Coventry University Innovate Magazine issue 17

INNOVATE Research and Innovation at Coventry University I www.coventry.ac.uk /research Issue 17 I 2016

INTERNATIONAL IMPACT

Giving small farmers a voice

RESEARCH FUTURES

Tackling the rhythm of reading

THINKING APPLIED Research to solve real-world problems

THE BIG QUESTION How can we use social relations to improve engagement?

INNOVATE

HELLO

Research and Innovation at Coventry University I www.coventry.ac.uk /research Issue 17 I 2016

IT’S MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE LATEST ISSUE OF COVENTRY UNIVERSITY’S RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE MAGAZINE, INNOVATE.

FULLY FUNDED PhD STUDENTSHIPS Coventry University is offering fully funded PhD studentship opportunities, working with world leading professors and research teams in the following areas: • ADVANCED MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING • AGROECOLOGY, WATER & RESILIENCE • APPLIED BIOLOGICAL & EXERCISE SCIENCES • APPLIED MATHEMATICS & CONTROL • BUSINESS IN SOCIETY • COMMUNITIES & SOCIAL JUSTICE • DANCE RESEARCH • ENGINEERING & COMPUTING • LOW IMPACT BUILDINGS • MANUFACTURING & MATERIALS ENGINEERING • MOBILITY & TRANSPORT • PSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOUR & ACHIEVEMENT • TECHNOLOGY ENABLED HEALTH • TRUST, PEACE & SOCIAL RELATIONS

APPLY NOW

www.coventry.ac.uk/studentships

Professor Kevin Warwick Deputy Vice-Chancellor Contact: innovate@coventry.ac.uk

CONTACTS If you would like to find out more about any of the articles in Innovate, if you have a general enquiry about research at Coventry University or would like to subscribe to the mailing list please contact Merryn O’Connor, merrynoconnor@coventry.ac.uk or visit www.coventry.ac.uk/research/Innovate Editorial Katie Southwell I katie.southwell@coventry.ac.uk Alex Roache I alex.roache@coventry.ac.uk Design and Production Marketing and Communications I Printed by Emmersons Photography photography.mc@coventry.ac.uk Advertising Merryn O’Connor I merrynoconnor@coventry.ac.uk

Unfortunately for me, this will be my final feature in the magazine. I’ve decided to retire from my post at Coventry University but will still keep a close watch on the exciting direction of this great institution.

This issue is packed with stories about the way we consult with a range of companies, public sector bodies and government agencies. In this issue, we have updates from our research centres and news from campus. Heather Parker from the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations tackles the ‘Big Question’ about how the University can work with the community to improve social relations.

It’s been a great time to be a part of research at Coventry. I’ve helped transform the way we carry out research and now we’re concentrating our efforts on the areas where we can truly make a difference to society and create the most impact.

This issue also has a strong focus on the future of research and why we’re investing in our hugely talented PhD students. Find out why they wanted to study a PhD at Coventry University and the range of fascinating topics they are researching.

This issue of Innovate will give you a glimpse inside the life-changing research carried out here and demonstrate the benefits we bring through our collaboration with business.

From personal spending budgets for older people in the UK to the views of farmers in the Andes, you can read about the difference our research is making all across the world.

The range of stories in this issue shows the depth and breadth of our expertise. As a University we’re determined to play our part in shaping the future. If you feel you’d like to work with the University, then please get in touch.

INNOVATE

CONTENTS

Research and Innovation at Coventry University I www.coventry.ac.uk /research Issue 17 I 2016

REGULARS

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06 RESEARCH ROUND-UP

FEATURES 12 PROMOTING PEACE

Latest news, find out who’s doing what, where and when?

Professor wins international peace prize

11 THINKING APPLIED

22 A SAVVY APPROACH TO SEXUAL HEALTH

How Coventry’s research solves real world problems

Supporting teenagers access to services

14 RESEARCH FUTURES

Raising the profile of disability in dance

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24 FALLING SHORT ON SUPPORT FOR OLDER PEOPLE

16 RESEARCH FUTURES Tackling the rhythm of reading

18 THE BIG QUESTION

How can we use social relations to improve community engagement?

21 INSIGHT

Take a look inside the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations

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How personal budgets are stripping away independence for older people

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26 SMALL FARMERS MAKING A BIG IMPACT

Giving small farmers across the world the opportunity to influence policy

28 GET THE INSIDE TRACK ON INNOVATION Paul Fairburn gives an insight into how to turn your business idea into a successful reality

30 RAPID FIRE RESEARCH

Quick fire questions with Autism expert, Sarah Cassidy Interested in finding out more visit: www.coventry.ac.uk/research I email: innovate@coventry.ac.uk I

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RESEARCH AND BUSINESS SUPPORT CONTRIBUTE TO ‘UNIVERSITY OF THE YEAR’ ACCOLADE

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NEWS

WELDING EXPERT FORGES LINK AT MANUFACTURING CENTRE

Researchers at Coventry University are leading the first large scale study of refugees in four European countries – Italy, Greece, Malta and Turkey.

Support for SMEs in the West Midlands and a transformational approach to research are just two factors which have contributed to Coventry University being chosen as the Times Higher Education ‘University of the Year’.

The Times Higher Education awards are widely recognised as the Oscars of higher education and celebrate the pioneering spirit, adaptability and quality across the university sector. This awarded is hotly contested and competition is fierce. The judges were impressed by Coventry University’s willingness to take calculated risks at a time when other universities are accused of ‘ploughing familiar furrows’. John Gill, editor of Times Higher Education, said: ‘The judges were impressed with Coventry’s achievements across a range of activities and, in particular, by its novel approach to improving access. We’re always looking for pioneers who make bold attempts to tackle the issues facing higher education locally, regionally and nationally, and Coventry is to be congratulated for doing it so successfully.’

Findings from the study will be used to inform policy and shape the responses of governments, European agencies, and charities.

An international team, led by Professor Heaven Crawley from the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, are currently in the Mediterranean region gathering data on the backgrounds, experiences, aspirations and routes of migrants. The £1million project is part of the ‘Mediterranean Migration Research Programme’ which has been established through the Economic and Social Research Council and the Department for International Development.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Latham said: ‘This is a landmark achievement for Coventry University and a wonderful testament to our staff who have worked so hard to make this such a successful year. This accolade is hotly contested, so it’s quite an accomplishment for us to have achieved this kind of recognition within the industry.

In a compelling submission, Coventry outlined the innovative ways we work with more SME’s than any other university and the significant investment we’ve made in delivering research which truly makes an impact on society. This combined with our groundbreaking approaches to teaching and learning, outstanding student support and global outlook all contributed to this major achievement.

VC John Latham (centre) and Coventry University colleagues collect the ‘University of the Year’ award at the Times Higher Education Awards 2015 Coventry’s latest accolade follows a number of notable achievements, which include being named ‘Modern University of the Year’ for the third time by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. The University also rose into the UK’s top 15 in the Guardian University Guide, was voted top for personal development in the National Student Survey 2015, and was presented with one of the most coveted accolades in UK business – the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

‘There’s much to celebrate, but it’s what’s going on beyond the accolades and league table positions that I’m most proud of – particularly the way we help our students to reach their full potential, whether through the hands-on, activity-led learning approach we pioneer at Coventry, the international opportunities they have, or through the vast array of sports and activities at the students’ union.

‘This award is for everyone in our community of learning. Staff, students, local businesses we support and residents who we engage with on a regular basis – this is something that Coventry as a city should feel proud about.’

If you’d like to find out more about the different ways you can work with Coventry University visit www.coventry.ac.uk/research

£1MILLION STUDY TO SUPPORT REFUGEE CRISIS

An industry specialist that helped prevent Venice from flooding has joined the UK’s first ‘Faculty on the Factory Floor’.

Steve Jones has joined the team at the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) as Professor for Welding and Joining Sciences. Steve will develop the materials and joining cell at the manufacturing centre, alongside teaching the next generation of engineers.

Professor Crawley said: ‘We need to better understand the different routes that migrants take – and why – including the ways these routes change in response to policies implemented by EU member states. This evidence will contribute towards improvements in the current policy response and a more informed public and political debate on migration to Europe.’

Working with experts from the universities of Oxford and Birmingham, the team will collect evidence from more than 500 migrants and 100 stakeholders between now and January 2016 and present their findings to policymakers and politicians.

Regarded by many as a global expert, Steve joins AME from Rolls-Royce Plc. In his new role he will enhance AME’s ability to bid for and deliver new technology projects in automotive, aerospace, energy, nuclear, oil and rail.

Steve said: ‘I’ll be supporting AME and Coventry University to become a world class centres of applied research for joining and welding sciences. We have an outstanding new facility to work with, major investment in state-of-the-art equipment and an excellent team of lecturers, engineers and scientists eager to push the boundaries of this new technological capability.’

For further information, please visit www.ame.co.uk or follow @ame_uk on twitter.

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TACKLING POVERTY IN CITIES

INNOVATE SHARING KNOWLEDGE FOR BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

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SCIENTIFIC EXPERT AWARDED ROYAL SOCIETY HONOUR

A team from Coventry University recently exhibited the potential of smart clothing and wearable technology at the Royal Society.

Local businesses can now access support for finance, marketing and business development through Coventry University Social Enterprise (CUSE), a Community Interest Company, devoted to helping individuals set up social enterprises.

This 7-day event attracted more than 5000 visitors who were able to try out some of the latest technologies in the world of science. Dr Kathryn Wills and a team from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) demonstrated how smart clothing can help people to navigate their surroundings by embedding GPS in fabrics, warm them up on a cold day through heat emitting sensors, or monitor the heartbeat of someone with a cardiac condition. Creating these ‘clever clothes’ can offer benefits to the environment as well as the economy.

Researchers at Coventry University have identified grassroots approaches to help cities move poorer households out of poverty.

In the UK, over half of the 13 million people living in poverty are from working families. Although this is a widespread issue, relatively little is known about how cities can develop local approaches aimed at tackling poverty. Dr Paul Sissons from Coventry University’s Centre for Business in Society has worked on a new project, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, to gain understanding in this area.

The team have reviewed approaches that link households in poverty to better employment outcomes. The work covers a range of policy areas including skills, public and private employment services, economic development, health, transport, innovation and business support services. The findings from the review have been further developed through expert interviews and case studies to provide additional learning on promising approaches.

The research was conducted with the Institute for Employment Research and the University of Warwick.

Visit: www.jrf.org.uk/publications/how-cities-can-connect-people-poverty-jobs

Kathryn is working to develop a solution that could change the world of smart textiles. This partnership, known as ‘knowledge transfer’ is a way for businesses to access academic expertise to solve real world problems. Coventry University has been working with industry on Knowledge Transfer Partnerships for many years and has developed hundreds of innovative, time-saving and cost-effective solutions. The partnership brings together three elements, the company, academic expertise and a dedicated KTP associate, in this case, Dr Kathryn Wills.

Kathryn explained: ‘To make smart clothing practical we need better ways to apply electronic circuitry to fabric, so it’s not impaired by stretching, flexing or repeated washing. We’re working on solutions to develop a process that is hardwearing and washable, without interfering with the wearability of the fabric.’ Getting the chance to exhibit at the Royal Society was a great platform for Kathryn to demonstrate the potential of her research. Kathryn continued: ‘The event was designed to engage people with science and technology. Our work on wearable technologies proved very popular with adults and children and provoked lots of debate about the benefits of ‘clever clothes’.

A FIRST FOR SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT

The University’s commitment to social enterprise was highlighted by the recent award of the Social Enterprise Mark – making Coventry one of only a handful universities in the UK to have been awarded the accolade. Coventry joins other ethical businesses that have been presented with the Mark, including Age UK Enterprises, Eden Project and the Big Issue. Keith Jeffrey, managing director of CUSE, said: ‘Receiving the Social Enterprise Mark reinforces our commitment to supporting sustainable businesses and consequently helping local communities to thrive and prosper.’

Professor Alban Pothérat from the University’s Applied Mathematics Research Centre has won a coveted award from the UK’s national academy of science.

Alban, an expert in fluid mechanics has been presented with the Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award.

Jointly funded by the Wolfson Foundation and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the award helps universities attract top scientific talent from overseas and enables them to retain respected UK scientists of outstanding achievement and potential.

‘The work we are doing champions the idea of social enterprise, while allowing us to support, manage and implement the most effective ideas. Our ‘Enterprise Hub’ provides tailored business support for entrepreneurs, including those looking to develop businesses that tackle social problems, improve communities, people’s life chances, or the environment.

‘We are able to support businesses at all stages of the process by providing guidance on finance, marketing and business development, which enables social entrepreneurs to focus on their creative approach.’ For more information on CU Social Enterprise or to access the support of the Enterprise Hub contact Keith Jeffrey at KJeffrey@cad.coventry.ac.uk

Hotly contested by universities across the country, the award is granted on the basis of the applicant’s research record and promise; their contribution to furthering research in their field; the quality of facilities at their university; and their commitment to teaching, learning and disseminating of research outputs within their institution and beyond.

Alban said: ‘I am deeply honoured to receive this prestigious award from the Royal Society. Beyond the recognition it carries for my work and that of my collaborators, the award testifies of the importance of research in fundamental areas such as turbulence in magnetic fields, and more generally, in all areas where curiosity decides to take us, whether fundamental or applied.’

University Governor Tim Matthews receives the Social Enterprise Mark from Ian Middleton, Chairman of the Social Enterprise Mark

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THINKING APPLIED

WORK BUDDY – THE DISABLED WORKERS NEW BEST FRIEND

HEALTH PROFESSOR SWAPS NOTES WITH TOP NHS MINISTER Professor Darrin Baines, an expert in the economics of the NHS from the University’s Centre for Technology Enabled Health Research, recently swapped the lab for the Lords this week as part of a Royal Society initiative to pair up the UK’s leading scientists and policymakers.

A new app developed by Dr Alex Woolner from Coventry University’s Serious Games Institute (SGI) could revolutionise the way disabled employees carry out their everyday tasks and make them more independent in the workplace.

Darrin spent time in Westminster alongside Lord Prior of Brampton, the minister for NHS productivity, and his civil servants. As part of the government-backed scheme, Professor Baines will shadow Lord Prior and learn about his ministerial responsibilities – which include NHS finances, operations and performance – and his work in both the first and second chambers of parliament.

The visit will be reciprocated with a ministerial visit to Coventry University by Lord Prior himself, during which he will see the work carried out by the centre, the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences and other areas.

The unique initiative will provide a behind-the-scenes insight into how policy is formed and how his research can be used to make evidence-based decisions, and Lord Prior himself will have an opportunity to use the professor’s expertise to investigate the science behind decisions.

Professor Baines said: ‘This is a great initiative which will give both of us a flavour of each other’s roles, and I’m confident it will strengthen links between academia and healthcare policy-making and will help position Coventry at the forefront of that relationship.’

EVENTS Access to events delivered by leading researchers and business experts

TEDx COVENTRY UNIVERSITY

DISABILITY SPORT: WHY DO WE ‘DIS’ PEOPLE’S ABILITIES?

Saturday 23 January 2016

Monday 27 June – Wednesday 29 June 2016

10.00am – 4.00pm TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is a non-profit organisation that aims to spread ideas through short and powerful talks. TEDxCoventryUniversity will reflect the ideas of people who have been inspired to cause change in their immediate community and the world at large with the theme, Technology: Pushing the Limits.

Technology now plays an important part of our everyday lives and we’re very excited to see how this theme will be explored. For more information, follow the event on Twitter: @TEDxCoventryUni

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9.00am – 5.00pm Coventry University TechnoCentre The Centre for Business in Society are hosting an international, inter-disciplinary conference for academics and practitioners. The conference will focus on the use of disability sport as a tool for peace, development and social inclusion.

For further information please email: cbisadmin.bes@coventry.ac.uk

Alex is working with digital developers Serious Games International, Remploy - the UK’s leading provider of disability employment, local special needs education provider, Hereward College and Birmingham Autism support services to develop an app called ‘Work Buddy’.

Work Buddy allows users to feel confident and empowered as they document their tasks at work.

They can refer to the tasks throughout the day and it has useful videos, pictures and audio designed to make tasks simpler.

Alex said: ‘Having Remploy involved has brought huge benefits to the project team. They’ve provided access to a wide range of different workplace situations which will make the app much more robust and varied.’

Mark Burrett, programme designer for Remploy, said: ‘We’re committed to improve employment rates for people with learning disabilities which currently stand at 7% in the UK. Remploy is delighted to be able to support the development of Work Buddy. Tools like this will help enhance the experience for users.’

Work Buddy is currently in the testing phase, and thanks to Remploy, the app has been deployed to a much wider sample involving major employers like Tesco and the NHS as well as more bespoke clients like independent shops and cafes.

Work Buddy will be launched in May 2016 and will be downloadable through Android platforms.

To find out how your business could benefit from the expertise at Coventry University visit: www.coventry.ac.uk/eandi

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INTERNATIONAL PEACE PRIZE HONOUR Alpaslan Özerdem, professor of peacebuilding at Coventry University, has received the International Peace Medal of the Peace Corps of Nigeria. The award is made in recognition of Alp’s lifetime achievements and outstanding leadership in the field of peacebuilding.

The award was made at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington during which Professor Özerdem delivered a speech on the challenges of peacebuilding in a contemporary world. As part of the award, Professor Özerdem also attended the 70th United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York – a landmark meeting between heads of states and governments which is set to tackle issues around poverty, inequality and climate change beyond 2015.

Professor Özerdem was nominated to receive the medal by over 89,000 members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria. As co-director of University’s Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR), his work has seen him engage extensively with communities in Nigeria to help with peacebuilding initiatives and the prevention of ethno-religious conflict in the country.

Speaking about the award, Professor Özerdem said: ‘To be awarded such an esteemed accolade by the Peace Corps of Nigeria gives me great pride and pleasure.

‘In many ways the medal is a reflection of the achievement across all levels of peacebuilding activity in our Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, and of the world-leading work being carried out with different groups in many different countries. I hope it will serve to raise the profile of those efforts and to inspire more people to take on the challenge of preventing conflict and promoting peace.

‘The award is also an indication of the strong relationships that are being forged between the higher education sector in the UK and the international community, and underlines just how important it is to build bridges and exert a positive influence around the world for sustainable peacebuilding. Universities like Coventry, whose ambitions are to achieve genuine 12 I ISSUE 17 I INNOVATE

“In many ways the medal is a reflection of the achievement across all levels of peacebuilding activity in our Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations”

To be awarded such an esteemed accolade by the Peace Corps of Nigeria gives me great pride and pleasure. impact through research, are playing an increasingly prominent role in these kinds of dialogue.’

The International Peace Medal award follows recent praise by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, for a CTPSR research project led by Professor Özerdem into the role played by religious groups in preventing violent conflict.

Archbishop Welby used a House of Lords debate to highlight the centre’s EPSRC-funded ‘Faith-based conflict prevention’ project – on which Professor Özerdem is collaborating with the Anglican Alliance, Coventry Cathedral and the Archbishop himself – as an effective way to promote peace and prevent conflict through non-military means.

PROMOTING PEACE ACROSS THE GLOBE The greatest minds in peacemaking and global affairs recently gathered in Coventry for the first RISING global peace forum. Organised by Coventry University’s Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry City Council and Coventry Cathedral, RISING 15 brought together experts in politics, business and society to push forward new ways of responding to conflict in our turbulent world.

This year’s line-up included politician Rt Hon Gordon Brown, now UN Special Envoy for Global Education,

and UK Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn. They were joined by leading journalists including BBC’s Mary Harper and The Times’ Michael Binyon, global faith leaders including Cardinal John Onaiyekan and Archbishop Josiah Fearon, and Coventry’s top academics in the field. Professor Mike Hardy, Co-Director of the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations said: ‘This really has been a very special event and I think we have undoubtedly laid the foundation for an annual symposium which has a future of global significance. The sessions have looked at some very difficult and testing issues, and some serious questions have been asked – questions which will stimulate academic debate and research into what is one of the most pressing issues of our time.

‘The people involved will now take that thinking out to their communities and institutions and it will influence opinions and actions and that is significant. When you have people such as Gordon Brown telling the world it must come to Coventry to see what we have achieved, that resonates internationally.’

Laura Payne, RISING Director and Research Fellow said: ‘The success of the first RISING event is evident from the feedback we’ve received and the impact we’ve made on the lives and work of those who attended.

The University was a major player in this success and we’re delighted that the legacy of the event will live on. RISING 16 is already in planning and we’re keen to continue this strong momentum. RISING 16 will be held in Coventry on 15 – 16 November 2016 and will feature an equally strong line-up of influential and inspirational speakers.’

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INSIGHT

DANCE, DISABILITY AND LEADERSHIP

INSIGHT

Studying a PhD can open doors to a whole new world. Professional dancer Kate Marsh has uncovered a passion for dance research through her studies. As a dancer with a disability, Kate is keen to share her own experiences with others through her research.

PhD student Kate Marsh is based in the University’s Centre for Dance Research.

The Centre brings together artists and scholars to work collaboratively with partners from across the creative and cultural industries for research and knowledge exchange.

Kate started her formal dance training 22 years ago and got her first professional job four years later.

‘I love to dance. It was never an active decision to make dance my career. There was no ‘eureka’ moment but I took every opportunity I could and things have evolved from there.’

both academically and professionally in dance. Sarah is a really brilliant supervisor. She has an extensive knowledge of my research area; she is also really great at understanding all the other aspects of my everyday life that impact on the PhD, which makes a huge difference.’

Kate is an associate artist with Candoco Dance Company, a contemporary dance company of disabled and non-disabled dancers. As part of her work with Candoco, Kate was invited to perform at the Paralympic Closing Ceremony in 2012. She has also performed in work by Graeae Theatre Company, and recently performed a duet with Welly O’Brien which they presented at the South Bank in London.

Studying a PhD has been really helpful for Kate to find her own academic voice. She has also used this experience to help find a scholarly framework for interrogating and understanding her own dance practice and dance in more general terms.

Kate explained: ‘I wanted to extend my study and practice in dance to take a more of a research focus so I chose to study a PhD at Coventry University. I wanted to explore how my practice and research would and could intersect with each other.’

‘My interest in pursuing the PhD research really stemmed from many years working as a professional disabled dancer. I was on the edge of a big shift in the way disabled dancers are seen and positioned in the industry. Despite this, there is still a lack of disabled leaders and dance. I really wanted to explore firstly why that might be and secondly how my research might inform future opportunities for disabled artists.’

Kate is in her third year of the PhD which forms part of an Arts, Humanities Research and Council project about Dance, Disability and Leadership. Kate works alongside academic staff in the University’s Centre for Dance Research. For Kate, having a supportive mentor and supervisor has been a crucial element in studying for a PhD. ‘Professor Sarah Whatley is well regarded

“I wanted to extend my study and practice in dance to take a more of a research focus so I chose to study a PhD at Coventry University”

Kate is quite open and honest that unlike lots of jobs or areas of study, PhD research does not follow normal 9-5, Monday to Friday patterns. ‘Choosing to study a PhD means it is always with you. I think about it when I’m shopping or at the gym or picking my kids up from school. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming and challenging, but at the same time I have loved and still love the in-depth nature of the research.’

For many people, juggling work and study seems like an impossible feat. Kate explains: ‘I try my best to be a mum, a dancer and a scholar but sometimes, like everyone else, I feel like I don’t do it very well. I do however think my children really benefit from watching me develop and extend my studies and hopefully this will show them how important education is. Being a research student is pretty constant but the rewards are much greater. My sons are always saying how proud they are of me.’

Kate concludes: ‘A PhD is tough, but in a really great way. It’s a tremendous way of engaging with a specific area of practice or research. It has genuinely helped me to consider how I might contribute to the wider field of dance research in the future.’

The digital economy is growing at seven times the rate of the rest of the economy; this, linked to the rapid pace at which the creative industries are growing, makes this project and the digitisation of arts and culture for preservation and reanimation a major focus for research.

Known locally as C-DaRE, it’s one of the most respected centres of dance research in the UK, with a rapidly growing international profile. The Centre specialises in diverse forms of artistic research in dance, supported by new approaches to documentation and analysis of choreographic creativity. The Centre is interested in live and digital dance, and the knowledge of dance artists.

C-DaRE works on a number of projects funded by various organisations including the Arts and Humanities Research Council, JISC, the Leverhulme Trust, Arts Council England and the Cultural Olympiad.

C-DaRE also hosts national and international dance conferences, symposia and training programmes. There is a regular programme of events including the biennial International Conference on Dance and Somatic Practices and the annual Digital Echoes Symposium, which focuses on developments in digital archiving in relation to dance/performance. The Centre is also the home to the Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices, published by Intellect.

C-DaRE is currently working on a number of projects including Europeana Space, which brings together 28 partners from 13 European countries. As the lead partner, C-DaRE is coordinating the £3.25million project to develop a Best Practice Network. The project links cultural organisations including universities, research organisations, small-to-medium-sizeenterprises, galleries, museums, technology providers and broadcasters to contribute to Europe’s cultural economy. The aim of the work is to generate jobs and growth by supporting the creative use and re-use of digital cultural heritage – material held in rich archives, collections and accessible via portals.

“The aim of the work is to generate jobs and growth by supporting the creative use and re-use of digital cultural heritage”

Professor Sarah Whatley said: ‘Our work in the project is to develop more ways to explore and enhance users’ engagement with the rich range of cultural content, and in particular intangible cultural heritage, available in Europeana and other European online collections.

We have some exciting technologies to play with and the aim is to find ways to apply these technologies in new ways to increase employment, expand economic growth and enable those working within the creative industries across Europe to find more ways to exploit cultural content for the benefit of everyone.’

Europeana Space will move Sarah Whatley’s work into a new sphere. ‘This is a hugely challenging but absolutely fascinating project. Europeana is so vast and brings together so many different elements.

We’re working with partners from across Europe so we’re dealing with cultural and geographical differences too. I’m thrilled to be part of a project that is promoting the creative industries in new ways and involving more people in cultural heritage. I’m also privileged to be able to help make these collections more vibrant and relevant for today.’

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Emily conducted an initial study with 73 school children aged between 4-5 years. The children were divided into three groups; one who were taught using the speech rhythm intervention, one who were taught using a traditional phonological awareness-based intervention, and one control group who completed a Maths intervention. Emily also replicated the study with a group of older children aged between 7-8 years.

With the older children, Emily wanted to concentrate particularly on the children who were struggling with their reading. She conducted an initial reading assessment of the group and recruited 49 children who were falling behind. Again, these children were randomly allocated to one of three interventions.

PhD student Emily Harrison is using her passion for literacy to help unlock the potential of children.

Literacy is the combination of reading, writing, speaking and listening skills we all need to fulfil our potential and a topic that researchers at Coventry University’s Centre for Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement have been interested in for a number of years.

Most recently, PhD student Emily Harrison has been investigating the reading element of literacy, focusing on the use of phonics. Phonics was introduced by the Department for Education for all English schools to use as their reading system. It requires children to blend common sounds into words and encourages children to sound out words rather than recognising the whole word and reading it for meaning.

Emily explains: ‘The use of phonics in teaching children to read has been open to a degree of controversy.

Phonics doesn’t work for everyone and it’s important for teachers and schools to recognise this and try to find different approaches. My undergraduate research focused on the relationship between various reading skills and sensitivity to another type of phonology known as speech rhythm. This includes the rhythmic elements of speech, such as stress, intonation and timing, which accompany the segmental elements that children are taught about in their phonics lessons. The relationship between speech rhythm and reading has been well supported, but there is little reference in the literature to any interventions which target speech

A RIGHT WAY TO READ? According to the National Literacy Trust, one person in six in the UK is held back by poor literacy skills which compromise employability, health, confidence and happiness.* rhythm as a possible way of enhancing literacy skills.’

This different approach attracted the interest of grant makers, the Leverhulme Trust who agreed to fund a PhD research student to investigate the issue. Emily applied and was successfully appointed to the role.

Emily said: ‘I saw this as a really exciting opportunity to investigate this approach further. Whilst phonics is hugely successful for some children, for those who it doesn’t work well with, there are no alternatives. The opportunity of finding a new solution was something that really appealed to me.’

Emily worked with the children for 10 weeks and recorded their ability across a number of areas at the start of the study, and at the end. She looked at reading ability, phonological awareness, and speech rhythm sensitivity, together with other measures of literacy skills.

In both age groups, the children who received training on the speech rhythm-based intervention showed significantly higher gains in their reading ability than children in the control group. Emily said: ‘The results were very pleasing, particularly the differences the work made with beginning readers. Rhythmic interventions have recently been used in a limited number of studies with established readers but this was the first time the approach had been adopted for children who have not already been exposed to reading tuition. It’s a really novel area and I’m excited to be part of it.’

Many of the teachers had never heard of speech rhythm, so it was great to be able to share this approach with them. Many of them also said they think a combination of the two approaches would help in the classroom and some said they would be happy to continue to use the elements I had showed them.’

“Whilst phonics is hugely successful for some children, for those who it doesn’t work well with, there are no alternatives.

The opportunity of finding a new solution was something that really appealed to me”

Emily started her PhD in 2011 and completed earlier this year. ‘I have absolutely loved studying for this PhD and I’m looking forward to what happens next.

This research is really novel and it’s a real breakthrough. It’s so rewarding to think that through my work, I may have found a way of applying a different approach that can help children struggling with the concept of phonics.’ Emily is in the process of publishing her work and has already written two academic papers reporting the results of her studies, and a further paper about what makes a good intervention. Emily is currently teaching both undergraduate and Master’s level students in psychology and would be happy to pursue a career in either research or teaching, or preferably a combination of both.

Emily was also encouraged by the feedback she received from the teachers involved in the study.

‘It’s interesting to find out how many teachers are prophonics and happy to stick with the current approach and how many are open to new ideas. There is no ‘onesize-fits-all’ approach to learning to read which is why I’m surprised that the curriculum isn’t more flexible.

There is evidence which shows that poor readers have poor sensitivity to speech rhythm, suggesting that if we can improve speech rhythm sensitivity, reading ability should also improve. Emily wanted to investigate the design of a speech rhythm based intervention which might help improve reading ability. Focusing on the themes of stress, intonation, and timing, Emily produced a series of picture flash cards and corresponding audio stimuli, and simple tests which would help the users to associate the sounds of the words with the images and remove the emphasis on actual written words.

Want to take your learning to the next level? Find out about the PhD opportunities at Coventry University, visit: www.coventry.ac.uk/explore

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*State of the Nation Literacy Report 2013/14

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THE BIG QUESTION

Heather has spent all her life working with communities, whether it’s on her own doorstep, or further afield in Japan and Kenya. Heather is a wellknown, well respected figure and is currently working on a major project to link the city and the University.

What’s the benefit of bringing the city and the University together?

Urban universities are a huge asset for their home cities. They are catalysts for social mobility and provide huge investment and extensive employment opportunities. They attract a population which can drive local enterprise, creativity and cultural vibrancy.

Historically, Coventry University and the city of Coventry were well connected. But over recent years, Coventry University’s growth and success has seen a repositioning and refreshed outlook. New horizons have opened and new sources of income generated. One consequence has been a changing relationship with the City; the two still work closely together, but for some parts, daily life on campus has become disconnected from the wider city of Coventry.

How are you re-connecting the city and the university?

The University’s Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR) has developed an innovative social relations initiative to reconnect the city and the University. It has taken, as its core focus, the challenge to create a university that is relevant to all parts of the City. The City University initiative was developed by Professor Mike Hardy and Professor Harris Beider as an innovative and cross cutting applied research project at CTPSR and is led by Sinead Ouillan, the programme leader. I’m involved to engage with local communities in Coventry.

The City University Initiative aims to reduce inequalities, raise aspirations, improve social mobility and promote good social relations in Coventry, through its own brand of UniverCity interface. The programme represents a unique approach to community engagement, which connects University; staff, students, and equipment with local partners through two core themes. The first is ‘Creativity and Social Innovation in the City’, bringing people together to learn and share experiences, and the second theme is ‘Social Relations in Cities’, exploring, hate crime, equality and diversity, community research, and an ambitious Age Friendly City project.

HOW CAN WE USE SOCIAL RELATIONS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT?

“One of the most valuable and visible projects that the City University has supported is neighbourhood clean-ups”

Former Councillor and community-building expert, Heather Parker has been recruited to help connect Coventry University and its local community.

What strengths can you bring to the project?

I have spent all of my working life working with people, mainly in a community setting.

My particular strengths lie in bringing together and leading diverse groups of people to create an environment where they can get to know each other, build trust, and work towards common goals in order to build strong and cohesive communities. Through the City University I hope to help raise aspirations and skills and improve social relations in the city.

As a team, we’ve been working hard with local organisations and residents to form ‘communityuniversity’ partnerships that address local need. One of the key aims of the initiative is to match the needs of the community with the skills of the University. A number of projects have been launched which help to bring these elements together.

What kind of activity are you involved in?

Staff and students in the University’s School of Art and Design worked with local residents and artists to create an Arts Trail in an area of the city called Earlsdon. The trail celebrated the industrial heritage of the area and will form part of an annual festival held in the city.

Local community libraries are under threat across the UK. As part of the City University initiative, and working with the University’s Social Enterprise Hub, the group

have been looking at ways of making libraries more sustainable. Across the UK, there are some fantastic examples of local libraries who have adopted new ways of working to make them much more sustainable.

They do this through a variety of ways including selling locally produced food, providing café facilities, basically creating additional income streams and additional community uses.

To support Coventry’s libraries, the City University initiative and Social Enterprise hub, are hosting a discussion with the City Council and the 17 local libraries in Coventry to talk about what libraries may look like in the future. It is hoped the discussion will help us to understand better how to unlock resources within the University, staff, students, skills and infrastructure to support local people’s ideas for new ways of using these important community knowledge spaces.

One of the most valuable and visible projects that the City University has supported is neighbourhood clean-ups. Students in large cities can often come under criticism about the levels of rubbish they leave behind when term comes to an end. In Coventry, the Students’ Union works alongside the City University to organise groups of student volunteers to work alongside residents and undertake neighbourhood clean ups. Local councillors have also supported the initiative and joined in with the task . >> Interested in finding out more about the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, visit: www.coventry.ac.uk/research

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THE BIG QUESTION

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INSIGHT

INSIGHT

“The University has so many skills and such a rich pool of expertise that we need to unlock and work more closely with our communities”

Coventry University’s research centres are focused on areas of niche dominance – areas where we can be truly impactful and make a difference to society.

Our portfolio of research projects combines work in geographies troubled by conflict or change with collaborations of universities, governments and international organisations.

Coventry has a strong heritage in peace and reconciliation and the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR) builds on this reputation.

<< Coffee Tots is a small charity run coffee shop for parents and toddlers. They approached the University to support in their move to a larger premise. Coffee Tots wanted to incorporate a new story-telling space in the new unit. We linked up Coffee Tots with staff in the University’s architecture and interior design department who created a student project to solve the problem.

More than 60 students took part and produced 18 different designs which were exhibited in Coffee Tots.

Parents and their children could vote for their preferred design.

Is it just local initiatives you’re involved in?

No, we’re also participants in an international project called ‘People’s Champions’. ‘People’s Champions’ is a game, based on competing cities. Coventry is competing against cities in Italy, Spain, France, Taiwan and Turkey. Each city recruits a team of 1,000 participants and tracks their activity. The winning city is the one who can demonstrate their residents are the ‘most active’.

This is the pilot year and Coventry University are working with the City Council, Nuffield Health (and other partners) to involve 1,000 Coventry citizens.

A huge range of fun activities are on offer, from the conventional activities like walking and aerobics to the wild and wacky, like luminous badminton in the dark!

How can people get involved?

We have a list of current projects that as long as your arm and we’re always coming up with ideas for more.

The University has so many skills and such a rich pool of expertise that we need to unlock and work more closely with our communities. The City University is the key to this.

We’re always keen to hear from people about their ideas please contact heather.parker@coventry.ac.uk if you’d like to find out more.

The Centre brings together scholars working on human security, peace studies and social relations.

Using expertise from across the social sciences and humanities the Centre looks to drive progressive change and strengthen human security and resilience. Research within the Centre has people at its heart and delivers a range of transformative outcomes to strengthen responsibility in communities and organisations; it focuses on four key groups: policymakers, donor community, civil society and business/industry.

Working across disciplines We take a multi-disciplinary approach to our work that brings together creative thinking on concerns of trust and trust repair, peacebuilding, peace and reconciliation and on the contemporary challenges of societal relationships in a diverse and connected world. Our portfolio of excellent and impactful research seeks to change lives and enhance well-being.

Supporting transformations Our work provides insights for transformative change with a view to strengthening human security and resilience. We convene and contribute to public debates, provide effective policy guidance at local, national, regional and global levels and generate international collaborative research through our global networks.

Building capacity for global reach We have a globally-focused graduate and doctoral programme with a range of PhD studentships through which we develop our portfolio of research.

Talented researchers We have over 50 full-time research staff supported by a team of professional support staff. Most of our staff have worked internationally and many have experience in the field before joining us as academic researchers.

Our staff are extremely well-connected and are called upon to contribute their expertise on the national and international stage, as advisers to governments and international bodies or at conferences worldwide.

“We have a globallyfocused graduate and doctoral programme with a range of PhD studentships through which we develop our portfolio of research”

Collaboration We are influential and make a positive difference through our work with significant corporates, public service organisations such as the NHS and emergency services, and with global international agencies such as the World Bank and United Nations. Our expertise has been drawn upon in supporting leaders and communities dealing with regional conflict, distrust in public services, issues of faith in communities, as well as with local authorities and diverse communities struggling to cope with rapidly changing demographics.

Giving access to our knowledge CTPSR staff have extensive experience in applying their scholarship and expertise through consultancy work, bringing rigour and academic authority to address real-world problems in organisations and communities.

Whether it’s a one-off project or a longer term series of interventions, we can assemble a team of experts to help tackle issues and explore questions, working alongside practitioners and leaders to find innovative solutions.

Interested in finding out more about the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, visit: www.coventry.ac.uk/research 20 I ISSUE 17 I INNOVATE

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A SAVVY APPROACH TO SEXUAL HEALTH

It’s more than just STIs; young people need to be informed about sexual coercion and how to deal with unwanted sexual activity, as well as pregnancy and abortion, but they also need advice on enjoying safe sex and understanding their bodies better.

There is considerable inequality in the distribution of sexual health promotion and education across the UK. These are the two most effective ways to improve risk awareness and encourage safer sexual behaviour.

An initiative in Warwickshire is tackling the problem head-on thanks to a collaborative project between Coventry University, Warwickshire County Council and Public Health Warwickshire.

Warwickshire County Council had an outdated website which advised young people about sexual health services. The aim was to improve the website and create an app which could be accessed via smartphones and mobile devices, making it more relevant to young people.

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The participants were selected from students who were experiencing difficulties at school. The project was seen as a way of building their confidence and helping them to feel engaged. The young people attended the steering group meetings and contributed to decision making for the project. Jonny worked with the young people so that they were comfortable with the language being used and felt confident when talking about sensitive issues.

Researchers at Coventry University have helped one local authority to improve access to its sexual health provision by listening to young people and providing a service that actually meets their needs.

Promoting positive messages about young people’s sexual health is a widely acknowledged issue.

According to Public Health England, there were approximately 450,000 diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) made in England with the greatest impact of STIs in young heterosexuals aged between 15-24 years.

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‘The YPPB was an essential part of the creation of the website. We needed the site to appeal to young people and be directed in a way that was non-threatening and inclusive. The YPPB came up with some fantastic ideas for content that we’d never considered,’ said Katherine.

The new website content is a combination of interactive features including ‘pleasure zones’, videos of health professionals talking about how young people will be treated when they access the services, interactive maps and advice on where to access services, a ‘sextionary’ providing names and definitions of different words relating to sex and the human body.

The project was awarded £80k funding to bring together the research expertise from the University’s Centre for Technology Enabled Health, a commercial developer and health service providers.

Dr Katherine Brown said: ‘We wanted to develop content for the website that would be relevant and appealing to 13-19 year olds and improve their access to services. The actual services on offer are excellent, but the barriers to accessing them are stopping young people from making informed decisions.’

The FAQ section allows young people to anonymously post their concerns which will be answered by Jonny.

Katherine continued: ‘Every piece of content has been designed to appeal to young people and overcome the barriers we identified during the focus groups.

Katherine and her team set up a number of focus groups with young people. They worked closely with an independent sexual health consultant, Jonny Hunt, to ensure the language, tone and approach they used was appropriate to the audience. The young people identified a number of reasons why they were reluctant to access sexual health services. These included a fear of being seen, uncertainty about where services were located and what happened when you were through the door. There were also concerns about being judged, fear about embarrassment and shame, the cost of accessing services and worries about being under age.

We used a range of behaviour change techniques within the content directly targeting barriers young people experience when accessing sexual health services. We’ve tried to make using the website a positive experience for the users, rather than something intimidating or taboo. A great example of this is request slips which the young people can print out and hand to the receptionist if they don’t feel comfortable saying the words, like ‘I need a pregnancy test,’ ‘can I have some condoms?’

The team also worked with Jonny Hunt to establish a Young Persons Partnership Board (YPPB) through a secondary school in Warwickshire. The YPPB was made up of two young people from each year group.

The website regularly receives 40,000 hits per month, with 36,000 new users. Around 70% of users access the site via a mobile phone. The site is successfully attracting UK-based users but has also proved popular with users from around the world; the top 5 nations include USA, UK, India, Canada and Australia.

Katherine and her team have analysed the impact of the new website on service access through questionnaires given to young people at school. Young males were twice as likely to access services having used the site and both males and females felt that the site has improved their perception of the barriers.

Data from services in Warwickshire shows that there has been a significant increase in the number of users accessing the services from the two most deprived areas covered by the local authority. Katherine explained: ‘Whilst we can’t claim that this is solely down to the improved website, it’s a really positive finding nonetheless. If young people are more confident about accessing the services then that’s good news all round.’

‘One of the most significant outcomes of this project has been the impact its had on the young people who were involved in the YPP Board. These people have become more engaged and improved their performance at school.’

Katherine and her team are now looking at the commercial element of the project with a view to engaging other local authorities and helping to improve their access to sexual health services.

‘One local authority have purchased the licence and we’re working through the project with them. Several other authorities are now interested in doing the same.

This will give us greater opportunities to establish the impact of the website and app and greater reach nationally.

‘It’s such a rewarding project to work on. It’s making a difference to the young people who access the services as well as the young people involved in building the site. By collecting the evidence we’re also building a much stronger picture of young people’s experiences of sexual health services. It’s benefitting many different aspects of society which is exciting and rewarding.’

Further information is available at: www.respectyourself.info 22 I ISSUE 17 I INNOVATE

*Public Health England, Health Protection Report Vol 8 No. 24 - 20 June 2014

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FALLING SHORT ON SUPPORT FOR OLDER PEOPLE Research at Coventry University shows that 25% of older people needing help with basic skills still cannot choose when they eat, when to take a bath or shower or what time to go to bed.

Older people are by far the largest group of social care users in the UK, but through the introduction of Personal Budgets their level of independence has been reduced. The research will be used to help shape policy and priorities for new government initiatives and improve the quality of life for older people.

Personal budgets were introduced as part of a government initiative to give people greater control over the way they receive social care support.

Research recently carried out by a team from Coventry University’s Centre for Communities and Social Justice has found that whilst the system may be effective for younger people who live independently, it’s falling short for older people.

Individuals receive their own budget and can decide how and where they wish to spend that budget. All new social care users now receive a personal budget which can be taken in two main ways; direct payment, where funding is transferred to the individual and controlled by them or managed personal budgets, where the money is spent on their behalf by someone else.

Dr John Woolham, who led the study explained: ‘There is evidence to suggest that younger adults in receipt of personal budgets can thrive on the new system, if the budgets are large enough. It can give them greater choice, more independence, and a sense of empowerment. For older people, however, there’s little evidence to suggest they offer a better approach.

We set out to find out about the experiences of older people and their carers, and whether personal budgets were always the best way to arrange services and support for them. The research used a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The first stage was telephone interviews with more than 50 local authority senior managers responsible for personalisation and personal budgets. The findings showed an awareness that direct payments were less popular among older adults. Obstacles cited included limited choice, administrative burdens, cuts to social care budgets and low expectations among older people.

Senior managers assessed ‘successes’ by monitoring complaints, performance indicators and local user satisfaction surveys.

In stage two of the research, postal surveys were sent to personal budget users and unpaid carers of older budget users, in three local authorities in England.

Responses were received from 339 older people and 292 unpaid carers. Around 25% of direct payment users said they were unable to exercise control over when they ate, bathed or slept. The study also looked at whether direct payment users had better outcomes than a comparable group whose personal budget was managed by someone else. The research team hypothesised that direct payment users would have better outcomes, but the study found there was no difference.

Follow-up interviews were carried out with 14 older budget users, 31 unpaid carers and 25 operational staff in the local authorities. John continued: ‘These interviews identified a number of benefits of budget ownership, including, obviously, the ability to purchase care or support that they could otherwise not afford.

The ability to employ a personal assistant or a family member as a carer was particularly appreciated by some.’ Interviews with carers revealed that though most saw personal budgets – especially direct payments – as offering opportunities to be more creative about arranging care and support, many also experienced additional stress as they were usually involved in managing the budget and organising care packages.

The conclusions of the research showed that rather than offering ‘transformative’ outcomes to empower them to participate in wider society, older people were more interested in using their budget to ‘maintain’ a level of independence to enable them to live in their own home. Though older budget users wanted a say in how their care and support was provided, they appeared less interested in choice but instead placed a high value on being able to develop a relationship with care personnel based on trust, mutual understanding and even friendship.

John explained: ‘The findings for this study have implications for policy as well as practice. They add to a body of research evidence that suggested direct payments do not achieve better outcomes for older people. Perhaps local authorities also need to think less about choice and more about good quality care.’

“Individuals receive their own budget and can decide how and where they wish to spend that budget”

John and the research team, which includes Guy Daly, Nicole Steils, and Katrina Ritters are now busy disseminating the findings of the research at conferences and in publications.

Interested in finding out more visit: www.coventry.ac.uk/research or email: innovate@coventry.ac.uk

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The study represents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research School for Social Care Research.

The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR, SSCR, Department of Health or NHS

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SMALL FARMERS MAKING A BIG IMPACT Researchers at Coventry University are part of a global network giving small farmers a chance to shape policy and ensure wider food security.

Small farms provide up to 80% of Asia and subSaharan Africa’s food*, where the vast majority of the world’s poor people live. As the world’s population soars and the demand for food increases, these small and family farmers are key in ensuring future food security.

The knowledge, skills and expertise of these farmers are absolutely vital for the future of farming and yet their voices are often never heard by the individuals and the organisations which matter most.

Dr. Michel Pimbert, Director of the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience at Coventry University has been leading an international research project which aims to make these small farmers and indigenous people’s voices heard.

The aim of this action research is to identify and support processes that can help bring democracy to the governance of food and agricultural research. This project has become established in four regions: West Africa, South Asia, West Asia and the Andean region in Latin America. This international initiative is co-funded by the Government of The Netherlands, Oxfam-Novib, the Christensen Fund and the Government of Switzerland.

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Michel explained: ‘The choices that are available to farmers, other food producers and consumers, and the environments in which they live and work, are partly shaped by publicly funded research. For a very long time, agricultural research has largely been thought of as the domain of scientific experts, with farmers at the receiving end of the research outputs. If a crop variety or a policy fails, farmers are often blamed for their ‘ignorance and inability’ to farm correctly. The question is rarely asked: Is there something wrong with the research itself?’

representatives of local government; about half the participants were women.

Michel considers the key to making this research credible is to take a fair and inclusive approach that creates safe spaces for farmers and other citizens to participate in setting research plans and policies.

Citizens’ juries and scenario workshops are some of the methods used in these inclusive processes that link local voices into policy making. This approach recognises that technological fixes are not enough and sees science as part of a bottom-up, participatory development process in which citizens take centre stage. Citizens become knowledgeable and active actors, deeply involved in the choice and design of scientific innovations, as well as their implementation, spread and regulation.

Michel continued: ‘These exchanges were extremely valuable, both to the researchers and the farmers themselves. Very often, farmers from the developing countries had discovered innovations and better ways of working that they could share with their European counterparts.

As part of the project, a workshop was organised in St. Ulrich in Germany. This international workshop invited people to share lessons and reflections from Africa, Asia and Latin America with a wider community of European farmers, policy makers, and representatives of the donor community.

This international workshop brought together 95 participants from a total of 17 countries. Over 55% of workshop participants were farmers and the other participants were activists, progressive scholars and

Throughout the meeting in St Ulrich we also looked at how agricultural research should be carried out and with whom, where it should be carried out, how it should be prioritised and funded, and how it should be organised to better serve the public good. Farmers, indigenous peoples and other citizens asked for more direct participation in setting national and international research priorities as well as greater citizen oversight over the governance of food and agricultural research.’

A documentary film of the talks, exchanges and debates has been produced and translated into four different languages. The film - Imagining Research for Food Sovereignty - has been viewed across many countries already and is being used by academics to teach students, by policy makers and NonGovernmental Organisations, and across various industries.

As a result of the workshop, further EU funding has been made available to bring together European farmers in Switzerland, France, Italy and the UK. Farmers from each country will act as hosts for the visiting farmers and will discuss a variety of topics including alternative food networks, fairer financing for farming, and policies for agroecology and food sovereignty.

German farmers and activists also ran farmer exchanges for mutual learning on farms and alternative food networks. Participants from India, Nepal, Iran, Benin, Mali, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia were able to visit and interact with the Black Forest Farmer Forum, the Lake Constance Rural Movement, Farmer Markets and an alternative farm property and farming model near Freiburg.

‘Through this work and the ‘Excluded Voices’ project we’re helping small and family farmers to feel ownership and empowerment about the future of their work. We’re giving them a platform to air their expertise and share their experiences on how to achieve food security and care for the environment. We’ve given this community a safe space to share their thoughts on how research should be re-invented and transformed to better serve the needs of all people.’

“As the world’s population soars and the demand for food increases, these small and family farmers are key in ensuring future food security”

The film – Imagining Research for Food Sovereignty – highlights the outcomes of the farmer exchanges and the St Ulrich workshop deliberations. To obtain copies of this multilingual DVD (English-French-Spanish-German) please contact CAWRoffice@coventry.ac.uk * International Fund for Agricultural Development: http://www.ifad.org/climate/resources/smallholders_report.pdf

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ENTERPRISE & INNOVATION

Through direct engagement with a wide range of organisations across global markets, the Enterprise & Innovation (E&I) Group at Coventry University provides support and expertise to stimulate industrial research, develop high value strategic partnerships, and commercialise new ideas. Operating in a wide range of sectors - including manufacturing, transport, healthcare, construction, energy, and the creative industries - the E&I Group supports the funding, intellectual property and R&D priorities of both the University and its commercial partners.

How can a business be more innovative?

Innovation is a hot topic. Every business wants to be innovative, and stay ahead of the competition. For most businesses, it involves taking something they already know a lot about and developing it just that little bit further – perhaps to protect or grow their current markets, attract new customers, reduce costs, or increase profitability. And often it is not coming up with the idea that presents the biggest challenge. Working directly with a wide range of large corporate clients, and supporting over 8,000 SMEs per year, Coventry University has extensive experience in this area.

What is the cost of bringing new ideas to market?

Sustained investment is typically needed to scale up new ideas from original concept to final solution.

This will help to cover the costs of early-stage prototyping, development, testing, implementation and marketing. Many businesses finance directly within the organisation, but an equal number actively seek external funding or investment. Accessing the latest public funding or commercial investment can be a demanding and time-consuming process. It needs a practised and well thought out approach, as competition for finance is high.

Protecting new ideas At the earliest possible stage of developing new ideas (particularly for new products, technologies, or processes), the intellectual property (IP) position is critical. Ensuring you have the relevant protection in place - patents, design registrations, trademarks and understand the process - when, what and how to protect - are both vital.

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GET THE INSIDE TRACK ON INNOVATION You may have a great idea in business, but how do you protect, fund, test and nurture that idea to realise its full potential? Paul Fairburn, Director of Enterprise & Innovation at Coventry University shares his expertise.

How can universities help?

Once a business has created a new idea, it will need testing, refinement and further development. This rigorous process typically requires specialist knowledge to minimise risk and maximise the opportunity for commercial return. Evidence-based research, experienced academic staff, and access to state-ofthe-art equipment and facilities within Universities provides a credible and robust option. Coventry University has an excellent mix of staff with experience in a huge range of subjects and markets, and specialist knowledge in terms of innovation, accessing funding and investment, and commercialisation. Previous and current clients include Unipart, Horiba MIRA, Jaguar Land Rover, Santander, Interserve, the NHS and Severn Trent Water.

What support is available?

None of the challenges above should be enough to stop any business launching a new product or service, and there’s plenty of expertise out there to help. My experience of working with commercial partners in this way is that it’s important to support and encourage business ideas by underpinning the creativity with specialist expertise and practical thinking. Not to slow down or stifle new ideas by layering cumbersome processes on top. We’re currently growing the E&I team to work with more commercial partners and help support the increased early-stage concepts that we know can get to market with the right support. So don’t be put off by the challenges – know what you need to do, find a partner who can help and work towards realising the full potential of your new ideas.

“Accessing the latest public funding or commercial investment can be a demanding and time consuming process”

How can we reach the market?

Development of a network of businesses that are the right customers is essential. Companies can engage in traditional marketing activities and build a community of potential customers, they can strengthen links with existing clients and open up new markets. Partnerships with organisations like universities who can support strategic business development needs, engage in conversations early, and introduce new clients, is key.

If you are looking for help, advice or innovation support for any new business idea, contact the Enterprise & Innovation Group at e&i@coventry.ac.uk, on +44 (0)24 7615 8258, or visit www.coventry.ac.uk/eandi for more information

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RAPID FIRE RESEARCH

What’s your research passion?

I’m incredibly passionate about developing our understanding of Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC), so that I can develop new effective ways to improve the quality of life for people who live with the condition.

What are you working on right now?

I’m working hard to develop an exemplary and internationally recognised autism research group in the Centre for Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement.

I’m looking at many different aspects of autism. One area explores how people process emotions in social situations, and is developing new ways to improve emotion processing skills in these individuals using technology. I’m also keen to understand whether adults with autism are more at risk of mental health problems, suicidal thoughts and behaviours, and to develop adapted assessment and treatment approaches.

What’s your greatest achievement?

Leading the first large scale clinic study of suicide risk in adults with late diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome (AS) in adulthood, at a specialist NHS diagnostic clinic.

This study confirmed what clinicians suspected for a long time; that individuals with AS had significantly higher suicide risk than individuals from the UK general population, and patients with psychosis. I published these results in the Lancet Psychiatry, an internationally renowned top medical journal. For this article, I won the Young Investigator award, which recognises exemplary research published at an early career stage, by the International Society for Autism Research in May this year. Since then I’ve been invited to present this important breakthrough research at the International Association for Suicide Prevention in Montreal, Canada and the National Autistic Society Autism and Mental Health Conference.

QA We ask researchers at Coventry University 5 questions to find out more about the work, their study and their greatest achievements

What’s on the horizon for you?

Leading new large scale and collaborative research projects exploring mental health and suicidality in ASC. I’ve recently been awarded the ESRC Future Research Leaders grant. I will use the funding to develop new methods and big data to explore mental health and suicide in adults with Autism across the UK for the first time. I am also co-PI on a grant application which has been shortlisted for peer review by the Baily Thomas Foundation. If successful this project will develop a new intervention to lower suicide risk in partnership with ASC adults and relevant clinicians. This project will run over two sites consisting of the Atypical Development Research Group at Coventry University, and the world leading Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University.

I’m also organising collaborations with leading autism research institutes in the UK and internationally. I’ll be visiting the Newcastle life course and aging program in September this year, and organising a visit to the Children’s Learning Lab at York University Toronto who are both collaborators on the ESRC and other grants.

Dr. Sarah Cassidy Area of Expertise Mental Health and Autism Centre Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement

If you weren’t doing this job, what would you be doing?

If I wasn’t doing this job, I would definitely still be researching. Coming to Coventry has been a very positive career move for me. I’ve gone from supporting research to leading excellent internationally recognised research. I have been fortunate to have some excellent mentors at Cambridge and Coventry who continue to be very supportive of my development in my current role. Working at Coventry University has thus given me the creative space and support to realise my vision to become world-leading in the field of Autism research.

“Working at Coventry University has given me the creative space and support to realise my vision to become worldleading in the field of Autism research”

Interested in finding out more about the Dr. Sarah Cassidy visit: www.coventry.ac.uk/research or email: innovate@coventry.ac.uk 30 I ISSUE 17 I INNOVATE

CHALLENGE CURRENT THINKING THROUGH A PhD FULLY FUNDED PhD STUDENTSHIPS James Dayus and Eliot Barson are both PhD students in the Centre for Applied Biological and Exercise Sciences.

They decided to study a PhD because they knew that to progress in the scientific industry they needed a higher qualification. They are investigating the ways that cells change when affected by cancer with the ultimate aim of informing the way drugs can act against the disease.

For James and Eliot, one of the most interesting things about studying a PhD is being able to challenge current thinking. ‘We’re not creating medical history, but we’re challenging the way people look at things and finding new patterns of behaviour that may not have been seen before.’

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www.coventry.ac.uk/studentships

“What we’re doing right now is fascinating.

We actually feel like we’re making a difference through our research.

It’s really ignited a passion in us both and we’re excited for the future”

RESEARCH AT COVENTRY UNIVERSITY FOCUSES ON ‘EXCELLENCE WITH IMPACT’.

We achieve this through our world-leading experts taking original approaches to make a tangible difference to the way we live.

Innovate magazine is just one of the ways we share our expertise, knowledge and skills. If it’s given you a thirst for more then take a look at our website at www.coventry.ac.uk/research where you can uncover the people behind the stories and discover our cutting edge thinking.

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