S TA F F
oom UNIVERSITY OF GLAMORGAN STAFF MAGAZINE
Building for the future Take a closer look at Glamorgan’s bold expansion plans
New faces Meet the business experts with change on the agenda
International Rescue The PBS Team are here to help with overseas recruitment
ISSUE 09 SUMMER 2012
18.06.12
29.06.12
T: 01443 482 828 E: summerprog@glam.ac.uk V: www.glam.ac.uk/summerprog
vice-chancellor’s message
Welcome This is one of my favourite times of the academic year. Just as the rush of activity surrounding the end of term and the exam period is subsiding for the majority of our students, others are busy preparing to showcase their fabulous creativity at the end of year degree shows, taking place in Treforest and Cardiff. It’s a time of excitement and change when, for our students, one journey is coming to an end, just as another is beginning. Marking the end of this journey is graduation - the official culmination of the academic year and a time of celebration for students and their families, and for academic and support staff alike. As I write, many colleagues are working tirelessly on the final preparations, booking marquees, finalising the running order and polishing the mace, to ensure that, once again, these important rights-of-passage ceremonies run seamlessly for our expectant students and their proud families. The annual awards week is a fitting recognition of all of the hard work that is put in throughout the year, not just by our students but by you, our academics and professional staff. The pomp and ceremony is a wonderful spectacle to behold and if you’ve never attended a ceremony I’d strongly recommend you do, by volunteering to take part, or by popping along to watch from the public gallery. What I most look forward to however is seeing the look of achievement on our students’ faces, knowing that they have reached their goals and reflecting on their incredible journey. This to me is the epitome of why we are here. You’ve heard me say many times that we are run in a business-like way – yes, but we are not a business. What we do is give students from all backgrounds the education and the chances in life that come from going to university, and at this time of year, we should stop and reflect on this by celebrating with our students. Just as these are exciting times for our students, of course, these are also exciting times for us as a University. All across Glamorgan, preparations are being put in place for our centenary celebrations in 2013. Much like the preparations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (that are going on as I write this) are causing a buzz of excitement across the country, there’s a palpable sense of anticipation across this organisation that next year will be a very special year for us. And at the same time as we prepare to celebrate our past, we’re also in the process of writing the next chapter of our history. In the coming weeks, the first visible signs of progress will appear in the form of site hoardings around B Block, signalling the start of the construction of our impressive new campus frontage overlooking Llantwit Road. This will be followed closely by the Treforest Learning Resources Centre and, later in the year, ATRiuM 2 in Cardiff. You can read more about these exciting developments on pages 10 to 15 of this magazine and we will keep you informed as these projects progress. Also in this edition, you will find news of the first ever student-led teaching awards (p18) that took place in the Students’ Union recently. My sincere congratulations to all of our teaching staff that were nominated and shortlisted for these awards; not only is having your teaching skills endorsed by your students one of the highest accolades a teacher can receive, but this is a clear indication that as a university we are delivering a high quality experience for our students.
Julie Lydon Vice-Chancellor
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Contents Latest News
5-7
International Rescue
8
In pictures
9
Estates News
6
10-15 8
Glamorgan Group News 16 Olympic Dreams
17
The Golden Apples
18
Mobile-friendly website
19
New Faces NEW
10 9
20-21
Five minutes with‌
22
17
18
Staff Room is produced under the guidance of the editorial board: Jeremy Atkinson, Robert Baker, William Callaway and Robert Payne. Editor: Mike Normansell Design: Glamorgan Print For more information, contact mnormans@glam.ac.uk or call 01443 482889. Staff Room Magazine Marketing & Student Recruitment University of Glamorgan, Treforest, CF37 1DL.
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Comments? Questions? Feedback? Have Your Say is the dedicated mouthpiece for staff on everything from policy, to parking and timetabling. The VC has made a strong commitment to regular communication via this route and has promised every query will be responded to in a timely manner.
haveyoursay@glam.ac.uk
news
Two key appointments
Glamorgan becomes one of the fastestgrowing Universities in the UK The Vice-Chancellor has announced bold estates development plans to boost Glamorgan’s presence in the capital and further enhance facilities for students and staff on the Treforest campus. The £28m investment plans, announced at the end of March will add capacity for the University to recruit a further 2,500 students by September 2014, including 1,200 students for ATRiuM, to cater for the Cardiff business community’s growing demand for skilled graduates in the areas of broadcasting, animation and the performing arts. Capacity is also required for the additional 811 new student places allocated to Glamorgan as a result of HEFCW’s reallocation exercise in April. This 23% increase in students by September
First Minister launches new centre of excellence
The University has made two senior appointments that will stimulate greater interaction with business and enterprise and help the University to generate income from new sources.
2013 means Glamorgan will become one of the fastest growing higher education institutions in the UK, in terms of student numbers. This further investment will add a £15m extension to the ATRiuM in Cardiff and a £13m enhancement of student and staff facilities in Treforest, including the redevelopment of parts of Brecon Building (B Block) and the Learning Resources Centre. You can find out more about these exciting plans on pages 10-15.
The new Centre, part of the Faculty of Business and Society, will provide opportunities for those
Mountain Halls wins coveted award
The Vice-Chancellor, Julie Lydon commented, “HEFCW’s decision on the reallocation exercise was, I believe, a clear endorsement of our progress in recent years. We are confident and financially robust, with rising applications and a great reputation amongst our key stakeholders.”
working in the growing Financial and Professional Services sectors in Wales to upskill in business and professional qualifications to further their careers. The University’s School of Law, Accounting and Finance has been working closely with the Welsh Government for more than a year to develop courses and training that will provide the right skills for those entering the workforce. Facilities at the new centre include Glamorgan’s specialist simulation suites, such as the moot courtroom used by students for simulated judicial proceedings, and the equity trading room, simulating a modern trading floor, complete with screens featuring breaking news, stock market data and personal finance advice to brokers and dealers across the world. The trading room also allows students to take part in simulated share dealing in a real-time environment.
First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, AM, launched the University’s brand new Centre for Financial and Professional Services at an event for the business community in Cardiff Castle on 14th May.
Director of Business Development, John Francis took up his post in Directorate on 1st June. Head of Alumni Relations and Development, Brian Porter joined the University in April. You can find out more about these appointments in the feature on pages 20 and 21.
Treforest’s new halls of residence, Mountain Halls, has been awarded a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating – a coveted environmental award for building sustainability. The Halls scored 75.1% in the rating system that measures a building’s performance against criteria such as energy, transport, water, materials, waste, land use and ecology and pollution. BREEAM is the world-leading organisation for assessment of sustainable building design and performance.
Monica Gibson Sweet, Dean of FBS, said, “The aim of the new centre is to meet the demand for skills training from organisations in the financial and professional services sector and to raise the recognisable and transferable skills profile of sector employees.”
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news
News in brief
Snapshot
Online recruitment Car park salary sacrifice scheme for staff
E UNDERGRADUAT PROSPECTUS 2013-14
The University’s eProspectus service is now available to postgraduate students as well as undergraduates, meaning that every version of our prospectus is now available online using our enquirers’ portal at http://yourglamorgan.glam.ac.uk/. Of course, the arrival of download doesn’t mean that the printed version is in short demand. This year, 18,000 copies of the new compact-size undergraduate prospectus have been sent to schools, colleges and careers advisers, promoting the University and our courses throughout the UK and all over the world. At UCAS events up and down the country, 12,500 copies are available to students researching their HE options. And that’s in addition to 1000s of copies sent out by the E&A Team in response to requests. So with a choice of formats and applications growing year on year, the interest looks set to continue.
New development programme for managers The Glamorgan Manager in Action programme has been developed to provide managers with guidance on how to deal with the practicalities of their managerial role at Glamorgan. The programme consists of sessions on Operational Management, Managing Performance, Meeting the Equality challenge and Communications. Managers at all levels (including Directorate) will be required to attend all four sessions over the coming months. More details will become available from Staff Development soon.
Glam Edge A new Glam Edge website has been created, aimed at helping staff to get in touch with the different initiatives happening under the Glam Edge banner. The pages, created by Philomena Bevan in MSR, feature a full list of contact details, as well as the project communications plan. http://msr.glam.ac.uk/Glamedge/
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Professor Philip Gross shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year Award 2012 Congratulations to Professor Philip Gross, who has been shortlisted in the Poetry category for this year’s Wales Book of the Year Award. Organised by Literature Wales, the annual Wales Book of the Year prizes are awarded to the best Welsh language and English language works in the fields of creative writing and literary criticism. This year’s shortlist was announced on 10th May during an event at Theatr Brycheiniog in Brecon. Professor Gross’s Deep Field book of poetry is one of the three collections competing in the Poetry category of Wales Book of the Year Award, which this year also incorporates the prestigious Roland Mathias Prize. Wales Online is asking readers to vote for their favourite book from this year’s shortlist to win the People’s Choice Award, hosted by Wales Online. You can vote for Professor Gross’s book, Deep Field, by visiting Wales Online and searching for ‘Wales Book of the Year’.
Glamorgan graduate takes the silver screen by storm A film directed by Glamorgan MA graduate, Gareth Evans is attracting critical acclaim worldwide following its release by Sony and Momentum Pictures in May. The Raid has been described as “like nothing else around” by the Guardian, and “the most exciting action movie of the year”, by Empire, making it one of the must-see movies of 2012. Hirwaun-born Gareth, who now lives in Indonesia, made the film on a shoestring $1.3m budget.
A salary sacrifice scheme was launched for staff in April to help to cover the cost of the monthly parking permit on campus. The scheme enables staff to elect to sacrifice part of their gross monthly salary, before tax and National Insurance, in return for the monthly permit. By paying via the salary sacrifice scheme, staff effectively save around £4.50 off the £15 monthly permit charge. The scheme came into effect on 1st June 2012 and mirrors others already available at the university, such as childcare vouchers. Revised parking charges for staff and student parking also came into effect on 1st June. Students can now park for up to five hours in Treforest and Glyntaff for just £1, or over five hours for £2. The cost of an annual staff permit rose to £180. The charges were revised following a review of parking resources in 2011. More information, including links to the forms to apply, can be found on Glamlife by searching for ‘car park salary sacrifice scheme’.
Cycle path is ready to roll The Treforest community cycle path will be officially opened on 19th June. The muchanticipated path will provide a safe and mainly car-free route for cyclists between the end of the church-village bypass cycle route at Tonteg and the start of the Taff Trail at Ynysangharad Park in Pontypridd. It’s hoped the scheme will encourage more local residents to take up active travel by foot and bike between local amenities. The scheme is being organised by national sustainable travel charity, Sustrans, in partnership with Rhondda Cynon Taf Borough Council and funding from the Big Lottery Fund.
news
‘Research Matters’ at Glamorgan
Glamorgan research staff
Over 100 staff, research students and academics came together in April to showcase the exciting and groundbreaking research activity being undertaken at the university. Held for the first time this year, Research Matters is targeted at staff from all faculties and departments with the aim of raising awareness of academic areas of excellence and encouraging cross-discipline and cross-faculty collaboration. Developed by the Research Office, the weeklong series of events were held at the Postgraduate Research Centre in Treforest.
Highlights included a series of presentations from research students on their work, to a panel of academics. Prizes were awarded for the best oral presentation (Jess Thomas, HeSaS) and poster presentation (Emma Brodrick, HeSaS). Knowledge Economy Skills Studentships (KESS) participants also competed to deliver the most innovative, clear and engaging presentation on their research. Judges praised all entries for their use of graphics, animation and sound effects, awarding the 1st prize to Danny Clegg (HeSaS). The week of events closed with a Research Showcase, during which all faculties demonstrated the high standard and breadth of research taking place across the University. Organiser Jane Garrett said, “The event allowed researchers to have a chance to meet each other and form ideas for new collaborative approaches to solving real life problems. Following this year’s success we expect to hold a similar event next year.”
CELT helps students build LEGO Robots in a Virtual World instructions on how to build and install the circuits into the Lego robots. The project aims to develop improved cultural awareness and open up new horizons for the young people taking part, who are from one of the most deprived areas in south Wales.
Pupils from two local secondary schools in South Wales have teamed up with students in Japan to build and programme Lego robots via the internet. CELT’s Senior Lecturer in Technology Enhanced Learning, Catherine Naamani, has been working with pupils from Mountain Ash Comprehensive School and Aberdare High School on the unique “virtual collaboration” with students from the Future University Hakodate in Japan. All communication takes place using either OpenSim virtual world (similar to Second Life), Skype or Moodle, the Local Authority VLE.
NSS 2012 results are in...
Catherine commented, “Students are enjoying the challenge of setting one another increasingly complex tasks to complete. The project is not just about designing circuits though – an important aspect of the students’ experience is to develop teamworking and communication skills and raise awareness of global issues, through working in an international context.” The Welsh students are hoping to learn some Japanese in preparation for an exchange visit to Japan, planned for October.
Glamorgan has achieved an NSS response rate of 71%, matching our best ever response rate clocked up in 2011. As the 2012 survey came to a close on 30th April, organisers, Ipsos Mori announced their most successful year in terms of student participation, with the highest overall NSS response rate since its launch in 2005. Awareness of the importance of the NSS has increased over the years, particularly in the run up to the introduction of Key Information Sets. Glamorgan Group response rates have been calculated as follows: RWCMD 74%, HESAS 74%, FBS 73%, CCI 68%, AT 67%. The full league table of Glamorgan’s JACS Level 3 subject area response rates can be found on Glamlife. Final published response rates may vary slightly following a planned data cleaning process in collaboration with HEFCE. For the first time this year, NSS scores will be displayed with course information as part of the introduction of Key Information Sets (KIS), showing prospective applicants the student satisfaction score, employment rate and average graduate salary for each subject area.
Pupils in Wales are currently designing the circuits that will power the robots. When completed, they will contact their Japanese counterparts via the internet, passing them
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feature
International Rescue The introduction of Tier 4 of the Points-Based System has had an impact on the whole of the UK’s overseas non-EU student population, estimated to be worth £9 billion to the UK economy. If Glamorgan is to grow its share of this market, we must work collectively to ensure that we comply with our obligations as a UKBA Licensed Sponsor, says Ioan Evans...
Meet the PBS group that are here to help when it comes to Tier 4 compliance
“For Glamorgan to continue to play for Wales on a UK and international level, we must be able to recruit and retain students from across the globe to study at our campuses. This means ensuring our recruitment, admission, support and monitoring processes for overseas non-EU students operate within the statutory requirements set down by the UK Border Agency. “Overseas non-EU applicants must now be ‘sponsored’ by an institution in order to apply for a Tier 4 student visa. In addition, they must also demonstrate that they have a sufficient command of the English language (dependant on the level of course they are studying) and also that they have the funds to support themselves during their study period. Furthermore, institutions have a legal duty to report to the UKBA those students who are not engaging with their studies. “As a Highly Trusted Sponsor (HTS) – a status attributed by the UKBA to certain institutions – we must demonstrate our compliance with the legislation. Failure to do so would have a significant impact on our ability to recruit overseas non-EU students, with the worst case scenario being the revoking of our Tier 4 student sponsorship licence by the UKBA. “So, how do we as an institution ensure compliance with the legislation, meet the needs of our students and continue to recruit suitably qualified overseas non-EU students? “With the introduction of new immigration legislation in 2008, the University established the PBS Group, which includes representatives from all Faculties and a number of Corporate Departments, whose processes and procedures have been influenced by UKBA requirements. “Colleagues from the International Office, Enquiries & Admissions, International Student Support Service, Academic Registry, Finance and the Research Office meet regularly to consider the various policy statements and guidance notes that impact this area of activity and to establish appropriate policies and procedures.
First port of call for staff, PBS Group Representatives: (from left) Dr Elaine Huntley, (Research Office), Emma Gwynnett, (ISSS), Chris Griffiths, (AT), Alex Simes, (IO), Rebecca Clements, (FBS), Alaw Robertson, (CCI), Jenny Smith, (HESAS)
The PBS Group, chaired by Deputy Registrar, Denise Williams, is here to support colleagues and advise on required actions in order to facilitate successful recruitment of international non-EU students within the legislation. Staff investigating opportunities that may attract international non-EU students to study at Glamorgan should contact their PBS Group representative at an early stage in their investigations, to ensure that proper consideration is given to the legislation and relevant immigration law.” Ioan Evans, Head of Enquiries & Admissions, is the University’s appointed UKBA key contact.
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news
In pictures... 2 3 1
6 4 5
7
1. Winners of the 2011 staff Recognition Awards attended a reception hosted by the Vice-Chancellor recently. The afternoon event was a chance for Julie to personally say thank you to the winners for their efforts for the University. 2. Glamorgan authors Professor Christopher Meredith, Tiffany Murray and Professor Philip Gross were among the stars of the 2012 Hay Festival, 31st May to 10th June.
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6. Peter Hain, MP, delivered the 2012 Lord Merlyn Rees Lecture at the RWCMD in April. His talk covered the coming of age of democracy in South Africa and Northern Ireland’s path to peace. 7. A key messages booklet was launched at the Annual Review event on Friday 30th March. The pocket-sized aide-memoire is designed to support staff in their roles as ambassadors for the organisation.
3. Platffôrm12, the Graduate Showcase event for BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion and BA (Hons) Fashion Design students took place at the National Museum of Wales on Friday 11th May. More images available on Flickr via Glamlife.
8. The University has been accepted as the 77th member of the Athena SWAN Charter and intends to apply for the Bronze award in November. The scheme recognises excellence in the employment and promotion of the careers of women in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) in HE.
4. Gareth Morris was among a host of past and present students to take part in the Olympic Torch relay on 26th May as the flame made its way across south Wales.
9. The University has appointed Andrew Thomas as Professor of Internal Operations and Supply Chain Management in the Faculty of Business and Society.
5. The BUCS Western Finals were held at Glamorgan Sport Park in April. Four Glamorgan teams made it to finals day with the Golf team and the Men's Football 2nd team crowned Champions.
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main feature
Building for the future ÂŁ28m expansion plans unveiled The new-look B1
304-seat lecture theatre
304-seat lecture theatre
Our bold decision to expand our campuses in Cardiff and invest further in the valleys, reflects our confidence that we are the university of choice for both students and the business community. Julie Lydon 10 staffroom
main feature
The latest phase of Glamorgan’s exciting estates developments has been announced, with a massive investment being committed to enhancing the University’s learning and teaching facilities in Cardiff and Treforest. Some support departments will be located in B2 and B3
Glass-fronted lobby area
Bike sheds and shower facilities will be included
A new phase of developments has been announced that will help the university to build a robust infrastructure to support our ambitious growth plans in the coming years. Work is already underway on the £5.25m development of B Block in Treforest to create a new, modern and highly visible frontage for the University’s main campus. Contractors have been on site at Treforest since April carrying out internal refit work on the B2 section of B Block ahead of demolition of B1 in July.
The B Block project will see the redesignation of the University’s physical presence on Llantwit Road from a tired 1980s-esque polytechnic into a modern, distinctive higher education institution. The former main reception and Directorate offices will make way for enhanced student facilities, including a brand-new 304-seat, state-of-theart lecture theatre. Front and side aspects of the building, overlooking T y Crawshay and Llantwit Road, will be transformed into an airy and spacious glass-fronted lobby area, visible to the public and providing an impressive aspect for students and visitors to the University. ^
The remainder of the building, B2 and B3, will be refurbished to create a series of new and modern multipurpose teaching facilities to enhance provision on our main campus. Flexible, open plan office space will also be created for some support departments, including Finance, HR, and parts of Campus Service, CELT and Academic Registry. Staff will move into the spaces in B3 around September 2013. This development forms part of the University’s ongoing £130m investment in its campuses to create modern facilities for students and staff. Turn over for a detailed timeline of the development...
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main feature
End of March
MAY
B Block Timescales B2 refurbishment begins (for 12 weeks)
Learning Resources Centre
The centre incorporate ne plan learning
Post 18th May
Mid June
JUNE
Preparatory internal work begins on B1 after exams finish
• Hoardings constructed around site • Work on top floor of B2 completed
July
• B2 ground floor completed • Construction begins on new B1 building and lecture theatre
Work continues
May 2013
SEPTEMBER
September 2012
2013
• Demolition of B1 buildings begins – completed early September
MAY
Late July and August
AUGUST
• Official handover of B1 to contractors • Finance move to top floor B2 • No staff/student access to B1 • Llantwit Road entrance (steps) closed • Entrance to B2 & B3 via back of building only
• B1 construction completed and internal fit-out begins
September 2013 • B3 completed • Support departments move into new B3 offices
SEPTEMBER
July 2013
JULY
• B3 refurbishment begins
The latest £28m funding announcement includes exciting plans to modernise and refurbish the Learning Resources Centre in Treforest. Home to the majority of the University’s printed and electronic learning materials, the LRC is a key focus for students studying in Treforest. Plans include the redesign of the front entrance of the building to create an impressive modern structure and improved access to the building for wheelchair users. Inside, plans include a significant refurbishment of the layout of rooms and facilities to create a more efficient use of space. All student-facing support services are expected to be re-housed under one roof to create a one-stop-shop experience for students seeking support. With the project still in advanced planning stages, exact details are as yet unavailable and artists’ impression of the build (as shown) are subject to change. However, progress is
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ongoing and a contractor is expected to be appointed in June to carry out the work, with an estimated start date of early August 2012. Hoardings are likely to be erected around the site during the completion of the exterior work for the safety of staff and students, but the thoroughfare between Central Avenue and the stairs to G and H blocks is expected to remain open for pedestrian traffic for the duration of the work. Maintaining access to learning resources for students will be a key challenge during the project. Taking a similar approach to the Glamorgan Court refurbishment, the development is expected to be phased over an extended 20-month period, with busy and disruptive work scheduled to take place during quiet and low-demand times of the year for students, such as Christmas and Easter vacation, to minimise disruption to students during term time. A project team will meet in July to steer the development and provide information updates in the coming months.
main feature
All student-facing services will be under one roof
e will ew openspaces
Improved access in and out
Social learning areas
Open-plan learning spaces
New reception area
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main feature
Phase 2 extends east from the existing building
The development will improve on the ATRiuM’s already impressive facilities such as the render farm and HDTV studios
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main feature
ATRiuM 2 will provide space for an additional 1,200 students
ATRiuM 2 Vice-Chancellor pledges £15m to a second-phase expansion of the ATRiuM campus in Cardiff
Phase two of the landmark ATRiuM campus in Cardiff will see a heightened Glamorgan presence in the capital and capacity for 1,200 new students for CCI. An expanded ATRiuM 2 campus will cater to growing demand from Cardiff’s business community, such as the creative industries’ increasing need for graduates in broadcasting, animation and the performing arts. It will also reflect the growing needs of the financial and professional services sector in the city’s enterprise zone. The plans will mean a significant presence for Glamorgan in the city-centre, with over 5,700 students studying in the Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Initial artists’ impressions of the development show ATRiuM 2 expanding outwards from the East side of the existing structure onto currently un-used land. The multi-storey construction will be designed to mirror and enhance the existing building’s projections. At these very early stages of planning, a contractor has yet to be appointed to carry out the construction work, meaning detailed schedules have yet to be drawn up and agreed. More information on this exciting development will be shared as details become available in the coming months. The University intends to welcome its first students into ATRiuM 2 in September 2014.
Rear elevation
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glamorgan group news
Excitement builds at the College, Merthyr Tydfil
The story so far... In June 2011, the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama opened the doors to a brand new £22.5m performance and training facility. One year on, we look back on the highlights of a jam-packed year of performance, creativity and inspiration. This year has seen us take full advantage of the new spaces, as we explored their potential for creating new events and welcoming new audiences to experience the thrill of live performance. We have created several successful new programme strands, including: family events, with our children’s arts festival Explore!; Christmas performances of The Snowman, with a live orchestra; Collisions, our new jazz and world music season; an exciting series of Lunchtime Lights concerts; residencies from Welsh National Opera and Sinfonia Cymru, and seasonal events such as a St David’s Day Concert and Jubilee celebrations.
Full details of the construction progress to date can be found on the College’s website, www.merthyr.ac.uk/cmtnews.
Of course, training sits at the heart of the planning of the new facilities, and the new approach to programming has also brought direct benefits for our students - not only in terms of performance opportunities and rehearsal facilities, but also through a range of high profile masterclasses. These have included acclaimed soprano Dame Anne Evans, trombonist Christian Lindberg, pianist Llyr Williams, opera singer Natalie Dessay and former student and award-winning actor, Rob Brydon.
Development of the curriculum and learner support continues with the production of a year one prospectus, detailing ‘A’ level, BTEC and vocational courses available from September 2013. Key student feeder schools in Merthyr Tydfil have already been targeted with the brochure at year 9 and 10 parents’ evenings.
And what birthday could pass without a party? To mark the occasion, we will be hosting a very special celebratory concert featuring an exciting mix of the best of the performances from across the College calendar. It will bring the curtain down on an eventful, exciting and extremely busy first year. And of course, there will be cake!
Excellent progress is being made on construction of The College, Merthyr Tydfil, with the building completion on target for 28th June 2013. The College is expected to open its doors to its first students in September 2013.
In recruitment news, the post of Assistant Principal, Advanced Programmes was advertised recently. The successful candidate will formally lead the development and organisation of the Advanced level curriculum programme and timetable in preparation for the opening in September 2013. Details of the package of staff benefits and rewards available to new employees have also been released, and are available on the website.
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The world-class facilities have also attracted high-calibre external events and broadcast coverage, including BBC Young Musicians 2012 and BBC Children in Need. Prestigious business events and conferences have included Classic FM Live business breakfast, the British Universities Finance Directors Group annual conference and the Welsh Government Major Events conference. Alumni Dave Stapleton’s recent concert in the Dora Stoutzker Hall was also recorded for BBC Radio 3’s flagship jazz programme, including interviews with Head of Jazz, Paula Gardiner, and performances by some of our jazz students.
feature
Glamorgan and the Olympics This summer, the eyes of the world will be focussed on the London 2012 Olympic Games. Higher education institutions across the UK will be playing their part in the events, in one form or another, and the University of Glamorgan is no exception. Hereʼs a summary of how weʼre involved…
Glamorgan students past and present are involved in carrying the Olympic torch on its journey across the UK, including 19 year-old Ben Jones, from Bisley, near Stroud, 18-yearold Forensic Science student, Mitchell Allen, 24 year-old Lara Cowpe, from Dinas Powys and 26 year-old Gareth Morris, from the Cynon Valley. University of Glamorgan Mechanical Engineering graduates, Michael Campbell, Steve Gregory and Chris Thomas, are working at the Royal Mint, helping to produce the official victory medals for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Michael Campbell said: “I’m currently working as a Product Development Engineer with the Royal Mint. It’s very exciting to be part of a team helping to produce the Olympic and Paralympics victory medals.
24 Glamorgan students from CCI and AT have secured work as broadcast professionals at the London 2012 Olympic Games, working as audio assistants, camera assistants, liaison officers, video loggers and support service assistants. Third year Lighting Design and Technology student, Jason Bozzard, competed against thousands of applicants to secure a longterm placement at the International Broadcast Centre in the Olympic Park. David Shearer has been providing support to the Finnish Olympic Committee in preparation for the Games. He is also working with GB swimming at the Intensive Training Centre at the national pool in Swansea and with the potential Olympic and Paralympic athletes from Welsh Athletics.
Psychology academics, Ross Hall and ClaireMarie Roberts (FBS), are involved in providing sports psychology support for the men’s and women’s GB Handball squads in the run-up to the Olympics. Both will spend time with the teams at the holding Camp in Loughborough and will visit them daily at the athletes’ village during the Games. Professor Damien Bailey is working with two Olympic hopefuls, Tri-athlete, Helen Jenkins, and Boxer Nathan Cleverly, on research into ‘hypoxic training’ – a new complementary (and legal) method of training that, Damien’s studies show, helps to improve performance.
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staff news
G lden Apples recognise teaching excellence Glamorgan’s first ever Studentled Teaching Awards took place in April to recognise the excellence of our teaching staff.
Congratulations to the winners...
Around 100 students and academics attended Cables Bar for the awards ceremony, nicknamed the ‘Golden Apples’, hosted by Professor Clive Mulholland and Student Union CEO, Sian Taylor. Over 160 nominations were received for Best Lecturer (taught), Best Lecturer, (International) and Best Lecturer (Research), which were shortlisted into finalists in each faculty. A second round of voting then decided on the overall category winners.
Rea Dennis (CCI) – Best Lecturer (research)
Sian Taylor, CEO of the Students’ Union, said, “The Awards have been a massive success with both staff and students and this is something that the Union now propose to run annually. Congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted and to all our nominees.”
Faculty shortlist Faculty of Health, Sport and Science • Best Lecturer (taught) – Clare McVeigh • Best Lecturer (international) – Jennifer Herbert • Best Lecturer (research) – Anthony Lewis
Faculty of Business and Society
Rachel Taylor (FBS) – Best Lecturer (taught)
• Best Lecturer (taught) – Rachel Taylor • Best Lecturer (research) – Jonathan Durrant • Best Lecturer (international) – Roland Fletcher
Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries • Best Lecturer (taught) – Craig Hooper • Best Lecturer (research) – Rea Dennis • Best Lecturer (international) – Andrew Persall
Faculty of Advanced Technology • Best Lecturer (taught) – Phil Hughes • Best Lecturer (research) – Ralf Patz • Best Lecturer (international) – Ifiok Otung
Ifiok Otung (AT) – Best Lecturer (International)
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staff news
Glamorgan website goes mobile-friendly In a world where smartphones, iPads, and other devices used to access the internet are in such abundant supply, there’s no doubt that the humble PC monitor is no longer the only display screen that consumers are using to view web pages... The consequence for organisations across the world is a need to ensure that their websites are responsive to whatever device the online visitor is using. Rather than a one size fits all approach, as has been the case until now, web managers and designers are having to configure their sites so that the page that appears best suits and comfortably fits the device it’s being viewed on, whether that’s an iPhone, an iPad or a 50in flat screen TV. Glamorgan’s website, www.glam.ac.uk would have previously displayed the same on all these devices, meaning visitors using smaller screens would have had a difficult time getting around our site. In response to this changing world, and in an effort to improve customer satisfaction, the University’s new website now adapts to these new technologies, automatically tailoring the page layout to best suit the user’s viewing device. Users across a broad range of devices and browsers will have access to a single source of content, laid out so as to be easy to read and navigate with a minimum of resizing, panning and scrolling. The effect of this change can more easily be seen by visiting the site on the various devices, but examples can be seen to the right. So far, only the main web pages have been updated, but over the coming weeks all other Glamorgan sites will receive the ‘responsive’ touch.
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profile
New John Francis joined Glamorgan as Business Development Director on 1st June. A Chartered Mechanical Engineer, John entered the HE sector in 2002, following a career in the automotive and electronic instrumentation sectors. He joins us from Oxford Brookes, where he led the drive to support innovation, enterprise and greater interaction with their business, and has been instrumental in developing collaborative partnerships. What would you say is your proudest career moment? Six months after arriving at Oxford Brookes, I secured a total of £3.25m HEIF2 funding via one individual bid and two collaborative bids (with Oxford University). That’s the absolute maximum award you can get for HEIF2 funding. It was a good day! What do you see as being the greatest challenge facing you in this role? Wales has a completely different social, political and economic environment from Oxford, so getting to know those perspectives and opportunities will be very important. Pronunciation of Welsh names and places is also proving to be a steep learning curve for me – a number of estate agents have already laughed at my efforts! What drew you to Glamorgan? I was very impressed by the leadership of the University and the commitment to a strategy for significant growth to commercial activity, whilst maintaining a good balance of excellence in teaching and research.
John Francis Business Development Director
How will your past experience come into play in this role? I have a wide experience in academia and in industry, with a background in research and product development, as well as sales and company growth. My strongest asset is being able to empower others to achieve their goals through teamwork. What will be on your agenda in the first 6 months? Getting to know the staff in the University and the wider community, both commercially and politically, and identifying what opportunities we should focus on. What piece of advice will you be taking with you into this role? Enterprise development in a University is a complicated business: academics are the absolute key to success, as clients always want their expertise, but that puts demands on their time and skills. Nevertheless, teamwork is what counts and professional commercial skills working in partnership with academic expertise can bring really effective results.
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profile
Faces Brian Porter joined the University on 30th April as the Head of Alumni Relations and Development. Based in MSR, Brian will lead the development of the University’s fundraising activities, alongside overseeing plans for the centenary celebrations. He joins the University from Budapest, Hungary, where he worked in a similar role at the Central European University. Brian is originally from Canada. What would you say is your proudest career moment? In my line of work, it’s always a proud moment when you get that first real philanthropic donation for the university. I’ve created fundraising functions and set up development offices at two other universities, Aston in the UK and the University of Central Europe, in Budapest. What do you see as being the greatest challenge facing you in this role? There are many challenges in setting up a brand-new alumni function. Internally we need to organise the alumni and friends’ database into a useful CRM system for fundraising, and organise ourselves to better engage with our alumni, so that their relationship with us is life-long. We also need to develop a culture of fundraising in order to go from a good university, to a great university! What drew you to Glamorgan? In my career, I have always sought out opportunities that are unique and where I felt I could make a significant difference to the future success of the institution. Glamorgan seemed to fit the bill. How will your past experience come into play in this role? I have successfully delivered in similar roles at several universities in the UK and Europe. What will be on your agenda for the first 6 months? Creating fundraising activities from scratch involves a lot of planning, creating and implementation of the Alumni Development functions, helping to move forward our alumni relations strategy. I’ll also be playing a leading role in planning and rolling out the forthcoming centenary celebrations, and of course, meeting as many of my fine Glamorgan colleages as possible.
Brian Porter Head of Alumni Relations and Development
What piece of advice will you be taking with you into this role? Many times, I have found that listening can be more important than speaking.
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profile
Five minutes with... Larissa Nelson Lecturer in Anatomy (HeSaS) In this new feature, we catch up with academics from across the University to find out what they’re working on and what makes them tick…
Profile Hometown: Good question! Born in Brazil but have no ‘hometown’ as such! Family: I am the youngest of three. Mum lives in Oman and dad lives in America. Sister is doing a round the world yacht race, currently crossing the Panama canal and brother lives in London. Pets: None. Hobbies: Love my sports! Touch rugby and netball are my main ones. Best piece of advice: Just keep on smiling. Preferred mode of transport: Bike -- when it’s not raining! Eat out or take out: Eat out. Tea or coffee: Neither – juice! How I got to this point was… I was at Cardiff University doing a PhD in regenerative medicine, specifically looking into the potential for cartilage repair in osteoarthritic knees. My background however was in Anatomy and whilst doing my PhD I continued demonstrating to Anatomy students in their practical sessions. This exposed me to the opportunity to work at Glamorgan alongside Drs Clare McVeigh & Tim Johnson as an HPL, helping out with the Musculoskeletal System module taught to first year Medical Science and Human Biology students. Shortly after, the opportunity arose to join the team full-time. The best thing about my job is… The opportunity to teach within my specific area of interest and being able to share information and fuel other people’s interests. The highlight so far has been… As a new starter, I’ve embarked on a very steep learning curve. It’s not only the students that are learning! The biggest highlight has been just knowing that there are students out there who appreciate the work I put in to get the best results I can out of them. The thing that has taught me the most about this industry/profession is… Experience – I have learnt so much in the past few months since starting in January; things that a book could never teach me! The biggest misconception people have is… That it’s easy and that an hour’s lecture = one hour of your time, when the reality is that one lecture requires many, many hours of preparation! The thing that always surprises people about me is… How I can be where I am at such a 'young' age. My advice for other lecturers is… Students always enjoy active practical classes that are hands-on. It helps them engage in their learning through interactivity.
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If you are an academic and would like to feature here, e-mail mnormans@glam.ac.uk
Be part of the summer Graduation Ceremonies The Graduation Office is looking for staff members from across the University to volunteer as Stewards, Marshals and Macebearers for the summer graduation ceremonies on 12th July in St David’s Hall, Cardiff and 16th – 20th July in Treforest. For more information and to complete a registration form, please refer to http://arstaff.glam.ac.uk/graduation/