Acting are celebrating followingthe international premiere of thelmTurbulence.

Thelm,whichfeaturesacastofstudents from the University, was

selected for its international premiere at the Edmonton FilmFestival in Canada. Turbulence tells the story of a failing musicvenue launching a battle of the bands in an attempt to reverseits ailing fortunes.

ShotonlocationinBirmingham,thelmisdirectedbytheaward-winning team of Natasha Carlish and Michael Clifford,whowonaBAFTAin2004forBestShortFilm.Thelmwasproducedonabudgetofjust5,000andlmedover15days.

Students on hand for riots

reconstruction

Following the 2011 summer riots,students from the University havebeen contributing to a communityproject to help one of the mostaffected areas.

The campaign, called HappyTottenham, is the result of a collaboration between leadingarchitects Dominic McKenzie and Peter Morris and studentsfrom Birmingham School of Architecture. The students workexamines the impact that the built environment has had on thecommunity.

Together, the team have created proposals to improve the areaincluding social housing, improved access to green spaces andsome unique design plans including a redesign of Tottenhampolice station created by Architecture student OluwatumininuJegede.

University academic wins

international scholarship

A member of staff from PME hasbeen chosen to receive a prestigiousinternational scholarship.

Dr Robert Lawson, a lecturer inLinguistics, has been chosen toreceive an award from the Fulbright

Commission, the worlds only bilateral transatlantic scholarshipprogramme. As part of the scholarship, Rob will be studying at

Did you know?

PHOTOGRAPHY FOCUS

Congratulations to Mathew Randall, Senior Lecturer in the School of Digital Media Technology (TEE), who has been chosen as thewinner of the Connect Winter 2013 photography competition. Mathews entry was chosen from over 40 submissions.

HelenGeary,AlumniandCommunicationsManager,said:Thankyoutoeveryonewhosentinaphoto;thereweresomegreatsubmissions so choosing a winner wasnt easy! My colleagues in the Graphic Design team were particularly impressed with thecomposition of this stunning photograph by Mathew Randall.

Have a look at all the pictures by visiting www.bcu.ac.uk/connectphotos.

A snapshot of

news, successes

and achievements

from across the

University in the

last six months.


11/11

STAFF APPOINTMENTSHere are some of the Universitys recent appointments:

Zuby Ahmed has been appointed as Course Director for VideoGames Enterprise.

Mark Brill has joined the University as a Senior Lecturer inFuture Media and Digital Communications.

PME has appointed Alex Darby as a Senior Lecturer in VideoGames Development.

Gray Dudek has joined PME as a Senior Lecturer in Future Mediaand Digital Communications.

David Lamond has joined the Finance team as Head of UniversityProcurement.

Student Services has appointed Julie Ann Porter as a CareerConsultant.

Welcome to all of our new colleagues. You can see

a full list of staff appointments from the last six

months at www.bcu.ac.uk/staffappointments.

All courses and institutions must publish information in 17 categories,sourcedbothfromtheirowninformationandfromvariousofcialsurveys, as follows.

Results from the National Student Survey (NSS) for the followingcriteria:

Staff are good at explaining things Staff have made the subject interesting

Overall,Iamsatisedwiththequalityofmycourse Ihavereceivedsufcientadviceandsupportwithmystudies Feedback on my work has been prompt Feedback on my work has helped me clarify things I did not

understand The library resources are good enough for my needs I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to.

Information about teaching and learning, provided by the institution toHEFCE:

Proportion of time spent in various learning and teaching activities Proportion of summative assessment by method Professional, statutory and regulatory bodies that recognise the

course.

Informationaboutcostsandnancialsupport,suppliedbytheinstitutionto HEFCE:

Costs of institution-owned/sponsored and private rentalaccommodation

Financial support available from the institution Average fees (excluding fee waivers) per year.

Employment and salary information, drawn from Destination of Leaversfrom HE (DLHE) survey:

The destinations of graduates six months after completing theircourse

Of those in employment, the proportion in managerial/professionaljobs six months after graduation

Salary data for those in full-time employment.

There is also an additional question regarding satisfaction with theStudents Union at the institution concerned.

The information is now posted on the relevant course pages of theUniversity website, together with additional explanatory informationabout our commitment to student satisfaction which has risen from73 per cent to 83 per cent between 2010 and 2012 and employabilityinformation for each course.

MaxinePenlington,theUniversitysChiefOperatingOfcer,said:Thegovernments intention is to make it easier for prospective studentsto quickly and easily compare different institutions using a set rangeof criteria. It is now up to us to make the most of this by ensuring ourguresareasgoodaspossibleforeverycourse,andeachmemberofstaff here has a role to play in ensuring all of our students experience is

the best it can be.

IT STARTED WITH A KIS

HE ROUND-UPTo read these stories in full, and for the latest information on the Higher

Education sector, go to the Market Intelligence Hub on iCity.

Disadvantaged students should receive interview

A report by former Labour cabinet minister Alan Milburn has called onuniversities to expand widening participation activities with guaranteedinterviews and lower offers for applicants from poorer backgrounds.

Online university set to introduce fees for rst time

A US university is planning to introduce tuition fees for some onlinecourses. The University of Texas is considering offering degree creditsthrough the pioneering edX project, an online learning platform.

Disappointment at auditing announcement

A number of universities have voiced their concern over HEFCEs plans

to maintain the current system of institutional reviews every six years,despite government recommendations to scale back regular audits.

Young people not going to University a waste of talent

Universities Minister David Willetts has urged universities to puton summer schools to encourage young people from working classbackgrounds to go to university and avoid a shocking waste of talent.

Since the start of this academic year, all prospective students have had access to a greater range of

information to help them choose what and where to study.

Key Information Sets (KIS) are standardised sets of data about full- or part-time undergraduate

courses, devised by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) with the aim of

making it easier to compare different courses and institutions using set criteria.

connect spring 13

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