Bangor International April 2015 Wales’most satisfied students are at Bangor University
Bangor University continues to rise in popularity among its students. The University again leads the field in Wales and is placed 14th in the UK in a new university experience survey (Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2015). The survey, conducted by YouthSight for the Times Higher Education magazine, asked current students to rate their university experience according to several academic social and general measures, ranging from the educational content of their degree courses to include facilities and the general atmosphere and whether they would recommend the university to a friend.
Satisfied students shortlist Bangor University for six awards Bangor University has been shortlisted for six out of the nine awards at this year’s prestigious Whatuni Student Choice Awards. This follows a remarkable year for Bangor which has also seen it placed top in Wales and 7th in the UK for student satisfaction, ranked in the top 100 Universities in the world for its international outlook, and rated in the top 20 in the UK for student experience. Based on responses from over 20,000 students across the UK, placing their views on the Whatuni Student Rankings website, Bangor’s students have responded so positively to their experience at the University that Bangor is nominated for Awards in the following categories: t t t t t t
University of the Year Accommodation Courses Clubs & Societies University Facilities Student Support
Professor John G Hughes, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, welcomed the news saying:
“I’m delighted that the University has received so many nominations in these Awards and grateful to all our students for their support. These nominations reflect our focus on providing an excellent education and all-round student-centred university experience. I’m pleased that our current students appreciate their time in Bangor and that so many choose to take such an active part in the life of the University. I would like to thank all the staff for their fantastic efforts.”
In this issue of our newsletter... u u u
Santander Entrepreneurs One World Gala Research News www.bangor.ac.uk/international
Research News
Bangor’s Santander Entrepreneurs
Tides stir up deep Atlantic Heat in the Artic Ocean Researchers have identified how warm Atlantic water that is flowing deep into the Arctic Ocean is mixing with colder waters above to contribute to sea-ice loss in the Arctic. The results, published in the journal Nature Geoscience (16.2.14 10.1038/ngeo2350 ), show that tidal flows in the Arctic are causing deep, warm water (originating from the Gulf Stream) to mix with cold, fresh water lying above, in turn contributing to melting the floating sea-ice. Past research on how warm layers of ocean water mix with cold layers lying above has focused on turbulence driven by winds and waves, rather than on tidal mixing, since tidal flows around the Arctic Ocean are generally weak. However, direct measurements of turbulence from across the seasonally ice-free Arctic Ocean show that tidal motions interacting with steep sea bed slopes are in fact a major cause of vertical mixing. Read the full story here: www.bangor.ac.uk/news/research/tides-stir-up-deep-atlantic-heat-in-the-arctic-ocean21844
Professor John G Hughes and the other judges, Chris Walker of People Systems International and Diane Roberts of Santander Universities congratulate post-graduate Award winner Hernan Diazgranados
Hernan Diazgranados a postgraduate student from Colombia will represent Bangor University in the UK round of the Santander Entrepreneurship Awards, having won Bangor University’s Competition. He will be joined by Carley Williams a student studying Product Design with Qualified Teacher Status in the national competition later this year. Both students are through to the final round having successfully ‘pitched’ their business ideas to a panel of judges, including the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor John G. Hughes, recently. Having been tasked by the B-Enterprising team in the Careers & Employability Service to come up with an innovative business idea, the shortlisted project ideas presented covered a wide range of products and subjects, and included costings and marketing ideas. Following presentations by the shortlisted applicants, the judges awarded top prizes of £200 each to the best undergraduate and postgraduate students. Hernan, who comes from Barranquilla, Colombia, has already invested in commercial development of his
music-streaming application for the mobile environment, which provides some additional unique features. Hernan, has had an idea to develop a music-based ‘app’ for a while, but says the current idea came to him in a ‘bolt of inspiration’. He is at Bangor University studying an MSc degree in International Media Management, is confident in the success of his business idea, and is keen to source more funding and partners to develop the project further. The judges considered Hernan Diazgranados’ idea a well-presented, exciting and viable project. He won a Scholarship to study at Bangor, and during his time here has been involved in another entrepreneurship project at the University: Enterprise by Design, a programme which creates teams comprised of students from different disciplines, who share their knowledge to provide a practical solution which addresses a real-life business scenario. Hernan found this to be a very rewarding experience where he learnt a lot about facilitation and team work.
Makerere and Bangor Research News Universities sign a Sustainable Development Memorandum of Understading Extremes Research group to investigate altitude illness in Himalayan expedition Academics from Bangor University will lead an expedition to the Himalayas as part of a research project to investigate altitude related illness. Visiting pineapple farmers, part of the Innovations Cluster Programme
Sustainable Development experts, Dr Einir Young, Bangor University’s Director of Sustainability and Dr Graham Ormondroyd, Head of Materials, Bio-Composites Centre visited Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda in February to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU will boost collaborative research and innovation in both Uganda and Wales and could attract students from East Africa to choose Bangor University over other UK HE options. It is also hoped the partnership will open up opportunities for Welsh SMEs and social enterprises to pursue sustainable development opportunities with similar partners in Africa. Makerere University one of the oldest universities in Africa, has about 40,000 students; it supports the Innovation Systems Cluster Programme Uganda (ISCPU) of 62 business clusters with 100 business members in each, part of East African and Continental Pan African Competitiveness Forums. Jalia Nabukalu-Packwood, Business Development Officer working with Dr Young, played a
vital liaison role before and during the visit. She was in Uganda developing socially responsible export links on behalf of businesses in North Wales partly funded by the WISE Network project Dr Einir Young, who led the visit, said: “Sustainability and the environment are moving to the top of the international agenda, and we’re able to offer businesses and institutions the knowledge and technical means to put sustainable alternatives into practice, helping them lower costs, increase productivity and become more environmentally and socially responsible.” Dr Young and Dr Ormondroyd discussed providing technical assistance to help Makerere University embed sustainability and resource efficiency throughout the institution as well as strengthen its support for emerging SMEs through the ISCPU network. The visit was part funded by the Welsh Government’s ‘Wales for Africa’ programme and Makerere University’s Innovation Systems Cluster Programme and the support is gratefully acknowledged.
Researchers Dr Samuel Oliver and Dr Jamie Macdonald, PhD student Gabriella Rossetti and undergraduate Sport Science student James Pollard - all from Bangor University’s School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences - will be part of the 55-strong team comprising of medical doctors, scientists and mountain rescuers, who will embark on the expedition on the 20th March, returning on the 25th April. The expedition, organised by Medical Expeditions (MEDEX), will follow a trekking route around the 8000 m mountain Manaslu, reaching base camp at 5000 m where the team will set up solar and wind powered laboratories to investigate six research projects. These include ‘the sources of stress and associated coping strategies when working at altitude.’ Read the full story here: www.bangor.ac.uk/news/research/extremes-researchgroup-to-investigate-altitude-il lness-in-himalayan-expedition22247
Research News Tiny organisms could change the face of coastal science
Bangor Law Lecturer appointed new Academic Fellow at Inner Temple School’s Director of Teaching and Learning and joint Director of the Bangor Centre for International Law.
New scientific research published in the journal Nature Communications, led by researchers at Bangor University in collaboration with scientists from the National Oceanography Centre Liverpool and the Universities of St. Andrews, Hull, Leeds and Plymouth, has discovered that ‘sticky’ sugars produced by micro-organisms have a remarkably large effect on the movement of sand and mud in aquatic environments. This research is part of the Natural Environment Research Council’s million pound COHBED project, which involves experiments undertaken at hydraulics laboratories at the Universities of Bangor and Hull and fieldwork undertaken in the Dee Estuary. “One of the main reasons for setting up this research project is that our knowledge of bedform behaviour is limited almost entirely to pure sand, despite most aquatic environments being mixtures of sand, clay and EPS. In order to fill this gap in knowledge the project has required an innovative collaboration between biologists, oceanographers and sedimentologists”, explains Dr. Jaco Baas, senior lecturer at the School of Ocean Sciences, principle investigator of the COHBED project, and recognised expert on bedform research. Read the full story here: www.bangor.ac.uk/news/research/tiny-organisms-couldchange-the-face-of-coastal-sci ence-21752
Dr McDermott Rees’s research includes international criminal law, international criminal procedure, human rights and the law of evidence. She has a particular interest in fair trial rights and has recently been contracted by the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe to train judges and lawyers in Tbilisi, Georgia, on the right to a fair trial.
Dr Yvonne McDermott Rees
Dr Yvonne McDermott Rees, a Lecturer in Law at Bangor University has been appointed to a prestigious three-year role as an Academic Fellows of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple. Dr McDermott Rees is one of only four leading academics to be selected by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, one of the four barrister Inns of Court of England and Wales. The Inns of Court hold the exclusive right to call candidates to practise at the Bar of England and Wales. The Inner Temple’s Academic Fellows Scheme recognises the outstanding contribution of legal teaching and research of early to mid-career academics. It also aims to support their research and to build a stronger relationship between the Bar, judiciary and legal academia. As well as lecturing to students, Dr McDermott Rees is the Law
Yvonne McDermott Rees said: “I am delighted and honoured to have been selected from such a distinguished group of scholars to serve as an Academic Fellow of the Inner Temple. This prestigious fellowship will enable Bangor Law School to develop links with some of the UK’s top barristers and judges, and will allow our students to learn more about a career at the Bar through some of the Inner Temple’s many outreach and widening participation activities.” Welcoming this latest news, Head of Bangor Law School, Prof Dermot Cahill said:
“The accolades are coming in thick and fast for Bangor’s Law School, proving the excellent standard of teaching and research here. Considering that we’re just celebrating our tenth anniversary, what we’ve achieved is truly remarkable. This appointment of Dr McDermott as an Academic Fellow comes only days after another member of our teaching team has been shortlisted for a prestigious UK Law Teacher of the Year Award, and she follows another colleague who was shortlisted for the award last year!”
Environmental students enjoy Research News fieldtrip in one of the UK’s Waste-biogas is at least ten times more most historic landscapes effective than crop-biogas at reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Environmental Management MBA and Environment and Business Management MSc students from 9 different countries found out about the practical applications of green technologies in one of the UK’s most historic landscapes at the National Trust’s Plas Newydd mansion house during a recent field trip. Energy is a huge challenge for the Trust with such a unique building stock, yet despite the complexities they have managed to reduce their energy use in Wales by over 40% and are on track to generate over a 100% of their remaining energy need from their properties including solar photovoltaics, hydro power and even a marine source heat pump.
The story of how these achievements were realised was one of huge inspiration to the group who are exploring the broad range and increasingly strategic nature of the role of the corporate environmental manager. The one year course is now in its 3rd year and previous students have found their skills being snapped up in a variety of roles where the rare combination of expertise in both environmental issues and business are highly sought after. Student Mohamed Khogali from Sudan said, “This fieldtrip gave me an insight of the potential challenges that may face the adoption of green technologies.”
Students secure mini-pupillages with Linenhall Chambers Two Law students have secured mini-pupillages with Linenhall Chambers. Patricia Diaz originally from Peru and Dr John Phylip-Jones, both students in the first year of the twoyear LLB programme, will undertake their mini-pupillages later this year.
Linenhall Chambers, with whom Bangor Law School has a partnership, has also reserved a further three mini-pupillages for Bangor Law students in 2015. Details on how to apply will be made available to students in due course.
In a paper just released in the leading bioenergy journal Global Change Biology Bioenergy, researchers from Bangor University and the Thünen nstitute in Germany conclude that crop-biogas and liquid biofuels are at best inefficient options for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, per hectare of land used and per £ public subsidy required. At worst these options could actually lead to higher global GHG emissions owing to indirect land use change caused by displacement of food production. In comparison, waste-biogas and Miscanthus (woody grass) heating pellets achieve at least ten times more GHG mitigation per tonne of dry matter biomass and per hectare of land used, respectively, leading to cost-effective GHG mitigation. Scientists from Bangor University's School of Environment, Natural Resources & Geography and the Thünen Institute in Germany evaluated the environmental balance of various bioenergy options introduced into a typical arable farm rotation. Read the full story here: www.bangor.ac.uk/news/research/waste-biogas-is-atleast-ten-times-more-effectivethan-crop-biogas-at-reducinggreenhouse-gas-emissions22025
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Summer Schools for 2015
Arthurian and Fantasy Literature: The Legends and the Land Who is King Arthur? Was there a King Arthur? Why has this story captured – and continues to capture – the imagination of so many for so long? Why have so many of us made swords out of sticks, gone on quests, and jousted in tourneys? From where do King Arthur and the tales of the Roundtable and his Knights come – what are their mythic and cultural roots? What happens when Arthur is reimagined and retold in contemporary times on both sides of the Atlantic? Is Arthur a quintessential Hero and Quest story? What is the Matter of Britain? These and similar questions will be the focus of this seminar.
One World Gala 2015
Some of our performers on the night On Friday 13th March, Bangor University’s International Student Support Office hosted their 10th One World Gala concert. This annual event brought together people from the University, the local community and our international students from around the world to put together a colourful performance which celebrated the University’s cultural diversity. With over 1800 international students from over 80 countries, there is an incredible amount of diversity within the University! This year’s acts included an exotic Belly Dancing display, British folk dancing and more music and dance from our very talented students from China, India, Africa and Japan.
More than 400 people attended the event, including senior members of staff and the Mayor of Bangor. The event fundraised £560 which was donated to our chosen charity Wamumbi Orphan Care www.wamumbiorphancare.org.uk/ The Charity supports Kenyan orphans in the care of other family members. The money raised will be used to pay for tuition fees for 14 of the children they support, to help them gain an education to better their futures. Tuition fees cost only £50 per semester, per child but funds are raised purely by donation as the charity is not supported by any government.
Dates: 28 June 2015 - 18 July 2015 Cost: £2,500 For more information visit the following link: www.bangor.ac.uk/international/summerschool/arthuria n_summerschool.php OR email: Maggie Parke : maggie.parke@bangor.ac.uk Pictured centre is the Mayor of Bangor, Jean Forsyth with Alan Edwards, Head of Student Support at Bangor University, John G Hughes, Bangor University’s Vice Chancellor and members of staff from the North Wales Association for Multicultural Integration - NWAMI
One World Gala 2015 This year’s Gala was the biggest yet since it was first held 10 years ago and it was obvious from the 22 performances that there is a wealth of talent amongst the international student body at Bangor. The aim was to showcase the various cultures represented at the University and this year’s colourful and vibrant performances certainly did that. More photos from the event...
Summer Schools for 2015
Celtic Studies Welsh Language, Literature, History and Archaeology Spend your summer studying in the heartland of the strongest surviving Celtic Language. This summer there is an opportunity for you to learn about Welsh Literature, History and Archaeology in Bangor University – a world leading institution for teaching and research in the Celtic language. Our fully accredited (10 ECTS) Welsh and Celtic Summer School runs from 4–11 July. You can extend your stay in Bangor by enrolling on a Welsh Language course or undertaking an Archaeological Dig* taking in the breathtaking landscapes of North Wales. Dates: 4 - 11 July 2015 Cost: £950 / £1200 (with accommodation) For more information visit the following link: www.bangor.ac.uk/welshcelticsummerschools/index.php.en * visit the link above for more information on the Welsh Language course and Archaeological Dig
www.bangor.ac.uk/international
Country Representatives Bing Li
Ali Khan
Maggie Parke
Tel: +44 (0) 1248 388207 Email: b.li@bangor.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1248 388874 Email: a.khan@bangor.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1248 388416 Email: maggie.parke@bangor.ac.uk
Responsible for:
Responsible for:
Responsible for:
Brunei Mainland China Hong Kong Japan
Philippines South Korea Taiwan Vietnam
Bangladesh India Indonesia Malayisa Nepal
Pakistan Singapore Sri Lanka
Argentina Brazil Canada Chile
Colombia Mexico USA
Sarah Jones-Morris
Noor Al-Zubaidi
Michael Rogerson
Tel: +44 (0) 1248 388843 Email: s.jonesmorris@bangor.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1248 382879 Email: n.al-zubaidi@bangor.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1248 383648 Email: m.rogerson@bangor.ac.uk
Responsible for:
Responsible for:
Responsible for:
Singapore Kazakhstan Thailand Malaysia Russia Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon
Bahrain Egypt Iraq Jordan Kuwait Libya
European Union Countries
Oman Saudi Arabia Turkey UAE Qatar
International students in the UK
Upcoming Visits for 2015 We shall be visiting the following countries between April and June 2015: Saudi Arabia - April Nigeria - April & June Japan - April India - May Please do contact us if you would like one of our international oďŹƒcers to visit your school or if you need any advice. Our Bangor International Annual Report for 2013-2014 is now available to view online: www.bangor.ac.uk/international/annualreport.php W: www.bangor.ac.uk/international E: international@bangor.ac.uk
www.facebook.com/BangorUniversityInternational
For further details about country visits please contact the relevant Country Manager.