P a r k Av e n u eThe University of Northampton’s staff magazine
October 2010
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: PAGE 3: Education expansion PAGE 11: New website launched PAGE 12: NEWBIS PAGE 13: Bus services PAGE 14: Graduate interns PAGE 16: Events
HRH The Princess Royal opens NewtonFull story, pages 4-5.
University welcomes new Vice Chancellor Professor Nick PetfordSee pages 6-8.
Welcome…
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Park AvenueEditorial Board
Mark Ferguson – Editor, Chris Allum – Designer, Claire Bicknell – Writer
With thanks to contributors
Linda Davis, Simon Denny, Mina Beint, Laura Swallow, Nick Petford, Rob Howe, Nick Allen, Paul R Taylor, Tara Rosier, Debbie Greaves, Ruth Pott-Negrine.
Park Avenue is produced by The University of Northampton’s Marketing and External Relations Office. The views and comments expressed in the magazine are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent those of The University of Northampton.
We welcome comments, suggestions, photos and articles for Park Avenue magazine whilst reserving the right to edit contributions for style and length.
Telephone 01604 893264 Email [email protected]
Virtual development with meaningful outlookIt was a real privilege to witness the opening of The University of Northampton’s Newton building at Avenue Campus on 28 September 2010 by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.
In addition to seeing the day mark the culmination of a three-year project, costing £11 million in purchase and redevelopment funding, the occasion also underlined the hard work put in by various teams across the University, not least Directorate, Estates and Facilities, and the School of Science and Technology, in creating a new and very public-facing addition to our campuses.
The site has undergone a complete transformation since the University took ownership in 2007. While retaining the majestic beauty of its Grade II Listed Building status on the outside, Newton’s interior has given way to a modern and attractive learning space, ideally suited to offering the very best in Science and Technology education.
As well as also being home to new facilities for non destructive testing, the site houses NVision, our new 3D immersive modelling and visualisation service to help businesses develop and test their products and facilities before fully bringing them to market.
The Princess was particularly interested in NVision’s capabilities and even donned a special pair of 3D glasses to explore the virtual environment, before using the occasion to extol the value and opportunities for more young girls to become involved in science and engineering. We should all continue to look forward to and support the University’s continuing investment and growth in such technologies against the setting of current world wide economic gloom.
Mark Ferguson, Publications and Publicity Manager
The University of Northampton came a fantastic seventh out of 36 teams in the annual Northampton Dragonboat Festival, raising £824 for charity.The ‘Natterjacks’ came 15th in 2009 so were delighted with their placing this year.
Andy McMillan, Human Resources Systems Officer and team leader for the Natterjacks, commented:
“We had a great time, it was hard work but having a practice beforehand really helped us to get our tactics right. We are very grateful to everyone who came to cheer us on and sponsored us for this very worthy cause – to raise funds for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance.
“It was good that the University was represented at this popular community event. The team is already looking forward to getting involved again next year.”
The team worked closely with the University’s Centre for Community Volunteering on their entry to the festival. Other
Natterjacks take on the Nene in annual Dragon Boat race
campus campaigns coming up this term include ‘Think Pink’ for Breast Cancer Care on 29 October, ‘Children in Need’ on 19 November and the ‘Children’s Christmas Boxes Collection’ launched in November. For further information, please visit www.northampton.ac.uk/volunteers
The Nifty Natterjacks
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School of Education builds on its successA major expansion of the School of Education started in summer 2010 to further enhance the School’s position as a nationally-recognised outstanding provider in education.
Nominations for Honorary awards open nowIs there an individual that you think the University should honour? Would you like to see the University making contact with a particular person who is influential in their area of expertise, business or industry? Now is your chance as nominations are open for individuals you feel the University should celebrate by conferring an Honorary award.
Previous recipients of Honorary awards include comedian Hugh Dennis; designer Zandra Rhodes CBE and inventor Trevor Baylis OBE.
You can nominate someone for an Honorary Fellowship or an Honorary Doctorate, which would be presented at the Graduation ceremonies in July 2011 or February 2012.
The criteria for nominations are as follows:
Honorary Fellowship (one of the following)
• Contributiontothelifeandwork of the University
• Contributiontoeducationand training in the region
• Contributiontothedevelopmentof higher and further education with relevance and reference to the University
Honorary Doctorate (one of the following)
• Outstandingacademicrecognition
• Notableservicetoeducation
• Nationalandinternationalrecognitionin an individual’s own field
In line with the University’s commitment to diversity, nominations from traditionally unrepresented groups would be particularly welcome.
Nominations should be submitted by midday on Friday 15 October 2010.
All nominations will be considered by the University’s Honorary Awards Committee who will make recommendations to the Senate and Governing Council.
For more information contact Nick Allen, Deputy Clerk, email [email protected] or telephone 01604 892320.
The School has successfully grown year-on-year in terms of student numbers, professional courses and research. The remodelling of its Sulgrave building will develop a state-of-the art learning space and several social learning spaces. These new spaces will serve Initial Teacher Training, Early Years, the Children’s Workforce and the Wider Schools’ Workforce.
In addition, there will be an extension to the building which will create a new entrance and reception, display, exhibition and event spaces.
The quality of learning and teaching space was given particular importance due to the need to model ‘best practice’ in professional development programmes,
and to match professional expectations in the context of the 21st Century Schools Building programme. The Student Administrative Teams will also be co-located to enhance effective student support and working with academic teams.
The building is set to increase the research capacity incorporating the Centre for Special Needs Education and Research (CeSNER) and to channel staff activity and the growing numbers of Doctoral students. This is a response to the School’s international reputation in special needs education and inclusion.
The expansion is set to be completed autumn 2011. There is currently a temporary reception in Rockingham for the School of Education.
Artist’s visualisation of the School of Education expansion and development
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HRH The Princess Royal opens Newton (continued from front cover)
The University of Northampton’s School of Science and Technology received a royal seal of approval when Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal opened the Newton building in September.Professor Kamal Bechkoum, Dean of the School of Science and Technology, commented:
“We are delighted that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal took the time in her busy schedule to open Newton. As Royal Patron of the Women Into Science, Engineering and Construction (WISE) campaign, her visit boosts our endeavour to advance gender equality in science, engineering and technology.
“I’m extremely proud of what Newton has to offer and our response to the needs of individual students, employers and wider society.”
On arrival, the Royal party was met by the University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Nick Petford, and Director of the WISE campaign Terry Marsh. They received a tour of the Newton building, taking in the NVision 3D immersive visualisation facility, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, and a session on robots with University academic staff and pupils from local schools.
Following this, a short prizegiving ceremony took place in the Main Hall of Newton to recognise female students in science and technology and Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal also unveiled a plaque commemorating her visit.
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Professor Simon Denny receives Queen’s AwardAs well as royal visits on campus, Professor Simon Denny of Northampton Business School recently went to Buckingham Palace to pick up his prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion, for recognition of his work promoting entrepreneurship.
The University of Northampton was the only higher education institution to be selected in this year’s Queen’s Award honours list.
Professor Denny commented:
“The recipients of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion were invited to two events. In the afternoon we were in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills where, in a short and simple ceremony, the Secretary of State, Vince Cable, presented each of us with a Grant of Appointment from the Queen and a cut glass bowl. We then made our way to Buckingham Palace for an evening reception with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
“The event highlights that the work we in the University have done to support entrepreneurs and promote enterprise is of a very high standard - as good as the best in the country!”
The University has also been nominated for three Times Higher Education awards; Most Innovative Teacher for Jonathan Adams, School of Science and Technology, Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers and Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development.
Professor Simon Denny meets The Queen
CREDIT: Buckingham Palace
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University welcomes Vice Chancellor Professor Nick Petford
How do you see the next few years shaping up for universities?The last ten years have been perhaps the most benign in the history of UK higher education, but that looks set to change as we move over the next few years to an environment that may well be unprecedented in its level of competitiveness. The key drivers of this change are the squeeze on public sector funding and the threat of higher student fees – a likely outcome of the Browne review. All universities are exposed to the same risks but those most heavily reliant on Government as the main supplier of financial resource, and who also fail to keep market share as students become more discerning and sophisticated in their choice of institution, are most sensitive to those risks.
If the cap on fees is lifted, as many now predict, the market becomes far more attractive to new entrants from the private sector, currently waiting in the wings. Now that the 50 percent participation target has been dropped there is a growing threat from substitutes as a replacement to degree and sub-degree study, either through an expansion in apprenticeships linked exclusively to FE provision, and
also from corporate universities such as Disney, JP Morgan and McDonalds – all against a UK backdrop of falling demographics in university-age entrants. Like it or not, notions of price-sensitivity, brand awareness and customer choice will become commonplace across the academy as new players force traditional universities to define much more clearly why their offer is superior to their rivals.
We also face a challenge from students themselves. For the first time ever universities as organisations will be mixing together Baby Boomers, Generations X , Y and soon Z, the most IT savvy lot ever. It might be a mistake to think these students are purchasing education; instead they are purchasing the benefits of education with an expectation of graduate-level jobs at the end. As students become increasingly more confident and self-assured in what they want to learn, and how they acquire knowledge, universities need to think hard about how best to meet these expectations.
So does that mean you view the University as a business in the traditional sense?Well, not exactly, there are some obvious caveats, our charity status being one. But in a future environment that is far more commercially driven, the methodologies
and language of the business world will only become more prevalent. There is certainly scope to make better use of the intellectual tools developed by Business School academics to help understand the competitive landscape and how best to analyse and respond strategically to risk.
This is important because universities are not like schools, or the NHS, whose income is provided entirely by the state, but self-governing, autonomous corporations overseen by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. Currently our HEFCE grant is approximately 40 percent of our annual turnover so we are already in the market for the majority of our income which is drawn from a mix of private and public sector contact income and student fees. HEFCE recommend we make an annual surplus of 3 percent on turnover and clearly the greater this figure, the more freedom we have to invest at our own discretion in the things we want to do.
What are your thoughts on the new strategy for the University?It’s interesting that not so long ago few in the sector bothered much about strategy, universities just kind of got on with it. But now it is one of the first things I am asked. There’s a great quote about strategy that says if you give a bunch of
The University of Northampton has welcomed Professor Nick Petford as its new Vice Chancellor.Previously Pro Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) at Bournemouth University, and before that, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Kingston University, Professor Petford has joined the University at a time when there are difficult challenges ahead for UK higher education institutions. Park Avenue met with the Vice Chancellor to discuss his vision for the University.
Filming on location, Naples, Italy for “How the earth Works”, Pioneer Productions/National Geographic
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pig farmers a blank page and ask them to develop a strategy, they’ll soon find a reason to build a pig farm. The obvious statement of fact here is that strategies often reflect the dominant paradigm of the person or people who write them. A new five-year strategy to 2015 has been approved by the University’s Governing Council but the metrics underpinning it are still in draft form.
It’s fair to say that in this version the main concept is a blend of widening access and regional engagement, and for good reason. But part of my job is to look again at this, especially in the light of current developments. So, if you want to guess at what aspects I might want to change, just look at my background where research, enterprise and regional economic development loom large. But then so does marketing (I was Faculty Marketing Manager at Kingston) and also HR, from my time at BP.
Where do you see opportunities?On the educational side internationalisation of the student experience, the part time market and increased employer engagement provide clear opportunities. We are also well placed to lead on exciting recent developments around the notion of University 2.0, where IT offers new opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation in curriculum delivery.
From what I have seen so far, there is a real opportunity to move forward as an institution on our strengths in social enterprise and service innovation. The pioneering work in NBS on social entrepreneurship and research in environmental waste management among others spring to mind as being especially topical, but as part of a wider agenda that includes WP, volunteering, sustainability and corporate social responsibility, drawn together through the lens of Social Enterprise.
Our recent HEFCE grant success in leadership and sustainability underscores this. I think such an agenda has potential to draw together a wide range of inter-related research and educational activity across the University as a single point of differentiation. A long-term strategy to attract philanthropic support for a wide range of development projects through our friends and growing alumni both at home and overseas is also in place.
How committed are you to regional engagement?Very. In my previous role I led on the regional engagement agenda and I am fully committed to making sure the University continues to play a leading role in the region and beyond. The same commitment applies to our key partner colleges. Local Government is in a state of flux but with the abolition of the RDAs, new opportunities for strategic
TOP LEFT: Professor Petford attended the Fashion Show in June 2010, RIGHT: Filming for Channel 4, BOTTOM LEFT: Signing a memorandum of understanding with Shaoguan University
Meet the Vice ChancellorAs well as visiting all Schools and Departments, and an ambition to use the University house on Boughton Green Road for more University functions, the Vice Chancellor will be hosting open meetings in October. All members of staff are invited to come along to meet him and bring any questions they may have. The next will take place on 18 and 19 October.
“I’m looking forward to meeting as many members of staff as possible,” said the Vice Chancellor. “It’s really important that we get together and discuss the direction of the University given the challenging times ahead and I value the views of everyone as we plan for the next stage of our journey.”
A new blog discussing the future of the University, topical plans and points of discussion will be available at blogs.northampton.ac.uk/institutionalstrategyblog
partnerships are opening up and in this fluid situation the University is well placed to capitalise on these developments.
Northamptonshire has tremendous potential, the county motto is about personal growth and a strong university providing intellectual leadership and research kudos is a real asset for any
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region with ambition to raise its national and international profile. Successful universities help with this by cutting across regional, national and international spheres and attracting the best talent from around the world to come to live and work. They also provide direct financial benefit to local people, not just as big employers in their own right but through direct economic impact calculated as some 2.5 times their annual turnover. So for Northampton that means more than £200 million annually for the local economy.
What needs to change? Well, that’s always an interesting question which often generates lots of heat but not much light! One thing to rule out now is any large-scale structural change in terms of academic schools or rebranding, both sometimes targets for incoming VCs. I do have some concerns, however, around culture, and the ability to be sufficiently responsive and flexible to the changing financial and technological environment we find ourselves in.
Classically, universities are dominated by role culture. That is they are highly bureaucratic, which is OK in a stable environment but not when faced with major external change, which is where we are as a sector now. My initial feeling is that we need to be more ambitious in what we can achieve. On the operational side, making better use of information for planning and performance management is one area we must improve on.
For example, despite some tremendous
outcomes, other performance measures show the University has not made the kind of improvements across the board enjoyed by our competitors. This needs early attention because we can’t afford to let the basics slip. I am also keen that we develop our staff and create a workplace that allows creativity and academic freedom to flourish. Passionate academics who are engaged in their subject through research, consultancy and professional practice must be an essential outcome of the HR strategy. On the support side, the NEWBIS project is seeking to find more efficient ways of doing things and enhance the student experience. Together four key interrelated activities: quality of the student experience, developing our intellectual capital, our strategic partnerships and maintaining financial stability, will be the pillars that inform our future direction and ambition.
The University of Northampton has undergone a tremendous journey culminating with the confirmation of our taught and research degree awarding powers. These are hard-won achievements for which all staff, and the people of the county, should take great pride in. This is a University that has shown it can look forward, develop, accommodate change, adapt to needs and succeed in its ambitions. Despite the challenging times ahead I have every confidence that we will move from strength to strength in the coming years.
Professor Nick Petford academic biography
Career
2010 – Vice Chancellor, The University of Northampton
2006-2010 Bournemouth University, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research & Enterprise
2001-2002 BP (e-HR), London
1995-2006 Kingston University, London
2003-2006 Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences
1997-2004 Marketing Manager, Science Faculty
1995-2003 Senior Lecturer/Reader
1991-1994 University of Cambridge, Junior Research Fellow, Churchill College
1990-1993 University of Liverpool, Royal Society University Research Fellow
Visiting Professorships
Visiting Professor, Open University UK (2010-present)
Visiting Professor, Macquarie University, Australia, (2005, 2010-11)
Visiting Professor, University of Vermont, USA, (2004)
Visiting Researcher, University of Michigan, USA, (1991)
Awards
Murchison Fund, Geological Society of London (1999)
Pardee Lecturer, Geological Society of America (2001)
Vice President, Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland (2002-2004)
Education
BSc Geology, Goldsmiths College, University of London (1987)
PhD Geology, University of Liverpool (1991)
DSc University of Liverpool (2009)
MBA Herriot Watt, Edinburgh (2010)
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Radicalism and use of new media tackled in first academic conferenceThe rise in the use of new media by far-right groups to spread extremist messages and to recruit members was explored at a major symposium at The University of Northampton’s School of Social Sciences.The conference brought together over 60 delegates from national and local Government, the police, security, probation services, specialists in fascist radicalism and academia.
This was the first day-long event of its kind in the UK organised by Dr Matthew Feldman, Senior Lecturer in Twentieth Century History, and Paul Jackson, Research Coordinator for Northampton’s unique research unit, the Radicalism and New Media Research Group. Dr Feldman, who has advised Scotland Yard, SO-15 and the Government on right wing extremism, and whose evidence has led to the convictions of several right wing extremists, commented:
“New media technologies such as the internet, personal communication devices, portable videos and so on, are increasingly employed by the European and American far-right from online radicalisation to full-flown cyberterrorism. Certain groups are using social networking sites to recruit to their causes. This is naturally very alarming and is one of the reasons Northampton is leading on this critical – and increasingly important – issue.”
Dr Jackson added: “Our symposium brought together for the first time cutting-edge academic research on the contemporary far-right in the UK and Europe with a range of practitioners and enforcement bodies.”
Symposium delegate Erica Duggan, whose son Jeremiah died in 2003 in Germany whilst attending a youth cadre school organised by the LaRouche movement, concluded:
“This kind of work that Northampton is doing is urgently needed. The world has changed and the internet has changed. What needs to follow from the symposium is to look at how we make distinctions of what is lawful and what’s unlawful from what these people are doing with new media.”
Over the past few years we have seen the beginnings of a cultural change with regards to the development and use of teaching material. In 2002, Massachusetts Institute of Technology made large amounts of teaching material freely available for use by any institution.
In 2006, the Open University released Openlearn, which has now reached over 8 million people and claims over 8000 hours of freely available study material. There are worldwide networks such as the OpenCourseWare Consortium promoting this type of resource sharing.
Recent HEFCE, JISC and HEA strategies have built on existing work to develop Open Educational Resources (OERs) and they have collaborated to fund a number of initiatives supporting the release on subject content.
The aim of the programme is to make a wide range of high quality higher education resources freely available, easily discovered online and routinely re-used and repurposed by both educators and learners worldwide.
The potential benefits of the open release of educational resources include:
• Anincreaseinstudentsatisfactionconcerning quality of learning materials
• Anenhancementoftheglobalacademicreputation of the UK HE system
• AnincreaseinapplicationstoUK HEIs from international and non-traditional learners
• Improvedvalueformoneyinresourcecreation for the UK HE sector
• Anincreaseintheopenavailabilityand
use of free high-quality online resources
• Supportfornewmodesofonlinelearning,such as those that involve the use of web 2.0 tools and mobile devices
A consortium led by The University of Northampton and involving the University of Leicester and De Montfort University was awarded funding by the JISC/HEA to develop OERs to support Interprofessional Learning.
The TIGER Project (Transforming Interprofessional Groups through Educational Resources) will spend the next year developing a wide range of resources which will be made freely available to the academic community.
For more information on the project visit www.northampton.ac.uk/tiger or email [email protected]
New trends in teaching materialsRob Howe, Project Director of the University’s new TIGER project, gives Park Avenue an insight into Open Educational Resources and the work the University is doing around them.
New media is increasingly being used by far-right extremists
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UK HE award ceremonies organisers meet in NorthamptonThe University played host to a workshop for staff from across the UK higher education sector involved in the organisation of award ceremonies. The event, which attracted over 50 delegates from 29 institutions provided an opportunity to share good practice and discuss the challenges and pitfalls of arranging higher education institutions’ most high profile events within their calendars.
Organiser of the workshop, Anji Farrow-Tempest (Ceremonies Administrator) explained:
“A similar event was held five years ago and it was suggested that a repeat was arranged. The feedback we received after the event recognised the event was timely and particularly useful as an opportunity for fellow professional services staff to meet, discuss how award ceremonies worked in their institutions and showcase the documentation which supports their award ceremonies”.
Feedback from the event has been very positive and has led to plans for a conference session proposal at the Association of University Administrators Annual Conference in April 2011 and a further workshop for award ceremonies staff in the summer 2011.
Over £1 million invested in PhD research postsThe University has announced 24 new fully funded and supported PhD research studentships, signifying our largest single investment in research degrees
The total investment of the research posts is £1.1 million, a strategic commitment to new research and knowledge transfer developments for the University fitting in with its targets and future vision. More details will follow in Park Avenue’s next issue.
Auction is a roaring success for Arts students and graduatesCurrent students and staff from the School of The Arts, plus graduates, have been involved in the high-profile Pride of Northampton street lion art exhibit and charity fundraiser which has seen decorative lions appear throughout Northampton this summer.
The auction of the lions recently took place at the Park Inn, Northampton, to raise funds for the Born Free Foundation and Cynthia Spencer Hospice. Some of the lions sold included:
• RennieMaclion,bySchoolofThe Arts students Lisa Allen and Stephanie Atkinson, based on 78 Derngate, was bought for £2,200
• GoldenTales,bySchoolofTheArtsgraduate Claire Jarvis, raised £2,300
• StillLife,aMarketProwl,alsobyClaire Jarvis, raised £1,200
• Crystallised,bySchoolofThe
Arts graduate Clare Hamer, was sold for £1,000
• Joseph,thePeople’sLion,knittedby members of the public and managed by a group of School of The Arts graduates calling themselves Seahouses Arts, raised £1,110
• AreYouLionsomeTonight(Elvis lookalike), by graduate Tamsyn Payne, with help from two others, sold for £1,100
Well done to all involved on such a great community project and raising funds for charities.
Lisa Allen and Stephanie Atkinson decorating ‘Rennie Maclion’ earlier this year
CREDIT: Steve Martin
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New website built around user journeysThe new academic year brings a brand new website, www.northampton.ac.uk, for The University of Northampton, a collaboration between Information Services and Marketing and External Relations.
The website has actually been over two years in the making as work began on selecting a suitable content management system in 2008. The structure has been created around four key user journeys; prospective students, business and community, research and general information, with other journeys to be developed.
Steve Martin, Web Manager, IS, commented:
“Our vision is to organise all information on the website around the user, not our university structure. It is all one website split into different audience areas.”
The University has been working with Jadu, a specialist in content management systems, on the website system and Headscape, a company specialising in web design solutions, on the graphic design side of the site.
Be sure to regularly check the website blog at blogs.northampton.ac.uk/onesite for future website developments (usual staff username and password apply).
What do you think of the new website?
Jan Levi, Space/Timetabling Coordinator, Estates Services
“The new website is easy to navigate through and the students that I have shown it to seemed happy and content with the site.”
Tom Murray, Creative Artist/3D Modeller, Science and Technology
“The University’s website looks a lot slicker than it did before. It is easier to find what you are looking for and to see where you are navigating with the interactive coloured cursor. The website has a more professional look to it, which is an overall improvement.”
Jeanette Casey, School Administrator, Science and Technology
“Overall it looks better than before – on the staff page, OASIS has easy access now, whereas before it had to be bookmarked on your page.
Stewart Rose, Customer Services Manager, Information Services.
“I have been using the new website over the last month checking content from our Department’s point of view. I like the new interface and the way it works. It is a lot better than what we had before.”
Michelle Smith, Business Development and Marketing Officer, Northampton Business School
“The website looks more professional and modern than before.
It is nice that everything is easy to find especially because I am new to the University and I still have to find out how everything works.“
If you have any comments or would like to request changes, please email [email protected]
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Staff could benefit greatly from reduced paperwork if we can find new and innovative ways of working with our systems. This is where the NEWBIS team comes in.
The team consists of colleagues from internal secondments and external appointments. Their core aim is to improve and streamline the University’s use of information through analysis of processes (student journey processes, finance, HR and payroll, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and reporting processes) in a systematic way. This will reveal opportunities to help staff work in a more streamlined and effective way in the future.
It’s a major project which affects us all and one that will help to transform us into the type of university we need to be in the 21st century.
The team will be heading out on a road-show to discuss their work and progress with staff. The first session will take place on 27 October at 12noon in HLT1. Refreshments will be provided.
For more information about the NEWBIS project, please contact the team on 01604 893608.
Park Avenue caught up with the NEWBIS team to find out more.
NEWBIS, supporting the student journeyPaperwork, data recording and administrative processes take time, sometimes too much time, that could be spent supporting students in their journey through the University.
The NEWBIS team (L-R) Jo Brewin, Daniel Falls, Vicki Jesney, Julie Raven, Martin Wills, Lynda Berry, Simon Swindell and Anant Barve
Anant Barve, NEWBIS Programme Manager
“We are asking for selected members of staff well-versed in core university processes to engage with us in Functional Working Groups to help us better understand how systems and processes work throughout the organisation. Ultimately this will lead to improving the quality of the student experience.”
Julie Raven, Team Leader, Student Life Cycle Processes
“Speaking to colleagues across the University, everyone is keen to get involved and get across how they fit into the University. It’s a chance to make a difference and for us to all work together.”
Jo Brewin, Team Leader, HR and Payroll Processes
“This was an exciting opportunity to do something completely different and to represent HR within NEWBIS. If you think about how many letters are sent out to employees on a day-to-day basis, it would be excellent if we could work towards more automated and standard processes.”
Lynda Berry, NEWBIS Business Analyst
“These types of projects are very rare in companies in terms of a far-reaching and in-depth implementation programme. My role is to help the Functional Working Groups to achieve their objectives.”
Vicky Jesney, Team Leader, Finance Processes
“There is a lot of duplication at the University. It would be better to be more streamlined and to stop a lot of the paper floating around, moving to online forms rather than manual processes.”
Martin Wills, NEWBIS Business Analyst
“I’m going to be talking to people about what we are doing and what we think we should be doing. I’m here as a facilitator, the teams will be led by people who know this University inside out.”
Daniel Falls, Team Leader, CRM
“We will develop a matrix of what’s best to use and where. It will look at touchpoints from start to finish; from initial student enquiries, through to alumni and business engagement. Multiple touchpoints are a huge issue for the University – many key influencers and stakeholders are being contacted by different people across the organisation many times.”
Simon Swindell, Team Leader, Reporting and Interfaces
“We will be taking a holistic view of how the University works from a data sense and working out what systems will work best for getting students to join us, to process them and to hopefully get them back again for further study.”
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From now onwards, University-funded buses will cover six routes in Northampton with free and subsidised travel available for staff and students.
The University funds the Unibuzz Network; a network of bus services that run between Avenue Campus and Park Campus, as well as to various locations around Northampton. Changes to the Unibuzz Network bus services and timetables took place in September, so the Network now includes the following bus services within Northampton (Mondays to Fridays):
• Service7fromParkCampustoNorthamptonCollege (Booth Lane), Kettering Road (White Elephant for Avenue Campus) and bus station;
• Service10fromParkCampustoSpringPark,Kingsthorpe,Mill Lane, Bants Lane and Sixfields (term-time only);
• Service18fromParkCampustoMoultonCollege,Moulton, Boothville and Weston Favell Centre;
• Service19fromParkCampustoKingsthorpe,Avenue
Campus, rail station, town centre and bus station;
• Service19EfromParkCampustoKingsthorpe,Avenue Campus, rail station, town centre, General Hospital and bus station (evenings);
• Service21fromParkCampustoKingsthorpe,AvenueCampus,bus station and Northampton General Hospital (term-time only).
Campus to campus travel (including from Park Campus to Moulton College and Northampton College, Booth Lane) and travel within the NN2 postcode area is free all day Monday to Friday for staff on production of a valid University ID card. A discounted fare of £1 applies for staff for any other single journey all day Monday to Friday on production of a valid University ID card.
For more information on the routes, fares and timetables, please visit the website at www.northampton.ac.uk/travel
The next issue of Park Avenue will feature an update on the University’s on-campus car parking charging scheme, which has been rescheduled to begin no earlier than 10 January 2011.
On the buses for 2010/11The University has agreed new contracts with bus operators that will give increased capacity, frequency and coverage on services this academic year.
Annual Careers FairStudents and graduates will have the opportunity to talk to possible future employers at the University’s Careers Fair on Wednesday 27 October 2010, organised by the Careers and Employability Service.
Latest Staff Development workshops availableThe latest programme of sessions in the Staff Development calendar have been announced for Autumn 2010.
Workshops include personal and continued professional development, higher education and University background sessions. Staff can learn new practical skills that can help with their roles around five key themes of Academic Orientation, Orientation, Core Management Skills, Staff Development Portfolio and Performance and Development Review.
For further information, please visit www.northampton.ac.uk/staff-development or contact ext 2776 or ext 2757. To register on any workshops, please email [email protected]. There is no cost for Staff Development Portfolio courses.
There is still space available for other employers to attend and if you would like to invite any specific employers, please them know by emailing details to [email protected]
The Fair is being held from 11am to 3pm in
Sunley Management Centre, Park Campus, and will be attended by over 25 local and national organisations. It will be opened by Vice Chancellor Professor Nick Petford.
For more information please visit www.northampton.ac.uk/careers
The Careers Fair in 2009
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The University’s Careers and Employability Service has been successfully running a funded Graduate Internship programme since June 2010, aimed at all graduates from Northamptonshire or the East Midlands – not just those of the University – from the 2008, 2009 and 2010 cohorts. Fitting in with the Portfolio Innovation Centre’s ethos and offering its tenants a chance to take on an intern for a six week period or more, the Centre’s Director Wendy Nikolaidis was keen to be involved in the programme
“The benefits for our tenants were clear to see. They themselves receive £1500 to take on a graduate for an internship and get essential help and support to their businesses. The graduates receive paid work and invaluable experience. Often in small companies, they get to do more in their internships too. It’s a win-win situation for both the graduate and tenant,” Wendy said.
The Portfolio Innovation Centre currently has five graduate interns – these include Andy Nikolaidis who is working for Mossface Design, Aine Poole, placed
with Toru Interac, and Tomi Oyeneye, working for Secret Seed Publications.
Tomi, a BA (Hons) Marketing graduate of Northampton Business School, commented:
“This is a really good experience for me. I’m working with Secret Seed as a Marketing Assistant so doing a lot of online promotion, PR, social networking and sales. Many positions look for years of experience before they employ you so it will be really valuable for my future career.”
Shena Cooper, Creator and Director of Secret Seed Publications, added:
“I’ve recently moved into Portfolio so having Tomi with me has been really helpful; she brings a fresh perspective with her and is turning her learning into the reality of marketing – with a real budget! Tomi is a huge help to me and it’s valuable to her to understand how a business works.”
For further information on the programme, please contact Shelley Garner, Careers Information Officer, email [email protected] or telephone 01604 892727.
Graduate talent championed at Portfolio Innovation CentreRetaining graduate talent in the county is an aim of the Portfolio Innovation Centre, based at the University’s Avenue Campus. It is the home to 48 businesses from the design, digital and creative industries, many of them young and upcoming entrepreneurs.
Veteran human rights campaigner to give multi-faith lectureThis year’s Multi-faith Chaplaincy annual autumn lecture will be given by Professor Frank Field on the topic of ‘Human Rights through Justice and Unity: A Baha’i View’.Professor Field worked for most of his life for the United Nations, and was involved in running refugee camps in Germany and Austria in the 1950s.
He also worked for the UN in Geneva and lectured at Kent State University’s Geneva program as well as lecturing at the American University in London.
During the lecture he will look at the implications of human rights in the modern world and draw on his wide experience of working with the UN to promote justice.
Professor Field has retired to Northampton where he is a member of the Baha’i community.
The Multi Faith Chaplaincy’s Mina Beint discusses further the significance of the lecture:
“Autumn is a significant time for Baha’is as it sees the birthdays of the twin Manifestations, The Bab on the 21 October and Bahá’u’lláh on the 12 November (1817).”
The Multi Faith Chaplaincy serves the needs of the diverse populations of students who are from many different religious backgrounds.
The lecture will be held in Grendon Lecture Theatre, at Park Campus on Thursday October 21 at 7.30pm.
For more information on the lecture or the work of the Multi-Faith Chaplaincy, please email [email protected] or telephone 01604 892488.
(L-R) Tomi Oyeneye, Andy Nikolaidis and Aine Poole
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As we anxiously await announcements on the Government spending review and the outcome of the Browne report, no-one can be in any doubt that universities across the country face challenging times ahead and cuts in funding, so it is wonderful to be able to share good news from the Alumni and Development team.
Over the past two years we have raised over half a million pounds in philanthropic donations and in this academic year we have already raised £29k which – with gift aid and Government matched funding – equates to £51,445, including a £25k donation from The Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation for refurbishment of Sunley Management Centre.
As a result, during the next few weeks, we will be presenting cheques to staff and students at event on campus.
This year the Santander University programme has provided grants in excess of £61,000 to support developing programmes in Spain, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. The scheme has made it possible for the
University to award student scholarships across all Schools and disciplines. The new programme kicks off in October so if you are looking for funds of up to £4,000 to support an Iberamerican project or joint venture we invite you to consider making an application.
At a donor event on 28 November, the University’s Chancellor Baroness Falkner will join us to present awards raised through the Chancellors’ Fund. The fund provides student support – one off grants to ameliorate extreme student hardship - and it will be used to offer help with equipment, travel bursaries, extracurricular activities, volunteering and sport. Grants are also available for staff under the scheme to help with innovative start up projects and new initiatives.
If you would like to find out how to make an application, please contact Mitch Smith in the Alumni office, email [email protected] or telephone 01604 892450.
Even during difficult times, it is still possible to attract philanthropic
support from generous individual and organisations. The University already enjoys considerable goodwill and support but we cannot afford to be complacent.
It has never been more important to seek new sources of funding and the Alumni and Development team are here to help.
Throughout the year we will be running workshops to explore opportunities for harnessing external support - from making contact with successful and motivational alumni ready to enrich the student experience, to making a direct pitch for funding from a trust or individual philanthropist.
With less than 12 months to the end of the match funding scheme, which magically turns £1,000 into £1,500, we need to double our efforts to raise funds before the deadline of 31 July 2011.
If you would like to know more about Alumni Relations activity and Fundraising, I would love to hear from you, email [email protected] or telephone 01604 893328.
Fundraising and philanthropic support during a recessionDebbie Greaves, Head of Development, Marketing and External Relations, tells Park Avenue that despite tough times ahead, there has never been a more important time to drive forward fundraising and development activities.
Santander award presentations in October 2010
be career-wise. I knew I was doing it for a good reason. There were times when it was difficult because I ran a business on the side and I am also a single parent. I’ve had to work to pay the bills.
“The difference with my fellow students was that I hadn’t just come from A-levels and I hadn’t done anything academic for 10 years. People were talking about referencing and I didn’t know what that was. But even within the first few months I could see the positive opportunities from being there and having a degree, which really spurred me on.
“I believe that going to university was the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Interview by Ruth Pott-Negrine, Chronicle and Echo, 9 August 2010
Forthcoming eventsOpen DaySaturday 16 October, 10am-3pm Avenue and Park Campuses
Email [email protected] Telephone 01604 893266
Working with schools and colleges workshopTuesday 19 October, 2-4pm Park Campus
Email [email protected] Telephone 01604 892776
Access to University dayWednesday 20 October, 9.30am-2pm Park Campus
Email [email protected] Telephone 01604 893268
Guest Livery EventWednesday 20 October, 6-8pm Sunley, Park Campus
Email [email protected] Telephone 01604 892149
Lecture on ‘Human Rights Through Justice and Unity: A Baha’i Perspective’ by Professor Frank FieldThursday 21 October 2010 7.30pm Grendon Lecture Theatre 1, Park Campus
Email [email protected] Telephone 01604 892488
Careers Fair 2010Wednesday 27 October 2010 11am-3pm Sunley, Park Campus
Email [email protected] Telephone 01604 892727
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We welcome comments, suggestions, photos, event listings and articles for Park Avenue magazine
Please email [email protected] or telephone 01604 893264
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@tom_hill01 the last and youngest Hill brother has made it into Northampton Uni. Congratulations Ben!
@amylouisepage Rather impressed with northampton uni :)
@masutherland Team @royalderngate at University of Northampton fresher’s fair all week. Hoping for lots of lovely new audiences intrigued by great offers
@TriangleLifts Our engineers are about to embark on another year of training through the university of northampton to enable us to remain competitive
@ellababy10 “I reckon Pope Benedicte should come bless The University of Northampton.”
Here’s just some of the comments our ‘followers’ on Twitter have been making about @UniNorthants recently!
Twitter-atti!
Lee Davey is a BSc Sport and Exercise Science graduate and is now setting his sights on becoming a PE teacher. Lee is also known for his time spent in the Big Brother house in 2002, the same year as Jade Goody.“As soon as they came out of the (Big Brother) house there were all of these housemates saying they wanted to be a TV presenter or wanted to be an actor. I just didn’t. I accepted my future.
“At the end of the day I was a fitness instructor. I wasn’t going to go on TV talking about things I didn’t know about, and I think I was one of the first ones to go back to work.
“I had got to the point where teaching people fitness and showing people how to use gym equipment had run its course. I wanted to go in to teaching, identifying talent, trying to help kids progress and develop in sport.
“When I was younger I wanted to be a PE teacher but I never liked the thought of going to university. It wasn’t my thing, I wasn’t academic. But times change and it was the only way of moving on and getting a good job.
“I was 27 when I went back and I had my head screwed on. I knew where I wanted to
Lee Davey
TM
