Annual Review 2011-2012

annual review 2011/12

creative space

Contents Foreword from the Vice-Chancellor

01

A new chapter

03

A year of achievement

04-05

Creativity

06-09

Culture

10-13

Enterprise

14-17

Environment

18-19

Academic highlights

20-21

Research expertise

22-23

Community

24-27

HR update

28

Facts and Figures

29

Governors and senior staff

30

FOReW0RD The higher education landscape in the UK has undergone significant shifts over 2011-12.

We have seen a move towards a more competitive and differentiated sector and a move to student loans as the primary funding stream for teaching. At the same time higher education is unprecedentedly internationalised.

It is in this context that we at Bath Spa have developed a new Vision for the University:

This Annual Review celebrates the achievements of our staff and students across three core areas of creativity, culture and enterprise, all areas where the University has long excelled. There are numerous examples of excellent teaching quality and research breakthroughs, our links with business and industry and work to support the local community.

“to be a leading educational institution in creativity, culture and enterprise. Through innovative teaching and research, the University will provide a high quality student experience. Based in a world heritage city and connected to a network of international partners, Bath Spa University will ensure that its graduates are socially engaged global citizens.”

There are too many fine examples to mention all here, but key in my mind this year is the campus re-development project, the appointment of 16 new Professors to our academic staff and the addition to our alumni community of some illustrious honorary graduates.

This Vision will enable us to expand and build upon our solid foundations of excellence in arts and creativity and allow Bath Spa to grow into a leading provider of higher education to both UK and international students. Coupled with outstanding academic and residential facilities, our excellent teaching and academic research endeavours will ensure Bath Spa becomes a truly inspirational place of choice for the next generation.

At our graduation ceremonies in July we welcomed five new honorary graduates to our alumni family, namely, Mary Berry CBE, Manolo Blahnik CBE, Professor Ian Hargreaves, Grenville Jones and Professor Miller Puckette.

Each honoured in recognition of their outstanding achievements and contributions to their respective fields.

Since joining the University in January 2012 I have been impressed by the dedication and talent of staff and students alike. This year’s Annual Review highlights just some of the achievements of the Bath Spa community which helped make 2011-12 exceptional.

The campus re-development project includes a £40 million investment in a new academic building which will house state-of-the-art media facilities and provide new learning opportunities for our students. The second phase of the campus development project is a £35 million investment in new residential accommodation for our students. Both ventures will be complete in time for the start of the 2014-15 academic year.

We also launched a major professorial recruitment programme this year which has seen 16 new Professors join our academic staff in areas of creative writing, music, English and art and design. As well conducting their own research and artistic practice, these new Professors will work directly with our students sharing their wealth of experience and expertise.

01

A NEW CHAPTER The 2011/12 academic year has seen exciting changes and new developments take place across the University.

New Vice-Chancellor Professor Christina Slade joined the University at a time of major change for the University and the UK Higher Education sector as a whole. She brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as Dean of the Schools of Art and of Social Sciences at City University London.

She was Dean of Humanities at Macquarie University (2003-8) and Professor of Media Theory at the University of Utrecht in which capacity she led a €1.25 million seven nation EU funded project entitled ‘Media and Citizenship: transnational television cultures reshaping political identities in the EU.’ Trained as a philosopher of logic and language, her research has focussed on issues of the media since 1990. Her monograph, ‘The Real Thing: doing philosophy with media’ (2002) examines the role of reason in the media, while

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‘From Migrant to Citizen: testing language, testing culture’, (2010) jointly edited with Martina Möllering, looks at linguistic, legal and philosophical aspects of citizenship testing.

Since starting in January she has implemented a number of significant changes across the University including developing a new strategic vision for the next three years and driving the appointment of 16 new Professors. Alongside managerial and academic changes, Professor Slade has overseen the start of a major campus redevelopment at Newton Park which will ensure the University is able to provide world-class facilities for students.

Newton Park campus development

Vision and strategy Vice-Chancellor Professor Slade has worked closely with senior colleagues at the University to develop a new vision and strategy for the next three years. The vision for the University is: To be a leading educational institution in creativity, culture and enterprise. Through innovative teaching and research, the University will provide a high quality student experience. Based in a world heritage city and connected to a network of international partners, Bath Spa University will ensure that its graduates are socially engaged global citizens.

A new strategy was presented to and approved by the University Board of Governors in June.

It addresses the major areas outlined in the vision of internationalisation and research.

The three years covered by the plan will be characterised by significant change in the Higher Education sector and the University itself. Key aims of the strategy include increasing the percentage of international students choosing to study at the University, the number of students undertaking postgraduate courses and the proportion of world-leading and internationally excellent research being conducted by staff. Each of the Schools of study and Professional Services departments has developed its own strategic plan which is complementary to the University wide plan and addresses the key aims outlined in it.

Under the direction of the Vice-Chancellor the senior management has been restructured to reflect academic and operational leadership roles, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and Provost, supported by two Vice-Provost posts for research and learning and teaching quality. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Operations is supported by the Director of Student Services and Registrar, and the Director of Estates and Services.

Bath Spa University is investing in the future.

A major re-development project at our Newton Park campus is underway to provide new, world-class facilities for our students.

The contract for the new academic building was awarded to Skanska who took over management of the development site in June.

The first phase of the development project is a new academic building situated in the middle of the campus alongside the Michael Tippett Centre. Demolition of existing buildings, cabling and ground works have taken place and the building will be ready for use by April 2014.

The new academic building will provide stateof-the-art teaching facilities for students from across all subjects, as well as a café, a Learning Commons and bookable student group working rooms and an outdoor amphitheatre.

A superb new digital space will also provide the best resources for the teaching of all digital media-related courses in the south-west, equal to anything used by commercial companies.

The second phase of the campus development project is new student residential accommodation which will be situated at the top of the campus. A planning application has been approved by Bath and North East Somerset Council’s Development Control Committee, following a lengthy process of stakeholder consultation and design development. The plans are for the development of nine new student halls of residence to provide 561 bedrooms together with single-story buildings to house an energy centre and Estates and Services facilities.

The work will include demolition of existing, non-listed buildings and re-development of car parking and the addition of a netball court in the walled garden at the top of the campus.

Construction of the new academic building is already well underway and is due to be completed by spring 2014.

New Professors The University appointed 16 new Professors prior to the start of the 2012/13 academic year. Joining the University’s celebrated Creative Writing, Art & Design and Music & Performing Arts departments, these prizewinning novelists, leading playwrights, acclaimed artists and innovative composers have been appointed to help build upon the University’s great foundations across the cultural and creative industries.

The new posts are part of a wider programme of development and growth, led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Christina Slade who commented: “Bath Spa University is a leading education institution in creativity, culture and enterprise. These appointments build upon our excellence in creativity and will enhance our teaching and research. Each of the new Professors brings with them a wealth of knowledge and experience that will prove invaluable to the fulfilment of our vision to expand and become a truly international university whose students are global citizens.”

The new Professors include: Professor of Art & Design • Dexter Dalwood • Mike Tooby • Gavin Turk Professor of Creative Writing • Naomi Alderman • David Almond • Aminatta Forna • Maggie Gee • Tessa Hadley • David Harsent • Philip Hensher • Nicholas Jose • Fay Weldon CBE Professor of Creative Writing and Digital Media • Kate Pullinger Professor of English • John Strachan Professor of Music • Amanda Bayley • Joe Duddell Each of the Professors will play a significant role in leading and developing the research strategy of the University and of their home academic school in particular.

03

November October September

011

BSU jumps up 21 places in the Sunday Times University League table

011

Record admissions for 2011/12 academic year with 1,955 new first year students arriving at the University

Graphic Communications graduates Emily Day and Fleur Isbell design covers for Twofold magazine and Creative Review magazine respectively

May

March

012

BSU named one of the UK’s top ten greenest universities in the annual Green League Awards

012

BSU becomes a Fairtrade university

April The Creative Writing course celebrates its 20th anniversary with success for a number of graduates whose work has been published and achieved critical and commercial success

04

011

012

February 011

December

January New Vice-Chancellor Professor Christina Slade begins her tenure

The Newton Park campus development contract is awarded to Skanska

July 012

June Fashion Graduate Chloe Jones wins both the Womenswear and Gold Award at Graduate Fashion Week

012

Honorary degrees are awarded to Mary Berry CBE, Manolo Blahnik CBE, Professor Ian Hargreaves CBE, Grenville Jones and Miller Puckette

012

012

Lecturer Andrew Miller wins ‘Best Novel’ and ‘Book of the Year’ at the annual Costa Book Awards for his novel ‘Pure’

August

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Appointment of 16 new Professors including Fay Weldon CBE, Gavin Turk and Joe Duddle

A year of achievement 05

06

Creativity Creativity runs throughout the University be it through courses in creative arts, the achievements of talented creative graduates and the work of tutors and staff. This hub of inspiration makes Bath Spa University an outstanding place for truly creative individuals to flourish as highlighted in the following examples of both student and staff successes.

Another successful year for creative writing

Chloe Jones wins Gold Award and Best Womenswear title at Graduate Fashion Week 2012 Fashion Graduate Chloe Jones won the Gold Award for Best Student Collection of 2012 as well as the Best Womenswear title at Graduate Fashion Week in London in June. The Gold Award is the highest honour and most prestigious of the awards. Previous winners at Graduate Fashion Week include Stella McCartney, Giles Deacon, Matthew Williamson, Antonio Berardi and Christopher Bailey.

Chloe was presented with a £20,000 award by the fashion editor of International Herald Tribune, Suzy Menkes, Daphne Guinness, and Fiona Lambert, Brand Director at George who were sponsors of Graduate Fashion Week 2012.

The judges commended Chloe’s creativity and tailoring and were also impressed by how commercially ready her collection, entitled 'Our Father Who Art in Heaven' is.

Having wowed the judges with her collection, Chloe said of her win: "It's such a privilege to be able to show at Graduate Fashion Week, let alone be nominated for an award. It was an honour to meet all the judges and have the opportunity to show them my work, so to come away with both the Womenswear and Gold Award is incredible. I'm so excited for what lies ahead, not just for myself, but for the course at Bath Spa too."

Creative Writing at Bath Spa University can boast a distinguished list of graduates who have achieved critical and commercial success.

In 2011/12 a number of Creative Writing graduates achieved major book publishing deals including: • Brian Kimberling • Lucy Christopher • Samantha Harvey • Nikita Lalwani • Evie Wyld • Emily Mackie • Candida Harper • Nathan Filer • Sarah Hammond • Jennifer McVeigh • Alison Rattle The writing course at Bath Spa University is now in its twentieth year and during that time has become one of the most successful and popular in the UK. Course tutors are themselves respected writers and their links with the publishing industry are invaluable to graduates.

The University has expanded its offering and as well as undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Creative Writing, postgraduate courses are now available in Nature and Travel Writing, Scriptwriting and Writing for Young People.

Chloe was one of just nine Bath Spa University students selected to show their collections at Graduate Fashion Week this year. They were chosen by a panel of industry experts including Fashion Designer Tonia Baystan, Show Producer John Wolford and Fashion Stylist Rebekah Roy. The group attracted critical acclaim from fashion’s leading commentators who attended the event.

07

Creativity

Lecturer’s film selected for Festival Robert Brown, a Lecturer in Film and Creative Production, saw his film 'Paper Hearts' screened at the London Short Film Festival in January. The film had already obtained backing from Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey and received positive reviews whilst showing at Rushes Soho Shorts, Singapore International Film Festival and Leeds International Film Festival.

The idea for the short drama came when Rob spent several months working with homeless people as part of his ‘Rough Sleepers’ multimedia project. The documentaries he made during this time inspired the script for 'Paper Hearts' and people sleeping rough contributed ideas for the story. The film script was brought to life after being selected for funding from IdeasTap, a funding body for emerging art talent, by a panel that included Kevin Spacey.

Mr Spacey said: "What I really liked about this project was its potential to give homeless people a creative voice and make a difference."

‘Paper Hearts’ was soon spotted by BFI London Film Festival and LSFF programmer Philip Ilson who encouraged Rob to submit it to LSFF for consideration. Rob was delighted that it was selected for the festival: "It was a real honour to be awarded funding by Kevin Spacey to get the film off the ground. He spoke very highly of the project and this made me determined to make a success of it. I’m delighted that it was selected for such prestigious festivals."

The film tells the story of a dysfunctional father and son who make a surprising discovery about each other. It tackles the perceptions of homelessness and aims to break down social barriers.

Graduate wins D&AD New Blood Award 2012 Graphic Communications graduate Sophie Kemp won the D&AD New Blood Award 2012.

Sophie was awarded the prize for her project '1 Down 2 Sit' a photographic exploration of the people behind Crufts.

The D&AD New Blood Awards showcase the best work of graduates in graphic design, visual communication, advertising, digital media, illustration, photography and other commercial creative arts. It is a prestigious, international festival and helps graduates prepare to enter the world of work. The final degree show from Bath Spa's Graphic Communications graduates 'Assembly 2012' was much acclaimed and was featured in Creative Review.

Sophie’s series of photographs were compiled into a book encased in a slipcase made to look like the cages dogs are kept in throughout the event. To get to the book, people must work by tearing through the slipcase, mirroring the effort of owners who have to work more than their dogs in the competition.

Speaking about her award, Sophie said: "It's very exciting to be recognised by the industry for my documentary photography, which is something that I am really passionate about.

I now plan to explore this practice further professionally."

Stuart Henley, Course Leader Graphic Communications congratulated Sophie on her win and said: "Sophie deserved this win. She has worked tirelessly across all her modules; making use of all that the course has to offer from screenprinting, letterpress and etching workshops through to her photography, illustration and typography lectures and studio classes."

08

BSAD graduate selected for New Designers – One Year On 2012 Annabel Williams, a BA Textile Design for Fashion and Interiors graduate was selected for New Designers - One Year On 2012.

Contemporary weaver Annabel had a busy year following her graduation from Bath School of Art and Design in 2011. After exhibiting at Tent 2011 – part of the annual London Design Fair in September, she also showed in various popup shops and at the HOME London show.

Being selected for New Designers - One Year On is a fantastic recognition of her career so far. It is a focused zone, showcasing a group of 50 young designers with an entrepreneurial flare and a strong body of work.

Two students selected for prestigious Threadneedle Prize 2012 Two creative art students Lauren Marsh and Camila Sadler were selected for The Threadneedle Prize for Painting and Sculpture 2012. This prestigious prize is the UK's leading showcase for contemporary figurative and representational painting and sculpture.

All the works selected for the exhibition are sourced through an open competition and it is a remarkable achievement that both Lauren and Camila were selected in the same year.

The winner of The Threadneedle Prize is awarded ÂŁ30,000 and three judges decide on the overall winner. Visitors to the exhibition could also have a say by voting for the ÂŁ10,000 Visitor's Choice prize.

The Prize encourages both experienced and emerging artists to submit fresh and intriguing works that are topical observations of the world today.

The judges of this year's prize were Peter Randall-Page, a UK artist and alumni of the Bath School of Art and Design, Christopher Riopelle, Curator at the National Gallery and Nicholas Usherwood, curator, art critic and features editor of Galleries Magazine.

09

Culture The students, graduates and staff of the University are talented individuals whose work has a long history of influencing and contributing to the varied cultural mix.

Official Olympic artist for The Times Tim Vyner, a Senior Lecturer at the Bath School of Art and Design, was The Times official artist and captured the atmosphere of the 2012 Olympic Games for the newspaper on a daily basis. Tim used an iPad for his sketches and created illustrations in the lead up to the Games including the Torch relay as well as three daily illustrations throughout The Games.

To make his work more interactive they were also available on the digital version of the newspaper, allowing them to be uploaded within hours of being produced. Speaking about his work Tim said: “There are journalists and photographers bringing the event to life and what I am doing is giving the story from the street. I want to provide a narrative, focusing on the atmosphere and the build-up, the fans and the venues, rather than the events specifically.”

History graduate curating for national museums Former History student Cam Sharp-Jones shared in the success of a major exhibition ‘Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam’ which was held at the British Museum in April. Cam’s interest in international history was nurtured

by Professor Iftikhar Malik while at Bath Spa University and following graduation she went on to curate for the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, as well as publishing articles on specialised areas.

Cam joined a list of distinguished speakers at the Museum to give a public talk on Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites across South Asia on 27 March.

Professor Malik commented: “Cam was an excellent student and I am delighted by her success. History is a fascinating and rewarding subject to study, and can lead to a whole range of interesting careers – as Cam has demonstrated so well.”

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Success for School of Music and Performing Arts students Creative Music Technology students Fred Varhman and Josh Jackson signed to Hospital Records in their 3rd year on the course - the mecca for all things drum and bass. They are currently on tour across Europe and the UK following a successful European tour in Spring 2012 and have received much praise and airplay from Radio One DJ's Zane Lowe and Annie Mac. ‘Unique Voice’, a company set up by performing arts graduates Krystal Keeley, Vicky Dias, Cat Sparkes and Claire Farnham, received a visit from patron Sir Patrick Stewart in Bristol last year. The renowned stage actor, X-Men star and Star Trek actor attended an event at the Oasis Academy John Williams, aimed at reducing domestic violence. The visit was organised by Bristol City Council and Unique Voice to raise awareness of healthy and unhealthy relationships. Sir Patrick said: "Unique Voice is a company that believes in the power of theatre to change people's lives, as well as their view of the world. I am delighted to be a patron and especially to support their project on domestic violence."

Ian Todd – the ‘One’ to watch Dr Ian Todd, Biology Subject Leader, worked in conjunction with the production team of Tigress Productions, one of Mike Dilger’s, wildlife slots on BBC’s The ‘One Show’ (shown 30th March). The piece involved filming for an item on the recent increase in short-eared owls on the Severn Estuary. Ian provided expertise on small mammals (the main diet of the owls), set Longworth traps to catch (and release) wood mice and bank voles and explained their ecology on camera.

Lecturer’s work shown at Royal Academy Natasha Kidd a Senior Lecturer in Fine Art was selected to exhibit her work at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. This prestigious exhibition is the world’s largest open submission contemporary art show and 2012 was its 244th year. It annually attracts a high volume of entrants and over 11,000 were received this year! Natasha’s work ‘Inflate II’ was selected as the image of the day on 13 June and was on display in Gallery 3 for the duration of the exhibition.

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Culture Lecturer triumphs at Costa Book Awards Andrew Miller, a Lecturer in Creative Writing, won the Costa Books Awards beating stiff competition to the £35,000 prize. His sixth novel, ‘Pure’, scooped Costa’s ‘Best Novel’ and was also crowned overall winner of ‘Costa Book of the Year’.

Illuminations Illuminate Bath, directed by Senior Lecturer Anthony Head, put on two magnificent light projections and installations this year. The main festival was held in January and was followed up with an extra event over the Jubilee weekend in June.

In January the Festival featured large projections and installations around the centre of the city. Students from Graphic Communication and Fine Art created animations, and light based installations, gaining valuable experience in dealing with issues relating to public art. One of the aims of the festival was to transform public spaces through the possibilities of projection. The Roman Baths’ Great Bath was transformed by a project called ‘Frequency’, by graduates Will Kendrick and Tom Newell, third year Fine Art student Alex Cotterell and Ollie Davies. Nearly 4,000 people queued up to see this work performed over two of the nights. Images of the performance have been shown in news items all over the world.

The event in July featured projections on Pulteney Bridge by Anthony Head and fellow graphic communication lecturer and graphic designer Paul Minott. The projections all had a music and jubilee theme, and Paul Minott presented an animated homage to Great British Queens. Anthony Head also exhibited a giant Jubilee character on the side of the Roman Baths that observed people on the street below.

The Festival was free, inclusive and accessible to everyone. The team worked with staff and students at Bath Spa University, Bath and North East Somerset Council and businesses in Bath. Funding and support was also given by RELAYS and Legacy Trust UK.

‘Pure’, a parable of the French Revolution set in 18th-century Paris, was commended by the judges: "A structurally and stylistically flawless historical novel, this book is a gripping story, beautifully written and emotionally satisfying.

A novel without a weakness from an author who we all feel deserves a wider readership.”

The Costa Book Awards started life in 1971 as the Whitbread Literary Awards and is one of the UK's most prestigious and popular literary prizes. The awards recognise some of the most enjoyable books of the year by writers based in the UK and Ireland. It’s unique for having five categories: First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book. Category winners then compete for best overall book.

Expert input to BBC report Dr Alan Marshall, Head of Department of Humanities, added his expertise on intelligence and espionage in the Restoration period to a BBC report on the 350th anniversary of a little-known cross-boundary incident.

John Barkstead, formerly one of Oliver Cromwell's powerful major generals and commander of the Tower of London, fled to Delft with two associates, John Okey and Miles Corbet, to escape from Charles I. They considered themselves safe because the Dutch prided themselves on not giving up fugitives they had resisted similar demands by France and there was no treaty or proclamation to say regicides would be given up.

However the three fugitives were seized by Sir George Downing (who created Downing Street in Whitehall) following a secret ‘deal’ with the bailiff of Delft, and brought back to London to be hung, drawn and quartered. At the time many people were shocked by Downing's action – described as “entirely without morality.” He had been a spymaster and envoy of the Cromwellian government before changing sides at Charles II's restoration to the throne in 1660. As Dr Marshall commented for the BBC: "It's all a matter of power politics.

The espionage angle always blurs what you might call normal morality because it then comes down to functionality... to whether or not an operation was successful.”

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£3 million taste buds Graduate Eleanor Freeman’s specialist skills are so valuable that she had her taste buds insured for £3 million! Eleanor is a senior snack inventor at graze.com which delivers tasty, nutritious snacks to grazers up and down the country. The hand-picked snacks are delivered in the post and provide a healthy alternative to naughty snack temptations.

Eleanor gets to taste the best ingredients from around the world when visiting suppliers like bakers or nut roasters.

Commenting on her time at Bath Spa University, Eleanor said: “I studied and gained a degree in Food, Nutrition and Consumer Protection and I loved it. The course was very varied, learning about all aspects of food including microbiology, legislation and nutrition. It provided a great foundation for working in the industry. It was the Product Development module that I really enjoyed and was

inspired to do a year in industry in my third year in a product development team. Whilst searching for the placement, and during my year in industry, I was really encouraged and supported by my tutor Iain Haysom.

Enterprise

“I went to work for Innocent Drinks which was brilliant experience and I was offered a full time job there when I finished my degree; I was there for three and a half years before I joined the graze.com team.

“I now get to taste thousands of different foods every year. I’ve always been very sensitive to different tastes so working at graze.com has provided the perfect opportunity to make the most of my palate. Unlike many taste connoisseurs, I’m not tied to a specific food type so I love being able to come up with new and exciting creations for our grazers.”

Graduate talent Bath Spa University joined forces with the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and other universities in the West to launch ‘Graduate Talent’ a new initiative aimed at nurturing the talent and skills of the thousands of young people who graduate locally each year. More than 10,000 young people graduate each year from Bath Spa University, University of Bath, University of Bristol and University of the West of England, and employers are being encouraged to grow their businesses through the opportunity this creates. Graduate Talent highlights the many benefits that employers can gain from harnessing motivated young people who can either help with short-term projects or develop and grow with the business in a full-time role.

Employers are being urged to consider summer internships, student placements, part-time roles and graduate recruitment opportunities.

Graduate Talent publications are available for businesses to guide them through the opportunities on offer. For copies visit www.westofenglandlep.co.uk. One of the case studies featured is Bath Spa graduate Liz Greenfield. Liz secured a design and copywriting internship with the digital selfpublishing company, KoodibooK, after taking part in a networking event organised by the University. Liz said: “When I graduated, I was amazed that immediately someone was prepared to pay me a real person's salary!

I would have settled for less, mainly because I hadn't learned to distinguish my professional qualifications yet, let alone articulate them satisfactorily. Internships are a good way to gain assurance.”

Following the internship, Liz continued working for a further 12 months with KoodibooK and has recently taken up the role of Studio Manager at Play Nicely, a multi-disciplinary design, technology and creation studio based in Bristol.

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Widening participation and access Bath Spa University is firmly committed to the accessibility and equality of opportunity in higher education for all. Through the Widening Participation Team, the University delivers a comprehensive outreach programme to raise educational aspiration and attainment in potential students from under-represented groups to enable access and support progression to higher education.

A significant amount of the University’s widening participation outreach activities are targeted at young people in schools, colleges and academies from Years 6 to 13, and an additional range of support is offered to young people in care or from a care background, learners from Access to Higher Education Diploma courses, those returning to education, work-based learners and community groups.

An important part of our programme is providing advice and guidance for those who may influence decision-making processes, including teachers, tutors, careers professionals, parents and carers.

In 2011/12 the Widening Participation Team worked with 35 schools and colleges and reached over 6,500 people through its outreach programme. This diverse and impactful programme included: • bespoke activities and events for primary schools, secondary schools and colleges; • mentoring and tutoring programmes to support educational engagement and GCSE attainment in Bath and North East Somerset schools; • campus-based higher education awarenessraising and subject enrichment activities; • sixth-form conferences and workshops; • dedicated support for mature learners.

The activities and events in the outreach programme were supported by a team of 50 trained and CRB-checked widening participation student ambassadors, 28 of whom also delivered the mentoring and tutoring programme to over 450 young people.

Students featured in BBC2 programme ‘See Hear’ Graduate mentors Music Composition graduate Sarah Liversedge is co-founder and managing director of the award winning, independent UK music publishing company, BDi Music. This year she became part of the BSU Graduate Mentoring Team and will pass on the benefit of her experience through mentoring current music students. Sarah’s media career kicked off as a floor manager for UK television. She then side-stepped into a TV researcher role for the BBC and after only a few years was promoted to programme liaison executive for BBC Worldwide Music, the commercial arm of the BBC. In 2000, Sarah was appointed deputy head of music publishing at BBC Worldwide Music. In this role, Sarah played a major part in developing and expanding what became a multimillion pound business and one of the leading media music publishing companies in the UK.

Graphic Communication students work with commercial publisher Future Final year Graphic Communication students gained valuable experience of commercial commissioning and deadlines through an agreement with Future Publishing to supply regular illustrations for PSM3, the hugely popular gaming magazine. Students worked on briefs provided by Future and developed their work from rough drafts through to final artwork.

Richard Broughton, deputy art editor at Future, commented: “It's been a real pleasure working with everyone – we've been hugely impressed, both by their professional attitudes and the quality of the work. This partnership is a great way for students to get published in a national magazine, and it means we get to work with some very talented individuals. In fact, one artist has since been commissioned by Sony, based on the work he produced for PSM3."

Students at Artswork Media were commissioned by Templar Publishing to make a book trailer for the launch of the novel ‘Whisper’ by Chrissie Keighery. As the central character is a deaf teenager the BBC programme ‘See Hear’ became interested and decided to follow the students as they made the film. The film formed part of a new programme about the book which was broadcast on Wednesday 6 June on BBC 2.

Industry Insights 50 industry professionals - including eight Bath Spa graduates - took part in the University’s first ‘Industry Insights’ programme in March. Representatives from the businesses including Future Publishing, Dyson, Wessex Water and The Soil Association participated in employer panels, chaired by employability and academic staff, featuring opportunities for Q&A and networking.

Focussed on a range of industry sectors (such as publishing, media, marketing), each session provided students with valuable hints and tips on entering the sector, including the specific skills and experiences expected of new graduates. Over 300 students attended the events, with many more benefiting from viewing each presentation online. The programme proved very popular indeed with 98 per cent of students rating the sessions as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. Following ‘Industry Insights’ a number of employers have offered part-time employment opportunities to Bath Spa students and openly encouraged them to get in touch for work experience, mock interviews and other professional support.

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Students enter the dragon’s den

Enterprise

Entrepreneurial Bath Spa students pitched their business ideas in a Dragon’s Den-style competition in March 2012, in the hope of winning up to £1,500 in prize money. Forming part of a programme of activities designed to continue developing the culture of enterprise at the University, the Business and Enterprise Competition is now in its fifth year and students had access to a range of workshops on business start-up and enterprise to help them with their pitches.

Of the 39 entries received from across the University, four finalists were selected in each category – Enterprise Idea and Business Startup. The finalists presented their ideas to a panel of judges, comprising University staff and industry representatives for full rigour and impartiality.

Creative Futures

Matrix Accreditation

Creative Futures 2012 was a month-long season of screenings, performances, events and degree shows which celebrated and showcased the innovative and creative talent of Bath Spa graduates. Amongst the 28 events taking place in venues across Bath was a series of exclusive receptions and networking evenings for business and creative professionals in collaboration with Creative Bath, Bath Chamber of Commerce and the Cultural Forum for the Bath Area – bringing students and industry together. Featuring work of graduating students from right across the creative and cultural industries, including cultural heritage, design, fashion, film, music, performing arts, photography, textiles and visual arts, Creative Futures 2012 highlighted just some of the expertise emerging from the University this year.

The University’s careers and employability team achieved the Matrix Standard, the national 'kite mark' for careers information, advice and guidance services. Following months of preparation and a rigorous few days of external assessment in November 2011, the team was commended on its partnership working, links with courses and the “strategic approach to employability within the University in which Bath Spa Careers plays an important role, enabling them to engage at the highest levels within the University.” In commenting on this national recognition of the quality of the team's work, the external assessor was also impressed by the "well managed, very positive and committed Service that delivers above its capacity through the commitment and talent of its staff, providing a service that engages fully with academic staff and the student population." The team continues to build on these strengths with exciting development plans through curricular and co-curricular activities for 2012/13, supported by an ever-growing range of employer and industry partnerships.

The season opened with a special Bath Chamber of Commerce and Business West drinks reception, hosted by the University's Vice-Chancellor Professor Christina Slade.

Bath Spa University has established strong links with the local business community and is keen to encourage local companies to meet staff and students to explore future collaborative opportunities.

Ian Bell, Executive Director of the Bath Chamber of Commerce, said: "We recognise and greatly value the contribution that students from Bath Spa University already make to the local economy. We want to see that increase still further, so we are delighted to support Creative Futures and remain committed to working with the University to highlight the quality of skills, energy and fresh ideas that its graduates have to offer."

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Internships with Parragon Books The world's leading publisher of illustrated non-fiction books, Parragon, is offering a new internship scheme to make the most of the wealth of original talent on Bath Spa University’s Publishing degree course. Each paid placement runs for a period of 12 weeks and involves working within one of the company’s editorial teams based in Bath.

Publishing course leader, Katharine Reeve, said: “I’m delighted that six of our students will walk straight into internships on graduation – it’s a great start to what we hope will be long and fulfilling publishing careers.”

The overall winner of the Business Start-up category was a BA Creative Media Practice student with Appeal Software Ltd. This is a digital publishing and content distribution service, offering cost effective, worldwide distribution of content on tablet devices and smartphones without compromising on quality.

A group of BA Business & Management students won the Enterprise Idea category with their pitch for Business QaRds, linking QR codes to an online professional profile to transform the traditional business card into an interactive networking tool.

Susan Cherrett, Bath Spa’s Enterprise and Employer Liaison Manager, said: “We were incredibly impressed with the range and originality of the ideas our students came up with and the judges had a tough job in deciding one overall winner in each category.

We have some amazing talent here and we look forward to watching how these students get on in the future – we’re confident they all have exciting careers ahead of them!”

Bath Spa Live During 2011/12, Bath Spa Live presented nearly 50 public music & performing arts performances in eight venues across Bath.

Nearly 4,500 tickets were sold, of which 40 per cent were bought by students and 60 per cent by members of the public. Bath Spa Live also worked with 16 professional artists and artistic organisations over the year.

Last year 172 Bath Spa Live memberships were bought by Bath Spa University students.

Membership enables students to pay a one-off fee, for which they can then attend all Bath Spa Live events at no further cost. ‘Seeing friends perform’, ‘Seeing something new’ and ‘Widening experience of live arts’ were the top three reasons given by students for attending events.

Bath Spa Live currently employs nine Bath Spa University students in front of house teams.

Student staff run the bar, sell tickets, assist in event management and share responsibility for audience well-being and safety. Bath Spa Live aims to provide staff with experience and training that will benefit them in future employment and it receives many applications and enquiries for work from students throughout the year.

Bath Spa Live artistic highlights of 2011/12

Bath Digital Festival Bath Spa Live took part in the inaugural Bath Digital Festival, presenting a fascinating show-case of digital theatre work by local artists (and former staff members) Kristin and Davy McGuire. Making full use of the unusual spaces and atmospheric rooms at Burdall’s Yard, this event was part performance, part exhibition and was thoroughly enjoyed by audiences aged three to over 80 years.

Comedy Cavern Bath Spa Live’s new regular comedy night launched at Burdall’s Yard with two sell-out evenings featuring professional stand-ups presented by Mirth Control Comedy, performing alongside student comedians from the Department of Performing Arts.

Earthfall Dance Theatre Production students and staff were given the challenge of fitting 1,000 litres of water into the University Theatre for Earthfall’s production ‘At Swim Two Boys.’ Earthfall presented two sold-out performances of this show and ran workshops with Dance students throughout the year.

Concerts at St. Swithin’s Church Bath Spa University’s Orchestra, Choir and Wind Band found a new home in Bath city centre at St. Swithin’s Church. The only remaining 18th Century parish church in Bath, St. Swithin’s has proven to be an excellent performance venue and we look forward to returning in 2012/13.

Polar Bear In October the Mercury Award nominated group Polar Bear were invited to run a master-class with the Department of Music. Students were particularly delighted to be working with drummer Seb Rochford who had been described in the national press the week before as the “best jazz drummer of his generation”. Polar Bear also gave a sold-out concert later in the evening at the Michael Tippett Centre.

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Environment A Fairtrade University Bath Spa University was proud to be named among the growing list of universities and organisations to achieve Fairtrade status, marking the latest step in its commitment to improve environmental and ethical performance.

A Fairtrade University is one that has made a commitment to supporting and using Fairtrade products. They ensure that Fairtrade products are available in as many places as possible and they raise awareness of Fairtrade and the benefits that it brings to producers in developing countries with students and staff.

Bath Spa’s refectory and Students Union provide Fairtrade food and snacks to the university community. The aim is to increase the availability and range of Fairtrade products bought and sold on campus year-on-year.

Ola Bankole, Bath Spa University’s Environmental Officer, said: “We are thrilled that the Fairtrade Foundation has awarded us the Fairtrade University status. The support and work of our refectory and Students’ Union were essential in achieving this accreditation and we also have to thank the students and staff who helped out during Fairtrade Fortnight.

“An important part of sustainable development is promoting fairness for the disadvantaged in our world and we all need to be increasingly aware of the impact of our purchasing decisions, as individuals and organisations.

“Choosing Fairtrade offers farmers and workers a better chance to work their way out of poverty, through fairer wages, safer conditions at work and a little extra, called the Fairtrade premium, to invest in projects to improve life for their whole communities.”

Second year students taking the Environmental Management module were able to help the University achieve this status by undertaking an audit of Fairtrade products sold by the Students’ Union shop and by suggesting how the number of Fairtrade products could be increased (a requirement for Fairtrade status). They also helped to develop ideas for a programme of events to promote Fairtrade through the 2012/13 academic year.

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One of the Top Ten Greenest UK Universities This year Bath Spa was awarded a First Class Award and ranked 8th out of 145 in the People & Planet Green League 2012 – the UK's only comprehensive and independent green ranking of universities unveiled in May in The Guardian.

The University received the award at a special 'graduation ceremony' held in Westminster by People & Planet in June.

The People & Planet Green League assesses the environmental and ethical performance of all universities annually, awarding First Class 'degrees' to the greenest and Fail to those doing the least to address their environmental impacts. Bath Spa University is among 46 institutions to achieve a 'First' in 2012 - 10 more than did so last year despite a higher points threshold.

The University's ambitious Carbon Management Plan has so far achieved a 25 per cent reduction in carbon emissions from 2005 levels and is on course to deliver 50 per cent savings by 2020. The University has also significantly increased recycling and reduced waste. In the past six years waste to landfill has been reduced by nearly 300 per cent which has been helped by the introduction of a food waste initiative last year.

Bath Spa University's EcoCampus and ISO 14001 EMS accreditation helps ensure continuous improvements across a range of environmental indicators.

Nationally, the People & Planet Green League table reveals that the university sector has cut carbon emissions for the first time, recording a five per cent reduction compared to 2011 results. Bath Spa University has reduced its carbon footprint by 25 per cent since 2005.

Global Citizenships Award As part of the University’s strategy to offer an international experience to students, a new Global Citizenship award has been developed.

The award recognises the global perspective of students’ undergraduate study, and will be studied alongside degree programmes. It includes a module in Global Citizenship, a subject-based module with a global perspective, an overseas placement and attendance at international and global seminar sessions or conferences. This international perspective will help prepare students for employment in a global market, as well as providing valuable knowledge and understanding of global issues. A scholarship of £1,000 will be available to support overseas travel (with priority given to high-achieving students who have gained grades equivalent to AAB at A-level).

The first Global Citizen scholarships were offered to new students in August following A Level results and confirmation of places at the University.

International placements for students Biology and Environmental Science students have been applying their course knowledge and experience to a range of projects around the globe. Claire Elliott has been working with volunteers in India on a project to transform 70 acres of degraded land back to tropical dry forest. James Pymm worked with the Endangered Madagasca Foundation to produce and staff an exhibition in Bath. The exhibition was designed to raise awareness of the threats facing the wildlife of the world’s fourth largest island. In addition, Jon Goodman was able to work on Rainforest Biodiversity Research and Lemur conservation in Madagascar with the Azafady volunteer programme. Ewan Gibson spent the summer of 2011 in Cambodia, learning how to dive and surveying marine life in corral-reefs, focusing on seahorses.

In contrast, Ugochi Ihenacho had a placement with Mobil Oil Nigeria plc, working as a junior Environmental, Health and Safety officer. This role involved protecting the environment by investigating pollution incidents, inspecting waste disposal facilities, and liaising with staff on how best to minimise environmental impacts.

Geography students also undertook international placements in Mexico, Tanzania, Cambodia, Brazil, Fiji, Costa Rica, Nepal, South Africa, Bostwana and Peru.

Working with children in Zambia Robert Brown, lecturer in the Department of Film and Media Production and Creative Writing student Megan Kelland undertook a trip to Zambia as part of the International Development Through Excellence & Leadership in Sport (IDEALS) project which is run by UK Sport and The Wallace Group Universities.

During their trip they worked with Zambian children helping to teach them life skills through sport and volunteered in schools giving, sport, leadership and health awareness lessons. Rob and Megan worked together to document their experiences in the form of video documentary and photography.

Rob spent time teaching children at an orphanage school called ‘Fountain of Hope’ about how to use cameras and video equipment. Rob recalls a particular experience with one pupil: “Every time I visited the school a young boy called James kept telling me “I want to be a photographer”. Because I could see how enthusiastic he was, I taught him to use my camera and laptop to edit the photos. I then trusted him to use my camera to practise taking photos around the school and he repaid this trust by carefully looking after my camera. I was inspired by his desire to learn and am now making arrangements with local NGO Sport In Action to sponsor his school fees when he reaches Grade 7 in two years and no longer receives free education.”

The project is an opportunity for university students to experience a new culture and share their experiences with Zambian children. Speaking about her experience, Megan said: “I really enjoyed each placement and found it interesting to see the difference from one placement to the next. I think this project is doing a great job for both students and the Zambian communities involved and I hope it will continue to benefit us and the children in the future.”

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academic highlights Best year for student recruitment

Postgraduate expansion

Record levels of applications were received for undergraduate courses in 2011 – with the highest ever standards of entry qualifications achieved by students accepted onto Bath Spa courses. 2011 was a particularly good year for recruitment across the sector as students rushed to beat the increase in tuition fees in 2012. However even in this context Bath Spa out-performed many other universities, with 14,888 undergraduate applications at the end of July - a 14 per cent increase on the previous year, compared to a four per cent increase for the UK as a whole.

A range of eight new Master's courses were opened for the 2011/12 academic year, signalling an increasing focus on postgraduate and research activity. The courses were developed with input from industry experts in a range of professional fields to ensure the advanced knowledge and skills of graduates’ matches the requirements of employers.

Technology fund will improve the student experience Bath Spa University and the University of Winchester were awarded ÂŁ190,000 from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) to run FASTECH for three years, an innovative project designed to effectively monitor the student experience. Feedback and Assessment for Students with Technology (FASTECH) is designed to use readily available technologies to support the systemic enhancement of assessment and feedback strategies and practices at programme, faculty and institutional levels. A key aim of the project is to provide evidence of, and guidelines for, technological improvements and change processes that can be used to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of assessment and feedback throughout the higher education sector. Initially 13 programmes at Winchester and Bath Spa University will be involved in piloting targeted technologies and these interventions will be evaluated and rolled out to further matching programmes.

A new Master's course in Feature Filmmaking explores the business and practice of modern low-budget film-making (both fact and fiction), and is aimed at aspiring directors, producers, and other creative professionals within the film industry.

The School of Music and Performing Arts added to its vibrant performance-based portfolio with specialist postgraduate programmes in Performing Shakespeare and Theatre for Young Audiences - both areas of particular interest within the undergraduate curriculum.

The University already has a renowned reputation for producing award winning writers from the MA Creative Writing and MA Writing for Young People. Now a new programme in Travel and Nature Writing provides opportunities for specialist creative non-fiction writers, and builds on the University's specialism in ecocriticism.

MA Business and Management places emphasis on the complexities associated within modern day organisations and their effective management, along with specialist pathways in Marketing and Creating and Developing Your Business.

A new programme with particular local relevance is MA Heritage Management which works in partnership with a wide range of heritage organisations across Bath and the region to reflect on and respond to the challenges currently confronting the heritage sector.

The MSc Principles of Applied Neuropsychology is available for students interested in social cognition, affective neuroscience and the neuropsychology of psychopathology. A cohort of 14 students was recruited for 2011/12. Four of the graduates have decided to move on to a PhD and have submitted proposals to that end.

Others have moved onto psychology assistant posts or positions with rehabilitation charities.

The external examiner praised the diversity and quality of material presented in the MSc and commended the quality of the teaching.

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The MA Visual Communications will offer specialisms in photography, illustration and graphic design with a focus on comparative urbanism.

Honorary degrees 2012

Improved league table positions

Five distinguished figures from the worlds of music, fashion, journalism and cookery received honorary degrees from Bath Spa University this summer. The degrees were awarded by Vice-Chancellor Professor Christina Slade at the University’s graduation ceremonies on 20 and 21 July 2012 in recognition of extraordinary contributions in their respective fields. The honorary degrees were awarded to:

The University jumped up a significant number of places in three of the UK’s highly regarded university league tables.

Mary Berry CBE One of the UK’s best-known and respected cookery writers and TV cook. At the age of 18 she trained at the Bath College of Home Economics, followed by a Paris Cordon Bleu course and she is a qualified teacher. She has written more than 70 cookery books since her first was published in 1970 and has sold more than five million. She has hosted several television series for the BBC and been a judge on The Great British Bake Off since 2010.

Manolo Blahnik CBE Manolo Blahnik's shoe designs have been worn by women all over the world for almost 40 years. Blahnik began his career in 1973 on the advice of a US Vogue Editor Diana Vreeland.

The brand is known for elaborate and classic designs and prides itself on the highest level of quality and comfort. It is currently present in 23 countries world-wide. In 2007 he was awarded the CBE for services to the British fashion industry.

Professor Ian Hargreaves CBE Started his journalistic career on local newspapers in Yorkshire and spent 15 years on the Financial Times before becoming Deputy Editor in the early 1990s. He was Director of BBC News and Current Affairs in the late 1980s, Editor of the Independent in the mid1990s and Editor of the New Statesman in the late 1990s, before taking up the position of Director of the Centre for Journalism at Cardiff University. In 2010 he took up a new chair in Digital Economy at Cardiff University.

Grenville Jones A choir leader and musician who lives in Bath.

His driving passion is to get people of all ages singing, to enable them to make friends, enjoy themselves and have fun through music.

He has appeared on TV and radio across the world through his leadership of Bath Male Choir, the Golden-Oldies charity, which he founded in 2008, and his many other musical projects and concerts.

Miller Puckette The author of ‘Max’ and ‘Pure Data’, two seminal and widely-used software environments for live computer music. After studying mathematics at MIT and Harvard University and conducting research at IRCAM in Paris, he joined the music department at the University of California where he is now professor and chair of the department. He has also written extensively on techniques for analysing and synthesizing sound with a computer, and on real-time human/computer interactions in musical performance.

In the 2011 Sunday Times University League Table Bath Spa was ranked equal 67th, an impressive jump up of 21 places compared to last year. The University ranked well compared to its competitors on student satisfaction measures and is improving steadily on graduate employment rates.

In the latest Complete University Guide, Bath Spa moved up 10 places to 75th. The independent league table is compiled by Mayfield University Consultants and data from the rankings are derived from official sources and assess a comprehensive range of measures including academic attainment, staffing, research and facilities. The Complete University Guide highlights Student Satisfaction and Graduate Prospects as two key areas in which Bath Spa has seen significant improvement in the last year.

The Times Good University Guide was published in June and Bath Spa was ranked in 70th position, a jump up of 14 places compared to last year. This is the University’s highest ranked position since we were first included in the Guide in 2006. The University was found to have significantly improved in a number of important areas, including student satisfaction, spend on services and facilities, entry standards and graduate prospects.

Textbooks and teaching Dr Rebecca Schaaf, Geography Subject Leader, secured a book contract with Routledge to write a textbook on international development organisations.

Dr Mark McGuinness, Head of Research Management and Dr David Simm, Development Geography Subject Leader were appointed to the editorial board of the Higher Education Agency's journal ‘Planet’ which pushes the boundaries of teaching innovation in the environment disciplines.

Professor Robert Mears, Dean of the School of Science, Society and Management was appointed external advisor to the Australian Teaching Outcomes Project in Sociology.

He also gave a paper at the Australian Sociological Association Conference at the University of Newcastle, New South Wales in December 2011.

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What your choice of dog says about you A study by psychology lecturers Jo Fearon and Dr Lance Workman received significant media coverage following its presentation at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference in April. Their research, conducted in collaboration with the Kennel Club and OnePoll, reveals the breed of dog you own may reflect your personality.

A thousand dog owners completed an online questionnaire that assessed several personality traits, such as extroversion, agreeableness and emotional stability.

They also provided details of the breed of dog they own. Findings revealed some interesting variation between breed groups relating to owners’ personality features. In particular, owners of Pastoral and Utility breed groups were more extroverted; owners of Gundogs and Toy dogs more agreeable; owners of Utility, Toy and Gundogs more conscientious; owners of Hound dogs more emotionally stable, and owners of Toy dogs were more open to new experiences.

Dr Workman said: “This study indicates that we might be able to make predictions

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about someone’s personality based on the breed of dog that they choose to own. It seems likely that personality types are subconsciously drawn to certain breeds.”

He also suggested that: “The differences in personality factors found between owners of different breeds might arguably be related to the lifestyle of the owner. For example, more extroverted individuals might be better suited to the pastoral breeds such as German shepherd or border collie, whereas those who are particularly emotionally stable might be suited to ownership of Hound dogs such as a beagle or greyhound.”

research expertise EU Commission recognition for researcher development The University has achieved the HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission. 12 new universities have now been given the accolade bringing the UK total to just 50 higher education institutions recognised in this way.

Professor Eric Thomas, speaking as President of Universities UK, said: "I am delighted to announce that 12 UK institutions have been awarded the HR Excellence in Research Award by the European Commission for their work to implement the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers. Research and innovation are a key priority for UK universities and this award recognises the increase in support being provided for the career and professional development of researchers."

A UK-wide process enables UK higher education institutions to gain the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award, which acknowledges their alignment with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for their Recruitment. The UK process incorporates both the Quality Assurance Agency Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes and the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers to enable institutions that have published Concordat implementation plans to gain the HR Excellence in Research Award. The UK approach includes on-going national evaluation and benchmarking.

Funding for teacher education project Jim Crawley, Teaching Fellow and Programme Leader for Lifelong Learning has successfully bid for £60,000 from the ‘Excellence in Initial Teacher Education in Further Education and Skills’ fund, managed by the Learning and Skills Improvement Agency (LSIS).

The funding is for the ‘Sharing Innovation in Teacher Education’ (SITE) project, run by Bath Spa and the South West Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training. The aim of the project is to explore new models of delivering initial teacher education. Jim will be undertaking a significant part of the project leadership and activities, with £20,000 allocated to Bath Spa. The SITE project will establish a cross-sector team to identify and share innovation in partnership with providers, employers and other organisations, and embed these in a range of partners’ programmes. It is expected this could be a major contribution to finding sustainable solutions to the future of ITE. Jim will lead the development of an online portal sharing results and materials from the project.

Jim said: “The LSIS assessment panel felt this project had particularly good potential to be extended from a regional to a national scale. It is all about sharing small innovations that have been shown to work, and using them to seed further innovations. I’m delighted that this project keeps us at the forefront of working with the Lifelong Learning sector.”

Senior History lecturer speaks at 37th Spalding Symposium and annual Mushaira Professor Iftikhar H. Malik, Senior Lecturer in History was the plenary speaker at the 37th Spalding Symposium on Indian Religions, held at Merton College, Oxford in March. In his lecture ‘Islam in South Asia: Historical and Contemporary Strands’, Iftikhar explored views such as the 18th century being the century of Indian Islam, and the evolution of Islamic modernism through the efforts of several intellectuals including Shah Waliullah, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Syed Ameer Ali and Muhammad Iqbal.

Professor Malik also represented the University at the annual Mushaira, a major literary event held at Oriel College, Oxford in March. Iftikhar chaired the session, which included both new and internationally renowned poets from across the country.

Mushaira is an ancient tradition in the Middle East and South Asia where poets congregate to read their verses amidst wider acclaim and critique. This tradition is very much alive here in Britain especially among the first generation immigrants with an interest in all forms of poetic literature. At Oxford University over the last decade students have established a similar tradition, where poets come together to express their ideas and thoughts in several languages in sessions lasting several hours.

Poems are often recited or sung in Urdu and Punjabi with some representations from English, Hindi, Sindhi and Pushto, embodying a visible South Asian dimension.

International conference about Kings and Queens A conference about ‘Kings & Queens: Power, Politics, Personalities and Patronage in Medieval and Early Modern Monarchy’ was held at Corsham Court in April. The event was organised by Ellie Woodacre, a part-time lecturer in the History department who recently completed her PhD at Bath Spa, and featured 65 papers by scholars and graduates from the UK, Europe, North America and Australia.

Talks touched on a wide variety of themes including diplomacy, warfare, courts and royal palaces, religious and artistic patronage, royal entries and ceremonial, as well as several inspiring offerings on queenship and the Iberian Peninsula. The diversity of the papers was impressive, spanning from early medieval Scandinavia to 18th century Naples. Dr Glenn Richardson gave a captivating keynote address exploring ideas of masculinity and patriarchy in the context of the careers of Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V and the Mughal Emperor Babur. Professor Michael Hicks rounded off the conference with an excellent paper entitled ‘What was personal about monarchy in the 15th century?’

A new web-based initiative, known as the Royal Studies Network, was also launched at the conference, which aims to build connections between scholars working on royal themes to enable future events, collaborative research and provide a repository for news, events and upcoming works which might be of interest to the members.

Evaluating European research bids Professor Dan Davies from the School of Education was invited by the European Commission to join a panel of experts from across Europe to evaluate research bids under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

Each bid for the Science in Society strand involved a minimum of 10 partner countries, collaborating over a period of four years at an average cost of €3.5 million. Dan evaluated nine bids online, then met with other experts from Germany, France, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Turkey over four days in a series of consensus meetings at European Commission headquarters in Brussels. He gained invaluable insights into the world of EU research funding, which will inform any future bids from the School of Education.

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community

In Care, In School

Supporting families in Somerset

‘In Care, In School’ is a film of 10 scenarios based on real life experiences of members of the Bath & North East Somerset In Care Council, a group of looked after children and young people in the care of the local authority.

A project team led by Dr Mel Macer from the Centre for Education Policy in Practice (EPIP) undertook an evaluation of the High Contact Families Project, based in Highbridge, Somerset. The project explored how agencies working with families in difficulty could work together more effectively. Those involved included the police, schools, social care, housing, jobcentre plus and a range of voluntary organisations.

Nine families were identified by local agencies and each was allocated a coach, seconded from one of the agencies, who worked with the family to develop a six month action plan. The project concentrated on simple, practical solutions and encouraged agencies to respond to the issues identified by the families. This was underpinned with a family ‘journey map’, showing how their interaction with different agencies had affected family morale and well-being at different points in time.

The evaluation team found that the underlying problems faced by many families related to debt, social, physical and rural isolation, poor literacy skills and mental health problems. By the end of the project the families appeared much more self-confident, more able to regulate their behaviour and to negotiate more effectively with external agencies. They reported an increased feeling of hope, of being listened to, and ability to plan for the future.

The evaluation team (Dr Macer, Professor Dan Davies, Dr Janet Rose and Richard Parker, Director of EPIP) fed back the findings of the research to a seminar organised by the Children’s Trust in October. As a result, the project was extended for a further six months, to allow the learning to become further embedded and to prepare plans to extend the approach to other areas of Somerset.

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Education student honoured by British Red Cross Education student Laura Booth was told she is ‘One in a Million’ in recognition for her voluntary work for the British Red Cross. Laura first got involved with the charity as part of her course when she completed a placement with the Red Cross Youth and Schools team.

She has continued supporting the Red Cross, visiting schools in the area to encourage young people to become more active in their communities by teaching them about humanitarian values and citizenship.

“Not many people know about the humanitarian education work of the Red Cross,” explained Laura. “The students we teach absolutely love the lessons because they are very interactive. You see the young people really engaging with some very serious issues, things that they probably haven’t really thought about before. “I get a huge amount out of volunteering with the Red Cross. It also feels really good to give up some time to do something that feels really important.”

Laura was singled out by the Red Cross for her dedication to the charity and her commitment to giving up her time to help others. Laura helped launch Red Cross Week 2012, the annual fundraising drive which took place in May. This year, the Red Cross asked one million people to donate just one pound, or as much as they could afford, to help raise £1million to fund its vital work. Laura kicked off the week by dropping the first pound coin into the collection bucket. “I can’t believe that I’ve been called ‘one in a million’ – I feel a bit choked! I think the Red Cross often gets overlooked as a charity to donate to as people just think that they operate internationally, but I was amazed to learn about the variety of projects that are offered locally. If people want to support a local charity than the Red Cross should really be at the top of that list.”

Supported by education policy experts from Bath Spa University, the In Care Council devised the short films to reveal the difficult situations children in care can face at school.

The team of young people appointed Bathbased production company Suited & Booted Studios CIC, worked with a professional script writer, and helped direct the filming. All roles in the film were performed by local child actors.

The films paint an honest picture of everyday issues faced by children in care, providing a thought-provoking, insightful and extremely eloquent perspective; from the difficulty of knowing what to write in an autobiography assignment to finding it difficult to be enthusiastic about designing a Mother’s Day card.

The aim is for ‘In Care, In School’ to be shown in primary and secondary schools across the country to help pupils and teachers better understand and appreciate the needs of children and young people in care. The film is accompanied by a resource pack for use in Personal Health & Social Education (PSHE) lessons to encourage class discussion and learning, backed up by a training pack for school staff.

The film and support materials have been piloted in three schools in Bath & North East Somerset and are being used by PGCE students from Bath Spa University in 48 primary and ten secondary schools across the UK. Initial feedback has been extremely positive. Following a full evaluation of the resources, ‘In Care, In School’ is available for teachers to download free of charge following its formal launch at the House of Lords in October 2012.

In Care, In School

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community Fundraising ‘Mad Dash’ Once again Bath Spa was delighted to host the Mad Dash 5k event in July, organised by the Forever Friends Appeal to raise funds for its Royal United Hospital (RUH) Space for Cancer Care campaign. The event was for people of all ages and abilities, and many staff members took part in this fun and worthwhile event. Every pound raised helped a fantastic local charity, which aims to transform cancer services at the RUH. The first phase of the Space for Cancer Care appeal will fund a new gamma-CT scanner.

Free Olympic themed resource for primary schools Students from Bath Spa University developed a free resource for primary schools in South West England, inspired by the Olympic and Paralympic Values. Teachers were invited to a launch event on Wednesday 28 March at the Assembly Rooms in Bath, hosted by Professor Christina Slade, Vice-Chancellor at Bath Spa University and Rt. Hon. Don Foster MP. The resource contained ten activities that celebrate local, ‘South West’ links with the Games. It created opportunities for children to learn about Olympians and Paralympians who train here, local artists who have been inspired by the Games and important local people, such as Hodgson Pratt, who have played key roles in the modern Olympic Games.

The students sought advice from education professionals and piloted the activities in four local primary schools. Copies of the resource were distributed free of charge to primary schools in Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. It was also made available online for primary schools in the South West to download it from the Bath Spa University, RELAYS, Team West of England websites.

Rt. Hon Don Foster, MP for Bath said: "When the UK bid to host the 2012 Games, we stressed the importance of the lasting legacy they could bring; legacy benefits for sport, culture, business, tourism and education.

"This excellent educational resource, produced by students from Bath Spa University, uses local links with the Olympics and Paralympics to stimulate a range of educational activities which can be used for years to come; a lasting educational legacy of the Games."

The initiative was awarded the Inspire Mark, which recognised and supported outstanding projects around the UK that provided new opportunities for young people and their communities as a result of the Games.

The project was supported by RELAYS and Team West of England, but was fully led by the students themselves.

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RELAYS is a London 2012 legacy project based in universities across the South West that aims to inspire young people to volunteer, try new sports and be creative. RELAYS is funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Heritage events in Bath

Student volunteers A total of 39 students from Sociology, Geography and Health Studies pursued the School of Science, Society and Management Community Engagement module in 20112012 which entailed them each delivering at least 80 hours volunteer work to local causes.

Sociology student Michael Reeve, received Highly Commended Community Volunteer of the Year award. Michael volunteered at the Bath Junior Gateway Society/Mencap, a local charity offering a weekly youth club for disabled, disadvantaged and able-bodied children in the Bath area.

Child protection conference sparked national debate A major conference on children and the UK media held at Bath Spa in April sparked a national debate on how we best protect children online. Organised in partnership with David Niven Associates, ‘Childhood and the Media: Images, Rights and Responsibilities’ scrutinised various aspects of children’s representation and rights as well as media responsibilities and regulations. Debate continued in the national press with the Telegraph and the Daily Mail responding to comments from Google and Facebook on whether new legislation is needed to protect children from internet pornography.

At the conference, Google argued that laws would not be sufficient to protect young people as technology is moving too fast for legislation and that the onus should be on parents to monitor their children’s internet use. Facebook also told delegates they were unable to prevent children under 13 setting up Facebook accounts, despite this being against government policy.

Professor Stephen Ward, Dean of the School of Education, said: “The conference was a great success and there were many valuable and interesting discussions on both how children are represented by the media and the responsibilities of the media in protecting our young people. We managed to attract some leading names to speak at the event, confirming Bath Spa’s reputation in the areas of education policy and child protection.”

Final year Heritage students worked in partnership with the Holburne Museum and No. 1 Royal Crescent to present two new public events in May. ‘Sculpture Culture’ was a trail of sculpture around the city which complemented a new exhibition at the Holburne Museum ‘Presence: the Art of Portrait Sculpture’. Families were able follow the trail to discover and explore the rich variety of portrait sculpture in Bath.

Dr. Alexander Sturgis, Director of the Holburne Museum said: "Working with Bath Spa University Heritage students is partly about us helping to prepare students for the wider world beyond university, and anything we can do to show how museums really work is valuable, but it also brings an enormous amount to us – the dialogue is two way."

‘Bringing you the Whole Story’ was a travelling community exhibition which was developed by students with the Bath Preservation Trust and No. 1 Royal Crescent. The aim of the exhibition was to document the major redevelopment of the historic house museum at No. 1 and No. 1a Royal Crescent and to encourage local community engagement with the project. The exhibition opened on 1 June at the Building of Bath Collection at the Countess of Huntingdon Chapel and then went on tour to a variety of Bath Preservation Trust events.

Dr Kristin Doern, Heritage Subject Leader at Bath Spa University said: "Every year we raise the bar for our students and they continue to exceed expectations. This wouldn’t be possible without the commitment, professional guidance, and passionate engagement of colleagues at the Holburne Museum, Bath Preservation Trust, and the range of museums and heritage organisations we work with in Bath and the South West."

Protecting local wildlife Biology and Environmental Science students undertook extensive work for Somerset Wildlife Trust, chiefly in the Somerset Levels.

James Edwards had a major involvement in the restoration of a 26 acre section of peat workings back to fenland. His results will help inform management to conserve this very rare species. Another student, Ben Walsh undertook detailed habitat monitoring and worked as a voluntary warden with Somerset Wildlife Trust at Catcott Heath and Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve.

The Biology subject area ran two courses on Environmental Law in conjunction with a local ecological consultancy, Biocensus Ltd and Dr Paul Chanin, a specialist consultant in legally protected mammals. Delegates on the course ranged from new graduates working with Wildlife Trusts to staff from national regulators, and senior managers from environmental and landscape architecture consultancies.

Tom Boden, Head of Education and Audience Development for the Bath Preservation Trust and No. 1 Royal Crescent said: "We have worked with Bath Spa University Heritage students for a number of years and their contribution has proved a real asset to the Bath Preservation Trust. Their creativity, enthusiasm and capability resulted in an innovative exhibition which proved very engaging for families and local residents."

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HR UPDATE Research support

Staff facts and figures The University is a significant local employer with approximately 800 staff including both academic and professional services staff. We received 2,250 applications in 2011-12 for 105 job vacancies.

Equality and diversity On 15 March 2012, the University welcomed staff and students from Bath Spa and the University of Bath, as well as local employers and community groups, to the annual Joint Equality Forum. This is a key event in the University calendar and encourages lively debate on a range of equality and diversity topics. It is also an important platform for consultation with different groups and stakeholders, and informs our future plans. As well as hearing about the work, both universities have been undertaking not only to comply with equality legislation, but to realise the additional benefits of an inclusive and diverse place of work and study, delegates were treated to a keynote presentation by sprinter and Paralympic silver medallist Ben Rushgrove. As a University of Bath graduate, Ben shared his experiences of university life with a disability, as well as the world of sport.

During the autumn of 2011 the University conducted its first Equal Pay Review. This showed that there were no pay gaps, based on basic average hourly pay, of over five per cent in jobs of equal value. However, the average hourly pay of men is 21.23 per cent higher than the average hourly pay of women. These issues are broader equality issues around gender representation and the University will continue to consider initiatives to increase gender representation across all levels as published in the University Equality Objectives.

The University also participates in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, which is Britain’s leading tool for employers to measure their efforts to tackle discrimination and create inclusive workplaces for lesbian, gay and bisexual employees. We increased our ranking by 70 places, to 240th position and we continue to use the feedback to improve all of our equality work.

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As part of preparation for the University’s REF2014 submission, HR has been working with colleagues in Research and Graduate Affairs and the REF Steering Group. The Code of Practice was developed through a consultative process and was approved by HEFCE on 3 July 2012. A series of roadshows was run for academic staff who wanted to find out more about the REF and equality and diversity training for members of Subject Selection panels was also provided both face to face and through a new e-learning package called ‘Diversity at Work’ which will be rolled out to all staff in the autumn.

Wellbeing As part of the University’s Wellbeing Strategy, staff have benefited from a number of wellbeing events and campaigns in collaboration with Student Services and the Students Union. For example, during Mental Health Week, staff and students were encouraged to share their experiences of dealing with stigma and discrimination and ask questions about mental health. On National Stress Awareness Day, staff were invited to book in for coaching sessions with a Stress Advisor, or an Indian Head massage. HR, Students’ Union and the refectory held a Healthy Living event where staff and students got advice on stopping smoking, how to look after their heart, and could take part in a competition to win a month’s membership of the Students’ Union gym, and buy or taste healthy foods and drinks.

An Employee Assistance Programme, Lifeworks, has been in place for several years, and is used to offer additional support to employees and their immediate family.

Learning and development In 2011-12, Bath Spa delivered the first phase of its leadership programme for University managers, in partnership with management development provider t-three. Each delegate attended four days of workshops over three modules, gaining knowledge and skills in coaching, managing change and improving performance. Evaluation showed that 80 per cent of delegates agreed or strongly agreed that they have used what they learnt in a way that has had an impact on others, and many commented on the benefits of sharing practice with managers from other departments and levels of the organisation.

New events are planned to sustain the learning from the programme and help managers meet the many challenges the University will face over the next few years.

Investors in People accreditation Bath Spa University continues to retain the Investors in People (IIP) award, which is a nationally recognised quality standard demonstrating commitment to employee learning and development. The University’s three year review was conducted in June 2012.

The review randomly selected 60 staff to be interviewed by an external IIP assessor. The assessor’s report confirmed that we continue to meet the national standard and have demonstrated improvement in many areas, including communication with staff and management effectiveness.

Staff enjoy many opportunities to learn and develop including workshops on academic development, IT skills and personal and management skills. An exciting programme is planned for the new academic year across a number of themes which will support the delivery of the new University vision and strategy.

facts and figures Turnover (Year ending July 2011) - £51,564,000 Undergraduate applications to Bath Spa University (to July 2012) – 12,948 (13% decrease) Undergraduate applications: Places ratio (2011) – 7.3 : 1 Total student number

8948

Mode of attendance Full-time Part-time

6181 2767

69.08% 30.92%

Level of study Undergraduate students Postgraduate students

5760 3188

64.37% 35.63%

Age on entry Under 25 years 25 years or above

5474 3474

61.18% 38.82%

Gender Female Male

6285 2663

70.24% 29.76%

School breakdown Bath School of Art and Design Education Humanities and Cultural Industries Music and Performing Arts Science, Society and Management

1191 3567.5 1628.5 1326 1235

13.31% 39.87% 18.20% 14.82% 13.80%

Location of study Newton Park/Corsham Court Sion Hill/Circus Partner Institutions

7127 914 907

79.65% 10.21% 10.14%

Governors and senior staff Board of Governors

Senior staff

Stella Pirie OBE (Chair)

Vice-Chancellor Professor Christina Slade BA PhD DipEd

Professor Christina Slade (Vice-Chancellor) – from January 2012 Professor Frank Morgan – up to December 2011 Inderjit Ahluwalia

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Operations) Jon Brady BSc Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost Professor Neil Sammells BA PhD

Julian Amey Richard Bidgood – up to June 2012 Paul Bird – from November 2011 Professor Judith Brown – up to November 2011 Paul Davies – from November 2011 Amy Dawson – from July 2012 Christopher Ellicott (Clerk) – from June 2012 Martin Francis – from November 2011

Vice-Provost Learning and Teaching Quality Professor Paul Davies BSc PhD Vice-Provost Research and Graduate Affairs Professor Tim Middleton BA MA PGCE PhD Director of Estates and Services Carolyn Puddicombe BSc FRICS Director of Human Resources Arlene Stone FCIPD Director of Student Services and Registrar Christopher Ellicott BA MA (Oxon)

Teresa Fisk Andrew Harris Jane Henderson

Acting Dean of Bath School of Art and Design Professor Mike Tooby Acting Dean of School of Education Christine Eden BA (Hons) PGCE MSc

Lynn Ludwell – up to November 2011 Professor Paul Luna

Acting Dean of School of Humanities and Cultural Industries Dr Steve May BA PhD PGCE

Shaun McGall – from November 2011 Professor Philip Martin – from November 2011 Revd Prebendary Edward Mason

Dean of School of Music and Performing Arts Joe Bennett BA NTF FHEA Dean of School of Science, Society and Management Professor Robert Mears BSc MSc PhD PGCE

Professor Tim Middleton – up to November 2011 Philip Parker Ian Phillips Michael Roy

Director of Computing Dave Hassall BSc Director of Library Services Alison Baud MA DipLib MCLIP

Dr Alun Thomas – up to June 2012 Mary Toman

Newton Park Campus Newton St Loe Bath BA2 9BN Telephone 01225 875 875 Sion Hill Campus Lansdown Bath BA1 5SF Telephone 01225 875 875 enquiries@bathspa.ac.uk www.bathspa.ac.uk

Executive Officer to the Vice-Chancellor Rob Armstrong-Haworth BA, MA Head of Enterprise and Local Partnerships Adam Powell BSc PG Dip Head of Finance Kevin Wright FCA Director of International Relations Office Jeremy White BA MA Head of Marketing and Communications Tessa Griffiths BA DipM Head of Planning Support Jonathan Sebright BA Head of Quality Assurance Demelza Curnow MA (Hons) MA PhD