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New Head to Lead Psychology Degree at BGU
An academic who specialises in how arts activity can facilitate mental wellbeing is leading the new Psychology degree course at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. Olivia Sagan has moved from University College London (UCL) to take up the post of Academic Co-ordinator for Psychology at BGU. For the first time from September 2013 BGU undergraduates will be able to combine the study of psychology with another degree subject, such as drama, history or sport. Olivia’s background in fine art and her work with mental health and community organisations mean she will bring a fresh approach to the teaching of psychology. “Psychology at BGU has got a particular flavour and draws on expertise in education, special educational needs, drama, arts and sport,” said Olivia . “We are really focusing on the arts and therapies, and social, developmental and community psychology. That makes it quite distinctive from other courses. “This focus, with its eye on community applicability, reflects my research and background in art and engagement with disadvantaged groups in the community.” Interest in the new course has been encouraging, says Olivia. “Those who have expressed an interest on the course are mainly those who want to go into education but who want to keep other doors open,” she said. “They may be interested in drama therapy, or they may want to apply a social psychological understanding to historical events; sport and psychology and English and psychology are also good combinations.” Olivia, a chartered psychologist, began her career as a psychodynamic counsellor but moved into education, becoming first a senior lecturer at the University of Bedfordshire and then a researcher at the Institute of Education in London, where she gained her PhD. She then took a post as Senior Research Fellow at the University of the Arts London before being appointed as Programme Director for the MSc in Psychoanalytic Developmental Psychology based at the Anna Freud Centre at University College London. “I’ve continued my research into mental wellbeing, interviewing people who have been using art as a means to aid their recovery journey,” said Olivia. “One strand of this work culminated in a film which was shown at Tate Modern last year and I am currently writing a book based on narratives of wellbeing to be published by Routledge in the coming year. “My appointment at BGU is an exciting opportunity for me to bring together my passion for psychology with my experience in pedagogy, the arts and community applications and provide a stimulating and critical psychology degree course which draws on the substantial existing strengths of this university.” The new psychology degree at BGU complies with the criteria of the British Psychological Society and the university is working with the BPS to achieve accreditation in the near future. -
Bishop Grosseteste to Celebrate University Title at Cathedral
The newly named Bishop Grosseteste University will hold a service of thanksgiving in Lincoln Cathedral later this month to celebrate its new title. The ceremony will be held at 10.30am on Wednesday 30th January and will also mark the installation of the Chancellor, Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas DBE, and the Vice Chancellor, Professor Muriel Robinson OBE. Privy Council confirmed BGU’s new title in December 2012 after the Government changed the threshold number of students required for an institution to be called a university. Until recently only higher education institutions with 4,000 or more students could use the title university. Smaller institutions were called university colleges, but now all HE institutions with more than 1,000 students have the right to apply to call themselves a university. The ceremony at Lincoln Cathedral will be attended by BGU staff, governors and students, and it is also open to members of the public. After the ceremony invited guests will be invited back to the university for a private celebratory lunch in the form of a ‘posh pack-up’ using locally sourced produce. During the afternoon the University Court – a grouping of the university’s most senior stakeholders who come together twice a year to offer their insights and support – will have its inaugural meeting on campus. At 4.30pm the Rt Rev Christopher Lowson, Bishop of Lincoln, will give a lecture as part of BGU’s series of public lectures on what constitutes a good life and the implications for us all in trying to live one. The event is called ‘For all that has been – Thanks. For all that shall be – Yes’, a title which refers to the past and future success of the institution. Professor Muriel Robinson believes the new university title will benefit BGU greatly. “To be able to take our place alongside other UK universities is a symbolic moment for us which recognises the excellent teaching and research which goes on at Bishop Grosseteste University,” she said. “The new title dispels any confusion that the old one may have created. We have 150 years of history and have been awarding our own degrees since 2006, but the old name ‘university college’ put some people off. Now we will be better equipped to compete with other universities to secure the best staff and students.” The event is free of charge and open to the public. If you would like to book a seat, please contact Conferencing and Events Administrator Jessica Lyons on 01522 583681 or email jessica.lyons@bishopg.ac.uk before 16th January. Notes to editors: 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. “For all that has been – Thanks. For all that shall be – Yes” is a quotation from Dag Hammarskjöld (29th July 1905 – 18th September 1961), Swedish diplomat, the second United Nations Secretary-General, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient. The quotation used for the title and leitmotif of the service comes from his book Vägmärken (Markings), a collection of journal entries published in 1964. For media information please contact:Jez AshberryShooting Star PR01522 52854007780 735071jez@shootingstar-pr.co.uk -
Jade Flying High at the Winter Games!
Bishop Grosseteste graduate Jade Etherington is now a quadruple Olympic medal winner following a whirlwind couple of days in Sochi. She is now officially Britain's most successful winter paralympian. Jade became Britain's first ever winter Olympics medallist with a silver medal in the Alpine Skiing Women's Downhill - Visually Impaired category. She then added a bronze medal to her tally in the Super-G event, finishing just over a second behind Gold medallist and Team GB compatriot Kelly Gallagher. Another two silvers followed in the Slalom and Super Combined Super-G categories.She has two more chances to add to her medal haul over the next few days, competing in the Super Combined and Giant Slalom events. Jade, who graduated from BGU two years ago with a degree in Education Studies and Geography, was born with glaucoma and Axenfeld Syndrome - a rare eye disorder - Jade has less than 5% vision in each eye. She is Britain's number one visually impaired alpine speed event ski racer, winning a bronze medal in the 2013 World Championships and reaching the medal podium 28 times in 32 races. "Jade is not only an inspirational athlete but an inspiration to everyone she meets," said Graham Meeson, Head of Education and Learning at Bishop Grosseteste University. "Her attitude and the way she has handled steadily losing her eyesight is a testament to her character and she has demonstrated that there really is no barrier that can prevent you achieving your goals and competing at the highest level." Skiers with blindness or a visual impairment are guided through the race course by a sighted guide using signals to indicate the course to follow. This involves a high level of trust between the athlete and the guide, and they are both awarded medals if they reach the podium. Jade competes with ex-Team GB athlete Caroline Powell, who skis closely in front of Jade at speeds of up to 65mph and uses pre-determined commands via helmet radios to help Jade to negotiate the course as quickly as possible. Jade and her guide Caroline are both on Twitter - you can follow them now at @raceyjadeski and @CarolineSkie -
RAG to Riches for BGU Student Fund Raisers
Bishop Grosseteste University's Students' Union (BGSU) has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award after raising over £46,000 for charity. It's a finalist in the Most Improved Fundraising Group category at this year's FIG (Find, Invest, Grow) National Student Fundraising Awards next Wednesday (27th August). Run by elected students to represent the interests of students, BGSU raised around £5,000 during the last academic year. This year, however, it has managed to raise an impressive £46,031.32 - eight times more than last year! Chris Robertson, former Raise and Give (RAG) Officer and newly elected SU President, said: "It's amazing to see how far BGSU has come this year. To have raised almost 10 times more than last year's amount and be nominated for a top award are both incredible achievements! "I would like to thank everyone who has helped us either by taking part in an event or making a donation. We couldn't have done it without your support." The money has been raised through a number of activities including a week-long hitch-hike from Lincoln to Croatia and a jailbreak challenge where students had to travel as far away from Lincoln as possible in 36 hours without any money; the winning team managed to travel to Paris. The majority of the cash, however, was raised by a group of 41 students who went on a three-week volunteering trip to Romania to help teach English to children and renovate local buildings. The group managed to collect over £37,000 thanks to individual donations and taking part in various fundraising events including sponsored sports matches and the Lincoln 10K. Twelve different charities will benefit from the £46,031.32 raised, including Cancer Research UK, Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and the Bishop Grosseteste University Foundation Fund. The Reverend Professor Peter Neil, Vice Chancellor of BGU, said everyone at the university is extremely proud of what the students' union has managed to achieve. "The amount the students have managed to raise during the past 12 months is phenomenal and will make a massive difference to a lot of people's lives," said Professor Neil. "I wish BGSU the very best of luck at this year's FIG National Student Fundraising Awards and hope they come back with a trophy. Even if they don't win it is still an incredible achievement and will hopefully inspire our students to raise even more in the coming academic year - although admittedly £46,031.32 is a hard target to beat!" The winners of the 2014 FIG National Student Fundraising Awards will be announced at a ceremony on 27th August 2014 at the National Railway Museum in York. -
Great War Talk to Honour Tragic Beechey Brothers
Eight Lincoln brothers joined up to fight for king and country in the Great War – but only three returned. The story of the Beechey family of Avondale Street in Lincoln will be told next week by author Michael Walsh, whose book ‘Brothers in War’ (2006) tells the tragic story of Barnard, Charles, Frank, Harold and Leonard Beechey who were all killed in World War One. Mr Walsh will give a talk on the subject at Bishop Grosseteste University on Monday 10th November organised by the City of Lincoln branch of the Historical Association and the university.There will also be a special Lincolnshire at War exhibition, supported by the Lincolnshire County Council Archives, which will feature a selection of the Beechey brothers’ letters on display alongside other First World War artefacts. This will be the first time these documents have been put on public display outside of the archives. Descendants of the Beechey brothers will be attending the event, which takes place in Armistice Week and two days before The Last Post is premiered at Lincoln Drill Hall.The Last Post is a new play which has been written for the Lincoln Mystery Plays Company, based on hundreds of letters home written by the eight brothers that are kept in the Lincolnshire Archives. The Beechey Boys WW1 event begins in the Robert Hardy Building at BGU at 5pm on 10th November with refreshments and a book signing by the author supported by Waterstones, and the talk will start at 6pm. There is a £3 charge for the event but BGU staff and students and members of the Historical Association can attend free of charge. The talk is just one of a number of historical events regularly staged at BGU, which will launch a new joint degree in Archaeology and History from September 2015. We currently offer single honours History but the new joint honours degree will offer a wide variety of modules across the subjects of archaeology and history. We have particular strengths in public and community archaeology and students will also gain skills in these areas as they study Britain’s Roman and mediaeval past. -
Trainee Teacher Navigates Path to the Classroom
She’s flown sorties in a Tornado jet over Iraq and Afghanistan, but after ten years in the RAF trainee teacher Jenny Shackley is now taking on a very different kind of challenge. Jenny (31) from Woodhall has just started a one-year postgraduate course at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln and hopes to be teaching maths in a Lincolnshire secondary school this time next year. It’s a far cry from her role as a Tornado navigator, but the mathematics she used in the RAF helped her decide to train as a maths teacher. Now she wants to put down roots and work with young people, and she’s won a £25,000 scholarship from the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) to help her achieve her goal. “I was in the RAF for ten years from 2003 to 2013 and did three tours of Afghanistan and two tours of Iraq,” says Jenny, whose partner is also a Tornado navigator currently based at RAF Coningsby. “I spent lots of time away and now I want to settle down and work with people so I decided to go into teaching. I wanted to be a teacher first and foremost; maths is a subject I enjoyed at school but I didn’t have a lot of self-belief. However I used it a lot in the RAF, and that’s given me more confidence with the subject.” With a mortgage and bills to pay Jenny looked round for bursaries, but then found out she was eligible for the IMA’s scholarship which exists to promote good mathematics teaching in schools. She passed the rigorous three-stage application process with flying colours and now benefits from membership of various mathematical bodies as well as access to events and a network of scholars with whom she can share ideas. “I definitely wouldn’t be doing this course if I hadn’t got the scholarship,” said Jenny. “I needed some sort of income so I was delighted when I found out that my application was successful.” With an open degree from the Open University Jenny began looking for teacher training courses in Lincolnshire, and she soon decided that a place at BGU was for her. “I’m very happy that I came to BGU,” she said. “I get a sense that this university is a very positive place and I definitely got a good feeling as soon as I walked onto campus. From day one I’ve been given all the information I need and it feels like a place I can work in and feel I’m being treated well. Our tutors have given us a strong sense of ownership of the course. I think it’s a really good environment.” If you would like to find out more about BGU’s teaching courses, including the PGCE (Secondary) qualification, call Admissions on 01522 527347 or email enquiries@bishopg.ac.uk. -
Lincoln B&B Featured in National Campaign
A bed and breakfast based on campus at Bishop Grosseteste University has been featured in a national newspaper as part of Visit England’s Access for All campaign. Visit England has been working with the Daily Express to highlight accessible tourist and business destinations across the country. Longdales House bed and breakfast at BGU was featured in a special edition which appeared in the S magazine supplement on Sunday (27th September). Visit England has now been granted an extra £125,000 to support businesses in improving their accessibility. As part of the project, businesses are provided with personalised feedback of their access statement as well as online and classroom disability awareness training for members of staff. Located on the campus of Bishop Grosseteste University, Longdales House was originally home to the head of the college and in 2011 it was developed into a stylish bed and breakfast facility. Staff at Longdales House have undergone extensive training over the past year to improve customer service excellence, having already attended a course as part of the World Host programme in June this year when Lincoln became a World Host committed destination. Jane Vincent, Senior Conferencing and Events Co-ordinator at BGU, said: “I am delighted that Longdales House has been approved for inclusion in the Visit England National Access for All campaign. I would like to say thanks to all the BGU staff that have helped us to achieve these awards.” Longdales House features a range of facilities for disabled people with accessible en suite rooms, conference rooms installed with hearing loops on the adjacent BGU campus, Deafgard alarm systems and a host of other options available on request. -
Bishop Grosseteste University Gears Up for Clearing
The admissions team at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln is primed and ready to deal with enquires during Clearing on Thursday 13th August when students across the country will receive their A-level results. Admissions Assistant Laura Dovey (24, pictured) will be one of the people answering the phone, offering advice and support during Clearing, and she knows better than most what it can feel like to go through the process. In 2010, Laura from Lincoln, had taken a gap year and was planning to start a photography course at university in September when the course was cancelled at the last minute. “I was left without a plan and without a place at university,” said Laura. “My second UCAS choice was the BA English Literature course at BGU, but I wasn’t sure if I had already missed out on a place.” Laura was asked to use the Clearing process to apply for a place and was the first to get through when the lines went live at 8am. Laura said: “I discussed my qualifications with the admissions team and spoke to the senior course leader. I was delighted when I was offered a place on the English Literature course.” Following three years of study Laura graduated in 2013 with a first-class honours degree, something she puts down to the university, she said: “The atmosphere at BGU is one of inclusivity and support. “When I arrived I was quiet and shy, but thanks to the nurturing nature of my lecturers and encouragement from my friends I left feeling much more confident, both in myself and my work.” Laura and the rest of the admissions team will be ready to advise and support the next wave of students as they navigate the Clearing process. The call centre will be open from 8am until 6pm on both Thursday 13th August and Friday 14th August and the number to call is 01522 583698. Prospective students are invited to attend the university’s open day on Friday 14th 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. The open day also provides an opportunity for those who are starting (or hoping to start) in September to speak face-to-face to BGU staff about any anxieties regarding qualifications and pick up a free Freshers’ Wall Planner which contains all of the important events Freshers may want to attend. “The days following A-level results day can be a stressful and anxious time for those students who have not yet finalised their plans,” said Karen Richardson, Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions at BGU. “It’s a busy few days 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.” 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 -
Take That BGU! Dan Makes a Welcome Return
A former Bishop Grosseteste University student is set to make a glorious return to the campus to perform as Take That star Gary Barlow. Dan Hadfield, who performs as the singer as well as acting as Gary’s official lookalike, is singing at BGU on Friday 6th November in The Venue from 7pm. Having performed with the man himself and appeared on the X Factor, Dan is known as the ‘number one Gary Barlow tribute artiste’ and performs his solo show across the country as well as abroad. He has also appeared on the BBC comedy Miranda. Dan said: “I know that it will be a pleasure to perform at BGU again. My mind goes back to performing in the university’s Stars In Their Eyes competition as David Gray with my friend Euan on guitar. We were the only entrants to perform live, and covered ‘Say Hello, Wave Goodbye’, a nine-minute song which brought the house down enough for us to win the competition.” Dan also worked in higher education for a while at both BGU and the University of Lincoln, but left that behind to perform as Gary. He is currently writing his debut album of original music, set for release in 2016. Hannah Clipsham, Events Manager at BGU, said: “It’s great that we can welcome back a former student to the university to perform. To have one who’s done so well in his chosen career is pretty special. This should be a night to remember, and we can’t wait to hear all those Take That hits live!” Find out more about Dan at www.garybarlowlookalike.com Tickets for the evening cost £15, with all funds raised going to the BGU Foundation Fund, which helps enhance the student experience and supports making a difference to people’s lives. The university is also offering a pre-concert meal to book in advance in the Refectory from 5pm to 6.30pm. To book, call 01522 583795 or visit www.thevenuelincoln.co.uk For further details contact the Conference and Events Office on 01522 583681 or email jessica.lyons@bishopg.ac.uk
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