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Over £420k invested in local archaeological research
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) has received a grant of more than £427,000 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to invest in the university’s archaeology department. The award was confirmed in a ministerial announcement by Science and Technology Secretary Chloe Smith. The grant is awarded to institutions that seek to upgrade facilities and enhance their capacity to contribute to the UK’s creative and cultural research economy. BGU has used the grant to refurbish teaching rooms and the archaeology laboratory on campus. The university’s Old School House will now host the new open access Lincolnshire Culture Heritage Research (LCHR) Hub. The funding has also enabled the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment to enhance the research capabilities of the department, including a 3D laser scanner and a drone fitted with a LIDAR sensor, which can produce high-resolution maps and 3D models of landscapes and historical buildings. Other new equipment such as a magnetometer and a ground penetrating radar allow archaeologists to “see” into the ground and identify what lies beneath without having to excavate. The equipment will be used at the university's upcoming archaeology field school, which will see excavation of the Haw Hill area of Swanpool in Lincoln, where significant archaeological findings are expected. Dr Derwin Gregory, Archaeology Programme Leader at BGU said: "The AHRC grant has allowed us to significantly enhance our facilities and research capabilities, enabling us to provide our students with a first-class learning experience. “The equipment purchased through this funding will also benefit the wider community of archaeology and history groups, who are encouraged to contact the department and arrange use of this sophisticated equipment for their own projects." The AHRC is the UK's largest funder of research and postgraduate training in the arts and humanities. As part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), it provides funding and support to institutions in the UK. The funding programmes are designed to support research across the full range of arts and humanities subjects. UKRI is investing £103 million to expand and upgrade the UK’s world class research infrastructure, including digital infrastructure. The investments will support the sector and ensure UK researchers have access to the best labs and equipment they need to keep producing world-class science. UKRI International Champion, Professor Christopher Smith, said: “The investments, made across the UK, will provide UK researchers with advanced equipment, facilities and technology, and help maintain the UK’s position as a leader in research and innovation. “This support will ensure the UK is an attractive place for scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs to live, work and innovate.” A full catalogue of equipment available to use can be found here. Dr Derwin Gregory with the Trimble R12 -
Student Satisfaction on the Rise at BG
Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln has achieved top ratings in the National Student Survey published today (Thursday 27th September). BG’s overall satisfaction score rose five points on last year, from 84% to 89%, and three of its degree courses courses are ranked in the top three nationally. English and Education Studies are both ranked first in the UK for student satisfaction while the Drama course at BG is ranked third in England. The English course at BG achieved maximum marks of 100% in the survey. Professor Muriel Robinson, Principal of Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, welcomed today’s data published by HEFCE, the Higher Education Funding Council for England. “There are lots of higher education league tables out there but the National Student Survey is an accurate measure of what students really think about their degree course, their facilities and their tutors,” she said. “We’re extremely pleased that the level of satisfaction among our students has increased still further since last year, and we’re delighted that our courses are now being singled out as excellent. “However, we will never rest on our laurels and we will continue to make improvements in all areas of BG to ensure that satisfaction among our students continues to rise.” The overall results of the National Student Survey place Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln in the top quarter of UK universities and HE institutions. BG’s good showing in the survey follows the recent publication of the Which? University Guide 2012, which ranks BG first in the UK for graduate prospects and lists BG as having the highest average graduate salary in the East Midlands. Meanwhile the Guardian University Guide 2013 published in May ranked the Education Studies degree course at BG as number one in England for job prospects. -
Registrar and Secretary Appointed at Bishop Grosseteste University
Dr Anne Craven has been appointed as the new Registrar and Secretary at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. Dr Craven comes to BGU from the University of Northampton, where she has been working as Head of Quality and Academic Partnerships and Deputy Director (Quality) in Student and Academic Services. Previously she was Director of Administration at Helsinki Theatre Academy, where she provided leadership for the strategic merger of three acclaimed Finnish arts universities into the new University of the Arts Helsinki. Before this she was Registrar at the School of Social Sciences at the University of East London, leading the school’s administration through a major change process. She has also worked as Departmental Administrator at Goldsmiths, University of London, and held several administrative positions at Royal Holloway, University of London. As a member of the senior leadership team at BGU Dr Craven will be responsible for quality, governance, student administration, data, admissions and recruitment and marketing. “I’m passionate about higher education, its management and its development and I’m very much looking forward to meeting and working with all colleagues at Bishop Grosseteste University and implementing the new university strategy together with staff and the Students’ Union,” Dr Craven said. Dr Craven earned her PhD in Music at Royal Holloway, University of London and holds a number of other qualifications, including an MBA in Higher Education Management, Master's Degrees in Music and Musicology and a Graduate Diploma in Law. Her research and publications have covered higher education management studies including governance; higher education policy and funding systems in UK and Finland; quality and standards; widening participation; change management; social justice and higher education; law and legal studies; reception and cultural history; aesthetics and analysis of musical recordings; and performance studies. She is a graduate of Royal Holloway, University of London; Institute of Education, University of London; Birkbeck, University of London; Goldsmiths, University of London; BPP University Law School, London Waterloo; Royal Academy of Music, London; Trinity College of Music, London; HAMK University, Finland; and Åbo Akademi University and Turku Conservatory, Turku, Finland. Anne Craven is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA); a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and a Fellow of the Association of University Administrators (AUA). -
£406,500 Grant to Improve Heritage Education
A £406,500 grant will help Bishop Grosseteste University to improve the educational impact of museums and heritage sites across the East Midlands. The grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund will contribute to the The Sandford Learning Cascade Project, a four-year scheme which will encourage up to 14 Sandford Award winning sites in the region to support staff training at less developed heritage sites. The Sandford Award, established in 1978 by Lord Sandford and the Heritage Education Trust is administered by BGU. The award aims to reward excellence in heritage education. Recent award winners include Gainsborough Old Hall, Belton House, the Newark and Sherwood Museum Service and Normanby Hall. Sandford Learning Cascade has three innovative strands: ‘Sandford Scholarships’ will see staff from less developed heritage sites visit Sandford Award-winning sites and collect a digital record of best practice there. What the scholars learn during their time at the award-winning sites will help to develop new education programmes and enhance existing ones. ‘Sandford Cloud’ gives heritage professionals and volunteers in the region access to the expertise of Sandford Award judges around the UK, through the development of an on-line learning resource known as ‘Sandford Cloud’. Finally, Sandford Our Take is an exciting new award scheme to recognise high quality informal and family learning in the region. Museums and historic sites will be encouraged to develop new opportunities in partnership with the communities they serve. The project has been five years in the making and Jean MacIntyre, Head of Innovation at BGU, is delighted to receive the £406,500 grant, 76% of total project funding. “The HLF gave us a grant for the development phase which went extremely well and involved a number of local museums and heritage centres,” said Jean. “The sites told us the project had changed their whole way of thinking about heritage education and we expect the next phase to be even more influential. “The HLF has been very generous and imaginative in recognising the needs of people working in the heritage sector as opportunities for training have diminished, so this is an ideal opportunity to increase the knowledge, skills and understanding of people working at a range of heritage sites.“The Sandford Learning Cascade project will be a significant contribution to meeting BGU’s knowledge transfer and public engagement aims across the region as well as establishing the Sandford Awards as a dynamic, positive force for education training in the UK.” Project Co-ordinator Adam Clarke, who was responsible for writing the bid as well as project piloting, research and development, said: “HLF should be congratulated for backing this cutting-edge learning project. “BGU and the Sandford Award will be working with museums, heritage sites and a range of other partners across the East Midlands to develop high-quality educational resources for the benefit of children, schools and families throughout our region.”g -
Survey Shows Student Satisfaction Rising at BGU
Figures released today from the National Student Survey show that 88% of BGU students are satisfied with their university experience - that's higher than the national average of 86% and three percentage points up on BGU's score last year. BGU's Foundation Degree in Applied Studies (Early Childhood) achieved 100% satisfaction while three other courses - Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), Education Studies & English and Education Studies & Mathematics - recorded satisfaction levels of 95%. The proportion of BGU students completing the survey has also increased significantly; from 64% in 2010 to 72% in 2013 and 87% this year. The Reverend Professor Peter Neil, Vice Chancellor of Bishop Grosseteste University, welcomed today's data published by HEFCE, the Higher Education Funding Council for England. "This is an excellent result for BGU," he said. "We are always keen to hear what our students are telling us about their experiences here and the message is clear from these findings - we are doing better and better. "The most significant change this year is that the number of students completing the survey increased by 15 percentage points on last year; this means that the feedback from students is much more robust. The staff are committed to giving the students an excellent experience and will be looking at the areas the students are highlighting as things which they perceive needing improvement. But all in all this is a very good result for BGU." The latest figures come hot on the heels of a survey published last month which showed that BGU is one of the top five universities in England for the proportion of graduates who are employed or in further study six months after graduating. According to the DLHE survey (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education) published by HESA, the Higher Education Statistics Agency, on 3rd July 2014, 96.5% of Bishop Grosseteste University graduates had found a job or were continuing their studies six months after graduating in 2012/13. The Which? University Guide currently ranks BGU fifth in England for graduate prospects and lists BGU as having the highest average graduate salary in the East Midlands. -
Pedal Powering Through London for BGU
Two colleagues from Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln will be using pedal power to raise money for the university’s Foundation Fund this weekend. Accommodation Officer Rachel Crane and Leanne Chancellor, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Vice Chancellor, will take part in the London Nightrider – a 100km moonlit overnight cycle ride through the centre of London on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th June 2015. Around 4,500 cyclists will raise more than £2 million for charity in one night and take in over 50 famous landmarks, including Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, the Royal Opera House and the London Eye. Rachel and Leanne will be raising money for the BG Foundation Fund, which provides funds for projects which the university would not normally be able to support through its core funding. “I had the original idea as I’m a runner and wanted to challenge my fitness further,” said Rachel. “I asked my friend and colleague, Leanne, if she wanted to join me, and as she was looking for her first challenge she agreed – although she actually thought I meant the London Moonwalk!” Rachel and Leanne can be found in the university gym most lunchtimes and they began training for the event in September last year. The ride will begin at 10.35pm at the Lee Valley Velodrome, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London and after following a circular route in and out of the city will finish back at the Lee Valley Velodrome. If you would like to sponsor the pair please visit their JustGiving page. -
BGU Seeks Future Research Leaders
Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln is seeking six future research leaders to take up six full-time PhD studentships starting in spring 2016. As part of its ongoing strategy to increase its research activity, BGU will award the studentships to six candidates who can demonstrate their academic achievement and future research potential. The successful students will have the opportunity to work alongside BGU’s world-leading academics for up to four years. Studentships are being offered in two areas: Education and Related Studies, and Health, Social Care, Psychology and Wellbeing. The former will look at topics such as children’s spirituality, global issues in early childhood education and care, and enterprise education, while the latter will consider such subjects as human nutrition, psychosocial cancer care, and sleep, memory and dreaming. “We are looking to attract candidates with the ambition and ability to launch their research careers at Bishop Grosseteste University,” said Professor David Rae, Executive Dean for Research & Knowledge Exchange at BGU. “This is the first major investment by the university in developing its PhD programme by funding four-year studentships across areas of research excellence, and we plan to grow our involvement in research and innovation with further commitments in the future.” BGU will provide each successful student with a bursary and payment of their tuition fees for PhD study at the university. The PhD will be awarded by the University of Leicester under its validation partnership with BGU. The minimum entry requirement for a research degree programme is an upper second-class honours degree, or an equivalent overseas qualification, in a relevant subject. These studentships are restricted to applicants with citizenship in the United Kingdom and European Union. For more information and how to apply, please click here. -
BGU Launches New PhD Opportunities
In line with its mission to excel at teaching, learning and research, Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln has launched a second round of PhD studentships as part of its ‘Future Research Leaders’ programme. Following on from the University’s success in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014), in which it was judged to be undertaking world-leading research, BGU is offering up to six full-time PhD studentships in History and Education. Successful candidates will receive a bursary of £14,000 per year plus tuition fees for up to four years to study at BGU. The University’s Vice-Chancellor, the Reverend Canon Professor Peter Neil, said the new posts represent a significant investment by BGU in its research strategy. “We are keen to build on our success in the REF 2014 as we are convinced that the best teaching is always informed and improved by high-quality research,” he said. “We are committed to enhancing the quality and quantity of our research, and increasing the proportion of postgraduate research students is key to this objective. “We also want our research to be applied and to be of benefit to society. I am delighted that we are in a position to offer opportunities to students who wish to take the next step in their academic journey.” Among the studentships available is a project looking at the works of the University’s namesake Robert Grosseteste and the contribution he made to the history of educational thought. Dr Jack Cunningham, Academic Co-ordinator for Theology at BGU, explained: “Robert Grosseteste was an English statesman, scholastic philosopher, theologian, scientist and Bishop of Lincoln during the 13th Century which was a crucial period in the religious history of this country. “He was also interested in many aspects of education and had a good deal to say on what we should learn, how we acquire knowledge and how it benefits us. However, this area of Grosseteste’s thought remains largely undiscussed so this is a unique opportunity for someone who is passionate about education to study the life and works of a truly fascinating man.” Vytautas Nastajus was awarded a PhD studentship in Psychology at BGU in June 2016. He recommends the university to anyone thinking of doing a doctorate. “The support you get in here is fantastic, especially from the doctoral group which is made up of PhD and EdD students and meets on a regular basis to talk about projects, achievements and any issues you may be having,” he explained. “My own experience has been great so far: excellent supervisors, teaching opportunities, funding for attending conferences and so on. I am really glad I chose Bishop Grosseteste University.” To find out more about the opportunities or projects available please visit our Doctoral Study page or email Dr Caroline Horton, Academic Co-ordinator for the PhD programme, at caroline.horton@bishopg.ac.uk The studentships will commence in summer 2017 and the closing date for applications is 17th February. -
BGU student organises activity day for young carers
A BGU Drama in the Community student recently organised an activity day with forty young carers from across Lincolnshire. Every year Drama in the Community students at BGU complete a community project in their final year working with a community group for approximately three months. The communities vary from work with the elderly, projects with people with mental health issues, special needs, schools, youth groups and many more. Chloe Stewart, a third year Drama in the Community student, decided to work with young carers for her project. Her project culminated in an activity day at the BGU campus giving young carers the opportunity to relax, socialise and try out a range of activities. The young people took part in drama, dance, samba band, sports and craft workshops. Chloe said “after speaking to some of the young carers, it was apparent that the day had had an effect on them. “Some expressed that the day had given them the opportunity to get away from their responsibilities, others said how thrilled they were to have tried the different activities that were available for them, and some just stated how nice it was to meet individuals of a similar age to them in a similar situation. “I felt immense pride in watching the two communities come together to give the young carers the opportunity to have some time away from their home life and responsibilities.” To make the day a success Chloe liaised with a number of outside organisations, companies and Lincolnshire County Council. Freshtime Futures Trust, a charity from Boston that give young individuals funding to achieve their goals, invested just under £1000 to enable the day to go ahead. The connections made at the event will be long lasting and there is hope that the event will be held again in the future. The community project is just one of many opportunities that Drama in the Community students at BGU get involved with. Chloe said “the course gives students incredible opportunities. I am thrilled we are given the chance to go out into the world and use our knowledge and skills to benefit a community. “It is incredible to be able to see your hard work come to life and what real effect you can have on other individuals.” Find out more about studying Drama at BGU. -
Celebrating a Year of Improving Access to Higher Education
A scheme which aims to double the proportion of disadvantaged young people going to university will celebrate its achievements so far at an event in Woodhall Spa this week. LiNCHigher is led in Lincolnshire by Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) and is part of a wider national initiative (NCOP) funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to raise aspirations amongst young people. The overall aim is to meet government targets to improve access to higher education and the scheme will run for two years until December 2018, and possibly beyond. Around 50 guests are expected to attend the celebration at Woodhall Spa Manor on Wednesday 1st November, including the Mayor of Lincoln, Councillor Chris Burke and Professor Jayne Mitchell, Deputy Vice Chancellor of BGU. Since its formation in January 2017 the project team, consortium partners and delivery partners have worked to change attitudes towards higher education, improve knowledge of the options available to young people and raise aspirations within communities. “LiNCHigher is committed to offering information, advice and guidance for the young people of Lincolnshire and promoting local opportunities for their futures,” said Project Officer Natalie Poole. “We hope to inspire a new generation of students to grow and realise their aspirations while studying in or outside of Lincolnshire. “Our celebration event will bring together key stakeholders to encourage discussions around skills needs, higher education and Lincolnshire’s business community.” BGU's Professor Jayne Mitchell added: “The LiNCHigher project has made significant progress in engaging with young people, parents and teachers across Lincolnshire. As the success of the project gathers speed, support from partners and the wider community will prove ever more critical. “This celebration event will showcase our successes so far, introduce new stakeholders to the project and discuss plans for the future. It should be a fabulous event and I’m looking forward to welcoming our guests as Chair of the LiNCHigher Governance Board.”
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