Search results
-
Christmas at BGU – Bringing Cheer and Raising Funds
By Linette Wallace, CELT Coordinator Support and activities for Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) students over the festive period looked slightly different this year due to the second national lockdown and the staggering of students leaving the campus earlier than normal and focusing on remote learning. However, to ensure the safety and welfare of our students, (some of whom still remained on campus during the holiday period) a suite of activities and support were put in place to help people not feel isolated and so that they could access key advice and assistance should they have needed it. Prior to the Christmas break, the University started on-campus Lateral Flow Testing for both students and staff. This helped to ensure that students could be tested for COVID-19 and protect themselves and their families as much as possible by having the required amount of self-isolation time if applicable before returning home for the holiday period. Whilst the campus was closed, the security team were present on-site 24/7 and accommodation and Chaplaincy staff also provided support. The Students’ Union continued to add wellbeing advice to their social media pages throughout the season and students could continue to access a range of resources and advice through the Student Advice Centre and via the Health Assured service BGU have put in place so that students can access wellbeing advice 24 hours a day. All BGU students have access to the Resilience Toolkit which is situated on their virtual learning environment and provides a raft of information on stress/resilience and mindfulness. In addition, goodie bags containing a range of treats were delivered to International and Erasmus students living on campus and small, potted Christmas trees were also delivered to some of these students living off-campus so that they could make their environments as homely as possible. To help engage with and safeguard students who were away from family and friends during the holiday period, staff at BGU organised online chit-chats, door step meets, organised walks and a remote virtual ‘Escape Room’ game. Students, some of whom were resident on campus and some who still participated after securing a flight home, worked together to answer a range of challenges and puzzles to advance through the game and solve the conundrum. The Escape Room was hosted by Macmillan Cancer Support and donations were made to the charity of £160.56 including Gift Aid to support the event. To find out how you can create your own successes in our collaborative learning community, visit our website, speak to a member of our Enquiries Team or join us on one of our Open Days. -
Online software offers an ‘Evolution’ in learning for Entrepreneurship students
Although for some the COVID lockdown has created feelings of isolation and disconnect, it has provided the Team Entrepreneurship (TE) students at Bishop Grosseteste University the opportunity to trial world-class simulation software that allows remotely and virtually 'run' an entire company. The software, called ‘Evolution’ allows participants to 'take over' a virtual company which has a trading history, product in development, staff and premises. As its new managers, they must use all of the information available to them in order to make decisions that affect staff, buildings, raw materials, sales and ultimately profitability, running the company over a number of virtual years. As in real life, all decisions impact on profitability and bad decision can have an adverse effect. Senior Lecturer Chris Jackson discusses how the software, created by a York based company called Simventure, became an invaluable tool on the course: "I had come across their product online while researching materials for both the TE course and the new MSc International Business and noticed that it's used globally by some big business schools. I wanted to know more, so I just picked up the phone and struck up a conversation with the company. It turns out that their CEO and I share similar backgrounds and are pretty passionate about entrepreneurship. The programme seems a perfect fit for the MSc, where we'll now be using it as the backbone of one module." "With the continuation of lockdown after Christmas, we realised that there was a possibility that Team Entrepreneurship students could struggle to create the learning experiences needed for them to be able to complete assignments - the Evolution programme seemed to be a perfect compromise, and we'll be introducing this to our learners in the next few weeks.". "We want to keep our students' learning as real as possible while encouraging them to try new strategies and tactics. Of course, things may go wrong, but then unlike real life, Evolution has 'pause' and 'rewind' features!" Alongside this, students are currently testing their business thinking and planning capabilities by using another online tool called Validate. Not only can this be accessed remotely, but it encourages learners to share their work with their peers and with supervisors. It doesn’t take students long to realise that the answers that they are looking for are neither in their heads of in text books - by gamifying their learning they are challenged to take their thinking outside of the classroom. Unlike many traditional models of venture creation, Validate also features sustainability in the initial stages and challenges the learner to map their thinking to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). Now also introduced as an integral part of future business courses, this is another way in which BGU can combine ethical and sustainable thinking in our programmes. If you'd be interested in experiencing a 'virtual' business experience for your students or staff, you can contact Chris Jackson at chris.jackson@bishopg.ac.uk. To find out how you can create your own successes in our collaborative learning community, visit our website, speak to a member of our Enquiries Team or join us on one of our Open Days. Image credit (©Simventure) -
BGU Lecturers suggest improved disaster risk reduction policy for Bangladesh
Bangladesh has more than 700km of coastline within the Bay of Bengal (BoB). It is a low-lying flood plain and high population density country. Due to the geographical location and topography, any cyclonic activities on BoB and beyond on it, on the Indian Ocean, impact on the coastal communities in Bangladesh. (Below photo: Approximate origin and path of severe tropical cyclone Amphan on May 2020) -
Students and lecturers launch new documentary on their work to 'plot new worlds' as part of Being Human 2020
A group of Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) students and lecturers have launched a new documentary showcasing their contribution to the Being Human Festival amidst the pandemic.The documentary, directed and produced by third-year English Literature student Tyson Warren, reflects on an autumn 2020 poetry event held at BGU on the theme of 'plotting new worlds' which featured the 2020 John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize Winner, Isabel Galleymore.Ideas for the event and documentary sprung from a module in BGU's English department devised by Dr Jonathan Memel called 'Writing the Environment'. This final-year module aims to bring students' understanding of environmental literatures to bear on pressing questions in the environmental humanities today. -
BGU to host BAAL Language Policy Forum 2021
Bishop Grosseteste University is this year’s host of the British Association of Applied Linguistics (BAAL) Language Policy Forum 2021 which is taking place from 27-28 May. Key-note speakers Prof. Wendy Ayres-Bennett (University of Cambridge) and Prof. Joseph Lo Bianco (University of Melbourne) will be joining us, along with researchers from the UK and around the world, to discuss the latest issues in language policy in all its forms. BGU, the Communication & Language Research & Knowledge Exchange Unit and the TESOL team are delighted to have been chosen to host this year’s online event. Dr. Abigail Parrish, chair of the local organising committee, says: “It’s a real honour to be able to host such esteemed colleagues from such a wide range of countries and backgrounds at BGU. We’re so excited to hear about the latest research in all aspects of language policy.” For tickets and more information, click here. CoLa (Communication and Language RKEU) and the TESOL team at BGU have continued to develop innovative ways of teaching and adapting their research and national and international partnerships over the course of the pandemic; hosting the BAAL LP2021 is another example of this commitment. For more on in Linguistics and TESOL with BGU, see our course information here. -
BGU Team Entrepreneurship Graduate Secures Role as an Associate Team Coach
Bishop Grosseteste University Business (Team Entrepreneurship) graduate Jordan Shaw has secured a role an Associate Team Coach at Birmingham's Aston Business School. Jordan, who graduated from the course in 2020, will be working with students on Astons' Team Entrepreneurship programmes where he will be growing the links and connections that he established while studying at BGU. Team Entrepreneurship Programme Lead Chris Jackson commented: "Jordan's progression is pretty unique in that while at BGU he was also awarded a bursary to study International Team Mastery with UK-based Akatemia CIC. This saw Jordan travelling to visit other institutions running Team Academy style courses including TAMK in Finland. "It's sometimes assumed that the TE-style courses are all about business start-up, which they're not. Some graduates do indeed and pursue self-employment but the most important outcome is that we develop graduates who are equipped to meet the challenges of the modern world. "As interest in team learning continues to grow globally, within organisations as well as HE, it's important that progressive institutions embrace this as a way to meet the demands of learners. It's great to see Jordan moving into such an exciting and rewarding career." You can find out more information on our Business courses by clicking here, speaking to a member of our Enquiries Team, or by joining us at one of our Open Events. -
BGU Staff Members Contribute to Award Winning Book
Bishop Grosseteste University’s Dr Andrew Jackson, Head of Research, and Dr Rose Roberto, Teaching Resources Librarian and History Lecturer, have contributed to The Edinburgh History of the British and Irish Press, a unique resource recently awarded The Robert and Vineta Colby Scholarly Book Prize by The Research Society for Victorian Periodicals (RSVP). The Edinburgh History of the British and Irish Press is a collection of essays examining nineteenth-century British and Irish newspaper and periodical history during a key period of change and development. It covers an important point of expansion in periodical and press history across the four nations of Great Britain (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales), concentrating on cross-border and transnational comparisons and contrasts in nineteenth-century print communication. Designed to provide readers with a clear understanding of the current state of research in the field, in addition to an extensive introduction, it includes forty newly commissioned chapters and case studies exploring a full range of press activity and press genres. Practical features in this tome, which probably swayed the panel, include a helpful timeline of significant events in the history of printing technology intersecting with social, political, and cultural history. There are also a large selection of high-resolution images showing 19th-century visual and tactile material that readers will find engaging. The Colby Prize is for original book-length scholarship about Victorian periodicals and newspapers and in awarding it to The Edinburgh History of the British and Irish Press, the RSVP praised the new book for being “a remarkable, wide-ranging resource that gives welcome attention to diversity and transnational connections.” Continuing their praise the society added: “It will be valuable for a wide range of readers. RSVP is pleased to honour the work of all the writers as well as the editor, who together have made a contribution to nineteenth-century periodical studies that will remain a standard for many years to come.” Dr Roberto and Dr Jackson authored chapters 3 and 26 respectively. Speaking after the announcement Dr Jackson discussed what readers could expect from the book: "Our newspaper media today owes much to its history of rapid expansion and cultural diversification during the nineteenth century. This volume provides a definitive survey, and a wide-ranging and deep exploration. It was privilege to contribute, offering perspectives on the great outpouring of local and regional newspapers, and what these tell us about the development and character of the communities and districts in which we live today." Dr Roberto shared her excitement at her inclusion and on the potential impact the book could have: “I was delighted to find out that my paper at an international conference in Edinburgh, called “Communities of Communication” was the basis of an award-winning book. There were numerous outstanding presentations that were delivered over two days, and I am pleased and humbled that my research on Victorian-era illustration was chosen by editor David Finkelstein for inclusion in this comprehensive volume.” The Edinburgh History of the British and Irish Press is available as an e-book at the BGU Library. Members of the BGU community can access it by clicking here. To create your own successes in our collaborative learning community, visit our website, speak to a member of our Enquiries Team or join us on one of our Open Days. -
Crafting the future unwritten: Winners announced in short story competition
‘Water is Thicker than Blood’ by Sophie Harrison as been awarded first place in the Bishop Grosseteste University English Department 'The Future Unwritten' short story competition. Designed to bring together GCSE and A-level students with a passion for creative writing, and inspired by one of our undergraduate modules, the competition tasked entrants with crafting a short story that speculated about the future. Submissions included imagining of new realities and new identities, adaptions and transformations of our current world and covered a wide range of genres including dystopian fiction, science fiction, fantasy and horror. Speaking as they choose the winners, the judging panel, made up of lecturers from BGU's Department of English, recognized by The Sunday Times and The Guardian as among the top thirty in the UK, praised the high quality and diverse variety of entrants: "Thank you to the many who were able to enter their short stories. We were delighted to receive such an engaging range of submissions for the inaugural short story competition and it is very encouraging to witness the creative passion of these young people. We look forward to building on this success to promote the talent of young writers, starting with a new competition in 2022." -
Holocaust survivor and discrimination campaigner among those recognised with honorary awards at BGU in 2020 Graduation Ceremonies
Bishop Grosseteste University is delighted to recognise an incredible group of individuals with honorary doctorates as part of its 2020 graduation ceremonies. Those selected represent a wide range of backgrounds including Holocaust survivor and discrimination campaigner Simon Winston, Operations Manager for the England Men's World Cup winning Cricket team in 2019 Phil Neale and the former Director of INSET at the National Centre for Language and Literacy Prue Goodwin. You can read more about each of the exceptional recipients below: -
Autism Ideas Café Update July 2021
The July session of the Autism Ideas café welcomed attendees from the UK and beyond and was based around three discussion topics. International Perspectives on Autism and Autism Research – The discussion was informed by a description of the situation regrading diagnosis, support and public attitudes towards autism in Hong Kong led by an autism researcher living in Hong Kong. She explained that in Chinese, the word for autism means to “self-isolate or self-enclose”, and that much of the focus of support for autistic children tends to be around encouraging them to present as being “less autistic”, and advised that there is very little focus on adults with autism. Autistic children may be referred to as “children of the stars”, which can perpetuate the view that autism is something which is only experienced by children. The discussion was further supplemented by a group member from New Zealand who shared their experiences of receiving a diagnosis of autism as an adult. Employability Support for Neurodivergent Women – an innovative approach Darkside Rising , a community interest company based in Lincolnshire gave a presentation on their innovative programme of support for neurodivergent women which includes weights-based strength training and mindfulness. More information on their programme can be found here. Diagnosis or Self-Identification – Implications for Research The discussion focussed on the issue of formal diagnosis and self-identification of autism, and how these differ in relation to their implication on autism research. General consensus of the group was that for general autism research, self-identification is perfectly valid, but that depending on the research question being explored, then specifying diagnosis as an inclusion criterion is acceptable, particularly where research focusses on experiences relating to the diagnostic process. Save the Date – the next Bishop Grosseteste Participatory Autism Research Symposium has been scheduled for the 13th October, with further details of the agenda to be shared nearer to the date. Register Here. The next Autism Ideas Café event will be held online on Wednesday 8th September. Register Here.
Explore BGU
Browse our wide range of degree courses and find the perfect one for you.
Open days are the best way to find out what BGU has to offer.
Download your copy of our prospectus to find out more about life at BGU.