September 2011 | issue 02 Looking to the future Like the students at our Open Day, we are looking ahead to the academic year. In this issue read about exciting new developments in Academic Services and changes to the School of Health Sciences plus plenty more inside...
CIT Y NEWS
NEWS IN BRIEF New Chair of UCEA Our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Curran, is now Chair of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, which represents the interests of UK higher education institutions as employers and provides advice and guidance to them. Professor Curran said: “I look forward to working closely and constructively with the Higher Education trade unions on both pay and non-pay issues in these challenging times.”
Professor Crompton It is with great regret that we report that Rosemary Crompton, Emeritus Professor in Sociology, passed away on 17 August. Rosemary was an academic at City from 1999 until her retirement in 2008. She was a Fellow of the British Academy and one of a select few awarded a life-time fellowship by the British Sociological Association. Her research on gender and class inequalities made her an international leader in her field.
About City News City News is produced for University staff each month by Marketing and Communications. If you have any feedback on the magazine or suggestions for future content, please email: christopher.leonard.1@city.ac.uk
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Graduation this Summer The University, graduating students and guests enjoyed three days of graduation ceremonies at our temporary venue, the Barbican, in late July. While the Barbican does not have the grand history of the Guildhall (part of which was being renovated), students were able to invite as many guests as they wished and every student and guest had a good view of the proceedings. There were plenty of opportunities for staff to meet students and their friends and families at the subsequent drinks reception. Our four prestigious Honorary Graduands were (pictured clockwise from top left) Daniel Finkelstein OBE, Executive Editor of The Times; Lord Green, Minister of State for Trade and Investment; Professor David Heymann CBE, Chairman of the Health Protection Agency; and Terry Hill CBE, Chairman of the Arup Trust. u
City raises profile locally Over the last few weeks promotional messages about our University have been displayed around the borough of Islington, near to our campus. The messages were designed to raise awareness of City among our neighbours and to encourage a sense of pride in being part of the University among both returning and new students. We also wanted to remind local people that they have a world-class University on their doorstep. Have you seen the messages when using the escalators at Angel underground station and the stairs at Barbican station or at selected sites and lampposts in Goswell Road and St John Street? u
NEWS IN BRIEF
City strengthens its support for academic colleagues
Research competition
Our Vision for 2016, our emerging Strategic Plan and the rapid pace of external change have led to the decision to enhance the support previously available to academic staff. Our new Academic Services Professional Service, launched on 1 August, draws together responsibilities for academic quality, enhancement of the student learning experience, academic governance and students’ transition to City. Academic Services will provide direct support to individual colleagues and programmes and will co-ordinate several University-wide fora to provide better opportunities for colleagues to discuss emerging issues. Fora for Associate Deans (Education), Programme Directors, Admissions’ Tutors and Partnership Link Tutors will start this Autumn. Susannah Marsden, Director of Academic Services, says: “Our students are not concerned about internal organisational structures. They want a high-quality course and wider experience; this will become increasingly important. “My top priority is to establish direct working relationships that will support colleagues in this work.” To find out more, visit the Academic Services pages on our website: www.city.ac.uk/about/education/academic-services u
Academic’s major PhD grant
Margaret Carran, LLB Programme Director at The City Law School, has been awarded a grant worth £80,000 by the Responsible Gambling Fund to complete her PhD. Margaret’s thesis will be entitled ‘Children and Online Gambling – Attitudes, Behaviour, Harm Prevention, Education and Regulatory Responses’ and will see her consider a large amount of empirical research in this area. During the course of her work Margaret will be supervised by Dr Julia Hörnle and Professor Ian Walden at Queen Mary University of London and Professor Mark Griffiths at Nottingham Trent University. u
There is still time to enter City’s annual event for staff to present proposals and win a £50,000 Research Excellence Award. More information is on our intranet, or contact Anna Ramberg, Research Development Manager at: anna.ramberg.1@city.ac.uk
Stronger US links City is partnering with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Northeastern University in Boston and Santa Monica College, California, as part of the Prime Minister's Initiative for International Education. Professor Sanowar Khan is leading City’s collaboration to develop joint research, education and exchange opportunities.
HR team finalist Our HR team is a finalist in two prestigious Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development awards; in the Building HR Capability and Health and Wellbeing categories. City was one of only two universities to be shortlisted.
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NEWS IN BRIEF Farewell to Saddlers
City Christmas card ready to order
In July colleagues, students and members of the Islington community gathered for a special closing event for Saddlers Sports Centre.
City’s official Christmas card is now available for staff to order online in time for the holiday season.
To find out about interim sports arrangements while the new sports centre is developed, visit our website: www.city.ac.uk/study/student-life/ sport-at-city
UK first for PAF team The Property and Facilities team is the first estates department in any UK university to achieve Institute of Customer Service ServiceMark Accreditation. The team was recognised for its new account management and complaints procedures and its customer service training.
Volunteer support Luther Knight, a School of Informatics undergraduate, has launched Digitally Maintained, a technical support service run by student volunteers. Digitally Maintained gives individuals and organisations free advice on IT issues and enables students to gain valuable work experience. Find the service at: www.digitallymaintained.com
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The card, which depicts a snow scene of the Northampton Square entrance to College Building, can be bought via a purchase order in packs of 10 (£4.95 per pack). Turnaround times for orders will be about five working days (subject to confirmation). Cards will be digitally printed to order, with your choice of greetings: • Merry Christmas • Happy Christmas • Seasons Greetings • Happy Holidays • Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. You can find out more, including how to order Christmas cards, on our website: www.city.ac.uk/christmasscard u
City’s sensor research to make rail travel more reliable Costly disruption to rail travel caused by the breakdown of overhead power lines could become a thing of the past thanks to a new research project at City. The research will develop an early warning sensor system to detect defects and enable rail operators to carry out maintenance before major failures occur. Professors Ken Grattan and Tong Sun from the School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences worked with the City Collaborative Transport Hub and the Research Office to secure £102,000 in Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council funding. They will work with four industrial partners including Network Rail to develop and test a commercially viable system. u
NEWS IN BRIEF
Third Green City Week
Rankings rise
City is celebrating its third Green City Week on Monday 24 to Friday 28 October. The event highlights to students, staff and the local community the importance of a sustainable environment and will promote environmental initiatives. Activities include:
City has risen to 356th out of 700 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2011/12, a rise of 130 places on the 2010/11 rankings.
• Water and Marine Conservation: A forum highlighting the dangers of waste plastics to the world’s oceans and marine life
English for Italians City has delivered its fourth annual English Legal Language workshop for Italian lawyers.
• Energy Efficiency and CO² Reduction: Islington Climate Change Partnership hosts a forum on sustainable facilities management • Green Travel: Events include walking lunches, fitness classes, free bike doctor visits, Cyclescheme enrolment and a bike forum • Sustainable Food and Fairtrade: City’s first Farmers’ Market and other events showcasing our vegetable garden and food co-op • Community Volunteering: Organisations share volunteering opportunities. More details about Green City Week can be found at: www.city.ac.uk/thepoint
This year’s three-day event focused on Advanced Legal English: Contract Law and Civil Procedure in England and Wales and was successfully completed by 99 Italian lawyers.
Pods and tips
If your School or Professional Service wants to participate, please contact Dawn White, Environment Officer: dawn.white.1@city.ac.uk u
City mourns the loss of Professor Ludwik Finkelstein
Emeritus Professor Ludwik Finkelstein OBE FREng passed away on Saturday 27 August, aged 81. He served City for more than 50 years, establishing the pioneering Measurement and Instrumentation Centre, before becoming Dean of the School of Engineering and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University. Professor Finkelstein’s personal kindness towards colleagues and students has been credited as the spark that sent countless young engineers on to distinguished careers. Although he retired in 1993, he maintained strong links with the University. To celebrate his 80th birthday in 2009, a new bursary fund and laboratory were named in his honour. u
In readiness for the new academic year, teaching pods have been reviewed and updated. The Learning Development Centre is supporting Schools in the best use of these pods during September and October. More information can be found at: www.city.ac.uk/blogs/ldc
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Two media agencies collaborate with City to revolutionise the stock image market By Luke Nava
Taking stock of images
Enterprise at City
The School of Informatics’ Department of Information Science is collaborating with two enterprise partners to overhaul the market for stock images – generic photographs sold for use in newspapers, magazines and marketing materials. The two-year project, funded by the Technology Strategy Board and developed jointly by City with online marketing specialist Direct Traffic Media and agency Mediareach, is known as Piclet. Piclet will make it easier for designers, editors and consumers to find, use or buy relevant high-quality pictures, whether from professional photographers or citizen journalists. Piclet will create an online community in which photographers can upload their images and comment on and rate others. This will later be combined with a plug-in for desktop publishing packages, enabling users to search for pictures, then manipulate and insert them instantly into their designs.
Innovative search function Piclet’s search functionality will use several innovative approaches to retrieve suitable images, based on technical specifications and subjective information. According to Dr Ayse Goker, Senior Lecturer, text searching is generally effective and accurate but finding stock images is more difficult. Pictures are tagged with their subject, colour or texture, but do not indicate if their mood would be right for the context or if they would fit in the space to be filled. Dr Goker says: “We hope to address this in several ways: using the social network to gather semantic information such as what emotions a picture might invoke or whether it is well-composed; developing context-sensitive algorithms to determine when one image is similar to another; and creating a search tool that considers factors such as size and resolution.” Currently, the stock image market is dominated by two major players, Getty Images and Corbis Corporation, which have
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acquired many smaller ‘microstock’ vendors in recent years. Rian Saunders, Founder and Chairman of Direct Traffic Media, argues that photographers have little choice but to use the major vendors to protect their images and ensure pictures are easy for buyers to find. He claims that they lose out when these companies change their terms to pocket more revenue for themselves. “Piclet will make it easier for amateur and professional photographers to share their work; help images be found and purchased; and offer value for money to both buyers and sellers,” says Saunders. “We believe [Piclet] can cut the time taken to find and buy the right image by up to 80% and reward the photographer to an unheard-of degree.”
City shows its commitment to investing in academic excellence How we are supporting academic staff and recruiting leading international academics to the University City News readers will be aware of the University’s Vision for 2016: to be a leading global University committed to academic excellence, focused on business and the professions and located in the heart of London. The strategic planning now underway across City prioritises the defining characteristic of all great universities – academic excellence in a global context. Although the planning is not yet complete, the second round of our Investing in academic excellence recruitment campaign, funded through operational savings achieved over the last year, is now underway.
Internationally renowned Academic staff appointed during the first round are now joining the University and the second round has commenced with September advertisements in The Guardian and the Times Higher Education for 22 academics (including 11 professors) with internationally renowned track records in research. As well as recruitment, City is providing development opportunities for existing academic staff through the Research and Enterprise Development Programme and the Doctoral Track Scheme, where we support academic staff in achieving a doctoral qualification (see opposite). Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Curran, says: “The second phase of our Investing in academic excellence campaign is designed to attract leading academics, who will help us to achieve our Vision for 2016 and collaborate with and inspire our existing colleagues.” u
Doctoral Track Scheme As well as the recruitment activity, City is putting significant effort into developing academic staff through the Doctoral Track Scheme. The scheme, launched in October 2010, is a development programme to support staff studying for a doctoral qualification. The programme helps staff engage in their academic development and helps to improve City’s research standing and international reputation. More information can be found on our website: www.city.ac.uk/about/education/academic-services/academicpolicies-and-regulation/research-degrees/doctoral-track-scheme
Research and Enterprise Development Programme The Programme supports City’s research and enterprise objectives. Participants are nominated by their Deans, Associate Deans for Research or Heads of Departments. The Programme uses mentoring, workshops, action learning and other activities to build a participating academic’s skills and knowledge of obtaining funding and managing research projects, managing workloads and networking through to getting research published. More information can be found on our intranet: https://intranet.city.ac.uk/staff/staffdevelopment/1112inhouseprogramme/researchandenterprise.html
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The School of Health Sciences is undergoing significant changes to prepare and respond to the healthcare challenges of the 21st Century and to deliver City’s Vision for 2016 By Hollie Jenkins
Changing the way we look at Health Sciences City’s School of Health Sciences has a history dating back more than 120 years, to the St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College and the Royal London Hospital. However, Professor Stanton Newman, Dean of the School, (pictured below right) believes that, despite this long experience in healthcare research and education and our established reputation, 2011/2012 presents new challenges. He says: “This year’s cuts in funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, combined with reductions in commissions from NHS London, resulted in the School of Health Sciences having to undertake a significant cost reduction exercise to ensure its financial viability.” Professor Newman recognises that this has been a difficult time for the School and feels that it is now important to concentrate on the future: “We are now focusing on a strategy to increase our academic activities, enhance our student experience and ensure we are at the forefront of health-related academic research that has a positive impact on patient outcomes.”
Developing the strategy Over the coming months the School will develop its strategy in consultation with its academics. The objective, in line with City’s Vision for 2016, is: ‘To be recognised as an international centre of excellence for inter-disciplinary research and evidence-based education for health and health-related professionals’. Professor Newman says this strategy is underpinned by the School’s unique location in the heart of London, its distinctive range of health programmes offering an inter-disciplinary approach to healthcare education and its reputation for research relevant to patient outcomes. He explains: “An interdisciplinary approach to healthcare is becoming increasingly important as the ageing society and
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increasing focus on community care exert pressure on healthcare professionals to collaborate with others in different disciplines.” Part of the School’s strategy is a restructure which will see 11 current departments merge into six broader divisions. Kay Jones, Chief Operating Officer, says the restructure will place a stronger emphasis on the management of programmes, improve collaboration and support the implementation of the School’s research strategy: “By moving to broader divisions we plan to develop a stronger research culture. Currently departments are organised around programmes, but under the new structure we will be able to support staff better to collaborate on research grants and publications.” The newly appointed division heads will sit on the School’s senior management team, while programme managers will resource their programmes from the full range of expertise available across the School. Currently the School’s students are split across several sites: Northampton Square, Whitechapel, West Smithfield and the Optometry Clinic on Bath Street. In Summer 2012, the School will be
UCLPartners City has joined UCLPartners – one of five accredited academic health science groups in the UK – to acknowledge our recognised knowledge and expertise in nursing, allied health, health services research and evaluation and health management.
integrated onto the main University campus. This will further improve and enhance the University experience for the School’s students and give them the opportunity to mix with colleagues studying different disciplines and other subjects.
Significant investment Significant investment has been made in a new School ‘HQ’ located on Myddelton Street and new facilities in the Tait building that will consist of a biological sciences laboratory and clinical skills laboratories (pictured right and above), which will simulate fully equipped hospital wards, including medical beds complete with curtains and dummy nurse call buttons, flashing beacons, oxygen/ compressed air and wash basins. “The student experience is a vital component in the delivery of successful education and the facilities are an integral part in that experience,” says Mark Jones, Senior Lecturer and Lead for Practice Education. “These facilities will allow us to provide students with more hands-on experience, working in a simulated hospital environment.”
Professor Newman says that City’s new partnership with UCLPartners (see above) and its relationships with local health trusts will support City’s ambitions in research. “While it is undoubtedly a difficult time for both the education and health sectors, within the School we remain focused and positive that we can contribute to delivering the City Vision 2016 by becoming one of the leading academic institutions in our sector.” u
Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Curran (left) and Professor Sir Cyril Chantler of UCLPartners
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UCLPartners facilitates a diverse portfolio of research and improvement projects across its partners and the healthcare sector, focusing on turning cuttingedge academic research and health innovation into measureable health gains for patients and families.
Under the new structure we will support staff better to collaborate on research grants and publications
What’s (not) in a name? Supporting the School’s strategy is its recent name change, dropping the ‘community’ dimension and renaming itself the School of Health Sciences. Professor Stanton Newman says this change more accurately reflects the School’s academic emphasis and its future vision. “We felt that the word ‘community’ did not reflect the national and international nature of our education and research. The name change signals a renewed strategic focus that locates us as a national and international School of Health Sciences.”
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Matt Shipton reports on the progress of works that have improved and modernised many of the facilities around Northampton Square
The transformation of City’s facilities This Summer, the buildings around our campus have undergone transformation, as City’s Northampton Square Education Projects and other works near completion. The overall objective of the works programme is to provide accommodation for the School of Health Sciences and The City Law School in Northampton Square. This is in preparation for when these Schools leave their buildings on West Smithfield and Whiskin Street respectively, due to the ending of leases in 2012/13. Since May, contractors have been working in Northampton Square to help construct and refurbish a wide range of spaces to accommodate the Education Projects work and modernise our facilities, taking in the Tait, College, Drysdale and Social Science buildings, as well as the Library. Together these projects, costing around £14M in total, will improve facilities for academic staff and students and ensure that more Schools and Departments can be accommodated around Northampton Square.
The Property and Facilities (PAF) team has worked in partnership with contractors to minimise disruption to the University, its staff and local residents this Summer. The PAF team was ably supported by dozens of City staff who helped co-ordinate the relocations of colleagues away from areas impacted by the works and acted as communications representatives across the University. Highlights of the Education Projects include: • College Building common room. A brand new facility that for the first time provides a dedicated informal student space on Northampton Square. Located on the first floor of College, it will be open for use at the beginning of October. • The Oliver Thompson Lecture Theatre. The space has a new, brighter look with more comfortable seating, better lighting and state-of-the-art audio visual equipment – including an impressive new main screen. • New lecture theatre in Drysdale Building (pictured left). The lecture theatre is ready for the start of the new academic year, complete with associated breakout space. This 160-seat facility will become one of City’s leading venues. • Biomedical and Clinical Skills space in Tait Building. We are putting the final touches to a new suite for the School of Health and, by 2012/13, these facilities will be equipped to replicate the experience of a hospital ward. • Lecture and seminar rooms in College and Social Science buildings. New rooms are about to open with new PC laboratories being introduced to College Building and the Library Level Five space refurbished. The improvements from the Education Projects don’t end there. In Northampton Square, a new electrical infrastructure is now in place and will be followed by a new combined cooling, heating and power system to help City to meet its challenging targets for reducing carbon emissions.
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Commenting on an exceptionally busy Summer, Roger Ward, Deputy Director (Property) of PAF (pictured below), says: “It has been a huge challenge to deliver such a wide range of projects during the relatively quiet Summer months, managing multiple contractors, minimising disruption and maintaining business as usual for the University.”
Roger says: “We hope the end results speak for themselves and that students and staff will enjoy using the new facilities.” There’s more to come. In Autumn 2011, construction of a new graduate study centre in the former ‘Hub’ area begins and PAF will start design work to prepare for next year’s opening of the Myddelton Street building and The City Law School’s new home in the Innovation Centre. u
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This Summer, other important improvements to the University have been carried out to improve its appearance to visitors and local residents, as well as staff and students, at the start of the new academic year. These include a much brighter and more welcoming main walkway on the first floor of the University building, the refurbishment of the Northampton Square Bandstand and a specially designed cabinet outside the Great Hall in College Building to display some of City’s historic treasures, including our ceremonial mace and original royal charter (pictured above right).
A snapshot of the Summer projects carried out across the University
We hope the results speak for themselves and that students and staff enjoy using the new facilities
Projects and operations Such a large and complex set of projects requires the expert input of a wide range of professionals. Over the last 12 months, architects, surveyors, engineers and other experts have implemented these projects, aided by in-house communications, facilities management, timetabling and security specialists from City. At the forefront are the Projects and Operations teams from PAF; small teams responsible for co-ordinating resources and managing the implementation and overseeing day-today operations of various works. Without them, these projects would not have been so successful.
We always publicise the cost of projects and what the benefits will be, but the breakdown of the work involved is not usually communicated, even though it can be just as impressive as the finished facility. To offer a perspective, this Summer we have: • Applied more than 1250 litres of paint • Installed a new air handling unit costing £25,000 and weighing 3,300kgs • Co-ordinated more than 27,200 working hours of contractors. For the works in Optometry alone, we have removed almost 10 tonnes of redundant equipment and debris, while around 300 members of staff have been moved to temporary or new permanent accommodation to allow the combined works to take place.
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Cass Business School’s study is the largest yet into whether bans on this financial practice really work By Chris Johnson
Let’s not blame the short-sellers As share prices plunged across Europe this Summer, France, Italy, Spain and Belgium imposed temporary bans on shortselling to calm panic among investors and restore stability in the stock markets. The targets were short-sellers; investors aiming to profit from share price falls by borrowing stock to sell, in the expectation they will be able to buy them back more cheaply before having to return them to their owner. This was the first time widespread restrictions on short-selling have been enforced since the height of the financial crisis in 2008, when countries – including the US and UK – temporarily banned short-selling over fears of a meltdown in the stock market. At the time, as the share price of the doomed US investment bank Lehman Brothers went into freefall, former Chief Executive Dick Fuld, fumed: “When I see a short-seller, I want to tear his heart out and eat it before his eyes.” The belief behind such sentiments is that shortsellers profit by selling shares in companies – like Lehman Brothers – before spreading malicious and false rumours to trigger falls in their share price. But are short-sellers really the ‘robbers in pinstripes’ as some politicians portray them? Do they cause turmoil in markets? Was Europe right to impose a new round of restrictions on them? New and compelling evidence from a global study by Cass Business School, Short-Selling Bans Around the World: Evidence from the 2007-09 Crisis, suggests short-sellers are not the financial bogeymen some would have us believe and that banning the practice can inflict serious damage on the stock market.
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The study, by Professor Allesandro Beber from Cass Business School and Marco Pagano from the University of Naples, is the largest of its kind to date and is due to be published in the highly-respected Journal of Finance. It examined the impact of a short-selling ban in 30 countries using data from nearly 17,000 stocks between 2008 and 2009. The findings provide evidence that curbs on short-selling fail to prevent stock prices falling and worsen trading conditions in the financial markets. Professor Beber explains: “According to our study, the knee-jerk reaction of most stock exchange regulators during the financial crisis had a severely damaging effect on market liquidity. “A liquid market is one in which investors can trade quickly and cheaply, but bans on shortselling cut out a crowd of liquidity providers such as hedge funds. This makes it more costly and less efficient for people to trade.” Perhaps more damning for policymakers is Professor Beber’s evidence that the ban failed to achieve its overall aim of restoring order to the market and preventing the collapse of share prices. “In contrast to the regulators’ hopes, the overall evidence indicates
“There was also evidence the restrictions slowed down the speed at which bad news about companies fed through to market prices, making it harder for traders to see the true value of a company.” As one commentator in The Guardian put it: “... short-sellers may not be the cuddliest creatures in the financial jungle, but they do contribute to biodiversity.”
So why the bans? So why did European regulators ignore the weight of evidence against short-selling restrictions and opt for a fresh round of bans this Summer? Dr Richard Payne has co-authored a Cass Business School study into the 2008 UK short-selling ban with Professor Ian Marsh. Dr Payne says: “We can only conclude that the latest curbs are a political and regulatory smokescreen. The bans deflect public attention away from political failures to solve wider economic problems which are at the heart of recent market turmoil.” u
A short history of short-selling Short-selling is believed to have been invented in the 17th Century and has since been blamed at various times for the South Sea Bubble, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and, subsequently, for prolonging the Depression and, more recently, Black Wednesday in 1992. However, short-sellers have also been hailed as a useful means of uncovering fraudulent accounting (as in the China Stock Frauds this year) and identifying problems in companies such as Enron. In 2008 governments in the US, UK, Spain, Australia and elsewhere prohibited short-selling to stabilise stock markets, but bans have been lifted again in recent years.
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that short-selling bans at best left stock prices unaffected and at worst may have contributed to their decline,” he explains.
Short-selling bans left stock prices unaffected and may have contributed to their decline
Research at City
How does shortselling work? Short-sellers, such as hedge funds, borrow shares from another investor and then sell them, betting the price will go down before they have to buy the shares back and return them to their owner. For example, if shares in Company A are selling for £1 each, a short-seller might borrow 1,000 shares through a broker and sell them for £1,000 in the hope the price falls. If the price drops to 80p per share, the short-seller can buy back the 1,000 shares for £800 and return them to their owner while pocketing a £200 profit.
3 Professor Allesandro Beber from Cass Business School
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Is East End regeneration helping local people? Westfield Stratford City (and the Olympic site) is part of one of the largest urban regeneration projects ever undertaken in the UK. It has been forecast that an additional £1.3 to £2.2 billion will be contributed to London tourism revenues between 2007 and 2017, but are the local communities currently reaping the benefits of a programme established to help them? The regeneration of the East End was seen as a shining light to families in deprived areas. Jobs would be offered to locals so that families could experience a better life and boroughs in the area would receive money to establish a safer place to live. Many people living and working in the East End feel that has not happened. The recent London riots illustrated a clear lack of faith among local residents in what councils are offering to the local community. Events in Hackney and elsewhere and planned assaults by rioters on Westfield shopping malls, including the one in Stratford, showed how the East End regeneration projects are arguably failing to satisfy the people who helped pay for them. The reality is that many local citizens feel let down by a regeneration programme which is not offering what it originally promised.
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Daniel Kellard, who is in his third year reading for a BA in Journalism and Contemporary History, finds out.
They are lying when they say that the whole of the East End is being regenerated
Local railway worker David Barker, 55, holds strong views on whether the whole of the East End is being regenerated. “Once you come out of Stratford into nearby areas like Bow you wouldn’t know anything had changed,” he says. “They seem to only be improving areas that the television cameras will be highlighting during the [Olympic] Games.” Another local resident, Jake Hutchins, 22, has lived in Bow for the majority of his life and says his neighbourhood has not seen any evidence of the promised money: “They are lying when they say that the whole of the East End is being regenerated. The Westfield centre looks like it is going to be nice but that only covers a small part of Stratford; Bethnal Green and Bow look exactly the same.” London 2012 will no doubt leave a lasting legacy but it appears that legacy will be felt only in certain areas of East London. With local workers being told to try and avoid using public transport during the Games and many people missing out on tickets, perhaps it is not surprising to learn that many East Londoners are beginning to see the Olympics as a burden rather than a gift. u
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Meet your colleagues
Name and job title Dr Sara Silvestri, Senior Lecturer in Religion and International Politics and Senior Tutor for Research in the Department of International Politics. I am also a Research Associate with the University of Cambridge.
Now we know your job title, what are your day-to-day activities? Juggling things like teaching, committee meetings, supervisions, filling forms... and luckily, if there is a bit of silence, some reading and writing my own things... just like everybody else! I also do quite a bit of travelling for conferences and am often consulted by the media, governments and international organisations concerning current affairs pertaining to my expertise in terrorism, multiculturalism, Islamism etc.
What is the biggest challenge in your job? Switching off from work mode.
How do you overcome it? Sharing thoughts with my wonderful colleagues and having a laugh together over our common problems.
If you did not do your job, what would you be doing? If I was rich I would be sitting in my Italian home by the sea enjoying myself all day long (I’m joking of course!). I am quite happy and satisfied in the career I have undertaken; it’s a conscious choice I made, having worked in policy circles and in the media.
Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? Oh gosh! I have been lucky enough to meet quite a few important people for dinner and sometimes not for dinner, in my various commitments around the world. You know, in my dream dinner party I would actually invite all those friends that I have scattered around the world, and those I met during my school and university years and whom I have not seen for years.
Favourite place in London? Apart from my old office, which had a window and a nice view of London, I could picture myself living in Islington. I also love the numerous parks in the city.
Favourite film? The Mission (Directed by Roland Joffe).
Favourite book?
What do you do in your spare time and to relax?
The poems written by my friend, David Morante.
I do not really have much spare time but I love my music and my garden. I travel so much for work that my old dream of travelling in faraway places during my holidays has gradually faded away.
Favourite song/music? Blues and Bossa Nova. u
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16:00-19:00 Thursday 13 October, Cass Business School
Lunchtime Concert: Ben Schoeman (piano) and Dawid Venter (flute)
Heather Brooke Inaugural Lecture
An introduction to simple yet effective techniques from Ian Lawson, Director of Leadership Works.
13.10-13.55 Friday 21 October, Performance Space, College Building
18:30 – 20:00 Tuesday 11 October, Oliver Thompson Lecture Theatre
Lunchtime Concert: Lily Neill (Harp)
Doctoral student and international pianist Ben Schoeman joins Dawid Venter, principal flautist of Her Majesty's Grenadier Guards, for a concert of chamber music.
Dates for your diary
Inaugural lecture by this investigative journalist, freedom of information activist and Visiting Professor of Journalism at City.
Baroness Buscombe on changing media regulation 18:30 – 20:30 Wednesday 12 October, Oliver Thompson Lecture Theatre Baroness Buscombe, Chair of the Press Complaints Commission, explores the relationship between the law and the media and discusses recent developments in legislation.
Outstanding Leadership: Innovation and Risk
13.10 – 13.55 Friday 14 October, Performance Space, College Building The internationally renowned performer plays her original compositions and music from a variety of folk traditions, followed by a workshop open to all.
Electroacoustic concert: IDKA and Fylkingen 19:00-20:30 Tuesday 18 October, Performance Space, College Building Electroacoustic and audiovisual works from two Swedish contemporary music institutions: IDKA (Institute of Digital Arts, Gävle) and Fylkingen (new music and intermedia art, Stockholm).
Undergraduate Open Day 10:00 – 15:00 Saturday 22 October, Northampton Square Providing prospective students with the opportunity to find out more about City.
Gamelan at City: A 20 year celebration 19:00 – 20:30 Tuesday 25 October, Performance Space, College Building Lila Cita and Sekar Enggal (musical groups including City alumni and students) celebrate 20 years of this Indonesian music at City.
Staff training and development
Last chance for half-price short courses
Finance and Purchasing Training
City staff can still get up to 50% off one of our 120 short evening and weekend courses, if you register by Sunday 16 October at: www.city.ac.uk/courses/short-courses
Friday 14 October
Appraiser Training (Professional Staff) Tuesday 18 October
Appraisee Training (Academic and Research Staff) Wednesday 19 October
Minute Taking Thursday 24 November
Appraisee Training (Professional Staff) Tuesday 25 October
Appraiser Training (Academic and Research Staff) Wednesday 26 October
Effective Use of Email Thursday 27 October
Retirement Planning Tuesday 6 December The Leadership and Staff Development Unit in-house programme is designed to support you in achieving your objectives under the City Vision 2016 and underpinning strategies. For more information about our staff training, email evan.bates.1@city.ac.uk or visit our intranet: https://intranet.city.ac.uk/staff/staff-development
I did that course! Jennifer Simeon, Faculty Assistant at Cass Business School, attended recent Appraisal Training for those who do not appraise others (Professional Staff). She said: “It was very useful as it helped give me a better understanding of the whole appraisal process and how productive it can be.”