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Visiting Professorship at BGU for Australian Health Expert
A leading healthcare expert from Australia has become a visiting professor at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. Professor Amanda Kenny accepted the visiting professorship from Professor Jayne Mitchell, Deputy Vice Chancellor at BGU, at a special lunch in honour of her visit today (Tuesday). Professor Kenny, who is Professor of Rural and Regional Nursing at La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University in Bendigo near Melbourne, Australia, is paying her second visit to BGU this week with two colleagues. She will give a guest lecture and seminar and is working with researchers from the School of Social Sciences at the university on future health research projects. “Professor Kenny has made outstanding contributions to knowledge exchange, education, professional practice and consultancy, principally in the fields of nursing, rural and public health,” said Professor Mitchell. “We recently launched a suite of health and social care courses to complement our counselling and psychology programmes and we are delighted that she has accepted our offer of a visiting professorship.” Professor Kenny said: “La Trobe University and Bishop Grosseteste University have striking similarities in the way they have developed and the successes and challenges they face. We have fantastic opportunities for cross-disciplinary research in such fields as oral health for children and psychosocial cancer care. “I feel privileged that we will be able to work together on collaborative research projects and look forward to staff and student exchanges in the future.” Professor Kenny is widely published internationally and is frequently invited as a key speaker at national and international conferences. The partnership has been facilitated by a former colleague, Dr Janice Pascal, who now works at Bishop Grosseteste University as Academic Co-ordinator for Health and Social Care. -
Roger Mosey to Step Down as Chair of BGU Council
The broadcaster and former BBC Editorial Director Roger Mosey is to step down from his role as Chair of Bishop Grosseteste University‘s Council this summer. Mr Mosey, who is also Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge, has come to the end of his three-year term and the university has begun the search for his successor. He will leave his post in July 2016. When he was appointed as Chair in June 2013 he was renewing old associations with the city of Lincoln: his BBC career began in 1980 when he joined BBC Radio Lincolnshire as a reporter. He went on to be Editor of the BBC’s flagship Radio 4 Today programme, Controller of BBC Radio 5 Live, Head of BBC Television News and the BBC’s Director of London 2012 responsible for the corporation’s coverage of the 2012 Games. “I have hugely enjoyed my time at BGU, and it has been a privilege to work with the university during a key period of its development,” said Mr Mosey. “We have successfully negotiated a number of major reviews, and the Vice Chancellor and his team have done a great job in laying the foundations for future success. I’m now going to focus more on my role in Cambridge, but I leave BGU with many fond memories.” The Reverend Canon Professor Peter Neil, Vice Chancellor of BGU, commented: “The University Council has benefited hugely from the leadership provided by Roger. He brought a wealth of experience and insight to the role which proved invaluable during the last three years, which have involved considerable change in the institution and in the sector. He leaves us in a very positive position.” Recently the university has passed a rigorous review of teaching and learning by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), received glowing reports from the British Psychological Society when it approved BGU’s psychology courses and received a positive report from Ofsted following an inspection of its teacher training provision. The recruitment process to fill the vacant position of Chair of the Council has now begun and BGU expects to announce its new Chair in the summer. -
New Lease of Life for Former Connie’s Restaurant at BGU
A former canteen and dining room at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln is being turned into much needed teaching accommodation as the institution gears up for an increase in students. BGU is spending £850,000 on converting the former Connie’s dining room and kitchen into an academic facility. The refurbishment project will create seven multi-functional, flexible teaching spaces on the ground floor of the building which will be ready for use in September 2015. The university’s strategic plan envisages a growth in student numbers and BGU is also broadening the range of courses it offers, introducing Business (Team Entrepreneurship), Health and Social Care, Sociology, Psychology, Counselling and History and Archaeology from September. Part of the new teaching facility will be used by staff and students on the university’s new Business (Team Entrepreneurship) degree course. “In the past Connie’s was the place where our students who lived on campus had their meals, but now we’ve moved to self-catering accommodation and opened the Refectory to cater for the changing demand,” said Fred Robson, Head of Estates at BGU. “We no longer need this catering space so we’re converting the building to give us additional teaching space as we grow our student numbers.” The work, which entails some minor demolition and re-roofing of the former kitchen, is being undertaken by the main contractor, Robert Woodhead Ltd from Mansfield. -
Exploring the Constructions of Dreams at BGU
We all sleep and, believe it or not, we all dream too. What we don’t always do, however, is remember those dreams. To explore the importance of our nocturnal imagination, psychologist Dr Caroline Horton is heading up research at the new DrEAMSLab which will be launched tomorrow at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. “Research shows that although we dream several times a night, arguably even continually through the night, we remember very little of our dreams,” said Dr Horton, who has set up DrEAMSLab (Dreaming, Emotions, Associations & Memories in Sleep Laboratory) at BGU. “Although dreams are difficult to access, there are systematic ways of studying them. Indeed, scrutinising the individual elements of dreams, and the ways in which these different elements combine, can tell us a lot about how the brain processes memories during sleep – a process known as memory consolidation. Sleep enhances memory as part of that consolidation journey.” Dr Horton added that the Continuity Hypothesis broadly states that there is overlap between our dreams and in our waking lives, a theory which challenges those who have argued that dreams are the product of random firing of brain cells during certain stages of sleep, or that dreams might provide an insight into our futures. The British Psychological Society, which accredits the suite of Psychology joint degree courses offered at BGU, has recently funded Caroline and her team of researchers from the Universities of Manchester, Swansea and Bedfordshire to co-ordinate a series of seminars that aim to push the boundaries of our understanding of how dreaming might contribute to memory consolidation in sleep. The first event in the seminar series will be held at BGU on Wednesday 10th February and will include a series of talks, discussions and celebrations. If you are interested in coming along to learn about what dreams can tell us about brain and mind, as well as the role of dreaming in memory formation, you can register your interest by emailing bronwen.kane@bishopg.ac.uk Tomorrow’s event begins at 10am in the Hardy Building at BGU and will conclude at 4pm with the launch of DrEAMSLab. To find out more, visit www.dreamslab.co.uk or follow DrEAMSLab on Twitter @sleepandmemory. -
City Universities to Clash in Historic Football Match
Lincoln’s two universities will do battle on the football pitch in a new challenge cup competition this month. The inaugural Cathedral Cup match between BGU and the University of Lincoln will take place on Wednesday 10th February under lights at Sincil Bank, home of Lincoln City FC. Organisers hope the game will become an annual fixture. “The footballing gap between the two universities has significantly reduced over recent years, and the University of Lincoln's first team were impressed by our standard this year, so we decided to stage the first competitive fixture between the two universities,” said Callum Ward, President of the BGU Football Society and a former youth team player at Lincoln City. “This game will hopefully develop into an annual fixture and be the students' sporting spectacle that the city craves so much! We aspire to get as many people in attendance as possible because it will be an unforgettable event for all involved,” Callum added. Dr Graham Basten, Head of the School of Social Sciences at BGU, commented: “We’re looking forward to the match next month, which will be a coming of age for our rapidly improving football team. “The fixture will also be an opportunity to showcase our partnership with Lincoln City, which goes far beyond shirt sponsorship and provides opportunities for engagement between the club and our students at many different levels. We work closely with Lincoln City on a number of initiatives, including Football in the Community work, placement opportunities for BGU students and partnerships between the football club and BGU's sports courses. We also work with the Lincoln City Sport and Education Trust to support its work with children and young people in the local area.” University of Lincoln’s Men’s Football President Will Fry added: “It’s taken a lot of hard work by me, Callum Ward and Lincoln City. We are looking forward to a huge event that will hopefully become an annual fixture and draw the students and the city closer together. “It’s huge for the football club to run what has the potential to be the biggest student event in the city.” The match will kick off at 7.45pm on Wednesday 10th February at Sincil Bank. Tickets cost £3 and are available at the Students’ Union at both universities. Bishop Grosseteste University Bishop Grosseteste University was established in January 1862 and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2012 It is an independent higher education institution based in Lincoln which awards its own degrees at foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate level It changed its name from Bishop Grosseteste University College to Bishop Grosseteste University in November 2012 BGU has over 2,300 students, including undergraduate, postgraduate and research, with over 280 students at collaborative partners across Lincolnshire In 2015 BGU was the second highest ranked university in the UK for employability with almost 99% of our leavers in work or study six months after graduating (2013/14 DLHE) BGU is a main club sponsor and the home shirt sponsor of Lincoln City FC and has has its own sports and leisure facilities as well as a cinema (The Venue) on campus, all open to the public University of Lincoln The University of Lincoln was named among the UK's best modern universities in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2016. It has some of the most satisfied students in the UK, rating in the top 25% nationally in a number of subject areas of the National Student Survey 2015 with Psychology ranked number one It is recognised for its pioneering approach to working with employers, winning a Lord Stafford Award and a Times Higher Education Award. Graduate prospects are strong with nine out of ten of Lincoln’s most recent graduates in work or further study six months after finishing their course In the Research Excellence Framework 2014, more than half of our submitted research was judged to be internationally excellent or world leading, with Lincoln ranked in the UK’s top 10 for quality of research outputs in two major subject areas -
BGU’s Teacher Training Praised by Ofsted
Bishop Grosseteste University’s teacher training partnership has been praised by Ofsted for making “an important contribution to the recruitment, selection and supply of teachers to local schools and the wider region”. The inspectors found that high-quality training, provided through effective partnership between the university and schools, “ensures that teachers trained by the university present as confident and effective practitioners, who are valued by their employing schools”. Trainee outcomes, the quality of training and the overall effectiveness of the partnership in securing consistently high-quality outcomes were all graded as good in primary, early years and secondary programmes. The two-stage Ofsted inspection took place in June and December 2015 and the report was published today (26th January 2016). The report praises BGU’s “vision for continuous improvement” and “involvement in current educational research”, keeping the historic institution at forefront of teacher education and recruitment. As a member of the prestigious Cathedrals Group of universities, BGU has a warm, caring ethos. The inspectors recognised this, commenting that across all phases “the partnership provides trainees with very high-quality levels of pastoral care and support”. Inspectors found that the institution, which has been training teachers for over 150 years, continues to lead developments through cutting-edge educational research: “University tutors’ involvement in current educational research provides a sharp edge to the training programme,” they said. Trainee teachers are also involved in research, and experience “good levels of coherence between the courses taught at the university and the school-based experiences”. These connections between theory and practice led inspectors to comment on “trainees’ useful research projects”, arguing that “the consistently good quality of this training is evidenced in extremely thorough audits, varied and interesting assignments”. “We are very pleased with the inspection judgements, which all mirror our own self-evaluation,” said Dr Nick Gee, Head of the School of Teacher Development at BGU. “We are particularly delighted by the recognition given to our excellent pastoral support, the full involvement of our partnership, the embedding of research within our training and the strength of leadership and management throughout all levels of provision.” Key findings in the report are: Leaders in all phases share a common vision for continuous improvement. Team-working within each phase leadership team and across the entire partnership leadership team is a strength. Together, all leaders demonstrate the capacity for further improvement. The partnership makes an important contribution to the recruitment, selection and supply of teachers to local schools and the wider region. The partnership provides trainees with very high-quality levels of pastoral care and support. Visit the Ofsted website. -
BGU Backs Campaign to Attract New RE Teachers
There’s a national shortage of specialist RE teachers in the UK, but Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln is bucking the trend. So far this year offers made for places on the secondary PGCE in RE at BGU are up by a quarter compared to the same time last year. Nevertheless, the university is still backing a campaign to encourage graduates and career changers to train as RE teachers. The ‘Beyond the Ordinary’ campaign is being led by the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC). Supported by universities and colleges that offer specialist RE PGCE courses, it highlights the benefits of a career in RE teaching and raises awareness of the availability of bursaries to cover training costs. RE specialists do not need to have a theology degree – the PGCE course is open to graduates from a variety of academic disciplines and from diverse backgrounds. Becky Geeson, Admissions Tutor for RE teaching courses at BGU, said: “We have increased the number of RE places available on our secondary PCCE programme this year, and this continues to be a very popular course. “So far we have offered RE places to over 25% more people than at the end of last year, and we still have places available and welcome further applications. “RE covers issues that dominate the news agenda every day, making it very exciting to teach. It takes teachers and students beyond the ordinary as together they unpick the facts from the fiction. “RE lessons always spark a reaction, and debates will go on among the students well beyond the timetabled lesson, into the school corridors and playground.” Roxanne Fearns, Head of Religious Studies at Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, qualified as a teacher at BGU – as did her entire RE department of four teachers! ““I love my job – what other subject allows you to enable young people to think and reflect about the world around them and develop their appreciation of different beliefs, religions and practices and the part they play in the today’s diverse world?” she said. “At a time when religion is often misunderstood it’s important for young people to be able to study RE in order to increase awareness of different beliefs. Because the media sometimes portrays negative images of religion we need teachers who can present a different view. “The PGCE at BGU equips you to be able to engage and enthuse young people into the study of religion and philosophy and to develop their critical thinking skills. “The university has really good links with schools, so trainee teachers can spend more time in school. Some training establishments just ask schools if they will take a student, but BGU specifically picks schools based on how highly they rate the department.” School statistics show that demand for Religious Education continues to rise: RE A-level entries have more than doubled since 2003, while at GCSE stage full course entries increased by 19% between 2012 and 2014. -
BGU Commits to Greater Public Engagement
To demonstrate its commitment to engaging with the wider community, Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln has joined the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCPPE) and signed up to its manifesto. The move is part of BGU’s wider stakeholder engagement work which forms an important part of the university’s five-year strategy. The term ‘public engagement’ describes the many ways in which higher education, learning experiences and research can be shared with the general public. The NCPPE says public engagement “is by definition a two-way process, involving interaction and listening, with the goal of generating mutual benefit.” The Reverend Canon Prof Peter Neil, Vice Chancellor of BGU, commented: “I am very pleased that Bishop Grosseteste University has now signed up to the NCCPE’s Manifesto for Public Engagement. “This is a reflection of our long-term public engagement strategy and of our continuing dedication to our various communities. I am looking forward to encouraging further public engagement efforts by the university and all its members.” BGU has been increasing its investment in staff volunteering, which builds on the successes of its existing student volunteering scheme. High levels of student volunteering have helped BGU to establish itself amongst the top three universities for employability in the whole of UK, as seen from the latest Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey published by HESA, the Higher Education Statistics Agency. BGU also offers public lectures on campus and innovative skills development courses ranging from journalism to paediatric first aid and from writing skills courses to Makaton. The university’s enterprise incubation centre, BG Futures, plays an important role in engaging with the business community and the campus hosts regular national and international conferences. -
Universities to Battle it Out in Cathedral Cup Return
The date has been set for the much anticipated re-match of Bishop Grosseteste University and the University of Lincoln in the city’s annual Cathedral Cup football fixture. While the inaugural fixture was won by UoL 6-1, BGU is hoping to stage a triumphant comeback on Wednesday 5th October at Sincil Bank. The match will kick off at 7.45pm in front of what is to be expected to be a very large crowd – the previous match attracted 1,300 spectators. The two universities are set to compete not only on the football pitch, but also in a wider range of events including badminton, futsal and netball, all of which will take place earlier that day. Callum Ward, President of the BGU Football Society and a former youth team player at Lincoln City, commented: “I am absolutely delighted to see the Cathedral Cup return. Last year’s event won multiple awards and received fantastic feedback but the most pleasing aspect was how it engaged and appealed to students and the wider community from non-sporting backgrounds. “When creating the event last year, we wanted to ensure the Cathedral Cup was sustainable and had the potential to grow and develop year on year. We have managed to do so with the introduction of other sports playing during the afternoon, by securing sponsorship from local companies, and by including more societies in the ticket-selling process. “The most pleasing aspect for me is the wider impact of the event. It isn’t just a football match; for example, students from the media department of the University of Lincoln are responsible for all of the promotional material. “Having said that, I want nothing more than to avenge last year’s score line and win the trophy this year. Everything is set for another sporting spectacle and I urge everyone to come along to experience the occasion.” This fixture is a part of a wider sports partnership between BGU and Lincoln City. In addition to the shirt sponsorship deal, the collaboration creates opportunities between BGU students and the football club, including placement opportunities, partnerships between the football club and BGU’s new and existing sports courses, and football in the community work. From October Lincoln City will also be training weekly at BGU’s sports facilities. Tickets for the game will be available from Monday 19th September at both students’ unions for £4 with free entry for Lincoln City season ticket holders, military personnel and under 16s accompanied by an adult. Tickets will also be available on the gate. Follow the lead up to the event on twitter at #backouruni. -
It’s Not Too Late to Apply to BGU
If you’re considering applying to university for this September, or if you didn’t get the A-level results you expected, it’s not too late to apply through Clearing. That’s the message from Bishop Grosseteste University which has recently been ranked second highest public university in England for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey. The results published on Wednesday (10th August) show that 92% of BGU students are satisfied with their university experience – that’s 7% higher than last year’s score and 6% higher than the sector average.The admissions team at BGU in Lincoln is on hand to deal with enquiries during Clearing, which begins on Thursday 18th August when students across the country will receive their A-level results. The call centre will be open from 8am until 6pm on both Thursday 18th August and Friday 19th August and the number to call is 01522 583698. Prospective students can also visit the university at an open day on Friday 19th August from 10am until 5pm. The day provides an opportunity to see what Bishop Grosseteste University has to offer, take a minibus tour of Lincoln and speak to staff and students about courses and life as a student. “A-level results week can be a stressful and worrying time for students and their families, but remember that we are here to help and advise whatever your situation,” said Karen Richardson, Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions at BGU. “It’s always a busy period for us but as always we will do our best to ensure that students are not left worried or uncertain about their place at university.” Case study: Glen Hughes An Education Studies and Psychology student who was looking for a new career challenge and applied to Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln through Clearing has graduated with an honours degree. Now he’s aiming to continue his education by studying for a master's degree in Forensic Psychology at the University of Lincoln. Glen Hughes (25) was disillusioned with his job as a carer and convinced Olivia Sagan, Academic Co-ordinator for Psychology at BGU, to offer him a place. He graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in Education Studies and Psychology on Wednesday 20th July. “I was pretty bored with my job and I rang up not expecting a place,” said Glen. “When I spoke to Olivia she gave me a place and I was like, what is going on here? I don’t think it really dawned on me that I was actually going to university! “My advice to anyone contemplating going to university through Clearing is: don’t hold back, just do it. When I contacted BGU I was bored out of my mind and they gave me what I needed.” Glen, from Bracebridge Heath near Lincoln, has been involved in a number of roles at BGU that help promote both the Education Studies and Psychology courses; he worked as a student ambassador and is now interning for Olivia and helping with her research projects. Before entering Clearing Glen studied for a BTEC in Health and Social Care at Andover College. He then moved to Lincoln and was a carer with Bupa for two years. Top Tips for Clearing If you’ve just got your A-level results and you’re not sure what to do next, consult Karen Richardson’s handy set of tips for students who will be entering the Clearing system: Don’t panic! If you stay calm you’re more likely to take in all the information you need to succeed. If your grades fall short, wait for that important acceptance/rejection indication on Track before you put yourself into Clearing. You never know – your first-choice university might still accept you. Don’t give up! You may well get a place on a similar course that’s just as good – but you’ll need to shop around. Don’t rush your decision. The UCAS system doesn’t even let you trigger the formal process of accepting a Clearing place until 5pm on results day, so you have the chance to shop around. Be realistic. If you’ve seriously blown it then think hard about re-sits or another course altogether – you can always re-apply next time around. UCAS is offering a free (for landlines) Exam Results Service on 0808 100 8000 where trained, professional careers advisers will be available to give help and advice. Be prepared to make lots of phone calls and to be persistent! Keep your nerve – you may need all your negotiating skills to persuade an academic that they should take you on. Enlist the support of friends and family – keep them informed, as they’ll be a great help to you when you have to make that difficult final decision. Be prepared to explain to universities why you didn’t do as well as you hoped in your exams – and be honest. If you don’t get the grades you need it’s not the end of the world – there are plenty of other opportunities to consider.
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