Please feel free to distribute this bulletin onwards to interested colleagues.
In this edition of the Digest:
1. UBU Awards 2011 [all fields; students]
2. Volunteers sought for Bristol Festival of Nature: 16-19 June including set-up day [all fields; all levels]
3. Adult and Community Learning Fund 2011: deadline 10 June [all fields; all levels]
4. Science Communication Training for Europe’s Scientists: booking deadline 1 June [sciences; all levels]
5. People and Research South West Launch Event: 6 June [health and social care; all levels]
6. Bristol Festival of Education: 6 - 17 June [all fields; all levels]
7. National HE STEM Programme event: 7 June [STEM; all levels]
8. Universities Week 2011: What's the big idea? 13 – 19 June [all fields; all levels]
9. M Shed Launch - Procession of Professions: 18 June [all fields; all levels]
10. Exploring Digital Storytelling: 22 June [all fields; all levels]
11. Inspirational Outreach: A Workshop on Sharing Practice 23rd June [STEM; all levels]
1. UBU Awards 2011
The Students’ Union Awards 2011 acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding student activity that has taken place during the year through societies, sports clubs, volunteering, fundraising and projects, as well as individuals’ contributions. There are 14 awards in total including: ‘Best Collaboration’, ‘Voluntary Project of the Year’, and an ‘International Engagement Award’.
‘Outstanding Contribution to Bristol Life’ nominations close on 27 May to allow readers of the Bristol Evening Post to vote on the candidates for the award. Deadline for all other nominations is 5pm Friday 10 June.
Any student can make a nomination and can do so online at www.ubu.org.uk/unionawards
2. Volunteers sought for Bristol Festival of Nature: 16-19 June including set-up day
Helpers are needed from 16-19 June to help set-up, run and de-rig the Bristol Festival of Nature. Jobs will include setting up stalls and marquees and engaging with some of the 25,000 visitors at the festival.
Any post-graduate students who already intend to work with the University directly as internal volunteers, on a specific project, need not register. This is for general Festival volunteers who will be assigned to a variety of roles.
To register please visit www.bnhc.org.uk/home/festival/volunteer
Further information from Matt Postles at matt@bnhc.org.uk and www.festivalofnature.org
3. Adult and Community Learning Fund: deadline 10 June 2011, 12 noon
This is a new fund to help make the Big Society a reality. Organisations from across England can bid for their share of £2.25 million from the Adult and Community Learning Fund for new and imaginative adult and community learning opportunities that engage and motivate, in particular, disadvantaged adults.
The maximum amount for any bid is £75,000 and the minimum is £10,000. The Adult and Community Learning Fund can support a wide range of projects and activities in England - though all of them should deliver learning to adults. Projects will need to demonstrate the role adult learning plays in the achievement of a range of the Government's wider social policy goals. One of eight key themes is ‘civic engagement and community decision making’.
For further details including how to apply visit: http://www.niace.org.uk/news/new-fund-for-adult-and-community-learning?src=fp2nd Inquiries to aclf@niace.org.uk
4. Science Communication Training for Europe’s Scientists: booking deadline 1 June
This training, in Dubrovnik, Croatia from 17 July - 3 August 2011 is being run by ESCONET (European Science Communication Network) which aims to help scientists develop the skills and confidence to interact with media, engage with citizens, to advise and persuade policy-makers and to get clearly heard. The training is open to all scientists and researchers from all disciplines and backgrounds - regardless of their source of funding. That is, participation is not limited to EC FP6 or FP7 funded researchers, which was the case previously. For more information regarding the workshops, our trainers, the booking procedure and fees, please visit our website: http://www.esconet.org
5. People and Research South West Launch Event: 6 June 2011, 1.30 - 5pm
People and Research South West is a collaborative initiative to support researchers to involve the public in health and social care research, and to support the public in getting involved. We are a partnership of NHS organisations, the University of the West of England and the University of Bristol. At our Launch Event you can find out about this new initiative and how you can be involved, learn about experiences of public involvement in research and to meet other people with an interest in this area. Keynote presentation from Professor John Kirwan and Pam Richards, Patient Research Partner, Academic Department of Rheumatology from the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust.
Venue: Learning and Research building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol Contact Catrin Richards, Public Involvement in Research Co-ordinator Email Catrin.Richards@nbt.nhs.uk or Catrin.Richards@uwe.ac.uk http://hls.uwe.ac.uk/suci/people-and-research-south-west.aspx
6. Bristol Festival of Education: 6 - 17 June 2011
The Graduate School of Education are marking the opening their new Creative Learning Spaces with a series of public events. The events are intended to provoke discussion of key ideas and contributions to the advancement of education, locally and globally. For a full listing of events see the Festival website web: bristol.ac.uk/education/events/festivalofeducation.html
7. A National HE STEM Programme event: 7 June 2011
An invitation to attend the first of a series of free seminars focused on the transition and induction experiences of students on HE STEM programmes and the role of peer assisted learning on these programmes. The day includes a session by Dr Barrie Cooper on ‘Developing a community of practice for STEM Outreach and WP practitioners’.
Venue: Kay Building, Streatham campus. University of Exeter.
Further information from Chris Keenan, Bournemouth University, ckeenan@bournemouth.ac.uk To register visit: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGZRSzFfUjg3QkozLVhPdTJPZkFMYlE6MA
8. Universities Week 2011: What's the big idea? 13 – 19 June 2011
Universities Week 2011 is a national campaign demonstrating the benefits of universities within UK society. The campaign highlights the impact universities in the UK have on the individual, the local community, its businesses, and the future of the UK, just to name a few.
Each day of ‘Universities Week’ will tell a story about a unique aspect of the country’s universities and their influence on the economy, culture, society, and the future. Ian Morton of Universities UK says “The days have been designed to provide you with a template of activity to which you can link at an institutional level and for you to use with your local and regional press.” If you have any particularly interesting video podcasts or case studies that you think would be of interest to members of the public, please contact Ian.
Further information from http://www.universitiesweek.org.uk/Events/Documents/UniversitiesWeekCampaignResourcePack.pdf Enquiries to: Ian.Morton@UniversitiesUk.ac.uk
9. M Shed Launch - Procession of Professions: 18th June 2011, 11am
An invitation to take part in the Bristol Procession of Professions. This procession is taking place as part of the new museum of Bristol, M Shed, Launch Weekend celebrations and we would love Bristol University staff and students to be involved. It is a chance to bring together and show off as many Bristol trades, professions and businesses as possible.
What we now need is groups of people, in sixes, who will represent the current Bristol professions, trades, businesses and occupations to create the parade wearing iconic costumes of their own choosing. The clergy, the law and the military may have traditionally recognisable clothing, but how would you show what you do?
The procession will proceed on foot from Castle Park (the heart of the old city) through Cabot Circus and Broadmead, and along the harbourside to M Shed. If you are interested, please email: bethan.greaves@bristol.gov.uk with the subject heading ‘procession info please’.
10. Exploring Digital Storytelling: 22 June 2011
Developments in web technology and the variety of digital media now available provide easy access to a wide range of tools for creating and sharing stories. You don't need to be a skilled film maker to produce your own movies! This ‘hands on’ workshop looks at why stories are a powerful and effective way of communicating with an audience and how the technique can be used effectively for a wide range of purposes; learning, publicity and marketing, community engagement and more. Cost £160 including lunch; venue 8-10 Berkeley Square http://www.netskills.ac.uk/content/products/workshops/event/bris-jun11-story-r1/index.html
11. Inspirational Outreach: a workshop on sharing practice: 23rd June 2011
Are you involved in Outreach and Widening Participation activities relating to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the South West of England? Would you like to share your expertise and experiences with colleagues from other institutions? If so, you are warmly invited to attend this workshop, where there will be keynote speakers such as Professor Angie Hart, Dr Alison Hooper and Sophie Duncan, who will discuss the benefits of being part of a STEM Outreach and WP Community of Practice.
In light of the loss of Aimhigher and the focus in Access Agreements on effective (and collaborative) Outreach, we aim to develop a sustainable South-West regional Community of Practice for STEM Outreach and WP practitioners. The Inspirational Outreach Workshop provides an important opportunity for practitioners to share practice and coordinate cross-institutional peer review activities. In doing so, we hope STEM Outreach and WP practitioners across the South-West will be able to become more deeply involved in building a network of cross-institutional collaborative partnerships and achieve more effective STEM Outreach and WP activity.
See additional blog post with programme.
11am – 4pm, College of Engineering, Harrison Building, University of Exeter Free registration. https://www.survey.exeter.ac.uk/inspirational_outreach For further information, please contact Laura Bonner: M.L.Bonner@exeter.ac.uk
