City News for staff June 2012

June 2012 | issue 09 In this edition of City News we look at some of the key issues your raised in last year’s sta survey and how the University is putting plans in place to address them.

We also have the latest news and developments, our involvement in Digital Shoreditch and we also introduce our new PR team.

CIT Y NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF City shortlisted for THE Award for second time

Onassis Prize winners The prestigious triennial Onassis Prizes are awarded by Cass Business School and the Onassis Foundation, founded by shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in memory of his son Alexander.

City has been shortlisted for a Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Award for the second consecutive year.

City won Outstanding Student Services in 2011 and is now shortlisted for the 2012 Outstanding International Strategy Award.

Judges were impressed by City’s World Cities World Class (WC2) network.

Staff Wellbeing Day 2012 You can still register to take part in this year’s Staff Wellbeing Day, dedicated to boosting your physical and psychological wellbeing. Find out more on our intranet homepage.

Costs of development Dr Christopher McDowell, Reader in International Politics, has co-authored a book with writer Olivia Bennett which examines the human costs of development.

Displaced: The Human Cost of Development and Resettlement, is published by Palgrave Macmillan.

About City News City News is produced for University staff each month by Marketing and Communications.

If you have any feedback on the magazine or suggestions for content in future issues, please email: christopher.leonard.1@city.ac.uk

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Winners are chosen by a panel of academics which includes two Nobel laureates. Each prize is worth US$200,000.

Professor Costas Grammenos (below), founder of the International Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance at Cass, was part of the panel that awarded this year’s Onassis Prizes, recognising academics’ contributions to the fields of finance, international trade and shipping.

Professor Stephen Ross (MIT Sloan School of Management) received the Onassis Prize for Finance and Professor Elhanan Helpman (Harvard University) received the Onassis Prize for International Trade. The Onassis Prize for Shipping was shared between Professor Ernst Frankel (MIT), Professor Richard Goss (Cardiff University) and Professor Arnljot Stromme Svendesn (Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration).

Professor Grammenos, a driving force behind the prizes, said: “I warmly congratulate the winners whose distinguished achievements have profoundly influenced their disciplines and continue to have an impact on academic thinking and business conduct worldwide.”

Deputy Vice-Chancellor advises the Minister Deputy Vice-Chancellor David Bolton has served on the Joint Steering Group on Outward Student Mobility chaired by Professor Colin Riordan, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Essex.

The Group’s latest report, commissioned by David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science, explores incentives and obstacles to outward student mobility in the UK. Among the report’s recommendations is the proposed development of a national strategy for outward mobility and a sectorled body to support it.

The Minister has tasked the UK International Unit to present options for supporting the progression of the recommendations at this summer’s International Education Advisory Forum.

Details can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/Outward-Mobility

QAA Institutional Review The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) periodically reviews UK universities as part of its responsibility ‘to safeguard standards and improve the quality of UK higher education’.

QAA is undertaking an Institutional Review of City later this year which will consider City’s documentation and quality processes and QAA reviewers will make two visits to City, in September and October. Staff may be asked to attend one of the sessions or support the process.

If you have any questions please contact Dr Carol Vielba, Academic Lead for the QAA Institutional Review or Megan Palmer, Institutional Facilitator for the Review.

Why not get involved in our alumni reunion?

Dr Martin Steggall wins The Chancellor’s Award Dr Martin Steggall of the School of Health Sciences has received The Chancellor's Award 2012 for his outstanding contribution to City University London.

As Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, Dr Steggall (below) is a member of the School's senior management team, manages a heavy education work-load and continues to practise as a Clinical Nurse Specialist at St Bart's.

Dr Steggall supervised five doctoral research projects this academic year while publishing his own research into male sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction, often a key indicator of heart disease.

Professor Stanton Newman, Dean of the School of Health Sciences, praised Dr Steggall's commitment, saying: "His reliability and positive influence on staff and students alike, with nothing ever being too much trouble, has been a real inspiration to others.”

The City Alumni Network’s flagship event, its Annual London Reunion, is being held on Thursday 12th July in the Great Hall.

Nearly 300 alumni attended last year’s event and similar numbers are expected this year.

The Network is extending invitations to staff at City who would like to re-establish contact with former students, to network or perhaps to promote postgraduate or professional development opportunities for alumni.

Celia Enyioko, Alumni Communications Executive, said: “The annual reunion is a popular event that brings together former students. Staff can also take the opportunity to find out how former students are progressing in their lives and careers.”

You can find out more, including details of which alumni have already registered, by emailing Celia and you can register online: www.city.ac.uk/events/2012/july/annual-london-reunion

Changes to Deanery As you may be aware, there will be some changes to the Deanery at City over the next few months.

Professor Andrew Jones, Assistant Dean at Birkbeck with portfolios for Research, Enterprise and Special Projects, will join City in September as Dean of the Schools of Arts and Social Sciences.

Richard Gillingwater, Dean of Cass Business School has decided to step down from his role after five years in December and Professor Susan Nash, Dean of the City Law School has agreed to continue in her role until we appoint a new Dean for the School.

In addition, we have begun the process of recruiting a new Dean of the Schools of Engineering & Mathematical Sciences and Informatics, following Professor Ken Grattan’s appointment to Dean of the Graduate School, effective from 1st August.

NEWS IN BRIEF New Honorary Rector Council has approved the appointment of ex-Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council, the Hon Apurv Bagri, as Honorary Rector of City University London for three years. He will act as Presiding Officer at Graduations and as a University ambassador.

Honour for Cass Dean Richard Gillingwater has been made a Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques, one of France's highest honours. He was informed of the news in a personal letter from French Minister of Education, Luc Chatel. The award recognises Cass’s contribution to educating French students and its partnerships with major French business schools.

Will Self at City Last month author Will Self visited City for a panel discussion on difficulties in translation, specifically his recent translation of Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor for the Arts Council’s The Space initiative. The discussion was chaired by Dr Amanda Hopkinson, Visiting Professor in Literary Translation.

New mentoring scheme The City Law School has established a mentoring scheme matching Legal Practice Course students with legal practitioners from London law firms, many of who are City alumni. The scheme recently held the first of several events scheduled for 2012.

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NEWS IN BRIEF Spirit of the Olympic Games As part of 2012 Universities Week, Bill Morris, London 2012 Events Chief and City alumnus talked with International Journalism MA student Jo Healey, formerly a member of Team GB’s volleyball team and now involved with its press and PR. Read the interview on our website: tinyurl.com/olympicspirit2012

Third cohort of Cass Dubai EMBA students graduate

Donation to social science City has pledged £5,000 to the Campaign for Social Science, promoted by the Academy of Social Sciences. The campaign aims to raise the profile of social science with the public, in the media and in Parliament.

Get ahead of the Games London authorities and transport organisations have launched a website to help people plan their travel during the London Olympic and Paralympic Games: www.getaheadofthegames.com

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The prestigious event was attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group.

An appreciative audience of family, friends, Cass alumni and business partners was addressed by Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Curran, Richard Gillingwater, Dean of Cass Business School, Professor Roy Batchelor, Cass Associate Dean (MBA Programmes) and Victoria Cox, who spoke on behalf of the graduating class. Dr Nasser Saidi, Chief Economist, DIFC Authority, gave the keynote address on the opportunities and challenges facing businesses in the region.

Bright Sparks concerts

Dr Laudan Nooshin from the Centre for Music Studies has collaborated with the London Philharmonic Orchestra to introduce schoolchildren to Iranian music and culture. The project culminated in two ‘Bright Sparks’ school concerts at the Royal Festival Hall last month which featured a specially-written piece based on a story from Iranian epic The Shahnameh.

Students from the third cohort of Cass Business School’s Dubai Executive MBA were awarded their degrees in a ceremony held at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

City’s summer moves get under way This month sees the relocation of several groups to 1 Myddelton Street as part of the Northampton Square Education Projects (City News, May 2012). These are: • Property & Facilities: From Goswell Place on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd June • Radiography: From Drysdale Building on Wednesday 6th June • SHS G05 (including Marketing): From West Smithfield on Thursday 7th June • SHS Academic Planning and Performance: From West Smithfield on Thursday 7th June • SHS Administration: From Health Building on Friday 8th June • Information Services: From Innovation Centre on Friday 15th to Saturday 23rd June • Human Resources: From Innovation Centre on Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th June • Payroll: From Innovation Centre on Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th July.

City takes the spotlight at the Shoreditch Festival City’s School of Informatics joined forces with other University departments to sponsor ‘Innovate Day’ at the recent Digital Shoreditch festival (City News, May 2012).

The day focused on university research being undertaken in close proximity to Tech City, London’s digital industrial hub.

Dr Sara Jones, Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Human-Computer Interaction and Dr Stephen Clulow, studying for City’s Masters in Innovation, Creativity and Leadership participated in ‘Better Conversations’, an interactive discussion exploring how businesses and universities can talk more effectively with each other.

Visitors to City’s display space on Shoreditch High Street got to experience the technologies available at City’s state-of-the-art Interaction Lab, demonstrating how technology can be used to evaluate interaction with digital content including eye-tracking, mobile testing, multi-touch interaction and more.

Enterprise at City Shaping the M&A industry At first glance, it looks like a high value deal being brokered in the City. Sitting around the table are top investment bankers, accountants and private equity consultants. But this is not a multimillion pound takeover; it is the advisory board meeting of Cass Business School’s Mergers & Acquisitions Research Centre (MARC).

The Centre, launched in 2008, is the first of its kind within a major business school to pursue research into the global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) industry. From its base in Chiswell Street, the team researches some of the most pressing issues facing the M&A industry around the world.

What makes the Centre unique is how it integrates and capitalises on the expertise of several of the M&A industry’s biggest hitters. MARC’s senior sponsors include Credit Suisse, Ernst & Young and AXA Private Equity as well as Towers Watson, Mergermarket and the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales.

“Our sponsors are more than financial donors,” explains Anna Faelten (below), Deputy Director of MARC. “They do not sit on the sidelines.

They play an active role in the research process by functioning as sounding boards for our ideas.”

While the Centre works with its sponsors on researching issues important to M&A professionals, sponsors in turn gain exclusive access to world-class research. “It is a mutually beneficial relationship,” says Anna. “We blend industry experience with academic expertise to produce research on topics that really matter in the boardroom.”

This combination of academic and industry know-how works.

Academics at the Centre recently

conducted a groundbreaking study for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills into how M&A activity can provide a short-term boost to the UK economy (City News, January 2012). The study received widespread media attention and is helping to reverse a longstanding view that M&A deals are damaging for shareholders.

How the Mergers & Acquisitions Research Centre works with the global M&A industry

The Centre has also been singled out for praise by one of the world’s leading education standards bodies.

Last year, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, which accredits business schools worldwide, published a special report showcasing the Centre’s unique makeup and activities.

But it is not just the Centre’s research that is benefiting from its close connections with business. The Centre also creates new learning and employment opportunities for Cass students.

Sponsorship agreement In March, the Centre signed a £100,000 sponsorship agreement with AXA Private Equity. As part of the deal, AXA Private Equity will provide a two-month paid summer internship in conjunction with a full scholarship for Cass’s new postgraduate degree in Corporate Finance.

“AXA Private Equity is one of the most highly regarded names in international financial services,” said Professor Scott Moeller (above), founder and Director of MARC. “This partnership will provide a fullyfunded place on our new MSc in Corporate Finance and open new work experience and employment opportunities for our students.”

Sponsors benefit from the students helping them to solve problems they are facing.

Together, these factors have made the M&A Research Centre a notable success but what is the formula underpinning it all? “We do not simply apply world-leading research to business and academia,” Scott says.

“The Centre also offers its sponsors the prestige of being associated with one of Europe’s leading business schools, a platform for networking and the chance to tap into a pool of talented recruits.”

by Chris Johnson www.city.ac.uk/staff 5

How City is taking on board feedback in last year’s Staff Survey and acting to address the issues raised

Listening to our staff Last summer, City University London’s biennial Staff Survey measured employee engagement and identified issues important to staff. The results are being used to implement action plans for improving engagement and for making City an even better place to learn and work.

As the University publishes Staff Survey action plans for most Schools and Professional Services on our intranet (tinyurl.com/Survey-ActionPlans), City News looks at how we are addressing the issues raised.

Last year, a Staff Survey Working Group, comprising representatives from all Schools and Professional Services and with Trades Union representation, was established to manage City’s response to the survey results. The Group took account of the lessons learnt from the previous staff survey in 2009 and the relevant aspects of the University’s Strategic Plan for 2012-16.

The Working Group’s aims are twofold. Firstly, to consider the survey findings for the University overall and identify how they can be most effectively addressed. Secondly, to monitor Schools’ and Professional Services’ implementation of their own action plans.

Professor David Bolton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the Working Group (facing, right), explains: “With the launch of the Strategic Plan it is more important than ever for City to engage with staff on the 2016 Vision and the Strategic Plan.

“Acting on the survey results and the drivers of engagement at University-level and within Schools and Professional Services will ensure that City addresses those issues of most importance to staff.”

Following a presentation of the results to the University Executive Committee last year, Deans and Directors of Services fed back the survey results to staff and worked with their teams to identify the significant issues and concerns and to agree how best to address them.

Three common key themes have emerged across all areas: Staff Engagement, Change Management and Career Development. So what is the University doing to address them?

Greater understanding In the survey results, staff expressed a desire for greater understanding about how the University Executive Team and Executive Committee work and the University’s decision-making structures. This was particularly relevant in the light of the development and subsequent launch of the University’s Strategic Plan 2012-16.

The University has worked hard to address these issues through the development and launch of the Strategic Plan. Staff engagement has been encouraged through the ViceChancellor’s Open House meetings and ‘surgeries’ in addition to regular email updates and team meetings within Schools and Professional Services. In addition, City News has previously featured articles on the Plan’s submission to Council (January 2012) and the background to the Plan’s development and its key themes (April 2012).

More recently, City’s web pages have been updated and a new section has been launched on the staff intranet homepage to improve access to information about City’s Vision and Strategic Plan. Plans for more

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extensive engagement with staff are being formulated.

In relation to Career Development, the University is addressing the desire expressed by staff for clearer career pathways and progression within City. The University recognises the need to communicate effectively career development opportunities such as developing skills and training (see boxout) and the role line-managers have to play to encourage staff to realise opportunities.

Alongside existing development opportunities for both academic and Professional Services staff such as training, short courses and our Research & Enterprise Development Programme and Doctoral Track scheme for academics (see boxout), Human Resources is developing a framework for the development of academic roles, including career pathways and the recognition of professional practice.

Developing staff

by Chris Leonard

City has a range of training, support and development programmes for both academic and Professional Services staff.

The Leadership & Staff Development Unit’s in-house programme includes online resources, appraisal and mentoring schemes, personal and Leadership & Management development programmes and more.

In addition, City offers staff subsidies of up to 50% for over 200 Short Course modules in our accredited Courses for Adults Programme including languages, arts, business and enterprise skills.

City is also committed to the principles of the national Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers. This includes the Doctoral Track Scheme to help research and academic staff study for doctoral qualifications, the Research and Enterprise Development Programme for academics and the work of the City Research & Enterprise Unit (CREU), including training in enterprise, knowledge transfer, applying for research grants and technology commercialisation.

Ensuring staff feel valued David says: “By addressing feedback from the survey, City will ensure that staff feel valued and that they can achieve their academic and professional ambitions with City as it strives to achieve the 2016 Vision.”

Now action plans are published and staff can view their own and other plans, the Working Group will continue to monitor implementation and share feedback and best practice.

In addition, the Group will soon start planning for the 2013 Staff Survey.

City plans to adjust the questions based on feedback from last year’s survey and will tailor it to focus on the key themes contained within the Strategic Plan for 2012-16.

For more information about the Staff Survey and to read the action plans, visit our intranet: tinyurl.com/Survey-Action-Plans

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Highlights of recent research at City University London

Research at City Improving post stroke quality of life City research has identified factors that could help health professionals provide the best interventions for improving the quality of life of people with post-stroke aphasia.

The research, co-authored by Dr Katerina Hilari (shown left with Professor Paul Curran), Dr Justin Needle and Kirsty Harrison in the School of Health Sciences, was published in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Aphasia is an impairment of language ability for example, remembering words or difficulty speaking, reading or writing, usually caused by head injuries or stroke.

The systematic review determined factors associated with, or predictive of, poor health-related quality of life (HRQL) in people with post-stroke aphasia. A better understanding of these factors may enable health professionals to devise more effective rehabilitation programs for aphasic people. The City academics found a range of important factors in ascertaining the HRQL of people with post-stroke aphasia: they included emotional distress or depression, the severity of aphasia and communication disability, other medical problems, activity limitations and aspects of social network and support.

The authors concluded that stroke HRQL studies should include people with aphasia and report separately on them to determine the main predictors of HRQL and identify the best interventions for addressing them.

Katerina said: “Aphasia has a profound impact on people’s lives.

Understanding the factors that most influence aphasic people’s quality of life can help health professionals provide better interventions and services for them.”

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Matching patents to local service provision Professor Susan Procter of the School of Health Sciences has coauthored a paper on Primary Urgent Care which identified the variety of users of emergency departments (EDs) and walk-in centres (WiCs) in North East London and matches these patterns of use to local service provision and patient choice.

The research was performed through an anonymous patient survey and the analysis of a random sample of patient records. By reference to complaints identified in the patients’ records, a nurse consultant, a GP and a pharmacist independently streamed the patients to primary care services, non-NHS services or an Emergency Department. A focus group reviewed the results.

The research, published in Primary Health Care Research & Development, used younger rather than older healthcare users (of a mean age of 35.6 years). Around 50% had not seen a health professional about their concern and over 40% were unable to obtain an emergency appointment with their GP. Over a third of the attendees were already receiving treatment and over 40% of them saw their complaint as an emergency.

The research found that more than half of the patients who responded expected to see a doctor, a quarter expected to see a nurse and only one per cent expected to see a pharmacist in an ED or WiC, despite the latter being a nurse-led service. Most respondents expected a prescription to result from a visit to a WiC, whereas a third sought health advice or reassurance from EDs. The paper concluded that several strategies for unscheduled care are, or have been, developed with the emphasis on moving demand into community-based services. Although a range of healthcare outlets is available to patients, the report found a duplication of services which sometimes resulted in repeat attendance and concluded that managing continued improvements in emergency and unscheduled care continues to be a challenge.

Mediation key to settling foreign investment disputes City research has highlighted the need for the general public to have access to an easy-to-use and non-adversarial method of bringing grievances against multinational corporations.

David Collins, Senior Lecturer at The City Law School, carried out the research, entitled ‘Alternative Dispute Settlement (‘ADR’) for Stakeholders in International Investment Law’, which was published in the Journal of International Economic Law. David discussed several ‘ADR’ mechanisms intended to address complaints from civil society stakeholder groups that may suffer as a consequence of foreign direct investment. He argued that ADR methods such as mediation are well-suited to resolving international investment disputes of this nature because of their accessibility to stakeholders in the developing world. Under such circumstances, conventional fora such as civil courts may be unavailable, not independent or too expensive.

“Voluntary mediation schemes instigated by the home states of multinational corporations could go a long way towards improving relations between foreign investors and the people of the countries in which they operate,” explains David. “This is most crucial in poor countries where people are less likely to have the resources to bring claims in domestic or international courts.”

David analysed national contact point procedures, established under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, along with the role of a new office maintained by the Canadian government which is designed to handle complaints regarding foreign investment in extractive industries such as mining (the research was supported by a grant from the Foundation for Canadian Studies in the UK).

David’s research also recommends that participation in ADR methods by investors and other stakeholders could be improved through mandatory provisions in international investment agreements.

We receive HR Excellence in Research Award

Research at City

City has received an HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission (EC), recognising the University’s alignment with the principles of the EC’s European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for their Recruitment.

The UK process for universities applying for the award incorporates the QAA Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes and the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers. This enables institutions such as City that have published Concordat implementation plans to gain the HR Excellence in Research Award.

Jo Bradford, Director of the University Research Office, said: “The Award recognises the work that has been done to date to improve the experience of our researchers, particularly research staff and doctoral students, and the University’s commitment to this agenda.

The introduction of the Graduate School from 2012/13, which was agreed after the application for the Award was made, will also help us to take this forward.”

City is currently progressing the implementation of new terms and conditions for research staff which will come into effect from 1st August 2012. These introduce parity with academic staff on pay scale progression, annual leave and sickness entitlements and access to promotion opportunities. As a result of the changes City will also become one of only a few UK universities to make continuing contracts the norm for research staff from the outset of employment.

Find the action plan submitted as part of the application at: www.city.ac.uk/research/research/support-for-researchers/ researcher-development

City Research Online Have you uploaded your research outputs to City’s research repository? City Research Online (City News, November 2011) will help you raise the visibility of your research and help the University to collate and monitor its research.

Find out more at: http://openaccess.city.ac.uk

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A first year journalism student looks at a small business success story that has grown from an idea to expansion plans within a year.

A 1950s love shake story

diner style seems to be appealing to everyone.”

Do you ever wish you could go back 60 years to see what life was like? In the heart of Shoreditch, a milkshake bar offers a retreat from stressful modern life by re-creating the atmosphere and environment of an authentic 1950s American diner.

The Love Shake has become well known locally for alcoholic milkshakes and late opening hours, but acquiring a licence was tricky. “I’ve been quite fortunate,” says Tunde. “After I was made redundant, I went on a licensing course to keep busy. It is hard to get a licence in Shoreditch so we are quite unique. The council allows people with licences to sell alcohol on condition that they hold up to 21 late night events per year. So, once a month, we stay open until 4am and have a live jive dancer. The income from late night sales contributes when things are quiet during the day but people come for our milkshakes and not the alcohol – which is why it is called The Love Shake.”

The Love Shake started as an idea in 2010 by Hackney-born founder and co-owner Tunde Aroun, who was working in IT and marketing at the time.

“I always wanted to own a café while working at the same time.

Unfortunately the recession hit and I had to make a choice: stay in IT or open the café. I had passed the site of The Love Shake, then a vacant property, for ten years on my way to work so I thought: ‘Why not give it a go?’”

The bar’s 1950s theme is carried throughout the premises. The window displays contain a gramophone, a telephone, a large radio and old film apparatus from the 1950s. Above custom-made diner booths hangs an authentic Coca-Cola sign, shining red neon light onto a portrait of Elvis.

The shelves and curtains are handmade by Tunde himself but other items were sourced from second-hand shops, antique specialists or via the internet.

What inspired the 1950s theme? “I was fascinated by Grease,” says Tunde.

“Not an obsessive fan, but I was really into that scene. Vintage always appealed to me because the manufacturing quality was much better then. You can see the passion that went into producing furniture, food and clothes. I think it’s why we get a diverse range of customers, plus the

The bar’s success shows it is possible to go with your gut instinct and follow your dreams and that it doesn’t have to be expensive to open a business.

“A similar business nearby invested £300,000. The Love Shake was a fraction of that: everything was built from scratch. Most of the crafting I did myself and luckily I have friends who do plumbing and heating and who helped me out.”

Tunde’s advice to young entrepreneurs is about the importance of conducting research. “Look at the market. One of the key things I looked at was footfall: how many people walked past this particular location. I spent a few minutes here every day assessing how many people went past and getting a feel for the area, soaking up the atmosphere.”

As for the future, Tunde is hoping to expand the business rather than sell it. He sees potential for a sister venue, a bar with a similar 1950s style which would attract customers when The Love Shake shuts at midnight.

by Oskar Falkenberg

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“The economy is growing here; you see new shops opening and there’s a feel-good factor in Shoreditch. It’s interesting to see how things have been changing.”

Meet your colleagues

The new PR team in Marketing & Communications

in Broadcast Journalism from the London College of Printing, where he was awarded a BBC bursary. Justin started his journalism career as a radio reporter for ABC Radio in Sydney, where he covered the Gulf War protests among other national news stories.

There have been some changes in Marketing & Communications over the past few months, the most recent being the creation of a new media team. John, Justin and Sophie joined City in April.

They are responsible for the development of City’s external profile and have designated responsibility for specific Schools and report to Interim Head of Communications, Katherine Trimble.

In 1991 Justin returned to London and worked for Associated Press Radio as a general news reporter. Among major stories he covered were the return of US Lebanon hostage Terry Anderson to Wiesbaden, Germany after six years of captivity and in 1993 he reported from Bosnia and Croatia at the height of the civil war, filing despatches from the besieged city of Mostar.

Sophie Cubbin

Justin then joined the start-up team of Associated Press Television News (APTV), reporting on the Northern Ireland peace process, the death of Princess Diana, the detention of General Pinochet and the 2005 London bombings. In 2006 Justin spent a six-month attachment with the US Embassy in London as a Press Officer before returning to APTV.

Senior Communications Officer, School of Law After graduating from the University of Leeds’ School of Law, Sophie completed a PgDip in Broadcast Journalism at Trinity and All Saints College. She secured work in radio newsrooms including at the BBC and the Guardian Media Group and was involved in several acclaimed documentaries, receiving a nomination for Journalist of the Year at the GMG Awards.

Sophie Cubbin

Justin KerrSmiley

In 2008, Sophie began following the case of nine year-old Shannon Matthews, who was reported missing in Dewsbury, Yorkshire. The extraordinary story continued for nearly ten months and culminated in the conviction and imprisonment of Shannon’s mother and step-uncle on charges of kidnap and perverting the course of justice. Sophie produced an hour-long programme on the case, which aired across the GMG Radio network and was nominated for a leading radio industry award.

Sophie later left GMG Radio to fulfil an ambition to travel, visiting China, Australia, Vietnam and Canada. On her return to the UK, Sophie became Press and Communications Officer for Intellectual Property law firm Shipley IP. In the competitive legal services market, Sophie devised a communications strategy that enhanced Shipley IP’s reputation and successfully supported its expansion into the London market, helping it to increase its ranking in the Legal 500 year on year.

Justin Kerr-Smiley Senior Communications Officer, Schools of Arts and Social Sciences and School of Health Sciences John Stevenson

Justin spent 20 years at the sharp end of broadcast news. After reading history at Newcastle University in 1987, he gained a postgraduate degree

John Stevenson Senior Communications Officer, Schools of Engineering & Mathematical Sciences and Informatics John’s career spans corporate communications, media intelligence and journalism. After studying Political Science and Sociology at the University of the West Indies in Barbados he moved to Haifa, Israel, in 1992 to be an editor in the Secretariat of the Baha’i World Centre.

Returning to Barbados in 1995, he worked as freelance print journalist and broadcaster, producing and presenting programmes for Voice of Barbados and writing for the Barbados Advocate and Caribbean News Agency.

In 1998 John returned to the University of the West Indies to work as a Public Information Assistant and raised the profile of the flagship regional higher education institution’s research to local and international audiences. He then moved into public relations at Young & Rubicam’s Barbados affiliate, SOJE Communications, working on blue-chip client accounts including Virgin Atlantic Airways and Cable & Wireless.

In 2000, John relocated to the UK where he worked as a Corporate Communications Consultant, freelance music journalist and broadcaster and Senior Editor with media intelligence agency Precise, where he worked with technology sector clients including Symbian, QinetiQ and SunGard. This latter engagement inspired him to attain an MA in Digital Culture & Technology from King’s College London in 2007.

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Dates for your diary

ICLCity 2012: Innovation, Creativity and Leadership conference

www.city.ac.uk/events

9am-8pm, Monday 11th June, City University London The second one-day conference hosted by the Centre for Creativity in Professional Practice involving workshops, discussion and networking, including keynotes from strategist and author Max McKeown and communication coach Neil Mullarkey.

From free market order to market fundamentalism: The fate of economics 5pm-6.20pm Wednesday 6th June, D104 Social Sciences Bldg Dr William Dixon (London Metropolitan University Business School) gives a talk as part of the Department of Economics' spring 2012 research seminar series.

Presidents Dinner 6pm onwards, Thursday 7th June, Saddler’s Bar A celebration of City’s student community co-hosted by the SU President, the Vice-Chancellor and the President of the Alumni Association. Includes the Carrot Awards, the highest accolade the SU can bestow, given to those that have gone above and beyond in their contribution to the student community.

Optometry Class of 1949 Reunion 12pm-4pm Saturday 9th June, The Peasant, St John’s Street Annual reunion for optometry alumni, staff and the class of 1949, organised by Maurice Bardiger (Optometry 1949).

Autism and the Criminal Justice System: From eyewitness testimony, victimisation to offending 9.30am – 5pm Tuesday 12th June, College Building Speakers from a range of backgrounds - lawyers, intermediaries and clinicians - will be discussing factors relating to autism and the Criminal Justice System.

Cyber-Security 6pm-8.30pm Tuesday 12 June, Cass Business School An overview of the centres for Software Reliability (CSR) and Cyber Security Sciences (CCySS) by Professors Kevin Jones and David Stupples and Dr Ilir Gashi.

City Lights: Plus-Minus 7pm-8.30pm Tuesday 12th June, Performance Space

Staff training and development For information about staff training, email: evan.bates.1@city.ac.uk or visit: http://www.city.ac.uk/sd/index

Free taster session. Register: http://tinyurl.com/ccjm5os Thursday 28th June

Heartstart Programme

Introduction to Higher Education

Thursday 7th June

Tuesday 3rd July

Lunch and Learn: Arabic for beginners

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies

Free taster session. Register: http://tinyurl.com/ccjm5os Thursday 7th June

Tuesday 10th July

Mentoring Skills for Academic and Professional Staff

Tuesday 10th July

Thursday 21st June

Risk Assessment for Professional Staff Tuesday 26th June To be completed in conjunction with Cardinus online training, Effective Risk Management for Academic Staff on our Intranet (under Training and Development)

Lunch and Learn: Japanese for beginners

Building Disability Confidence Finance and Purchasing Training Friday 13th July

Part of City’s Concert Series. City's ensemble in residence will perform current postgraduate student compositions as well as their own repertoire.

The Future of the Bar 6pm-7pm, Monday 25th June, Atkin Building 4 Gray's Inn Place A joint event between The City Law School and The South Eastern Circuit of the Bar – a debate on proposals for a new Code of Conduct and for Entity Regulation, and the impact of these proposals upon the justice system and the Bar.

Aiming for Gold The fourth annual Learning At City Conference this month focuses on improving student learning through enhanced assessment and feedback.

The one-day event on Wednesday 13th June in the Oliver Thompson Lecture Theatre, features presentations and panel discussions including a keynote presentation by world-renowned educationalist Professor Graham Gibbs.

To register, visit our website: www.city.ac.uk/ldc2012